a simpleton-第51章
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keeping out of her way； or his manner would rouse her suspicions。
He consented readily to that； and indeed left all to Dr。 Philip。
Dr。 Philip trusted nobody； not even his own confidential servant。
He allowed no journal to come into the house without passing
through his hands； and he read them all before he would let any
other soul in the house see them。 He asked Rosa to let him be her
secretary and open her letters； giving as a pretext that it would
be as well she should have no small worries or trouble just now。
〃Why；〃 said she； 〃I was never so well able to bear them。 It must
be a great thing to put me out now。 I am so happy； and live in the
future。 Well； dear uncle； you can if you likewhat does it
matter？only there must be one exception： my own Christie's
letters； you know。〃
〃Of course；〃 said he； wincing inwardly。
The very next day came a letter of condolence from Miss Lucas。 Dr。
Philip intercepted it； and locked it up； to be shown her at a more
fitting time。
But how could he hope to keep so public a thing as this from
entering the house in one of a hundred newspapers？
He went into Gravesend； and searched all the newspapers； to see
what he had to contend with。 To his horror； he found it in several
dailies and weeklies； and in two illustrated papers。 He sat aghast
at the difficulty and the danger。
The best thing he could think of was to buy them all； and cut out
the account。 He did so； and brought all the papers； thus
mutilated； into the house； and sent them into the kitchen。 He said
to his old servant； 〃These may amuse Mr。 Lusignan's people； and I
have extracted all that interests me。〃
By these means he hoped that none of the servants would go and buy
more of these same papers elsewhere。
Notwithstanding these precautions； he took the nurse apart； and
said； 〃Now； you are an experienced woman； and to be trusted about
an excitable patient。 Mind； I object to any female servant
entering Mrs。 Staines's room with gossip。 Keep them outside the
door for the present； please。 Oh； and nurse； if anything should
happen； likely to grieve or to worry her； it must be kept from her
entirely： can I trust you？〃
〃You may； sir。〃
〃I shall add ten guineas to your fee； if she gets through the month
without a shock or disturbance of any kind。〃
She stared at him； inquiringly。 Then she said；
〃You may rely on me； doctor。〃
〃I feel I may。 Still； she alarms me。 She looks quiet enough； but
she is very excitable。〃
Not all these precautions gave Dr。 Philip any real sense of
security； still less did they to Mr。 Lusignan。 He was not a tender
father； in small things； but the idea of actual danger to his only
child was terrible to him and he now passed his life in a continual
tremble。
This is the less to be wondered at； when I tell you that even the
stout Philip began to lose his nerve； his appetite； his sleep；
under this hourly terror and this hourly torture。
Well did the great imagination of antiquity feign a torment； too
great for the mind long to endure； in the sword of Damocles
suspended by a single hair over his head。 Here the sword hung over
an innocent creature； who smiled beneath it； fearless； but these
two old men must sit and watch the sword； and ask themselves how
long before that subtle salvation shall snap。
〃Ill news travels fast；〃 says the proverb。 〃The birds of the air
shall carry the matter；〃 says Holy Writ； and it is so。 No bolts
nor bars； no promises nor precautions； can long shut out a great
calamity from the ears it is to blast； the heart it is to wither。
The very air seems full of it； until it falls。
Rosa's child was more than a fortnight old； and she was looking
more beautiful than ever； as is often the case with a very young
mother； and Dr。 Philip complimented her on her looks。 〃Now；〃 said
he； 〃you reap the advantage of being good； and obedient； and
keeping quiet。 In another ten days or so； I may take you to the
seaside for a week。 I have the honor to inform you that from about
the fourth to the tenth of March there is always a week of fine
weather； which takes everybody by surprise； except me。 It does not
astonish me； because I observe it is invariable。 Now； what would
you say if I gave you a week at Herne Bay； to set you up
altogether？〃
〃As you please； dear uncle；〃 said Mrs。 Staines； with a sweet smile。
〃I shall be very happy to go； or to stay。 I shall be happy
everywhere； with my darling boy； and the thought of my husband。
Why； I count the days till he shall come back to me。 No； to us； to
us； my pet。 How dare a naughty mammy say to 'me；' as if 'me' was
half the 'portance of oo； a precious pets！〃
Dr。 Philip was surprised into a sigh。
〃What is the matter； dear？〃 said Rosa； very quickly。
〃The matter？〃
〃Yes； dear； the matter。 You sighed； you； the laughing
philosopher。〃
〃Did I？〃 said he； to gain time。 〃Perhaps I remembered the
uncertainty of human life； and of all mortal hopes。 The old will
have their thoughts； my dear。 They have seen so much trouble。〃
〃But； uncle dear； he is a very healthy child。〃
〃Very。〃
〃And you told me yourself carelessness was the cause so many
children die。〃
〃That is true。〃
She gave him a curious and rather searching look； then； leaning
over her boy； said； 〃Mammy's not afraid。 Beautiful Pet was not
born to die directly。 He will never leave his mam…ma。 No； uncle；
he never can。 For my life is bound in his and his dear father's。
It is a triple cord： one go； go all。〃
She said this with a quiet resolution that chilled Uncle Philip。
At this moment the nurse； who had been bending so pertinaciously
over some work that her eyes were invisible； looked quickly up；
cast a furtive glance at Mrs。 Staines； and finding she was employed
for the moment； made an agitated signal to Dr。 Philip。 All she did
was to clench her two hands and lift them half way to her face； and
then cast a frightened look towards the door； but Philip's senses
were so sharpened by constant alarm and watching； that he saw at
once something serious was the matter。 But as he had asked himself
what he should do in case of some sudden alarm； he merely gave a
nod of intelligence to the nurse； scarcely perceptible； then rose
quietly from his seat； and went to the window。 〃Snow coming； I
think；〃 said he。 〃For all that we shall have the March summer in
ten days。 You mark my words。〃 He then went leisurely out of the
room； at the door he turned； and； with all the cunning he was
master of； said； 〃Oh； by the by； come to my room； nurse； when you
are at leisure。〃
〃Yes； doctor；〃 said the nurse； but never moved。 She was too bent
on hiding the agitation she really felt。
〃Had you not better go to him； nurse？〃
〃Perhaps I had； madam。〃
She rose with feigned indifference； and left the room。 She walked
leisurely down the passage； then； casting a hasty glance behind
her； for fear Mrs。 Staines should be watching her； hurried into the
doctor's room。 They met at once in the middle of the room； and
Mrs。 Briscoe burst out； 〃Sir； it is known all over the house！〃
〃Heaven forbid！ What is known？〃
〃What you would give the world to keep from her。 Why； sir； the
moment you cautioned me； of course I saw there was trouble。 But
little I thoughtsir； not a servant in the kitchen or the stable
but knows that her husbandpoor thing！ poor thing！Ah！ there goes
the housemaidto have a look at her。〃
〃Stop her！〃
Mrs。 Briscoe had not waited for this； she rushed after the woman；
and told her Mrs。 Staines was sleeping； and the room must not be
entered on any account。
〃Oh； very well；〃 said the maid； rather sullenly。
Mrs。 Briscoe saw her return to the kitchen； and came back to Dr。
Staines； he was pacing the room in torments of anxiety。
〃Doctor；〃 said she； 〃it is the old story： 'Servants' friends； the
master's enemies。' An old servant came here to gossip with her
friend the cook （she never could abide her while they were
together； by all accounts）； and told her the whole story of his
being drowned at sea。〃
Dr。 Philip groaned； 〃Cursed chatterbox！〃 said he。 〃What is to be
done？ Must we break it to her now？ Oh； if I could only buy a few
days more！ The
