a simpleton-第40章
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like a pauper； her soldier having emptied her box to the very
dregs； and he now offered to stay。 But it was too late。
Staines told the cook Mrs。 Staines was in delicate health； and must
not be troubled with anything。 She must come to him for all
orders。
〃Yes； sir；〃 said she。 But she no sooner comprehended the check
system fully than she gave warning。 It put a stop to her wholesale
pilfering。 Rosa's cooks had made fully a hundred pounds out of her
amongst them since she began to keep accounts。
Under the male housekeeper every article was weighed on delivery；
and this soon revealed that the butcher and the fishmonger had
habitually delivered short weight from the first； besides putting
down the same thing twice。 The things were sent back that moment；
with a printed form； stating the nature and extent of the fraud。
The washerwoman； who had been pilfering wholesale so long as Mrs。
Staines and her sloppy…headed maids counted the linen； and then
forgot it； was brought up with a run； by triplicate forms； and by
Staines counting the things before two witnesses； and compelling
the washerwoman to count them as well； and verify or dispute on the
spot。 The laundress gave warninga plain confession that stealing
had been part of her trade。
He kept the house well for three pounds a week； exclusive of coals；
candles； and wine。 His wife had had five pounds； and whatever she
asked for dinner…parties； yet found it not half enough upon her
method。
He kept no coachman。 If he visited a patient； a man in the yard
drove him at a shilling per hour。
By these means； and by working like a galley slave； he dragged his
expenditure down almost to a level with his income。
Rosa was quite content at first； and thought herself lucky to
escape reproaches on such easy terms。
But by and by so rigorous a system began to gall her。 One day she
fancied a Bath bun； sent the new maid to the pastry…cook's。
Pastry…cook asked to see the doctor's order。 Maid could not show
it； and came back bunless。
Rosa came into the study to complain to her husband。
〃A Bath bun；〃 said Staines。 〃Why； they are colored with annotto；
to save an egg； and annotto is adulterated with chromates that are
poison。 Adulteration upon adulteration。 I'll make you a real Bath
bun。〃 Off coat； and into the kitchen； and made her three； pure；
but rather heavy。 He brought them her in due course。 She declined
them languidly。 She was off the notion； as they say in Scotland。
〃If I can't have a thing when I want it； I don't care for it at
all。〃 Such was the principle she laid down for his future
guidance。
He sighed； and went back to his work； she cleared the plate。
One day； when she asked for the carriage； he told her the time was
now come for her to leave off carriage exercise。 She must walk
with him every day； instead。
〃But I don't like walking。〃
〃I am sorry for that。 But it is necessary to you； and by and by
your life may depend on it。〃
Quietly； but inexorably； he dragged her out walking every day。
In one of these walks she stopped at a shop window； and fell in
love with some baby's things。 〃Oh！ I must have that；〃 said she。
〃I must。 I shall die if I don't； you'll see now。〃
〃You shall；〃 said he； 〃when I can pay for it；〃 and drew her away。
The tears of disappointment stood in her eyes； and his heart
yearned over her。 But he kept his head。
He changed the dinner hour to six； and used to go out directly
afterwards。
She began to complain of his leaving her alone like that。
〃Well； but wait a bit；〃 said he； 〃suppose I am making a little
money by it； to buy you something you have set your heart on； poor
darling！〃
In a very few days after this； he brought her a little box with a
slit in it。 He shook it； and money rattled； then he unlocked it；
and poured out a little pile of silver。 〃There；〃 said he； 〃put on
your bonnet； and come and buy those things。〃
She put on her bonnet； and on the way she asked how it came to be
all in silver。
〃That is a puzzler；〃 said he； 〃isn't it？〃
〃And how did you make it； dear？ by writing？〃
〃No。〃
〃By fees from the poor people？〃
〃What； undersell my brethren！ Hang it； no！ My dear； I made it
honestly； and some day I will tell you how I made it； at present；
all I will tell you is this： I saw my darling longing for something
she had a right to long for； I saw the tears in her sweet eyes；
andoh； come along； do。 I am wretched till I see you with the
things in your hand。〃
They went to the shop； and Staines sat and watched Rosa buying
baby…clothes。 Oh； it was a pretty sight to see this modest young
creature； little more than a child herself； anticipating maternity；
but blushing every now and then； and looking askant at her lord and
master。 How his very bowels yearned over her！
And when they got home； she spread the things on a table； and they
sat hand in hand； and looked at them； and she leaned her head on
his shoulder； and went quietly to sleep there。
And yet； as time rolled on； she became irritable at times； and
impatient； and wanted all manner of things she could not have； and
made him unhappy。
Then he was out from six o'clock till one； and she took it into her
head to be jealous。 So many hours to spend away from her！ Now
that she wanted all his comfort。
Presently； Ellen； the new maid； got gossiping in the yard； and a
groom told her her master had a sweetheart on the sly； he thought；
for he drove the brougham out every evening himself； 〃and；〃 said
the man； 〃he wears a mustache at night。〃
Ellen ran in； brimful of this； and told the cook； the cook told the
washerwoman； the washerwoman told a dozen families； till about two
hundred people knew it。
At last it came to Mrs。 Staines in a roundabout way； at the very
moment when she was complaining to Lady Cicely Treherne of her hard
lot。 She had been telling her she was nothing more than a lay…
figure in the house。
〃My husband is housekeeper now； and cook； and all； and makes me
delicious dishes； I can tell you； SUCH curries！ I couldn't keep
the house with five pounds a week； so now he does it with three：
and I never get the carriage； because walking is best for me； and
he takes it out every night to make money。 I don't understand it。〃
Lady Cicely suggested that perhaps Dr。 Staines thought it best for
her to be relieved of all worry； and so undertook the housekeeping。
〃No； no； no；〃 said Rosa； 〃I used to pay them all a part of their
bills； and then a little more； and so I kept getting deeper； and I
was ashamed to tell Christie； so that he calls deceit； and oh； he
spoke to me so cruelly once！ But he was very sorry afterwards；
poor dear！ Why are girls brought up so silly？ all piano； and no
sense； and why are men sillier still to go and marry such silly
things？ A wife！ I am not so much as a servant。 Oh； I am finely
humiliated； and；〃 with a sudden hearty naivete all her own； 〃it
serves me just right。〃
While Lady Cicely was puzzling this out； in came a letter。 Rosa
opened it； read it； and gave a cry like a wounded deer。
〃Oh！〃 she cried； 〃I am a miserable woman。 What will become of me？〃
The letter informed her bluntly that her husband drove his brougham
out every night to pursue a criminal amour。
While Rosa was wringing her hands in real anguish of heart； Lady
Cicely read the letter carefully。
〃I don't believe this；〃 said she quietly。
〃Not true！ Why； who would be so wicked as to stab a poor；
inoffensive wretch like me； if it wasn't true？〃
〃The first ugly woman would； in a minute。 Don't you see the witer
can't tell you where he goes？ Dwives his bwougham out！ That is
all your infaumant knows。〃
〃Oh； my dear friend； bless you！ What have I been complaining to
you about？ All is light； except to lose his love。 What shall I
do？ I will never tell him。 I will never affront him by saying I
suspected him。〃
〃Wosa； if you do that； you will always have a serpent gnawing you。
No； you must put the letter quietly into his hand； and say； 'Is
there any truth in that？'〃
〃Oh； I could not。 I haven't the courage。 If I do that； I shall
know by his face if there is any truth in it。〃
〃Well； and you must kno
