a simpleton-第32章

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a　little　stock　with　you；　and　some　money；　so　my　one　gave　him　credit；
and　when　the　letter　came　with　that　postmark；　he　counted　on　a　five…
pound　note；　but　the　letter　only　said　he　had　got　no　money　yet；　but
sent　him　something　as　a　keepsake：　and　there　was　this　little　stone。
Poor　fellow！　he　flung　it　down　in　a　passion；　he　was　so　disappointed。〃

Phoebe's　great　gray　eyes　filled；　and　Rosa　gave　a　little　coo　of
sympathy　that　was　very　womanly　and　lovable。

Phoebe　leaned　her　cheek　on　her　hand；　and　said　thoughtfully；　〃I
picked　it　up；　and　brought　it　away；　for；　after　alldon't　you　think；
ma'am；　it　is　very　strange　that　a　friend　should　send　it　all　that
way；　if　it　was　worth　nothing　at　all？〃

〃It　is　impossible。　　He　could　not　be　so　heartless。〃

〃And　do　you　know；　ma'am；　when　I　take　it　up　in　my　fingers；　it
doesn't　feel　like　a　thing　that　was　worth　nothing。〃

〃No　more　it　does：　it　makes　my　fingers　tremble。　　May　I　take　it　home；
and　show　it　my　husband？　he　is　a　great　physician　and　knows　everything。〃

〃I　am　sure　I　should　be　obliged　to　you；　ma'am。〃

Rosa　drove　home；　on　purpose　to　show　it　to　Christopher。　　She　ran
into　his　study：　〃Oh；　Christopher；　please　look　at　that。　　You　know
that　good　creature　we　have　our　flour　and　milk　and　things　of。　　She
is　engaged；　and　he　is　a　painter。　　Oh；　such　daubs！　　He　painted　a
friend；　and　the　friend　sent　that　home　all　the　way　from　Natal；　and
he　dashed　it　down；　and　SHE　picked　it　up；　and　what　is　it？　ground
glass；　or　a　pebble；　or　what？〃

〃Humph！by　its　shape；　and　the　greatbrilliancyand　refraction　of
light；　on　this　angle；　where　the　stone　has　got　polished　by　rubbing
against　other　stones；　in　the　course　of　ages；　I'm　inclined　to　think
it　isa　diamond。〃

〃A　diamond！〃　shrieked　Rosa。　　〃No　wonder　my　fingers　trembled。　　Oh；
can　it　be？　　Oh；　you　good；　cold…blooded　Christie！Poor　things！
Come　along；　Diamond！　　Oh　you　beauty！　　Oh　you　duck！〃

〃Don't　be　in　such　a　hurry。　　I　only　said　I　thought　it　was　a　diamond。
Let　me　weigh　it　against　water；　and　then　I　shall　KNOW。〃

He　took　it　to　his　little　laboratory；　and　returned　in　a　few　minutes；
and　said；　〃Yes。　　It　is　just　three　times　and　a　half　heavier　than
water。　　It　is　a　diamond。〃

〃Are　you　positive？〃

〃I'll　stake　my　existence。〃

〃What　is　it　worth？〃

〃My　dear；　I'm　not　a　jeweller：　but　it　is　very　large　and　pear…shaped；
and　I　see　no　flaw：　I　don't　think　you　could　buy　it　for　less　than
three　hundred　pounds。〃

〃Three　hundred　pounds！　　It　is　worth　three　hundred　pounds。〃

〃Or　sell　it　for　more　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　pounds。〃

〃A　hundred　and　fifty！　　It　is　worth　a　hundred　and　fifty　pounds。〃

〃Why；　my　dear；　one　would　think　you　had　invented　'the　diamond。'
Show　me　how　to　crystallize　carbon；　and　I　will　share　your
enthusiasm。〃

〃Oh；　I　leave　you　to　carbonize　crystal。　　I　prefer　to　gladden　hearts：
and　I　will　do　it　this　minute；　with　my　diamond。〃

〃Do；　dear；　and　I　will　take　that　opportunity　to　finish　my　article　on
Adulteration。〃

Rosa　drove　off　to　Phoebe　Dale。

Now　Phoebe　was　drinking　tea　with　Reginald　Falcon；　in　her　little
parlor。　　〃Who　is　that；　I　wonder？〃　said　she；　when　the　carriage　drew
up。

Reginald　drew　back　a　corner　of　the　gauze　curtain　which　had　been
drawn　across　the　little　glass　door　leading　from　the　shop。

〃It　is　a　lady；　and　a　beautifulOh！　let　me　get　out。〃　　And　he　rushed
out　at　the　door　leading　to　the　kitchen；　not　to　be　recognized。

This　set　Phoebe　all　in　a　flutter；　and　the　next　moment　Mrs。　Staines
tapped　at　the　little　door；　then　opened　it；　and　peeped。　　〃Good　news！
may　I　come　in？〃

〃Surely；〃　said　Phoebe；　still　troubled　and　confused　by　Reginald's
strange　agitation。

〃There！　　It　is　a　diamond！〃　screamed　Rosa。　　〃My　husband　knew　it
directly。　　He　knows　everything。　　If　ever　you　are　ill；　go　to　him　and
nobody　elseby　the　refraction；　and　the　angle；　and　its　being　three
times　and　a　half　as　heavy　as　water。　　It　is　worth　three　hundred
pounds　to　buy；　and　a　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　to　sell。〃

〃Oh！〃

〃So　don't　you　go　throwing　it　away；　as　he　did。　　（In　a　whisper。）　　Two
teacups？　　Was　that　him？　　I　have　driven　him　away。　　I　am　so　sorry。
I'll　go；　and　then　you　can　tell　him。　　Poor　fellow！〃

〃Oh；　ma'am；　don't　go　yet；〃　said　Phoebe；　trembling。　　〃I　haven't　half
thanked　you。〃

〃Oh；　bother　thanks。　　Kiss　me；　that　is　the　way。〃

〃May　I？〃

〃You　may；　and　must。　　Thereand　thereand　there。　　Oh　dear；　what
nice　things　good　luck　and　happiness　are；　and　how　sweet　to　bring
them　for　once。〃

Upon　this　Phoebe　and　she　had　a　nice　little　cry　together；　and　Mrs。
Staines　went　off　refreshed　thereby；　and　as　gay　as　a　lark；　pointing
slyly　at　the　door；　and　making　faces　to　Phoebe　that　she　knew　he　was
there；　and　she　only　retired；　out　of　her　admirable　discretion；　that
they　might　enjoy　the　diamond　together。

When　she　was　gone；　Reginald；　whose　eye　and　ear　had　been　at　the
keyhole；　alternately　gloating　on　the　face　and　drinking　the　accents
of　the　only　woman　he　had　ever　really　loved；　came　out；　looking　pale；
and　strangely　disturbed；　and　sat　down　at　table；　without　a　word。

Phoebe　came　back　to　him；　full　of　the　diamond。　　〃Did　you　hear　what
she　said；　my　dear？　　It　is　a　diamond；　it　is　worth　a　hundred　and
fifty　pounds　at　least。　　Why；　what　ails　you？　　Ah！　to　be　sure！　you
know　that　lady。〃

〃I　have　cause　to　know　her。　　Cursed　jilt！〃

〃You　seem　a　good　deal　put　out　at　the　sight　of　her。〃

〃It　took　me　by　surprise；　that　is　all。〃

〃It　takes　me　by　surprise　too。　　I　thought　you　were　cured。　　I　thought
MY　turn　had　come　at　last。〃

Reginald　met　this　in　sullen　silence。　　Then　Phoebe　was　sorry　she　had
said　it；　for；　after　all；　it　wasn't　the　man's　fault　if　an　old
sweetheart　had　run　into　the　room；　and　given　him　a　start。　　So　she
made　him　some　fresh　tea；　and　pressed　him　kindly　to　try　her　home…
made　bread　and　butter。

My　lord　relaxed　his　frown　and　consented；　and　of　course　they　talked
diamond。

He　told　her；　loftily；　he　must　take　a　studio；　and　his　sitters　must
come　to　him；　and　must　no　longer　expect　to　be　immortalized　for　one
pound。　　It　must　be　two　pounds　for　a　bust；　and　three　pounds　for　a
kitcat。

〃Nay；　but；　my　dear；〃　said　Phoebe；　〃they　will　pay　no　more　because
you　have　a　diamond。〃

〃Then　they　will　have　to　go　unpainted；〃　said　Mr。　Falcon。

This　was　intended　for　a　threat。　　Phoebe　instinctively　felt　that　it
might　not　be　so　received；　she　counselled　moderation。　　〃It　is　a
great　thing　to　have　earned　a　diamond；〃　said　she：　〃but　'tis　only
once　in　a　life。　　Now；　be　ruled　by　me：　go　on　just　as　you　are。　　Sell
the　diamond；　and　give　me　the　money　to　keep　for　you。　　Why；　you　might
add　a　little　to　it；　and　so　would　I；　till　we　made　it　up　two　hundred
pounds。　　And　if　you　could　only　show　two　hundred　pounds　you　had　made
and　laid　by；　father　would　let　us　marry；　and　I　might　keep　this　shop
it　pays　well；　I　can　tell　youand　keep　my　gentleman　in　a　sly
corner；　you　need　never　be　seen　in　it。〃

〃Ay；　ay；〃　said　he；　〃that　is　the　small　game。　　But　I　am　a　man　that
have　always　preferred　the　big　game。　　I　shall　set　up　my　studio；　and
make　enough　to　keep　us　both。　　So　give　me　the　stone；　if　you　please。
I　shall　take　it　round　to　them　all；　and　the　rogues　won't　get　it　out
of　ME　for　a　hundred　and　fifty；　why；　it　is　as　big　as　a　nut。〃

〃No；　no；　Reginald。　　Money　has　always　made　mischief　between　you　and
me。　　You　never　had　fifty　pounds　yet；　you　didn't　fall　into
temptation。　　Do　pray　let　me　keep　it　for　you；　or　else　sell　itI
know　how　to　sell；　nobody　betterand　keep　the　money　for　a　good
occasion。〃

〃Is　it　yours；　or　mine？〃　said　he；　sulkily。

〃Why　yours；　dear；　you　earned　it。〃

〃Then　give　it　me；　please。〃　　And　he　almost　forced　it　out　of　her
hand。

So　now　she　sat　down　and　cried　over　this　piece　of　good　luck；　for　her
heart　filled　with　forebodings。

He　laughed　at　her；　but　at　last　had　the　grace　to　console　her；　and
assure　her　she　was　tormenting　herself　for　nothing。

〃Time　will　show；〃　said　she；　sadly。

Time　did　show。

Three　or　four　days　he　came；　as　usual；　to　laugh　her　out　of　her
forebodings。　　But　presently　his　visits　ceased。　　She　knew　what　that
meant：　he　was　living　like　a　gentleman；　melting　his　diamond；　and
playing　her　false　with　the　first　pretty　face　he　met。

This　blow；　coming　after　she　had　been　so　happy；　struck　Phoebe　Dale
stupid　with　grief。　　The　line　on　her　high　forehead　deepened；　and　at
night　she　sat　with　her　hands