a simpleton-第41章

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know　by　his　face　if　there　is　any　truth　in　it。〃

〃Well；　and　you　must　know　the　twuth。　　You　shall　know　it。　　I　want　to
know　it　too；　for　if　he　does　not　love　you　twuly；　I　will　nevaa　twust
myself　to　anything　so　deceitful　as　a　man。〃

Rosa　at　last　consented　to　follow　this　advice。

After　dinner　she　put　the　letter　into　Christopher's　hand；　and　asked
him　quietly　was　there　any　truth　in　that：　then　her　hands　trembled；
and　her　eyes　drank　him。

Christopher　read　it；　and　frowned；　then　he　looked　up；　and　said；　〃No；
not　a　word。　　What　scoundrels　there　are　in　the　world！　　To　go　and
tell　you　that；　NOW！　　Why；　you　little　goose！　have　you　been　silly
enough　to　believe　it？〃

〃No；〃　said　she　irresolutely。　　〃But　DO　you　drive　the　brougham　out
every　night？〃

〃Except　Sunday。〃

〃Where？〃

〃My　dear　wife；　I　never　loved　you　as　I　love　you　now；　and　if　it　was
not　for　you；　I　should　not　drive　the　brougham　out　of　nights。　　That
is　all　I　shall　tell　you　at　present；　but　some　day　I'll　tell　you　all
about　it。〃

He　took　such　a　calm　high　hand　with　her　about　it；　that　she　submitted
to　leave　it　there；　but　from　this　moment　the　serpent　doubt　nibbled
her。

It　had　one　curious　effect；　though。　　She　left　off　complaining　of
trifles。

Now　it　happened　one　night　that　Lady　Cicely　Treherne　and　a　friend
were　at　a　concert　in　Hanover　Square。　　The　other　lady　felt　rather
faint；　and　Lady　Cicely　offered　to　take　her　home。　　The　carriages　had
not　yet　arrived；　and　Miss　Macnamara　said　to　walk　a　few　steps　would
do　her　good：　a　smart　cabman　saw　them　from　a　distance　and　drove　up；
and　touching　his　hat　said；　〃Cab；　ladies？〃

It　seemed　a　very　superior　cab；　and　Miss　Macnamara　said　〃Yes〃
directly。

The　cabman　bustled　down　and　opened　the　door；　Miss　Macnamara　got　in
first；　then　Lady　Cicely；　her　eye　fell　on　the　cabman's　face；　which
was　lighted　full　by　a　street…lamp；　and　it　was　Christopher　Staines！

He　started　and　winced；　but　the　woman　of　the　world　never　moved　a
muscle。

〃Where　to？〃　said　Staines；　averting　his　head。

She　told　him　where；　and　when　they　got　out；　said；　〃I'll　send　it　you
by　the　servant。〃

A　flunkey　soon　after　appeared　with　half…a…crown；　and　the　amateur
coachman　drove　away。　　He　said　to　himself；　〃Come；　my　mustache　is　a
better　disguise　than　I　thought。〃

Next　day；　and　the　day　after；　he　asked　Rosa；　with　affected
carelessness；　had　she　heard　anything　of　Lady　Cicely。

〃No；　dear；　but　I　dare　say　she　will　call　this　afternoon：　it　is　her
day。〃

She　did　call　at　last；　and　after　a　few　words　with　Rosa；　became　a
little　restless；　and　asked　if　she　might　consult　Dr。　Staines。

〃Certainly；　dear。　　Come　to　his　studio。〃

〃No；　might　I　see　him　here？〃

〃Certainly。〃　　She　rang　the　bell；　and　told　the　servant　to　ask　Dr。
Staines　if　he　would　be　kind　enough　to　step　into　the　drawing…room。

Dr。　Staines　came　in；　and　bowed　to　Lady　Cicely；　and　eyed　her　a
little　uncomfortably。

She　began；　however；　in　a　way　that　put　him　quite　at　his　ease。　　〃You
remember　the　advice　you　gave　us　about　my　little　cousin　Tadcastah。〃

〃Perfectly：　his　life　is　very　precarious；　he　is　bilious；　consumptive；
and；　if　not　watched；　will　be　epileptical；　and　he　has　a　fond；　weak
mother；　who　will　let　him　kill　himself。〃

〃Exactly：　and　you　wecommended　a　sea　voyage；　with　a　medical
attendant　to　watch　his　diet；　and　contwol　his　habits。　　Well；　she
took　other　advice；　and　the　youth　is　worse；　so　now　she　is
fwightened；　and　a　month　ago　she　asked　me　to　pwopose　to　you　to　sail
about　with　Tadcastah；　and　she　offered　me　a　thousand　pounds　a　year。
I　put　on　my　stiff　look；　and　said；　'Countess；　with　every　desiah　to
oblige　you；　I　must　decline　to　cawwy　that　offah　to　a　man　of　genius；
learning；　and　weputation；　who　has　the　ball　at　his　feet　in　London。'〃

〃Lord　forgive　you；　Lady　Cicely。〃

〃Lord　bless　her　for　standing　up　for　my　Christie。〃

Lady　Cicely　continued：　〃Now；　this　good　lady；　you　must　know；　is　not
exactly　one　of　us：　the　late　earl　mawwied　into　cotton；　or　wool；　or
something。　　So　she　said；　'Name　your　price　for　him。'　　I　shwugged　my
shoulders；　smiled　affably；　and　as　affectedly　as　you　like；　and
changed　the　subject。　　But　since　then　things　have　happened。　　I　am
afwaid　it　is　my　duty　to　make　you　the　judge　whether　you　choose　to
sail　about　with　that　little　cubRosa；　I　can　beat　about　the　bush　no
longer。　　Is　it　a　fit　thing　that　a　man　of　genius；　at　whose　feet　we
ought　all　to　be　sitting　with　reverence；　should　drive　a　cab　in　the
public　streets？　　Yes；　Rosa　Staines；　your　husband　drives　his
brougham　out　at　night；　not　to　visit　any　other　lady；　as　that
anonymous　wretch　told　you；　but　to　make　a　few　misewable　shillings
for　you。〃

〃Oh；　Christie！〃

〃It　is　no　use；　Dr。　Staines；　I　must　and　will　tell　her。　　My　dear；　he
drove　ME　three　nights　ago。　　He　had　a　cabman's　badge　on　his　poor
arm。　　If　you　knew　what　I　suffered　in　those　five　minutes！　　Indeed　it
seems　cruel　to　speak　of　itbut　I　could　not　keep　it　from　Rosa；　and
the　reason　I　muster　courage　to　say　it　before　you；　sir；　it　is
because　I　know　she　has　other　friends　who　keep　you　out　of　their
consultations；　and；　after　all；　it　is　the　world　that　ought　to　blush；
and　not　you。〃

Her　ladyship's　kindly　bosom　heaved；　and　she　wanted　to　cry；　so　she
took　her　handkerchief　out　of　her　pocket　without　the　least　hurry；
and　pressed　it　delicately　to　her　eyes；　and　did　cry　quietly；　but
without　any　disguise；　like　a　brave　lady；　who　neither　cried　nor　did
anything　else　she　was　ashamed　to　be　seen　at。

As　for　Rosa；　she　sat　sobbing　round　Christopher's　neck；　and　kissed
him　with　all　her　soul。

〃Dear　me！〃　said　Christopher。　　〃You　are　both　very　kind。　　But；
begging　your　pardon；　it　is　much　ado　about　nothing。〃

Lady　Cicely　took　no　notice　of　that　observation。　　〃So；　Rosa　dear；〃
said　she；　〃I　think　you　are　the　person　to　decide　whether　he　had　not
better　sail　about　with　that　little　cub；　thanoh！〃

〃I　will　settle　that；〃　said　Staines。　　〃I　have　one　beloved　creature
to　provide　for。　　I　may　have　another。　　I　MUST　make　money。　　Turning　a
brougham　into　a　cab；　whatever　you　may　think；　is　an　honest　way　of
making　it；　and　I　am　not　the　first　doctor　who　has　coined　his
brougham　at　night。　　But　if　there　is　a　good　deal　of　money　to　be　made
by　sailing　with　Lord　Tadcaster；　of　course　I　should　prefer　that　to
cab…driving；　for　I　have　never　made　above　twelve　shillings　a　night。〃

〃Oh；　as　to　that；　she　shall　give　you　fifteen　hundred　a　year。〃

〃Then　I　jump　at　it。〃

〃What！　and　leave　ME？〃

〃Yes；　love：　leave　youfor　your　good；　and　only　for　a　time。　　Lady
Cicely；　it　is　a　noble　offer。　　My　darling　Rosa　will　have　every
comfortay；　every　luxury；　till　I　come　home；　and　then　we　will　start
afresh　with　a　good　balance；　and　with　more　experience　than　we　did　at
first。〃

Lady　Cicely　gazed　on　him　with　wonder。　　She　said；　〃Oh！　what　stout
hearts　men　have！　　No；　no；　don't　let　him　go。　　See；　he　is　acting。
His　great　heart　is　torn　with　agony。　　I　will　have　no　hand　in　parting
man　and　wifeno；　not　for　a　day。〃　　And　she　hurried　away　in　rare
agitation。

Rosa　fell　on　her　knees；　and　asked　Christopher's　pardon　for　having
been　jealous；　and　that　day　she　was　a　flood　of　divine　tenderness。
She　repaid　him　richly　for　driving　the　cab。　　But　she　was　unnaturally
cool　about　Lady　Cicely；　and　the　exquisite　reason　soon　came　out。
〃Oh　yes！　　She　is　very　good；　very　kind；　but　it　is　not　for　me　now！
No！　you　shall　not　sail　about　with　her　cub　of　a　cousin；　and　leave　me
at　such　a　time。〃

Christopher　groaned。

〃Christie；　you　shall　not　see　that　lady　again。　　She　came　here　to
part　us。　　SHE　IS　IN　LOVE　WITH　YOU。　　I　was　blind　not　to　see　it
before。〃

Next　day；　as　Lady　Cicely　sat　alone　in　the　morning…room　thinking
over　this　very　scene；　a　footman　brought　in　a　card　and　a　note。　　〃Dr。
Staines　begs　particularly　to　see　Lady　Cicely　Treherne。〃

The　lady's　pale　cheek　colored；　she　stood　irresolute　a　single
moment。　　〃I　will　see　Dr。　Staines；〃　said　she。

Dr。　Staines　came　in；　looking　pale　and　worn；　he　had　not　slept　a　wink
since　she　saw　him　last。

She　looked　at　him　full；　and　divined　this　at　a　glance。　　She　motioned
him　to　a　seat；　and　sat　down　herself；　with　her　white　hand　pressing
her　forehead；　and　her　head　turned　a　little　away　from　him。


CHAPTER　XIII。


He　told　her　he　had　come　to　thank　her　for　her　great　kindness；　and　to
accept　the　offer。

She　sighed。　　〃I　hoped　it　was　to　decline　it。