a simpleton-第53章

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One　day；　seated　in　her　arm…chair；　she　said　to　the　nurse；　before　Dr。
Philip；　〃Nurse；　why　do　the　servants　look　so　curiously　at　me？〃

Mrs。　Briscoe　cast　a　hasty　glance　at　Dr。　Philip；　and　then　said；　〃I
don't　know；　madam。　　I　never　noticed　that。〃

〃Uncle；　why　did　nurse　look　at　you　before　she　answered　such　a　simple
question？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　What　question？〃

〃About　the　servants。〃

〃Oh；　about　the　servants！〃　said　he　contemptuously。

〃You　should　not　turn　up　your　nose　at　them；　for　they　are　all　most
kind　and　attentive。　　Only；　I　catch　them　looking　at　me　so　strangely；
reallyas　if　they〃

〃Rosa；　you　are　taking　me　quite　out　of　my　depth。　　The　looks　of
servant　girls！　　Why；　of　course　a　lady　in　your　condition　is　an
object　of　especial　interest　to　them。　　I　dare　say　they　are　saying　to
one　another；　'I　wonder　when　my　turn　will　come！'　　A　fellow…feeling
makes　us　wondrous　kindthat　is　a　proverb；　is　it　not？〃

〃To　be　sure。　　I　forgot　that。〃

She　said　no　more；　but　seemed　thoughtful；　and　not　quite　satisfied。

On　this　Dr。　Philip　begged　the　maids　to　go　near　her　as　little　as
possible。　　〃You　are　not　aware　of　it；〃　said　he；　〃but　your　looks；　and
your　manner　of　speaking；　rouse　her　attention；　and　she　is　quicker
than　I　thought　she　was；　and　observes　very　subtly。〃

This　was　done；　and　then　she　complained　that　nobody　came　near　her。
She　insisted　on　coming　down…stairs；　it　was　so　dull。

Dr。　Philip　consented；　if　she　would　be　content　to　receive　no　visits
for　a　week。

She　assented　to　that；　and　now　passed　some　hours　every　day　in　the
drawing…room。　　In　her　morning　wrappers；　so　fresh　and　crisp；　she
looked　lovely；　and　increased　in　health　and　strength　every　day。

Dr。　Philip　used　to　look　at　her；　and　his　very　flesh　would　creep　at
the　thought　that；　ere　long；　he　must　hurl　this　fair　creature　into
the　dust　of　affliction；　must；　with　a　word；　take　the　ruby　from　her
lips；　the　rose　from　her　cheeks；　the　sparkle　from　her　glorious　eyes
eyes　that　beamed　on　him　with　sweet　affection；　and　a　mouth　that
never　opened；　but　to　show　some　simplicity　of　mind；　or　some　pretty
burst　of　the　sensitive　heart。

He　put　off；　and　put　off；　and　at　last　cowardice　began　to　whisper；
〃Why　tell　her　the　whole　truth　at　all？　　Why　not　take　her　through
stages　of　doubt；　alarm；　and；　after　all；　leave　a　grain　of　hope　till
her　child　gets　so　rooted　in　her　heart　that〃　　But　conscience　and
good　sense　interrupted　this　temporary　thought；　and　made　him　see　to
what　a　horrible　life　of　suspense　he　should　condemn　a　human
creature；　and　live　a　perpetual　lie；　and　be　always　at　the　edge　of
some　pitfall　or　other。

One　day；　while　he　sat　looking　at　her；　with　all　these　thoughts；　and
many　more；　coursing　through　his　mind；　she　looked　up　at　him；　and
surprised　him。　　〃Ah！〃　said　she　gravely。

〃What　is　the　matter；　my　dear？〃

〃Oh；　nothing；〃　said　she　cunningly。

〃Uncle；　dear；〃　said　she　presently；　〃when　do　we　go　to　Herne　Bay？〃

Now；　Dr。　Philip　had　given　that　up。　　He　had　got　the　servants　at　Kent
Villa　on　his　side；　and　he　felt　safer　here　than　in　any　strange
place：　so　he　said；　〃I　don't　know：　that　all　depends。　　There　is
plenty　of　time。〃

〃No；　uncle；〃　said　Rosa　gravely。　　〃I　wish　to　leave　this　house。　　I
can　hardly　breathe　in　it。〃

〃What！　your　native　air？〃

〃Mystery　is　not　my　native　air；　and　this　house　is　full　of　mystery。
Voices　whisper　at　my　door；　and　the　people　don't　come　in。　　The　maids
cast　strange　looks　at　me；　and　hurry　away。　　I　scolded　that　pert　girl
Jane；　and　she　answered　me　as　meek　as　Moses。　　I　catch　you　looking　at
me；　with　love；　and　something　else。　　What　is　that　something？　　It
is　Pity：　that　is　what　it　is。　　Do　you　think；　because　I　am　called　a
simpleton；　that　I　have　no　eyes；　nor　ears；　nor　sense？　　What　is　this
secret　which　you　are　all　hiding　from　one　person；　and　that　is　me？
Ah！　Christopher　has　not　written　these　five　weeks。　　Tell　me　the
truth；　for　I　will　know　it；〃　and　she　started　up　in　wild　excitement。

Then　Dr。　Philip　saw　the　hour　was　come。

He　said；　〃My　poor　girl；　you　have　read　us　right。　　I　am　anxious　about
Christopher；　and　all　the　servants　know　it。〃

〃Anxious；　and　not　tell　ME；　his　wife；　the　woman　whose　life　is　bound
up　in　his。〃

〃Was　it　for　us　to　retard　your　convalescence；　and　set　you　fretting；
and　perhaps　destroy　your　child？　　Rosa；　my　darling；　think　what　a
treasure　Heaven　has　sent　you；　to　love　and　care　for。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　she；　trembling；　〃Heaven　has　been　good　to　me；　I　hope
Heaven　will　always　be　as　good　to　me。　　I　don't　deserve　it；　but　then
I　tell　God　so。　　I　am　very　grateful；　and　very　penitent。　　I　never
forget　that；　if　I　had　been　a　good　wife；　my　husbandfive　weeks　is　a
long　time。　　Why　do　you　tremble　so？　　Why　are　you　so　palea　strong
man　like　you？　　CALAMITY！　　CALAMITY！〃

Dr。　Philip　hung　his　head。

She　looked　at　him；　started　wildly　up；　then　sank　back　into　her
chair。　　So　the　stricken　deer　leaps；　then　falls。　　Yet　even　now　she
put　on　a　deceitful　calm；　and　said；　〃Tell　me　the　truth。　　I　have　a
right　to　know。〃

He　stammered　out；　〃There　is　a　report　of　an　accident　at　sea。〃

She　kept　silence。

〃Of　a　passenger　drownedout　of　that　ship。　　This；　coupled　with　his
silence；　fills　our　hearts　with　fear。〃

〃It　is　worseyou　are　breaking　it　to　meyou　have　gone　too　far　to
stop。　　One　word：　is　he　alive？　　Oh；　say　he　is　alive！〃

Philip　rang　the　bell　hard；　and　said　in　a　troubled　voice；　〃Rosa；
think　of　your　child。〃

〃Not　when　my　husband　　Is　he　alive　or　dead？〃

〃It　is　hard　to　say；　with　such　a　terrible　report　about；　and　no
letters；〃　faltered　the　old　man；　his　courage　failing　him。

〃What　are　you　afraid　of？　　Do　you　think　I　can't　die；　and　go　to　him？
Alive；　or　dead？〃　and　she　stood　before　him；　raging　and　quivering　in
every　limb。

The　nurse　came　in。

〃Fetch　her　child；〃　he　cried；　〃God　have　mercy　on　her。〃

〃Ah；　then　he　is　dead；〃　said　she；　with　stony　calmness。　　〃I　drove　him
to　sea；　and　he　is　dead。〃

The　nurse　rushed　in；　and　held　the　child　to　her。

She　would　not　look　at　it。

〃Dead！〃

〃Yes；　our　poor　Christie　is　gonebut　his　child　is　herethe　image
of　him。　　Do　not　forget　the　mother。　　Have　pity　on　his　child　and
yours。〃

〃Take　it　out　of　my　sight！〃　she　screamed。　　〃Away　with　it；　or　I　shall
murder　it；　as　I　have　murdered　its　father。　　My　dear　Christie；　before
all　that　live！　　I　have　killed　him。　　I　shall　die　for　him。　　I　shall
go　to　him。〃　　She　raved　and　tore　her　hair。　　Servants　rushed　in。
Rosa　was　carried　to　her　bed；　screaming　and　raving；　and　her　black
hair　all　down　on　both　sides；　a　piteous　sight。

Swoon　followed　swoon；　and　that　very　night　brain　fever　set　in　with
all　its　sad　accompaniments；　a　poor　bereaved　creature；　tossing　and
moaning；　pale；　anxious；　but　resolute　faces　of　the　nurse　and　the
kitchen…maid　watching：　on　one　table　a　pail　of　ice；　and　on　another
the　long；　thick　raven　hair　of　our　poor　Simpleton；　lying　on　clean
silver　paper。　　Dr。　Philip　had　cut　it　all　off　with　his　own　hand；　and
he　was　now　folding　it　up；　and　crying　over　it；　for　he　thought　to
himself；　〃Perhaps　in　a　few　days　more　only　this　will　be　left　of　her
on　earth。〃


CHAPTER　XV。


Staines　fell　head…foremost　into　the　sea　with　a　heavy　plunge。　　Being
an　excellent　swimmer；　he　struck　out　the　moment　he　touched　the
water；　and　that　arrested　his　dive；　and　brought　him　up　with　a　slant；
shocked　and　panting；　drenched　and　confused。　　The　next　moment　he
saw；　as　through　a　foghis　eyes　being　full　of　watersomething　fall
from　the　ship。　　He　breasted　the　big　waves；　and　swam　towards　it：　it
rose　on　the　top　of　a　wave；　and　he　saw　it　was　a　life…buoy。
Encumbered　with　wet　clothes；　he　seemed　impotent　in　the　big　waves；
they　threw　him　up　so　high；　and　down　so　low。

Almost　exhausted；　he　got　to　the　life…buoy；　and　clutched　it　with　a
fierce　grasp　and　a　wild　cry　of　delight。　　He　got　it　over　his　head；
and；　placing　his　arms　round　the　buoyant　circle；　stood　with　his
breast　and　head　out　of　water；　gasping。

He　now　drew　a　long　breath；　and　got　his　wet　hair　out　of　his　eyes；
already　smarting　with　salt　water；　and；　raising　himself　on　the　buoy；
looked　out　for　help。

He　saw；　to　his　great　concern；　the　ship　already　at　a　distance。　　She
seemed　to　have　flown；　and　she　was　still　drifting　fast　away　from
him。

He　saw　no　signs　of　help。　　His　heart　began　to　turn　as　cold　as　his
drenched　body。　　A　horrible　fear　crossed　him。

But　presently　he　saw　t