a simpleton-第39章
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L s。
May 4。 Re…shaping and repairing elegant lace mantle； 1 8
Chip bonnet； feather； and flowers 。 。 。 。 4 4
May 20。 Making and trimming blue silk dressmaterial
part found 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 19 19
Five yards rich blue silk to match。 。 。 。 4 2
June 1。 Polonaise and jacket trimmed with lace
material part found 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 17 17
June 8。 One black silk dress； handsomely trimmed
with jet guipure and lace 。 。 。 。 。 。 49 18
A few shreds and fragments of finery； bought at odd times； swelled
the bill to L99 11s。 6d。not to terrify the female mind with three
figures。
And let no unsophisticated young lady imagine that the trimmings；
which constituted three…fourths of this bill； were worth anything。
The word 〃lace；〃 in Madame Cie's bill； invariably meant machine…
made trash； worth tenpence a yard； but charged eighteen shillings a
yard for one pennyworth of work in putting it on。 Where real lace
was used； Madame Cie always LET HER CUSTOMERS KNOW IT。 Miss
Lucas's bill for this year contained the two following little
items：
L s。
Rich gros de cecile polonaise and jacket to match；
trimmed with Chantilly lace and valenciennes 。 。 。 68 5
Superb robe de chambre； richly trimmed with skunk fur。 40 0
The customer found the stuff； viz。； two shawls。 Carolina found the
nasty little pole…cats； and got twenty…four shillings for them；
Madame Cie found THE REST。
But Christopher Staines had not Miss Lucas's bill to compare his
wife's with。 He could only compare the latter with their income；
and with male notions of common sense and reason。
He went home； and into his studio； and sat down on his hard beech
chair； he looked round on his books and his work； and then； for the
first time； remembered how long and how patiently he had toiled for
every hundred pounds he had made； and he laid the evidences of his
wife's profusion and deceit by the side of those signs of painful
industry and self…denial； and his soul filled with bitterness。
〃Deceit！ deceit！〃
Mrs。 Staines heard he was in the house； and came to know about the
trial。 She came hurriedly in； and caught him with his head on the
table； in an attitude of prostration； quite new to him； he raised
his head directly he heard her； and revealed a face； pale； stern；
and wretched。
〃Oh！ what is the matter now？〃 said she。
〃The matter is what it has always been； if I could only have seen
it。 You have deceived me； and disgraced yourself。 Look at those
bills。〃
〃What bills？ Oh！〃
〃You have had an allowance for housekeeping。〃
〃It wasn't enough。〃
〃It was plenty； if you had kept faith with me； and paid ready
money。 It was enough for the first five weeks。 I am housekeeper
now； and I shall allow myself two pounds a week less； and not owe a
shilling either。〃
〃Well； all I know is； I couldn't do it： no woman could。〃
〃Then； you should have come to me； and said so； and I would have
shown you how。 Was I in Egypt； or at the North Pole； that you
could not find me； to treat me like a friend？ You have ruined us：
these debts will sweep away the last shilling of our little
capital； but it isn't that； oh； no！ it is the miserable deceit。〃
Rosa's eye caught the sum total of Madame Cie's bill； and she
turned pale。 〃Oh； what a cheat that woman is！〃
But she turned paler when Christopher said； 〃That is the one honest
bill； for I gave you leave。 It is these that part us： these！
these！ Look at them； false heart！ There； go and pack up your
things。 We can live here no longer； we are ruined。 I must send
you back to your father。〃
〃I thought you would； sooner or later；〃 said Mrs。 Staines； panting；
trembling； but showing a little fight。 〃He told you I wasn't fit
to be a poor man's wife。〃
〃An honest man's wife； you mean： that is what you are not fit for。
You will go home to your father； and I shall go into some humble
lodging to work for you。 I'll contrive to keep you； and find you a
hundred a year to spend in dressthe only thing your heart can
really love。 But I won't have an enemy here in the disguise of a
friend； and I won't have a wife about me I must treat like a
servant； and watch like a traitor。〃
The words were harsh； but the agony with which they were spoken
distinguished them from vulgar vituperation。
They overpowered poor Rosa； she had been ailing a little some time；
and from remorse and terror； coupled with other causes； nature gave
way。 Her lips turned white； she gasped inarticulately； and； with a
little piteous moan； tottered； and swooned dead away。
He was walking wildly about； ready to tear his hair； when she
tottered； he saw her just in time to save her； and laid her gently
on the floor； and kneeled over her。
Away went anger and every other feeling but love and pity for the
poor； weak creature that； with all her faults； was so lovable and
so loved。
He applied no remedies at first： he knew they were useless and
unnecessary。 He laid her head quite low； and opened door and
window； and loosened all her dress； sighing deeply all the time at
her condition。
While he was thus employed； suddenly a strange cry broke from him：
a cry of horror； remorse； joy； tenderness； all combined： a cry
compared with which language is inarticulate。 His swift and
practical eye had made a discovery。
He kneeled over her； with his eyes dilating and his hands clasped；
a picture of love and tender remorse。
She stirred。
Then he made haste； and applied his remedies； and brought her
slowly back to life； he lifted her up； and carried her in his arms
quite away from the bills and things； that； when she came to； she
might see nothing to revive her distress。 He carried her to the
drawing…room； and kneeled down and rocked her in his arms； and
pressed her again and again gently to his heart； and cried over
her。 〃O my dove； my dove！ the tender creature God gave me to love
and cherish； and have I used it harshly？ If I had only known！ if I
had only known！〃
While he was thus bemoaning her； and blaming himself； and crying
over her like the rain；he； whom she had never seen shed a tear
before in all his troubles；she was coming to entirely； and her
quick ears caught his words； and she opened her lovely eyes on him。
〃I forgive you； dear；〃 she said feebly。 〃BUT I HOPE YOU WILL BE A
KINDER FATHER THAN A HUSBAND。〃
These quiet words； spoken with rare gravity and softness； went
through the great heart like a knife。
He gave a sort of shiver； but said not a word。
But that night he made a solemn vow to God that no harsh word from
his lips should ever again strike a being so weak； so loving； and
so beyond his comprehension。 Why look for courage and candor in a
creature so timid and shy； she could not even tell her husband THAT
until； with her subtle sense； she saw he had discovered it？
CHAPTER XII。
To be a father； to have an image of his darling Rosa； and a fruit
of their love to live and work for： this gave the sore heart a
heavenly glow； and elasticity to bear。 Should this dear object be
born to an inheritance of debt； of poverty？ Never。
He began to act as if he was even now a father。 He entreated Rosa
not to trouble or vex herself； he would look into their finances；
and set all straight。
He paid all the bills； and put by a quarter's rent and taxes。 Then
there remained of his little capital just ten pounds。
He went to his printers； and had a thousand order…checks printed。
These forms ran thus：
〃Dr。 Staines； of 13 Dear Street； Mayfair （blank for date）； orders
of （blank here for tradesman and goods ordered）； for cash。
Received same time （blank for tradesman's receipt）。 Notice： Dr。
Staines disowns all orders not printed on this form； and paid for
at date of order。〃
He exhibited these forms； and warned all the tradespeople； before a
witness whom he took round for that purpose。
He paid off Pearman on the spot。 Pearman had met Clara； dressed
like a pauper； her soldier having emptied her box to the very
dregs； and he now
