a simpleton-第38章

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treasure；　but　Pearman　said；　with　sadness　and　firmness；　that　he　had
made　up　his　mind　to　go；　and　go　he　would。

The　doctor's　heart　fairly　sank　at　the　prospect　of　losing　the　one
creature　he　could　depend　upon。

Next　Sunday　evening　Clara　was　out；　and　fell　in　with　friends；　to
whom　she　exaggerated　her　grievance。

Then　they　worked　her　up　to　fury；　after　the　manner　of　servants'
FRIENDS。　　She　came　home；　packed　her　box；　brought　it　down；　and　then
flounced　into　the　room　to　Doctor　and　Mrs。　Staines；　and　said；　〃I
shan't　sleep　another　night　in　this　house。〃

Rosa　was　about　to　speak；　but　Dr。　Staines　forbade　her：　he　said；　〃You
had　better　think　twice　of　that。　　You　are　a　good　servant；　though　for
once　you　have　been　betrayed　into　speaking　disrespectfully。　　Why
forfeit　your　character；　and　three　weeks'　wages？〃

〃I　don't　care　for　my　wages。　　I　won't　stay　in　such　a　house　as　this。〃

〃Come；　you　must　not　be　impertinent。〃

〃I　don't　mean　to；　sir；〃　said　she；　lowering　her　voice　suddenly；
then；　raising　it　as　suddenly；　〃There　are　my　keys；　ma'am；　and　you
can　search　my　box。〃

〃Mrs。　Staines　will　not　search　your　box；　and　you　will　retire　at　once
to　your　own　part　of　the　house。〃

〃I'll　go　farther　than　that；〃　said　she；　and　soon　after　the　street
door　was　slammed；　the　Bijou　shook。

At　six　o'clock　next　morning；　she　came　for　her　box。　　It　had　been　put
away　for　safety。　　Pearman　told　her　she　must　wait　till　the　doctor
came　down。　　She　did　not　wait；　but　went　at　eleven　A。M。　to　a　police…
magistrate；　and　took　out　a　summons　against　Dr。　Staines；　for
detaining　a　box　containing　certain　articles　specifiedvalue　under
fifteen　pounds。

When　Dr。　Staines　heard　she　had　been　for　her　box；　but　left　no
address；　he　sent　Pearman　to　hunt　for　her。　　He　could　not　find　her。
She　avoided　the　house；　but　sent　a　woman　for　her　diurnal　love
letters。　　Dr。　Staines　sent　the　woman　back　to　fetch　her。　　She　came；
received　her　box；　her　letters；　and　the　balance　of　her　wages；　which
was　small；　for　Staines　deducted　the　three　weeks'　wages。

Two　days　afterwards；　to　his　surprise；　the　summons　was　served。

Out　of　respect　for　a　court　of　justice；　however　humble；　Dr。　Staines
attended　next　Monday　to　meet　the　summons。

The　magistrate　was　an　elderly　man；　with　a　face　shaped　like　a　hog's；
but　much　richer　in　color；　being　purple　and　pimply；　so　foul　a　visage
Staines　had　rarely　seen；　even　in　the　lowest　class　of　the　community。

Clara　swore　that　her　box　had　been　opened；　and　certain　things　stolen
out　of　it；　and　that　she　had　been　refused　the　box　next　morning。

Staines　swore　that　he　had　never　opened　the　box；　and　that；　if　any
one　else　had；　it　was　with　her　consent；　for　she　had　left　the　keys
for　that　purpose。　　He　bade　the　magistrate　observe　that　if　a　servant
went　away　like　this；　and　left　no　address；　she　put　it　out　of　the
master's　POWER　to　send　her　box　after　her；　and　he　proved　he　had　some
trouble　to　force　the　box　on　her。

The　pig…faced　beak　showed　a　manifest　leaning　towards　the　servant；
but　there　wasn't　a　leg　to　stand　on；　and　he　did　not　believe；　nor　was
it　credible；　that　anything　had　been　stolen　out　of　her　box。

At　this　moment；　Pearman；　sent　by　Rosa；　entered　the　court　with　an
old　gown　of　Clara's　that　had　been　discovered　in　the　scullery；　and　a
scribbling…book　of　the　doctor's；　which　Clara　had　appropriated；　and
written　amorous　verses　in；　very　superiorin　numberto　those　that
have　come　down　to　us　from　Anacreon。

〃Hand　me　those；〃　said　the　pig…faced　beak。

〃What　are　they；　Dr。　Staines？〃

〃I　really　don't　know。　　I　must　ask　my　servant。〃

〃Why；　more　things　of　mine　that　have　been　detained；〃　said　Clara。

〃Some　things　that　have　been　found　since　she　left；〃　said　Staines。

〃Oh！　those　that　hide　know　where　to　find。〃

〃Young　woman；〃　said　Staines；　〃do　not　insult　those　whose　bread　you
have　eaten；　and　who　have　given　you　many　presents　besides　your
wages。　　Since　you　are　so　ready　to　accuse　people　of　stealing；　permit
me　to　say　that　this　book　is　mine；　and　not　yours；　and　yet；　you　see；
it　is　sent　after　you　because　you　have　written　your　trash　in　it。〃

The　purple；　pig…faced　beak　went　instantly　out　of　the　record；　and
wasted　a　deal　of　time　reading　Clara's　poetry；　and　trying　to　be
witty。　　He　raised　the　question　whose　book　this　was。　　The　girl　swore
that　it　WAS　given　her　by　a　lady　who　was　now　in　Rome。　　Staines　swore
he　bought　it　of　a　certain　stationer；　and　happening　to　have　his
passbook　in　his　pocket；　produced　an　entry　corresponding　with　the
date　of　the　book。

The　pig…faced　beak　said　that　the　doctor's　was　an　improbable　story；
and　that　the　gown　and　the　book　were　quite　enough　to　justify　the
summons。　　Verdict；　one　guinea　costs。

〃What；　because　two　things　she　never　demanded　have　been　found　and
sent　after　her？　　This　is　monstrous。　　I　shall　appeal　to　your
superiors。〃

〃If　you　are　impertinent　I'll　fine　you　five　pounds。〃

〃Very　well；　sir。　　Now　hear　me：　if　this　is　an　honest　judgment；　I
pray　God　I　may　be　dead　before　the　year's　out；　and；　if　it　isn't；　I
pray　God　you　may　be。〃

Then　the　pig…faced　beak　fired　up；　and　threatened　to　fine　him　for
blaspheming。

He　deigned　no　reply；　but　paid　the　guinea；　and　Clara　swept　out　of
the　court；　with　a　train　a　yard　long；　and　leaning　on　the　arm　of　a
scarlet　soldier　who　avenged　Dr。　Staines　with　military　promptitude。

Christopher　went　home　raging　internally；　for　hitherto　he　had　never
seen　so　gross　a　case　of　injustice。

One　of　his　humble　patients　followed　him；　and　said；　〃I　wish　I　had
known；　sir；　you　shouldn't　have　come　here　to　be　insulted。　　Why；　no
gentleman　can　ever　get　justice　against　a　servant　girl　when　HE　is
sitting。　　It　is　notorious；　and　that　makes　these　hussies　so　bold。
I've　seen　that　jade　here　with　the　same　story　twice　afore。〃

Staines　reached　home　more　discomposed　than　he　could　have　himself
believed。　　The　reason　was　that　barefaced　injustice　in　a　court　of
justice　shook　his　whole　faith　in　man。　　He　opened　the　street　door
with　his　latch…key；　and　found　two　men　standing　in　the　passage。　　He
inquired　what　they　wanted。

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　one　of　them；　civilly　enough；　〃we　only　want　our
due。〃

〃For　what？〃

〃For　goods　delivered　at　this　house；　sir。　　Balance　of　account。〃　　And
he　handed　him　a　butcher's　bill；　L88；　11s。　5　1/2d。

〃You　must　be　mistaken；　we　run　no　bills　here。　　We　pay　ready　money
for　everything。〃

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　the　butcher；　〃there　have　been　payments；　but　the
balance　has　always　been　gaining；　and　we　have　been　put　off　so　often；
we　determined　to　see　the　master。　　Show　you　the　books；　sir；　and
welcome。〃

〃This　instant；　if　you　please。〃　　He　took　the　butcher's　address；　who
then　retired；　and　the　other　tradesman；　a　grocer；　told　him　a　similar
tale；　balance；　sixty　pounds　odd。

He　went　to　the　butcher's；　sick　at　heart；　inspected　the　books；　and
saw　that；　right　or　wrong；　they　were　incontrovertible；　that　debt　had
been　gaining　slowly；　but　surely；　almost　from　the　time　he　confided
the　accounts　to　his　wife。　　She　had　kept　faith　with　him　about　five
weeks；　no　more。

The　grocer's　books　told　a　similar　tale。

The　debtor　put　his　hand　to　his　heart；　and　stood　a　moment。　　The　very
grocer　pitied　him；　and　said；　〃There's　no　harry；　doctor；　a　trifle　on
account；　if　settlement　in　full　not　convenient　just　now。　　I　see　you
have　been　kept　in　the　dark。〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Christopher；　〃I'll　pay　every　shilling。〃　　He　gave　one
gulp；　and　hurried　away。

At　the　fishmonger's；　the　same　story；　only　for　a　smaller　amount。

A　bill　of　nineteen　pounds　at　the　very　pastrycook's；　a　place　she　had
promised　him；　as　her　physician；　never　to　enter。

At　the　draper's；　thirty…seven　pounds　odd。

In　short；　wherever　she　had　dealt；　the　same　system：　partial
payments；　and　ever…growing　debt。

Remembering　Madame　Cie；　he　drove　in　a　cab　to　Regent　Street；　and
asked　for　Mrs。　Staines's　account。

〃Shall　I　send　it；　sir？〃

〃No；　I　will　take　it　with　me。〃

〃Miss　Edwards；　make　out　Mrs。　Staines's　account；　if　you　please。〃

Miss　Edwards　was　a　good　while　making　it　out；　but　it　was　ready　at
last。　　He　thrust　it　into　his　pocket；　without　daring　to　look　at　it
there；　but　he　went　into　Verrey's；　and　asked　for　a　cup　of　coffee；
and　perused　the　document。

The　principal　items　were　as　follows：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　L　　s。
May　4。　　　Re…shaping　and　repairing