a simpleton-第36章

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excellent　customers。　　They　buy　everything　of　the　best；　and　the　most
expensive。〃

〃I　have　brought　a　new　customer；〃　said　Miss　Lucas；　〃and　I　want　you　to
do　a　great　favor；　and　that　is　to　match　a　blue　silk；　and　make　her　a
pretty　dress　for　the　flower…show　on　the　13th。〃

Madame　Cie　produced　a　white　muslin　polonaise；　which　she　was　just
going　to　send　home　to　the　Princess　…；　to　be　worn　over　mauve。

〃Oh；　how　pretty　and　simple！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Lucas。

〃I　have　some　lace　exactly　like　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Staines。

〃Then　why　don't　you　have　a　polonaise？　　The　lace　is　the　only
expensive　part；　the　muslin　is　a　mere　nothing；　and　it　is　such　a
useful　dress；　it　can　be　worn　over　any　silk。〃

It　was　agreed　Madame　Cie　was　to　send　for　the　blue　silk　and　the
lace；　and　the　dresses　were　to　be　tried　on　on　Thursday。

On　Thursday；　as　Rosa　went　gayly　into　Madame　Cie's　back　room　to　have
the　dresses　tried　on；　Madame　Cie　said；　〃You　have　a　beautiful　lace
shawl；　but　it　wants　arranging；　in　five　minutes　I　could　astonish　you
with　what　I　could　do　to　that　shawl。〃

〃Oh；　pray　do；〃　said　Mrs。　Staines。

The　dressmaker　kept　her　word。　　By　the　time　the　blue　dress　was　tried
on；　Madame　Cie　had；　with　the　aid　of　a　few　pins；　plaits；　and　a　bow
of　blue　ribbon；　transformed　the　half　lace　shawl　into　one　of　the
smartest　and　distingue　things　imaginable；　but　when　the　bill　came　in
at　Christmas；　for　that　five　minutes'　labor　and　distingue　touch；　she
charged　one　pound　eight。

Madame　Cie　then　told　the　ladies；　in　an　artfully　confidential　tone；
she　had　a　quantity　of　black　silk　coming　home；　which　she　had
purchased　considerably　below　cost　price；　and　that　she　should　like
to　make　them　each　a　dressnot　for　her　own　sake；　but　theirsas　she
knew　they　would　never　meet　such　a　bargain　again。　　〃You　know；　Miss
Lucas；〃　she　continued；　〃we　don't　want　our　money；　when　we　know　our
customers。　　Christmas　is　soon　enough　for　us。〃

〃Christmas　is　a　long　time　off；〃　thought　the　young　wife；　〃nearly　ten
months。　　I　think　I'll　have　a　black　silk；　Madame　Cie；　but　I　must　not
say　anything　to　the　doctor　about　it　just　yet；　or　he　might　think　me
extravagant。〃

〃No　one　can　ever　think　a　lady　extravagant　for　buying　a　black　silk；
it's　such　a　useful　dress；　lasts　foreveralmost。〃

Days；　weeks；　and　months　rolled　on；　and　with　them　an　ever…rolling
tide　of　flower…shows；　dinners；　at…homes；　balls；　operas；　lawn…
parties；　concerts；　and　theatres。

Strange　that　in　one　house　there　should　be　two　people　who　loved　each
other；　yet　their　lives　ran　so　far　apart；　except　while　they　were
asleep：　the　man　all　industry；　self…denial；　patience；　the　woman　all
frivolity；　self…indulgence；　and　amusement；　both　chained　to　an　oar；
onlyone　in　a　working　boat；　the　other　in　a　painted　galley。

The　woman　got　tired　first；　and　her　charming　color　waned　sadly。　　She
came　to　him　for　medicine　to　set　her　up。　　〃I　feel　so　languid。〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　he；　〃no　medicine　can　do　the　work　of　wholesome　food
and　rational　repose。　　You　lack　the　season　of　all　natures；　sleep。
Dine　at　home　three　days　running；　and　go　to　bed　at　ten。〃

On　this　the　doctor's　wife　went　to　a　chemist　for　advice。　　He　gave
her　a　pink　stimulant；　and；　as　stimulants　have　two　effects；　viz。；
first　to　stimulate；　and　then　to　weaken；　this　did　her　no　lasting
good。　　Dr。　Staines　cursed　the　London　season；　and　threatened　to
migrate　to　Liverpool。

But　there　was　worse　behind。

Returning　one　day　to　his　dressing…room；　just　after　Rosa　had　come
down…stairs；　he　caught　sight　of　a　red　stain　in　a　wash…hand…basin。
He　examined　it；　it　was　arterial　blood。

He　went　to　her　directly；　and　expressed　his　anxiety。

〃Oh；　it　is　nothing；〃　said　she。

〃Nothing！　　Pray；　how　often　has　it　occurred？〃

〃Once　or　twice。　　I　must　take　your　advice；　and　be　quiet；　that　is
all。〃

Staines　examined　the　housemaid；　she　lied　instinctively　at　first；
seeing　he　was　alarmed；　but；　being　urged　to　tell　the　truth；　said　she
had　seen　it　repeatedly；　and　had　told　the　cook。

He　went　down…stairs　again；　and　sat　down；　looking　wretched。

〃Oh；　dear！〃　said　Rosa。　　〃What　is　the　matter　now？〃

〃Rosa；〃　said　he；　very　gravely；　〃there　are　two　people　a　woman　is　mad
to　deceiveher　husband　and　her　physician。　　You　have　deceived
both。〃


CHAPTER　X。


I　suspect　Dr。　Staines　merely　meant　to　say　that　she　had　concealed
from　him　an　alarming　symptom　for　several　weeks；　but　she　answered　in
a　hurry；　to　excuse　herself；　and　let　the　cat　out　of　the　bagexcuse
my　vulgarity。

〃It　was　all　that　Mrs。　Vivian's　fault。　　She　laughed　at　me　so　for　not
wearing　them；　and　she　has　a　waist　you　can　spanthe　wretch！〃

〃Oh；　then；　you　have　been　wearing　stays　clandestinely？〃

〃Why；　you　know　I　have。　　Oh；　what　a　stupid！　　I　have　let　it　all　out。〃

〃How　could　you　do　it；　when　you　knew；　by　experience；　it　is　your
death？〃

〃But　it　looks　so　beautiful；　a　tiny　waist。〃

〃It　looks　as　hideous　as　a　Chinese　foot；　and；　to　the　eye　of　science；
far　more　disgusting；　it　is　the　cause　of　so　many　unlovely　diseases。〃

〃Just　tell　me　one　thing；　have　you　looked　at　Mrs。　Vivian？〃

〃Minutely。　　I　look　at　all　your　friends　with　great　anxiety；　knowing
no　animal　more　dangerous　than　a　fool。　　Viviana　skinny　woman；　with
a　pretty　face；　lovely　hair；　good　teeth；　dying　eyes〃

〃Yes；　lovely！〃

〃A　sure　proof　of　a　disordered　stomachand　a　waist　pinched　in　so
unnaturally；　that　I　said　to　myself；　'Where　on　earth　does　this　idiot
put　her　liver？'　　Did　you　ever　read　of　the　frog　who　burst；　trying　to
swell　to　an　ox？　　Well；　here　is　the　rivalry　reversed；　Mrs。　Vivian　is
a　bag　of　bones　in　a　balloon；　she　can　machine　herself　into　a　wasp；
but　a　fine　young　woman　like　you；　with　flesh　and　muscle；　must　kill
yourself　three　or　four　times　before　you　can　make　your　body　as
meagre；　hideous；　angular；　and　unnatural　as　Vivian's。　　But　all　you
ladies　are　mono…maniacs；　one　might　as　well　talk　sense　to　a　gorilla。
It　brought　you　to　the　edge　of　the　grave。　　I　saved　you。　　Yet　you
could　go　and　　God　grant　me　patience。　　So　I　suppose　these
unprincipled　women　lent　you　their　stays　to　deceive　your　husband？〃

〃No。　　But　they　laughed　at　me　so　that　　Oh；　Christie；　I'm　a　wretch；
I　kept　a　pair　at　the　Lucases；　and　a　pair　at　Madame　Cie's；　and　I　put
them　on　now　and　then。〃

〃But　you　never　appeared　here　in　them？〃

〃What；　before　my　tyrant？　　Oh　no；　I　dared　not。〃

〃So　you　took　them　off　before　you　came　home？〃

Rosa　hung　her　head；　and　said　〃Yes〃　in　a　reluctant　whisper。

〃You　spent　your　daylight　dressing。　　You　dressed　to　go　out；　dressed
again　in　stays；　dressed　again　without　them；　and　all　to　deceive　your
husband；　and　kill　yourself；　at　the　bidding　of　two　shallow；
heartless　women；　who　would　dance　over　your　grave　without　a　pang　of
remorse；　or　sentiment　of　any　kind；　since　they　live；　like　midges；
ONLY　TO　DANCE　IN　THE　SUN；　AND　SUCK　SOME　WORKER'S　BLOOD。〃

〃Oh；　Christie！　　I'm　so　easily　led。　　I　am　too　great　a　fool　to　live。
Kill　me！〃

And　she　kneeled　down；　and　renewed　the　request；　looking　up　in　his
face　with　an　expression　that　might　have　disarmed　Cain　ipsum。

He　smiled　superior。　　〃The　question　is；　are　you　sorry　you　have　been
so　thoughtless？〃

〃Yes；　dear。　　Oh！　oh！〃

〃Will　you　be　very　good　to　make　up？〃

〃Oh；　yes。　　Only　tell　me　how；　for　it　does　not　come　natural　to　poor
me。〃

〃Keep　out　of　those　women's　way　for　the　rest　of　the　season。〃

〃I　will。〃

〃Bring　your　stays　home；　and　allow　me　to　do　what　I　like　with　them。〃

〃Of　course。　　Cut　them　in　a　million　pieces。〃

〃Till　you　are　recovered；　you　must　be　my　patient；　and　go　nowhere
without　me。〃

〃That　is　no　punishment；　I　am　sure。〃

〃Punishment！　　Am　I　the　man　to　punish　you？　　I　only　want　to　save
you。〃

〃Well；　darling；　it　won't　be　the　first　time。〃

〃No；　but　I　do　hope　it　will　be　the　last。〃


CHAPTER　XI。


〃Sublata　causa　tollitur　effectus。〃　　The　stays　being　gone；　and
dissipation　moderated；　Mrs。　Staines　bloomed　again；　and　they　gave
one　or　two　unpretending　little　dinners　at　the　Bijou。　　Dr。　Staines
admitted　no　false　friends　to　these。　　They　never　went　beyond　eight；
five　gentlemen；　three　ladies。　　By　this　arrangement　the　terrible
discursiveness　of　the　fair；　and　man's　cruel　disposition　to　work　a
subject　threadbare；　were　controlled　and　modified；　and　a　happy
balance　of　conversation　established。　　Lady　Cicely　Treherne　was
always　invited；　and　always　managed　to　come；　fo