a simpleton-第57章

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them；　and　poked　one　of　them　in　the　quarter；　he　snorted　and　reared
directly。

〃Man　alive！〃　cried　the　young　woman；　〃that　is　not　the　way。　　They　are
docile　enough；　but　frightened。　　Encourage　'em；　and　let　'em　look　at
it。　　Give　'em　time。　　More　haste　less　speed；　with　timorous　cattle。〃

〃That　is　a　very　pleasant　voice；〃　said　poor　Staines；　rather　more
dictatorially　than　became　the　present　state　of　his　intellect。　　He
added　softly；　〃a　true　woman's　voice；〃　then　gloomily；　〃a　voice　of
the　pastthe　dark；　dark　past。〃

At　this　speech　intruding　itself　upon　the　short　sentences　of
business；　there　was　a　roar　of　laughter；　and　Phoebe　Falcon　turned
sharply　round　to　look　at　the　speaker。　　She　stared　at　him；　she　cried
〃Oh！〃　and　clasped　her　hands；　and　colored　all　over。　　〃Why；　sure；〃
said　she；　〃I　can't　be　mistook。　　Those　eyes'tis　you；　doctor；　isn't
it？〃

〃Doctor？〃　said　Staines；　with　a　puzzled　look。　　〃Yes；　I　think　they
called　me　doctor　once。　　I'm　an　attendant　in　the　hospital　now。〃

〃Dick！〃　cried　Phoebe；　in　no　little　agitation。　　〃Come　here　this
minute。〃

〃What；　afore　I　get　the　horses　ashore？〃

〃Ay；　before　you　do　another　thing；　or　say　another　word。　　Come　here；
now。〃　　So　he　came；　and　she　told　him　to　take　a　good　look　at　the　man。
〃Now；〃　said　she；　〃who　is　that？〃

〃Blest　if　I　know；〃　said　he。

〃What；　not　know　the　man　who　saved　your　own　life！　　Oh；　Dick；　what
are　your　eyes　worth？〃

This　discourse　brought　the　few　persons　within　hearing　into　one　band
of　excited　starers。

Dick　took　a　good　look；　and　said；　〃I'm　blest　if　I　don't；　though；　it
is　the　doctor　that　cut　my　throat。〃

This　strange　statement　drew　forth　quite　a　shout　of　ejaculations。

〃Oh；　better　breathe　through　a　slit　than　not　at　all；〃　said　Dick。
〃Saved　my　life　with　that　cut；　he　did；　didn't　he；　Pheeb？〃

〃That　he　did；　Dick。　　Dear　heart；　I　hardly　know　whether　I　am　in　my
senses　or　not；　seeing　him　a…looking　so　blank。　　You　try　him。〃

Dick　came　forward。　　〃Sure　you　remember　me；　sir。　　Dick　Dale。　　You
cut　my　throat；　and　saved　my　life。〃

〃Cut　your　throat！　why；　that　would　kill　you。〃

〃Not　the　way　you　done　it。　　Well；　sir；　you　ain't　the　man　you　was；
that　is　clear；　but　you　was　a　good　friend　to　me；　and　there's　my
hand。〃

〃Thank　you；　Dick；〃　said　Staines；　and　took　his　hand。　　〃I　don't
remember　YOU。　　Perhaps　you　are　one　of　the　past。　　The　past　is　dead
wall　to　mea　dark　dead　wall；〃　and　he　put　his　hands　to　his　head
with　a　look　of　distress。

Everybody　there　now　suspected　the　truth；　and　some　pointed
mysteriously　to　their　own　heads。

Phoebe　whispered　an　inquiry　to　the　sick　person。

He　said　a　little　pettishly；　〃All　I　know　is；　he　is　the　kindest
attendant　in　the　ward；　and　very　attentive。〃

〃Oh；　then；　he　is　in　the　public　hospital。〃

〃Of　course　he　is。〃

The　invalid；　with　the　selfishness　of　his　class；　then　begged　Staines
to　take　him　out　of　all　this　bustle　down　to　the　beach。　　Staines
complied　at　once；　with　the　utmost　meekness；　and　said；　〃Good…by；　old
friends；　forgive　me　for　not　remembering　you。　　It　is　my　great
affliction　that　the　past　is　gone　from　megone；　gone。〃　　And　he　went
sadly　away；　drawing　his　sick　charge　like　a　patient　mule。

Phoebe　Falcon　looked　after　him；　and　began　to　cry。

〃Nay；　nay；　Phoebe；〃　said　Dick；　〃don't　ye　take　on　about　it。〃

〃I　wonder　at　you；〃　sobbed　Phoebe。　　〃Good　people；　I'm　fonder　of　my
brother　than　he　is　of　himself；　it　seems；　for　I　can't　take　it　so
easy。　　Well；　the　world　is　full　of　trouble。　　Let　us　do　what　we　are
here　for。　　But　I　shall　pray　for　the　poor　soul　every　night；　that　his
mind　may　be　given　back　to　him。〃

So　then　she　bustled；　and　gave　herself　to　getting　the　cattle　on
shore；　and　the　things　put　on　board　her　wagon。

But　when　this　was　done；　she　said　to　her　brother；　〃Dick；　I　did　not
think　anything　on　earth　could　take　my　heart　off　the　cattle　and　the
things　we　have　got　from　home；　but　I　can't　leave　this　without　going
to　the　hospital　about　our　poor　dear　doctor：　and　it　is　late　for
making　a　start；　any　wayand　you　mustn't　forget　the　newspapers　for
Reginaldhe　is　so　fond　of　themand　you　must　contrive　to　have　one
sent　out　regular　after　this；　and　I'll　go　to　the　hospital。〃

She　went；　and　saw　the　head　doctor；　and　told　him　he　had　got　an
attendant　there　she　had　known　in　England　in　a　very　different
condition；　and　she　had　come　to　see　if　there　was　anything　she　could
do　for　himfor　she　felt　very　grateful　to　him；　and　grieved　to　see
him　so。

The　doctor　was　pleased　and　surprised；　and　put　several　questions。

Then　she　gave　him　a　clear　statement　of　what　he　had　done　for　Dick　in
England。

〃Well；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃I　believe　it　is　the　same　man；　for；　now
you　tell　me　thisyes；　one　of　the　nurses　told　me　he　knew　more　about
medicine　than　she　did。　　His　name；　if　you　please。〃

〃His　name；　sir？〃

〃Yes；　his　name。　　Of　course　you　know　his　name。　　Is　it　Christie？〃

〃Doctor；〃　said　Phoebe；　blushing；　〃I　don't　know　what　you　will　think
of　me；　but　I　don't　know　his　name。　　Laws　forgive　me；　I　never　had　the
sense　to　ask　it。〃

A　shade　of　suspicion　crossed　the　doctor's　face。

Phoebe　saw　it；　and　colored　to　the　temples。　　〃Oh；　sir；〃　she　cried
piteously；　〃don't　go　for　to　think　I　have　told　you　a　lie！　why　should
I？　and　indeed　I　am　not　of　that　sort；　nor　Dick　neither。　　Sir；　I'll
bring　him　to　you；　and　he　will　say　the　same。　　Well；　we　were　all　in
terror　and　confusion；　and　I　met　him　accidentally　in　the　street。　　He
was　only　a　customer　till　then；　and　paid　ready　money；　so　that　is　how
I　never　knew　his　name；　but　if　I　hadn't　been　the　greatest　fool　in
England；　I　should　have　asked　his　wife。〃

〃What！　he　has　a　wife？〃

〃Ay；　sir；　the　loveliest　lady　you　ever　clapped　eyes　on；　and　he　is
almost　as　handsome；　has　eyes　in　his　head　like　jewels；　'twas　by　them
I　knew　him　on　the　quay；　and　I　think　he　knew　my　voice　again；　said　as
good　as　he　had　heard　it　in　past　times。〃

〃Did　he？　　Then　we　have　got　him；〃　cried　the　doctor　energetically。

〃La；　Sir。〃

〃Yes；　if　he　knows　your　voice；　you　will　be　able　in　time　to　lead　his
memory　back；　at　least；　I　think　so。　　Do　you　live　in　Cape　Town？〃

〃Dear　heart；　no。　　I　live　at　my　own　farm；　a　hundred　and　eighty　miles
from　this。〃

〃What　a　pity！〃

〃Why；　sir？〃

〃Wellhum！〃

〃Oh；　if　you　think　I　could　do　the　poor　doctor　good　by　having　him
with　me；　you　have　only　to　say　the　word；　and　out　he　goes　with　Dick
and　me　to…morrow　morning。　　We　should　have　started　for　home　to…
night；　but　for　this。〃

〃Are　you　in　earnest；　madam？〃　said　the　doctor；　opening　his　eyes。
〃Would　you　really　encumber　yourself　with　a　person　whose　reason　is
in　suspense；　and　may　never　return？〃

〃But　that　is　not　his　fault；　sir。　　Why；　if　a　dog　had　saved　my
brother's　life；　I'd　take　it　home；　and　keep　it　all　its　days；　and
this　is　a　man；　and　a　worthy　man。　　Oh；　sir；　when　I　saw　him　brought
down　so；　and　his　beautiful　eyes　clouded　like；　my　very　bosom　yearned
over　the　poor　soul；　a　kind　act　done　in　dear　old　England；　who　can
see　the　man　in　trouble　here；　and　not　repay　itay；　if　it　cost　one's
blood。　　But　indeed　he　is　strong　and　healthy；　and　hands　are　always
scarce　our　way；　and　the　odds　are　he　will　earn　his　meat　one　way　or
t'other；　and　if　he　doesn't；　why；　all　the　better　for　me；　I　shall
have　the　pleasure　of　serving　him　for　nought　that　once　served　me　for
neither　money　nor　reward。〃

〃You　are　a　good　woman；〃　said　the　doctor　warmly。

〃There's　better；　and　there's　worse；〃　said　Phoebe　quietly；　and　even
a　little　coldly。

〃More　of　the　latter；〃　said　the　doctor　dryly。　　〃Well；　Mrs。？〃

〃Falcon；　sir。〃

〃We　shall　hand　him　over　to　your　care：　but　firstjust　for　formif
you　are　a　married　woman；　we　should　like　to　see　Dick　here：　he　is
your　husband；　I　presume。〃

Ploebe　laughed　merrily。　　〃Dick　is　my　brother；　and　he　can't　be
spared　to　come　here。　　Dick！　he'd　say　black　was　white　if　I　told　him
to。〃

〃Then　let　us　see　your　husband　about　itjust　for　form。〃

〃My　husband　is　at　the　farm。　　I　could　not　venture　so　far　away；　and
not　leave　him　in　charge。〃　　If　she　had　said；　〃I　will　not　bring　him
into　temptation；〃　that　would　have　been　nearer　the　truth。　　〃Let　that
fly　stick　on　the　wall；　sir。　　What　I　do；　my　husband　will　approve。〃

〃I　see　how　it　is。　　You　rule　the　roost。〃

Phoebe　did　not　reply　point…blank　to　that；　she　merely　said；　〃All　my
chickens　are　happy；　great　and　small；〃　and　an　expression　of　lofty；
womanly