a simpleton-第70章

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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　at　him　with　her　lovely　swimming　eyes；　and　said
tenderly；　〃And　so　here　is　another　that　disobeyed　him　living；　but
obeys　him　dead。　　What　will　you　think　when　I　tell　you　that　I；　his
wife；　who　now　worship　him　when　it　is　too　late；　often　thwarted　and
vexed　him　when　he　was　alive？〃

〃No；　no。　　He　told　me　you　were　an　angel；　and　I　believe　it。〃

〃An　angel！　a　good…for…nothing；　foolish　woman；　who　sees　everything
too　late。〃

〃Nobody　else　should　say　so　before　me；〃　said　the　little　gentleman
grandly。　　〃I　shall　take　HIS　word　before　yours　on　this　one　subject。
If　ever　there　was　an　angel；　you　are　one；　and　oh；　what　would　I　give
if　I　could　but　say　or　do　anything　in　the　world　to　comfort　you！〃

〃You　can　do　nothing　for　ME；　dear；　but　come　and　see　me　often；　and
talk　to　me　as　you　doon　the　one　sad　theme　my　broken　heart　has　room
for。〃

This　invitation　delighted　Lord　Tadcaster；　and　the　sweet　word
〃dear；〃　from　her　lovely　lips；　entered　his　heart；　and　ran　through
all　his　veins　like　some　rapturous　but　dangerous　elixir。　　He　did　not
say　to　himself；　〃She　is　a　widow　with　a　child；　feels　old　with　grief；
and　looks　on　me　as　a　boy　who　has　been　kind　to　her。〃　　Such　prudence
and　wariness　were　hardly　to　be　expected　from　his　age。　　He　had
admired　her　at　first　sight；　very　nearly　loved　her　at　their　first
interview；　and　now　this　sweet　word　opened　a　heavenly　vista。　　The
generous　heart　that　beat　in　his　small　frame　burned　to　console　her
with　a　life…long　devotion　and　all　the　sweet　offices　of　love。

He　ordered　his　yacht　to　Gravesendfor　he　had　become　a　sailorand
then　he　called　on　Mrs。　Staines；　and　told　her；　with　a　sort　of
sheepish　cunning；　that　now；　as　his　yacht　HAPPENED　to　be　at
Gravesend；　he　could　come　and　see　her　very　often。　　He　watched　her
timidly；　to　see　how　she　would　take　that　proposition。

She　said；　with　the　utmost　simplicity；　〃I'm　very　glad　of　it。〃

Then　he　produced　his　oracles；　and　she　devoured　them。　　Such　precepts
to　Tadcaster　as　she　could　apply　to　her　own　case　she　instantly　noted
in　her　memory；　and　they　became　her　law　from　that　moment。

Then；　in　her　simplicity；　she　said；　〃And　I　will　show　you　some
things；　in　his　own　handwriting；　that　may　be　good　for　you；　but　I
can't　show　you　the　whole　book：　some　of　it　is　sacred　from　every　eye
but　his　wife's。　　His　wife's？　　Ah　me！　his　widow's。〃

Then　she　pointed　out　passages　in　the　diary　that　she　thought　might
be　for　his　good；　and　he　nestled　to　her　side；　and　followed　her　white
finger　with　loving　eyes；　and　was　in　an　elysiumwhich　she　would
certainly　have　put　a　stop　to　at　that　time；　had　she　divined　it。　　But
all　wisdom　does　not　come　at　once　to　an　unguarded　woman。　　Rosa
Staines　was　wiser　about　her　husband　than　she　had　been；　but　she　had
plenty　to　learn。

Lord　Tadcaster　anchored　off　Gravesend；　and　visited　Mrs。　Staines
nearly　every　day。　　She　received　him　with　a　pleasure　that　was　not　at
all　lively；　but　quite　undisguised。　　He　could　not　doubt　his　welcome；
for　once；　when　he　came；　she　said　to　the　servant；　〃Not　at　home；〃　a
plain　proof　she　did　not　wish　his　visit　to　be　cut　short　by　any　one
else。

And　so　these　visits　and　devoted　attentions　of　every　kind　went　on
unobserved　by　Lord　Tadcaster's　friends；　because　Rosa　would　never　go
out；　even　with　him；　but　at　last　Mr。　Lusignan　saw　plainly　how　this
would　end；　unless　he　interfered。

Well；　he　did　not　interfere；　on　the　contrary；　he　was　careful　to
avoid　putting　his　daughter　on　her　guard：　he　said　to　himself；　〃Lord
Tadcaster　does　her　good。　　I'm　afraid　she　would　not　marry　him；　if　he
was　to　ask　her　now；　but　in　time　she　might。　　She　likes　him　a　great
deal　better　than　any　one　else。〃

As　for　Philip；　he　was　abroad　for　his　own　health；　somewhat　impaired
by　his　long　and　faithful　attendance　on　Rosa。

So　now　Lord　Tadcaster　was　in　constant　attendance　on　Rosa。　　She　was
languid；　but　gentle　and　kind；　and；　as　mourners；　like　invalids；　are
apt　to　be　egotistical；　she　saw　nothing　but　that　he　was　a　comfort　to
her　in　her　affliction。

While　matters　were　so；　the　Earl　of　Miltshire；　who　had　long　been
sinking；　died；　and　Tadcaster　succeeded　to　his　honors　and　estates。

Rosa　heard　of　it；　and；　thinking　it　was　a　great　bereavement；　wrote
him　one　of　those　exquisite　letters　of　condolence　a　lady　alone　can
write。　　He　took　it　to　Lady　Cicely；　and　showed　it　her。　　She　highly
approved　it。

He　said；　〃The　only　thingit　makes　me　ashamed；　I　do　not　feel　my
poor　father's　death　more；　but　you　know　it　has　been　so　long
expected。〃　　Then　he　was　silent　a　long　time；　and　then　he　asked　her
if　such　a　woman　as　that　would　not　make　him　happy；　if　he　could　win
her。

It　was　on　her　ladyship's　tongue　to　say；　〃She　did　not　make　her　first
happy；〃　but　she　forbore；　and　said　coldly；　that　was　maw　than　she
could　say。

Tadcaster　seemed　disappointed　by　that；　and　by　and　by　Cicely　took
herself　to　task。　　She　asked　herself　what　were　Tadcaster's　chances
in　the　lottery　of　wives。　　The　heavy　army　of　scheming　mothers；　and
the　light　cavalry　of　artful　daughters；　rose　before　her　cousinly　and
disinterested　eyes；　and　she　asked　herself　what　chance　poor　little
Tadcaster　would　have　of　catching　a　true　love；　with　a　hundred　female
artists　manoeuvring；　wheeling；　ambuscading；　and　charging　upon　his
wealth　and　titles。　　She　returned　to　the　subject　of　her　own　accord；
and　told　him　she　saw　but　one　objection　to　such　a　match：　the　lady
had　a　son　by　a　man　of　rare　merit　and　misfortune。　　Could　he；　at　his
age；　undertake　to　be　a　father　to　that　son？　　〃Othahwise；〃　said　Lady
Cicely；　〃mark　my　words；　you　will　quall　over　that　poor　child；　and
you　will　have　two　to　quall　with；　because　I　shall　be　on　her　side。〃

Tadcaster　declared　to　her　that　child　should　be　quite　the　opposite
of　a　bone　of　contention。　　〃I　have　thought　of　that；〃　said　he；　〃and　I
mean　to　be　so　kind　to　that　boy；　I　shall　MAKE　her　love　me　for　that。〃

On　these　terms　Lady　Cicely　gave　her　consent。

Then　he　asked　her　should　he　write；　or　ask　her　in　person。

Lady　Cicely　reflected。　　〃If　you　write；　I　think　she　will　say　no。〃

〃But　if　I　go？〃

〃Then；　it　will　depend　on　how　you　do　it。　　Rosa　Staines　is　a　true
mourner。　　Whatever　you　may　think；　I　don't　believe　the　idea　of　a
second　union　has　ever　entered　her　head。　　But　then　she　is　very
unselfish：　and　she　likes　you　better　than　any　one　else；　I　dare　say。
I　don't　think　your　title　or　your　money　will　weigh　with　her　now。
But；　if　you　show　her　your　happiness　depends　on　it；　she　may；
perhaps；　cwy　and　sob　at　the　very　idea　of　it；　and　then；　after　all；
say；　'Well；　why　notif　I　can　make　the　poor　soul　happy？'〃

So；　on　this　advice；　Tadcaster　went　down　to　Gravesend；　and　Lady
Cicely　felt　a　certain　self…satisfaction；　for；　her　well…meant
interference　having　lost　Rosa　one　husband；　she　was　pleased　to　think
she　had　done　something　to　give　her　another。

Lord　Tadcaster　came　to　Rosa　Staines；　he　found　her　seated　with　her
head　upon　her　white　hand；　thinking　sadly　of　the　past。

At　sight　of　him　in　deep　mourning；　she　started；　and　said；　〃Oh！〃

Then　she　said　tenderly；　〃We　are　of　one　color　now；〃　and　gave　him　her
hand。

He　sat　down　beside　her；　not　knowing　how　to　begin。

〃I　am　not　Tadcaster　now。　　I　am　Earl　of　Miltshire。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　I　forgot；〃　said　she　indifferently。

〃This　is　my　first　visit　to　any　one　in　that　character。〃

〃Thank　you。〃

〃It　is　an　awfully　important　visit　to　me。　　I　could　not　feel　myself
independent；　and　able　to　secure　your　comfort　and　little　Christie's；
without　coming　to　the　lady；　the　only　lady　I　ever　saw；　thatoh；
Mrs。　StainesRosawho　could　see　you；　as　I　have　donemingle　his
tears　with　yours；　as　I　have　done；　and　not　love　you；　and　long　to
offer　you　his　love？〃

〃Love！　to　me；　a　broken…hearted　woman；　with　nothing　to　live　for　but
his　memory　and　his　child。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　a　sort　of　scared　amazement。

〃His　child　shall　be　mine。　　His　memory　is　almost　as　dear　to　me　as　to
you。〃

〃Nonsense；　child；　nonsense！〃　said　she；　almost　sternly。

〃Was　he　not　my　best　friend？　　Should　I　have　the　health　I　enjoy；　or
even　be　alive；　but　for　him？　　Oh；　Mrs。　StainesRosa；　you　will　not
live　all　your　life　unmarried；　and　who　will　love　you　as　I　do？　　You
are　my　first　and　only　love。　　My　happ