a simpleton-第33章
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stupid with grief。 The line on her high forehead deepened； and at
night she sat with her hands before her； sighing； and sighing； and
listening for the footsteps that never came。
〃Oh； Dick！〃 she said； 〃never you love any one。 I am aweary of my
life。 And to think that； but for that diamondoh； dear！ oh； dear！
oh； dear！〃
Then Dick used to try and comfort her in his way； and often put his
arm round her neck； and gave her his rough but honest sympathy。
Dick's rare affection was her one drop of comfort； it was something
to relieve her swelling heart。
〃Oh； Dick！〃 she said to him one night； 〃I wish I had married him。〃
〃What； to be ill…used？〃
〃He couldn't use me worse。 I have been wife； and mother； and
sweetheart； and all； to him； and to be left like this。 He treats
me like the dirt beneath his feet。〃
〃'Tis your own fault； Phoebe； partly。 You say the word； and I'll
break every bone in his carcass。〃
〃What； do him a mischief！ Why； I'd rather die than harm a hair of
his head。 You must never lift a hand to him； or I shall hate you。〃
〃Hate ME； Phoebe？〃
〃Ay； boy： I should。 God forgive me： 'tis no use deceiving
ourselves； when a woman loves a man she despises； never you come
between them； there's no reason in her love； so it is incurable。
One comfort； it can't go on forever； it must kill me； before my
time and so best。 If I was only a mother； and had a little
Reginald to dandle on my knee and gloat upon； till he spent his
money； and came back to me。 That's why I said I wished I was his
wife。 Oh！ why does God fill a poor woman's bosom with love； and
nothing to spend it on but a stone； for sure his heart must be one。
If I had only something that would let me always love it； a little
toddling thing at my knee； that would always let me look at it； and
love it； something too young to be false to me； too weak to run
away from my longingarmsandyearning heart！〃 Then came a
burst of agony； and moans of desolation； till poor puzzled Dick
blubbered loudly at her grief； and then her tears flowed in
streams。
Trouble on trouble。 Dick himself got strangely out of sorts； and
complained of shivers。 Phoebe sent him to bed early； and made him
some white wine whey very hot。 In the morning he got up； and said
he was better； but after breakfast he was violently sick； and
suffered several returns of nausea before noon。 〃One would think I
was poisoned；〃 said he。
At one o'clock he was seized with a kind of spasm in the throat
that lasted so long it nearly choked him。
Then Phoebe got frightened； and sent to the nearest surgeon。 He
did not hurry； and poor Dick had another frightful spasm just as he
came in。
〃It is hysterical；〃 said the surgeon。 〃No disease of the heart； is
there？ Give him a little sal…volatile every half hour。〃
In spite of the sal…volatile these terrible spasms seized him every
half hour； and now he used to spring off the bed with a cry of
terror when they came； and each one left him weaker and weaker； he
had to be carried back by the women。
A sad； sickening fear seized on Phoebe。 She left Dick with the
maid； and tying on her bonnet in a moment； rushed wildly down the
street； asking the neighbors for a great doctor； the best that
could be had for money。 One sent her east a mile； another west；
and she was almost distracted； when who should drive up but Dr。 and
Mrs。 Staines； to make purchases。 She did not know his name； but
she knew he was a doctor。 She ran to the window； and cried； 〃Oh；
doctor； my brother！ Oh； pray come to him。 Oh！ oh！〃
Dr。 Staines got quickly； but calmly； out； told his wife to wait；
and followed Phoebe up…stairs。 She told him in a few agitated
words how Dick had been taken； and all the symptoms； especially
what had alarmed her so； his springing off the bed when the spasm
came。
Dr。 Staines told her to hold the patient up。 He lost not a moment；
but opened his mouth resolutely； and looked down。
〃The glottis is swollen；〃 said he： then he felt his hands； and
said； with the grave； terrible calm of experience； 〃He is dying。〃
〃Oh； no！ no！ Oh； doctor； save him！ save him！〃
〃Nothing can save him； unless we had a surgeon on the spot。 Yes； I
might save him； if you have the courage： opening his windpipe
before the next spasm is his one chance。〃
〃Open his windpipe！ Oh； doctor！ It will kill him。 Let me look at
you。〃
She looked hard in his face。 It gave her confidence。
〃Is it the only chance？〃
〃The only one： and it is flying while we chatter。〃
〃DO IT。〃
He whipped out his lancet。
〃But I can't look on it。 I trust to you and my Saviour's mercy。〃
She fell on her knees； and bowed her head in prayer。
Staines seized a basin； put it by the bedside； made an incision in
the windpipe； and got Dick down on his stomach； with his face over
the bedside。 Some blood ran； but not much。 〃Now！〃 he cried；
cheerfully； 〃a small bellows！ There's one in your parlor。 Run。〃
Phoebe ran for it； and at Dr。 Staines' direction lifted Dick a
little； while the bellows； duly cleansed； were gently applied to
the aperture in the windpipe； and the action of the lungs
delicately aided by this primitive but effectual means。
He showed Phoebe how to do it； tore a leaf out of his pocket…book；
wrote a hasty direction to an able surgeon near； and sent his wife
off with it in the carriage。
Phoebe and he never left the patient till the surgeon came with all
the instruments required； amongst the rest； with a big； tortuous
pair of nippers； with which he could reach the glottis； and snip
it。 But they consulted； and thought it wiser to continue the surer
method； and so a little tube was neatly inserted into Dick's
windpipe； and his throat bandaged； and by this aperture he did his
breathing for some little time。
Phoebe nursed him like a mother； and the terror and the joy did her
good； and made her less desolate。
Dick was only just well when both of them were summoned to the
farm； and arrived only just in time to receive their father's
blessing and his last sigh。
Their elder brother； a married man； inherited the farm； and was
executor。 Phoebe and Dick were left fifteen hundred pounds apiece；
on condition of their leaving England and going to Natal。
They knew directly what that meant。 Phoebe was to be parted from a
bad man； and Dick was to comfort her for the loss。
When this part of the will was read to Phoebe； she turned faint；
and only her health and bodily vigor kept her from swooning right
away。
But she yielded。 〃It is the will of the dead；〃 said she； 〃and I
will obey it； for； oh； if I had but listened to him more when he
was alive to advise me； I should not sit here now； sick at heart
and dry…eyed； when I ought to be thinking only of the good friend
that is gone。〃
When she had come to this she became feverishly anxious to be gone。
She busied herself in purchasing agricultural machines； and stores；
and even stock； and to see her pinching the beasts' ribs to find
their condition； and parrying all attempts to cheat her； you would
never have believed she could be a love…sick woman。
Dick kept her up to the mark。 He only left her to bargain with the
master of a good vessel； for it was no trifle to take out horses
and cows； and machines； and bales of cloth； cotton； and linen。
When that was settled they came in to town together； and Phoebe
bought shrewdly； at wholesale houses in the city； for cash； and
would have bargains： and the little shop in … Street was turned
into a warehouse。
They were all ardor； as colonists should be； and what pleased Dick
most； she never mentioned Falcon； yet he learned from the maid that
worthy had been there twice； looking very seedy。
The day drew near。 Dick was in high spirits。
〃We shall soon make our fortune out there；〃 he said； 〃and I'll get
you a good husband。〃
She shuddered； but said nothing。
The evening before they were to sail； Phoebe sat alone； in her
black dress； tired with work； and asking herself； sick at heart；
could she ever really leave England； when the door opened softly；
and Reginald Falcon； shabbily dressed； came in； and threw himself
into a chair。
She started up with a scream； then sank down a
