a simpleton-第5章

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want　to　join　the　giddy　throng。　　Well；　don't　ask　me　to　have　any　hand
in　it。　　You　are　a　man　of　promise；　and　you　might　as　well　hang　a
millstone　round　your　neck　as　a　wife。　　Marriage　is　a　greater　mistake
than　ever　now；　the　women　dress　more　and　manage　worse。　　I　met　your
cousin　Jack　the　other　day；　and　his　wife　with　seventy　pounds　on　her
back；　and　next　door　to　paupers。　　No；　whilst　you　are　a　bachelor；
like　me；　you　are　my　favorite；　and　down　in　my　will　for　a　lump。　　Once
marry；　and　you　join　the　noble　army　of　foot…pads；　leeches；　vultures；
paupers；　gone　coons；　and　babblers　about　bratsand　I　disown　you。〃

There　was　no　hope　from　old　Crusty。　　Christopher　left　him；　snubbed
and　heart…sick。　　At　last　he　met　a　sensible　man；　who　made　him　see
there　was　no　short　cut　in　that　profession。　　He　must　be　content　to
play　the　up…hill　game；　must　settle　in　some　good　neighborhood；
marry；　if　possible；　since　husbands　and　fathers　of　families　prefer
married　physicians；　and　so　be　poor　at　thirty；　comfortable　at　forty；
and　rich　at　fiftyperhaps。

Then　Christopher　came　down　to　his　lodgings　at　Gravesend；　and　was
very　unhappy；　and　after　some　days　of　misery；　he　wrote　a　letter　to
Rosa　in　a　moment　of　impatience；　despondency；　and　passion。

Rosa　Lusignan　got　worse　and　worse。　　The　slight　but　frequent
hemorrhage　was　a　drain　upon　her　system；　and　weakened　her　visibly。
She　began　to　lose　her　rich　complexion；　and　sometimes　looked　almost
sallow；　and　a　slight　circle　showed　itself　under　her　eyes。　　These
symptoms　were　unfavorable；　nevertheless；　Dr。　Snell　and　Mr。　Wyman
accepted　them　cheerfully；　as　fresh　indications　that　nothing　was
affected　but　the　liver；　they　multiplied　and　varied　their
prescriptions；　the　malady　ignored　those　prescriptions；　and　went
steadily　on。　　Mr。　Lusignan　was　terrified　but　helpless。　　Rosa
resigned　and　reticent。

But　it　was　not　in　human　nature　that　a　girl　of　this　age　could　always
and　at　all　hours　be　mistress　of　herself。　　One　evening　in　particular
she　stood　before　the　glass　in　the　drawing…room；　and　looked　at
herself　a　long　time　with　horror。　　〃Is　that　Rosa　Lusignan？〃　said
she；　aloud；　〃it　is　her　ghost。〃

A　deep　groan　startled　her。　　She　turned；　it　was　her　father。　　She
thought　he　was　fast　asleep；　and　so　indeed　he　had　been；　but　he　was
just　awaking；　and　heard　his　daughter　utter　her　real　mind。　　It　was　a
thunder…clap。　　〃Oh；　my　child！　what　shall　I　do？〃　he　cried。

Then　Rosa　was　taken　by　surprise　in　her　turn。　　She　spoke　out。　　〃Send
for　a　great　physician；　papa。　　Don't　let　us　deceive　ourselves；　it　is
our　only　chance。〃

〃I　will　ask　Mr。　Wyman　to　get　a　physician　down　from　London。〃

〃No；　no；　that　is　no　use；　they　will　put　their　heads　together；　and　he
will　say　whatever　Mr。　Wyman　tells　him。　　La！　papa；　a　clever　man　like
you；　not　to　see　what　a　cheat　that　consultation　was。　　Why；　from　what
you　told　me；　one　can　see　it　was　managed　so　that　Dr。　Snell　could　not
possibly　have　an　opinion　of　his　own。　　No；　no　more　echoes　of　Mr。
Chatterbox。　　If　you　really　want　to　cure　me；　send　for　Christopher
Staines。〃

〃Dr。　Staines！　he　is　very　young。〃

〃But　he　is　very　clever；　and　he　is　not　an　echo。　　He　won't　care　how
many　doctors　he　contradicts　when　I　am　in　danger。　　Papa；　it　is　your
child's　one　chance。〃

〃I'll　try　it；〃　said　the　old　man；　eagerly。　　〃How　confident　you　look！
your　color　has　come　back。　　It　is　an　inspiration。　　Where　is　he？〃

〃I　think　by　this　time　he　must　be　at　his　lodgings　in　Gravesend。
Send　to　him　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃Not　I！　　I'll　go　to　him　to…night。　　It　is　only　a　mile；　and　a　fine
clear　night。〃

〃My　own；　good；　kind　papa！　　Ah！　well；　come　what　may；　I　have　lived
long　enough　to　be　loved。　　Yes；　dear　papa；　save　me。　　I　am　very　young
to　die；　and　he　loves　me　so　dearly。〃

The　old　man　bustled　away　to　put　on　something　warmer　for　his　night
walk；　and　Rosa　leaned　back；　and　the　tears　welled　out　of　her　eyes；
now　he　was　gone。

Before　she　had　recovered　her　composure；　a　letter　was　brought　her；
and　this　was　the　letter　from　Christopher　Staines；　alluded　to
already。

She　took　it　from　the　servant　with　averted　head；　not　wishing　it　to
be　seen　she　had　been　crying；　and　she　started　at　the　handwriting；　it
seemed　such　a　coincidence　that　it　should　come　just　as　she　was
sending　for　him。


MY　OWN　BELOVED　ROSA；I　now　write　to　tell　you；　with　a　heavy　heart；
that　all　is　vain。　　I　cannot　make；　nor　purchase；　a　connection；
except　as　others　do；　by　time　and　patience。　　Being　a　bachelor　is
quite　against　a　young　physician。　　If　I　had　a　wife；　and　such　a　wife
as　you；　I　should　be　sure　to　get　on；　you　would　increase　my
connection　very　soon。　　What；　then；　lies　before　us？　　I　see　but　two
thingsto　wait　till　we　are　old；　and　our　pockets　are　filled；　but
our　hearts　chilled　or　soured；　or　else　to　marry　at　once；　and　climb
the　hill　together。　　If　you　love　me　as　I　love　you；　you　will　be
saving　till　the　battle　is　over；　and　I　feel　I　could　find　energy　and
fortitude　for　both。　　Your　father；　who　thinks　so　much　of　wealth；　can
surely　settle　something　on　YOU；　and　I　am　not　too　poor　to　furnish　a
house　and　start　fair。　　I　am　not　quite　obscuremy　lectures　have
given　me　a　nameand　to　you；　my　own　love；　I　hope　I　may　say　that　I
know　more　than　many　of　my　elders；　thanks　to　good　schools；　good
method；　a　genuine　love　of　my　noble　profession；　and　a　tendency　to
study　from　my　childhood。　　Will　you　not　risk　something　on　my
ability？　　If　not；　God　help　me；　for　I　shall　lose　you；　and　what　is
life；　or　fame；　or　wealth；　or　any　mortal　thing　to　me；　without　you？
I　cannot　accept　your　father's　decision；　YOU　must　decide　my　fate。

You　see　I　have　kept　away　from　you　until　I　can　do　so　no　more。　　All
this　time　the　world　to　me　has　seemed　to　want　the　sun；　and　my　heart
pines　and　sickens　for　one　sight　of　you。

Darling　Rosa；　pray　let　me　look　at　your　face　once　more。

When　this　reaches　you　I　shall　be　at　your　gate。　　Let　me　see　you；
though　but　for　a　moment；　and　let　me　hear　my　fate　from　no　lips　but
yours。My　own　love；　your　heart…broken　lover；

CHRISTOPHER　STAINES。


This　letter　stunned　her　at　first。　　Her　mind　of　late　had　been　turned
away　from　love　to　such　stern　realities。　　Now　she　began　to　be　sorry
she　had　not　told　him。　　〃Poor　thing！〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃he
little　knows　that　now　all　is　changed。　　Papa；　I　sometimes　think；
would　deny　me　nothing　now；　it　is　I　who　would　not　marry　himto　be
buried　by　him　in　a　month　or　two。　　Poor　Christopher！〃

The　next　moment　she　started　up　in　dismay。　　Why；　her　father　would
miss　him。　　No；　perhaps　catch　him　waiting　for　her。　　What　would　he
think？　　What　would　Christopher　think？that　she　had　shown　her　papa
his　letter。

She　rang　the　bell　hard。　　The　footman　came。

〃Send　Harriet　to　me　this　instant。　　Oh；　and　ask　papa　to　come　to　me。〃

Then　she　sat　down　and　dashed　off　a　line　to　Christopher。　　This　was
for　Harriet　to　take　out　to　him。　　Anything　better　than　for
Christopher　to　be　caught　doing　what　was　wrong。

The　footman　came　back　first。　　〃If　you　please；　miss；　master　has　gone
out。〃

〃Run　after　himthe　road　to　Gravesend。〃

〃Yes；　miss。〃

〃No。　　It　is　no　use。　　Never　mind。〃

〃Yes；　miss。〃

Then　Harriet　came　in。　　〃Did　you　want　me；　miss？〃

〃Yes。　　Nonever　mind　now。〃

She　was　afraid　to　do　anything　for　fear　of　making　matters　worse。
She　went　to　the　window；　and　stood　looking　anxiously　out；　with　her
hands　working。　　Presently　she　uttered　a　little　scream　and　shrank
away　to　the　sofa。　　She　sank　down　on　it；　half　sitting；　half　lying；
hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　waited。


Staines；　with　a　lover's　impatience；　had　been　more　than　an　hour　at
the　gate；　or　walking　up　and　down　close　by　it；　his　heart　now　burning
with　hope；　now　freezing　with　fear；　that　she　would　decline　a　meeting
on　these　terms。

At　last　the　postman　came；　and　then　he　saw　he　was　too　soon；　but　now
in　a　few　minutes　Rosa　would　have　his　letter；　and　then　he　should
soon　know　whether　she　would　come　or　not。　　He　looked　up　at　the
drawing…room　windows。　　They　were　full　of　light。　　She　was　there　in
all　probability。　　Yet　she　did　not　come　to　them。　　But　why　should
she；　if　she　was　coming　out？

He　walked　up　and　down　the　road。　　She　did　not　come。　　His　heart　began
to　sicken　with　doubt。　　His　head　drooped；　and　perhaps　it　was　owing
to　this　that　he　almost　ran　against　a　gentleman　who　was　coming　the
other　way。　　The　moon　shone　bright　on　both　faces。