a simpleton-第69章

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〃But　mind；　Falcon；〃　said　Christopher；　〃I　shall　expect　an　answer
from　Mrs。　Falcon　in　twenty　days　at　farthest。　　I　do　not　feel　so　sure
as　you　do　that　she　wants　to　go　to　England；　and；　if　not；　I　must
write　to　Uncle　Philip。　　Give　me　your　solemn　promise；　old　fellow；　an
answer　in　twenty　daysif　you　have　to　send　a　Kafir　on　horseback。〃

〃I　give　you　my　honor；〃　said　Falcon　superbly。

〃Send　it　to　me　at　Bulteel's　Farm。〃

〃All　right。　　'Dr。　Christie；　Bulteel's　Farm。'〃

〃Wellno。　　Why　should　I　conceal　my　real　name　any　longer　from　such
friends　as　you　and　your　wife？　　Christie　is　short　for　Christopher
that　IS　my　Christian　name；　but　my　surname　is　Staines。　　Write　to
'Dr。　Staines。'〃

〃Dr。　Staines！〃

〃Yes。　　Did　you　ever　hear　of　me？〃

Falcon　wore　a　strange　look。　　〃I　almost　think　I　have。　　Down　at
Gravesend；　or　somewhere。〃

〃That　is　curious。　　Yes；　I　married　my　Rosa　there；　poor　thing！　　God
bless　her；　God　comfort　her。　　She　thinks　me　dead。〃

His　voice　trembled；　he　grasped　Falcon's　cold　hand　till　the　latter
winced　again；　and　so　they　parted；　and　Falcon　rode　off　muttering；
〃Dr。　Staines！　so　then　YOU　are　Dr。　Staines。〃


CHAPTER　XXII。


Rosa　Staines　had　youth　on　her　side；　and　it　is　an　old　saying　that
youth　will　not　be　denied。　　Youth　struggled　with　death　for　her；　and
won　the　battle。

But　she　came　out　of　that　terrible　fight　weak　as　a　child。　　The　sweet
pale　face；　the　widow's　cap；　the　suit　of　deep　blackit　was　long　ere
these　came　down　from　the　sickroom。　　And　when　they　did；　oh；　the　dead
blank！　　The　weary；　listless　life！　　The　days　spent　in　sighs；　and
tears；　and　desolation。　　Solitude！　solitude！　　Her　husband　was　gone；
and　a　strange　woman　played　the　mother　to　her　child　before　her　eyes。

Uncle　Philip　was　devotedly　kind　to　her；　and　so　was　her　father；　but
they　could　do　nothing　for　her。

Months　rolled　on；　and　skinned　the　wound　over。　　Months　could　not
heal。　　Her　boy　became　dearer　and　dearer；　and　it　was　from　him　came
the　first　real　drops　of　comfort；　however　feeble。

She　used　to　read　her　lost　one's　diary　every　day；　and　worship；　in
deep　sorrow；　the　mind　she　had　scarcely　respected　until　it　was　too
late。　　She　searched　in　his　diary　to　find　his　will；　and　often　she
mourned　that　he　had　written　on　it　so　few　things　she　could　obey。
Her　desire　to　obey　the　dead；　whom；　living；　she　had　often　disobeyed；
was　really　simple　and　touching。　　She　would　mourn　to　her　father　that
there　were　so　few　commands　to　her　in　his　diary。　　〃But；〃　said　she；
〃memory　brings　me　back　his　will　in　many　things；　and　to　obey　is　now
the　only　sad　comfort　I　have。〃

It　was　in　this　spirit　she　now　forced　herself　to　keep　accounts。　　No
fear　of　her　wearing　stays　now；　no　powder；　no　trimmings；　no　waste。

After　the　usual　delay；　her　father　told　her　she　should　instruct　a
solicitor　to　apply　to　the　insurance　company　for　the　six　thousand
pounds。　　She　refused　with　a　burst　of　agony。　　〃The　price　of　his
life；〃　she　screamed。　　〃Never！　　I'd　live　on　bread　and　water　sooner
than　touch　that　vile　money。〃

Her　father　remonstrated　gently。　　But　she　was　immovable。　　〃No。　　It
would　be　like　consenting　to　his　death。〃

Then　Uncle　Philip　was　sent　for。

He　set　her　child　on　her　knee；　and　gave　her　a　pen。　　〃Come；〃　said　he；
sternly；　〃be　a　woman；　and　do　your　duty　to　little　Christie。〃

She　kissed　the　boy；　cried；　and　did　her　duty　meekly。　　But　when　the
money　was　brought　her；　she　flew　to　Uncle　Philip；　and　said；　〃There！
there！〃　and　threw　it　all　before　him；　and　cried　as　if　her　heart
would　break。　　He　waited　patiently；　and　asked　her　what　he　was　to　do
with　all　that：　invest　it？

〃Yes；　yes；　for　my　little　Christie。〃

〃And　pay　you　the　interest　quarterly。〃

〃Oh；　no；　no。　　Dribble　us　out　a　little　as　we　want　it。　　That　is　the
way　to　be　truly　kind　to　a　simpleton。　　I　hate　that　word。〃

〃And　suppose　I　run　off　with　it？　　Such　confiding　geese　as　you
corrupt　a　man。〃

〃I　shall　never　corrupt　you。　　Crusty　people　are　the　soul　of　honor。〃

〃Crusty　people！〃　cried　Philip；　affecting　amazement。　　〃What　are
they？〃

She　bit　her　lip　and　colored　a　little；　but　answered　adroitly；　〃They
are　people　that　pretend　not　to　have　good　hearts；　but　have　the　best
in　the　world；　far　better　ones　than　your　smooth　ones：　that's　crusty
people。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Philip；　〃and　I'll　tell　you　what　simpletons　are。
They　are　little　transparent…looking　creatures　that　look　shallow；
but　are　as　deep　as　Old　Nick；　and　make　you　love　them　in　spite　of
your　judgment。　　They　are　the　most　artful　of　their　sex；　for　they
always　achieve　its　great　object；　to　be　lovedthe　very　thing　that
clever　women　sometimes　fail　in。〃

〃Well；　and　if　we　are　not　to　be　loved；　why　live　at　allsuch　useless
things　as　I　am？〃　said　Rosa　simply。

So　Philip　took　charge　of　her　money；　and　agreed　to　help　her　save
money　for　her　little　Christopher。　　Poverty　should　never　destroy
him；　as　it　had　his　father。

As　months　rolled　on；　she　crept　out　into　public　a　little；　but　always
on　foot；　and　a　very　little　way　from　home。

Youth　and　sober　life　gradually　restored　her　strength；　but　not　her
color；　nor　her　buoyancy。

Yet　she　was　perhaps　more　beautiful　than　ever；　for　a　holy　sorrow
chastened　and　sublimed　her　features：　it　was　now　a　sweet；　angelic；
pensive　beauty；　that　interested　every　feeling　person　at　a　glance。

She　would　visit　no　one；　but　a　twelvemonth　after　her　bereavement；
she　received　a　few　chosen　visitors。

One　day　a　young　gentleman　called；　and　sent　up　his　card；　〃Lord
Tadcaster；〃　with　a　note　from　Lady　Cicely　Treherne；　full　of　kindly
feeling。　　Uncle　Philip　had　reconciled　her　to　Lady　Cicely；　but　they
had　never　met。

Mrs。　Staines　was　much　agitated　at　the　very　name　of　Lord　Tadcaster；
but　she　would　not　have　missed　seeing　him　for　the　world。

She　received　him　with　her　beautiful　eyes　wide　open；　to　drink　in
every　lineament　of　one　who　had　seen　the　last　of　her　Christopher。

Tadcaster　was　wonderfully　improved：　he　had　grown　six　inches　out　at
sea；　and　though　still　short；　was　not　diminutive；　he　was　a　small
Apollo；　a　model　of　symmetry；　and　had　an　engaging；　girlish　beauty；
redeemed　from　downright　effeminacy　by　a　golden　mustache　like　silk；
and　a　tanned　cheek　that　became　him　wonderfully。

He　seemed　dazzled　at　first　by　Mrs。　Staines；　but　murmured　that　Lady
Cicely　had　told　him　to　come；　or　he　would　not　have　ventured。

〃Who　can　be　so　welcome　to　me　as　you？〃　said　she；　and　the　tears　came
thick　in　her　eyes　directly。

Soon；　he　hardly　knew　how；　he　found　himself　talking　of　Staines；　and
telling　her　what　a　favorite　he　was；　and　all　the　clever　things　he
had　done。

The　tears　streamed　down　her　cheeks；　but　she　begged　him　to　go　on
telling　her；　and　omit　nothing。

He　complied　heartily；　and　was　even　so　moved　by　the　telling　of　his
friend's　virtues；　and　her　tears　and　sobs；　that　he　mingled　his　tears
with　hers。　　She　rewarded　him　by　giving　him　her　hand　as　she　turned
away　her　tearful　face　to　indulge　the　fresh　burst　of　grief　his
sympathy　evoked。

When　he　was　leaving；　she　said；　in　her　simple　way；　〃Bless　you〃
〃Come　again；〃　she　said：　〃you　have　done　a　poor　widow　good。〃

Lord　Tadcaster　was　so　interested　and　charmed；　he　would　gladly　have
come　back　next　day　to　see　her；　but　he　restrained　that　extravagance；
and　waited　a　week。

Then　he　visited　her　again。　　He　had　observed　the　villa　was　not　rich
in　flowers；　and　he　took　her　down　a　magnificent　bouquet；　cut　from
his　father's　hot…houses。　　At　sight　of　him；　or　at　sight　of　it；　or
both；　the　color　rose　for　once　in　her　pale　cheek；　and　her　pensive
face　wore　a　sweet　expression　of　satisfaction。　　She　took　his
flowers；　and　thanked　him　for　them；　and　for　coming　to　see　her。

Soon　they　got　on　the　only　topic　she　cared　for；　and；　in　the　course
of　this　second　conversation；　he　took　her　into　his　confidence；　and
told　her　he　owed　everything　to　Dr。　Staines。　　〃I　was　on　the　wrong
road　altogether；　and　he　put　me　right。　　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I
used　to　disobey　him　now　and　then；　while　he　was　alive；　and　I　was
always　the　worse　for　it；　now　he　is　gone；　I　never　disobey　him。　　I
have　written　down　a　lot　of　wise；　kind　things　he　said　to　me；　and　I
never　go　against　any　one　of　them。　　I　call　it　my　book　of　oracles。
Dear　me；　I　might　have　brought　it　with　me。〃

〃Oh；　yes！　why　didn't　you？〃　rather　reproachfully。

〃I　will　bring　it　next　time。〃

〃Pray　do。〃

Then　she　looked　a