a simpleton-第65章

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a　heavy　column　has　an　expansive　power　quite　out　of　proportion　to
the　quantity　forced　in。　　Colossal　dykes　have　been　burst　in　this　way
with　disastrous　effects。　　Indeed；　it　is　only　a　question　of　time；
and　I　would　not　guarantee　your　dyke　twelve　hours。　　It　is　full；　too；
with　the　heavy　rains。〃

〃Here's　a　go！〃　said　Dick；　turning　pale。　　〃Well；　if　it　is　to　burst；
it　must。〃

〃Why　so？　　You　can　make　it　safe　in　a　few　hours。　　You　have　got　a
clumsy　contrivance　for　letting　off　the　excess　of　water：　let　us　go
and　relieve　the　dam　at　once　of　two　feet　of　water。　　That　will　make
it　safe　for　a　day　or　two；　and　to…morrow　we　will　puddle　it　afresh；
and　demolish　those　busy　excavators。〃

He　spoke　with　such　authority　and　earnestness；　that　they　all　got　up
from　table；　a　horn　was　blown　that　soon　brought　the　Hottentots；　and
they　all　proceeded　to　the　dam。　　With　infinite　difficulty　they
opened　the　waste　sluice；　lowered　the　water　two　feet；　and　so
drenched　the　arid　soil　that　in　forty…eight　hours　flowers　unknown
sprang　up。

Next　morning；　under　the　doctor's　orders；　all　the　black　men　and　boys
were　diving　with　lumps　of　stiff　clay　and　puddling　the　endangered
wall　with　a　thick　wall　of　it。　　This　took　all　the　people　the　whole
day。

Next　day　the　clay　wall　was　carried　two　feet　higher；　and　then　the
doctor　made　them　work　on　the　other　side　and　buttress　the　dyke　with
supports　so　enormous　as　seemed　extravagant　to　Dick　and　Phoebe；　but；
after　all；　it　was　as　well　to　be　on　the　safe　side；　they　thought：　and
soon　they　were　sure　of　it；　for　the　whole　work　was　hardly　finished
when　the　news　came　in　that　the　dyke　of　a　neighboring　Boer；　ten
miles　off；　had　exploded　like　a　cannon；　and　emptied　itself　in　five
minutes；　drowning　the　farm…yard　and　floating　the　furniture；　but
leaving　them　all　to　perish　of　drought；　and　indeed　the　Boer's　cart
came　every　day；　with　empty　barrels；　for　some　time；　to　beg　water　of
the　Dales。　　Ucatella　pondered　all　this；　and　said　her　doctor　child
was　wise。

This　brief　excitement　over；　Staines　went　back　to　his　own　gloomy
thoughts；　and　they　scarcely　saw　him；　except　at　supper…time。

One　evening　he　surprised　them　all　by　asking　if　they　would　add　to
all　their　kindness　by　lending　him　a　horse；　and　a　spade；　and　a　few
pounds　to　go　to　the　diamond　fields。

Dick　Dale　looked　at　his　sister。　　She　said；　〃We　had　rather　lend　them
you　to　go　home　with；　sir；　if　you　must　leave　us；　but；　dear　heart；　I
was　half　in　hopesDick　and　I　were　talking　it　over　only　yesterday
that　you　would　go　partners　like　with　us；　ever　since　you　saved　the
dam。〃

〃I　have　too　little　to　offer　for　that；　Mrs。　Falcon；　and；　besides；　I
am　driven　into　a　corner。　　I　must　make　money　quickly；　or　not　at　all：
the　diamonds　are　only　three　hundred　miles　off：　for　heaven's　sake；
let　me　try　my　luck。〃

They　tried　to　dissuade　him；　and　told　him　not　one　in　fifty　did　any
good　at　it。

〃Ay；　but　I　shall；〃　said　he。　　〃Great　bad　luck　is　followed　by　great
good　luck；　and　I　feel　my　turn　is　come。　　Not　that　I　rely　on　luck。
An　accident　directed　my　attention　to　the　diamond　a　few　years　ago；
and　I　read　a　number　of　prime　works　upon　the　subject　that　told　me　of
things　not　known　to　the　miners。　　It　is　clear；　from　the　Cape
journals；　that　they　are　looking　for　diamonds　in　the　river　only。
Now；　I　am　sure　that　is　a　mistake。　　Diamonds；　like　gold；　have　their
matrix；　and　it　is　comparatively　few　gems　that　get　washed　into　the
river。　　I　am　confident　that　I　shall　find　the　volcanic　matrix；　and
perhaps　make　my　fortune　in　a　week　or　two。〃

When　the　dialogue　took　this　turn；　Reginald　Falcon's　cheek　began　to
flush；　and　his　eyes　to　glitter。

Christopher　continued：　〃You　who　have　befriended　me　so　will　not　turn
back；　I　am　sure；　when　I　have　such　a　chance　before　me；　and　as　for
the　small　sum　of　money　I　shall　require；　I　will　repay　you　some　day；
even　if〃

〃La；　sir；　don't　talk　so。　　If　you　put　it　that　way；　why；　the　best
horse　we　have；　and　fifty　pounds　in　good　English　gold；　they　are　at
your　service　to…morrow。〃

〃And　pick　and　spade　to　boot；〃　said　Dick；　〃and　a　double　rifle；　for
there　are　lions；　and　Lord　knows　what；　between　this　and　the　Vaal
river。〃

〃God　bless　you　both！〃　said　Christopher。　　〃I　will　start　to…morrow。〃

〃And　I'll　go　with　you；〃　said　Reginald　Falcon。


CHAPTER　XX。


〃Heaven　forbid！〃　said　Phoebe。　　〃No；　my　dear；　no　more　diamonds　for
us。　　We　never　had　but　one；　and　it　brought　us　trouble。〃

〃Nonsense；　Phoebe；〃　replied　Falcon；　〃it　was　not　the　diamond's
fault。　　You　know　I　have　often　wanted　to　go　there；　but　you　objected。
You　said　you　were　afraid　some　evil　would　befall　me。　　But　now
Solomon　himself　is　going　to　the　mines；　let　us　have　no　more　of　that
nonsense。　　We　will　take　our　rifles　and　our　pistols。〃

〃Therethererifles　and　pistols；〃　cried　Phoebe；　〃that　shows。〃

〃And　we　will　be　there　in　a　week；　stay　a　month；　and　home　with　our
pockets　full　of　diamonds。〃

〃And　find　me　dead　of　a　broken　heart。〃

〃Broken　fiddlestick！　　We　have　been　parted　longer　than　that；　and　yet
here　we　are　all　right。〃

〃Ay；　but　the　pitcher　that　goes　too　often　to　the　well　gets　broke　at
last。　　No；　Reginald；　now　I　have　tasted　three　years'　happiness　and
peace　of　mind；　I　cannot　go　through　what　I　used　in　England。　　Oh；
doctor！　have　you　the　heart　to　part　man　and　wife；　that　have　never
been　a　day　from　each　other　all　these　years？〃

〃Mrs。　Falcon；　I　would　not　do　it　for　all　the　diamonds　in　Brazil。
No；　Mr。　Falcon；　I　need　hardly　say　how　charmed　I　should　be　to　have
your　company：　but　that　is　a　pleasure　I　shall　certainly　deny　myself；
after　what　your　good　wife　has　said。　　I　owe　her　too　much　to　cause
her　a　single　pang。〃

〃Doctor；〃　said　the　charming　Reginald；　〃you　are　a　gentleman　and　side
with　the　lady。　　Quite　right。　　It　adds　to　my　esteem；　if　possible。
Make　your　mind　easy；　I　will　go　alone。　　I　am　not　a　farmer。　　I　am
dead　sick　of　this　monotonous　life；　and；　since　I　am　compelled　to
speak　my　mind；　a　little　ashamed；　as　a　gentleman；　of　living　on　my
wife　and　her　brother；　and　doing　nothing　for　myself。　　So　I　shall　go
to　the　Vaal　river；　and　see　a　little　life；　here　there's　nothing　but
vegetationand　not　much　of　that。　　Not　a　word　more；　Phoebe；　if　you
please。　　I　am　a　good；　easy；　affectionate　husband；　but　I　am　a　man；
and　not　a　child　to　be　tied　to　a　woman's　apron…strings；　however　much
I　may　love　and　respect　her。〃

Dick　put　in　his　word：　〃Since　you　are　so　independent；　you　can　WALK
to　the　Vaal　river。　　I　can't　spare　a　couple　of　horses。〃

This　hit　the　sybarite　hard；　and　he　cast　a　bitter　glance　of　hatred
at　his　brother…in…law；　and　fell　into　a　moody　silence。

But　when　he　got　Phoebe　to　himself；　he　descanted　on　her　selfishness；
Dick's　rudeness；　and　his　own　wounded　dignity；　till　he　made　her
quite　anxious　he　should　have　his　own　way。　　She　came　to　Staines；
with　red　eyes；　and　said；　〃Tell　me；　doctor；　will　there　be　any　women
up　thereto　take　care　of　you？〃

〃Not　a　petticoat　in　the　place；　I　believe。　　It　is　a　very　rough　life；
and　how　Falcon　could　think　of　leaving　you　and　sweet　little　Tommy；
and　this　life　of　health；　and　peace；　and　comfort〃

〃Yet　YOU　do　leave　us；　sir。〃

〃I　am　the　most　unfortunate　man　upon　the　earth；　Falcon　is　one　of　the
happiest。　　Would　I　leave　wife　and　child　to　go　there？　　Ah　me！　I　am
dead　to　those　I　love。　　This　is　my　one　chance　of　seeing　my　darling
again　for　many　a　long　year　perhaps。　　Oh；　I　must　not　speak　of　HER
it　unmans　me。　　My　good；　kind　friend；　I'll　tell　you　what　to　do。
When　we　are　all　at　supper；　let　a　horse　be　saddled　and　left　in　the
yard　for　me。　　I'll　bid　you　all　good…night；　and　I'll　put　fifty　miles
between　us　before　morning。　　Even　then　HE　need　not　be　told　I　am
gone；　he　will　not　follow　me。〃

〃You　are　very　good；　sir；〃　said　Phoebe；　〃but　no。　　Too　much　has　been
said。　　I　can't　have　him　humbled　by　my　brother；　nor　any　one。　　He
says　I　am　selfish。　　Perhaps　I　am；　though　I　never　was　called　so。　　I
can't　bear　he　should　think　me　selfish。　　He　WILL　go；　and　so　let　us
have　no　ill　blood　about　it。　　Since　he　is　to　go；　of　course　I'd　much
liever　he　should　go　with　you　than　by　himself。　　You　are　sure　there
are　no　women　up　thereto　take　care　ofyouboth？　　You　must　be
purse…bearer；　sir；　and　look　to　every　penny。　　He　is　too　generous
when　he　has　got　money　to　spend。〃

In　short；　Reginald　had　played　so　upon　her　heart；　that　she　now　urged
the　joint　e