a simpleton-第76章
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what is this？〃
〃I don't understand it；〃 said Dick。 〃Whatever made you think he
was here； sir？〃
〃Why； I tell you he left me to come here。〃
〃Left you； sir！〃 faltered Phoebe。 〃Why； when？where？〃
〃At the diggingsever so long ago。〃
〃Blank him！ that is just like him； the uneasy fool！〃 roared Dick。
〃No； Mr。 Dale； you should not say that； he left me； with my
consent； to come to Mrs。 Falcon here； and consult her about
disposing of our diamonds。〃
〃Diamonds！diamonds！〃 cried Phoebe。 〃Oh； they make me tremble。
How COULD you let him go alone！ You didn't let HIM go on foot； I
hope？〃
〃Oh； no； Mrs。 Falcon； he had his horse； and his rifle； and money to
spend on the road。〃
〃How long ago did he leave you； sir？〃
〃II am sorry to say it was five weeks ago。〃
〃Five weeks！ and not come yet。 Ah！ the wild beasts！the diggers！
the murderers！ He is dead！〃
〃God forbid！〃 faltered Staines； but his own blood began to run
cold。
〃He is dead。 He has died between this and the dreadful diamonds。
I shall never see my darling again： he is dead。 He is dead。〃
She rushed out of the room； and out of the house； throwing her arms
above her head in despair； and uttering those words of agony again
and again in every variety of anguish。
At such horrible moments women always swoonif we are to believe
the dramatists。 I doubt if there is one grain of truth in this。
Women seldom swoon at all； unless their bodies are unhealthy； or
weakened by the reaction that follows so terrible a shock as this。
At all events； Phoebe； at first； was strong and wild as a lion； and
went to and fro outside the house； unconscious of her body's
motion； frenzied with agony； and but one word on her lips； 〃He is
dead！he is dead！〃
Dick followed her； crying like a child； but master of himself； he
got his people about her； and half carried her in again； then shut
the door in all their faces。
He got the poor creature to sit down； and she began to rock and
moan； with her apron over her head； and her brown hair loose about
her。
〃Why should he be dead？〃 said Dick。 〃Don't give a man up like
that； Phoebe。 Doctor； tell us more about it。 Oh； man； how could
you let him out of your sight？ You knew how fond the poor creature
was of him。〃
〃But that was it； Mr。 Dale；〃 said Staines。 〃I knew his wife must
pine for him； and we had found six large diamonds； and a handful of
small ones； but the market was glutted； and to get a better price；
he wanted to go straight to Cape Town。 But I said； 'No； go and
show them to your wife； and see whether she will go to Cape Town。'〃
Phoebe began to listen； as was evident by her moaning more softly。
〃Might he not have gone straight to Cape Town？〃 Staines hazarded
this timidly。
〃Why should he do that； sir？ Dale's Kloof is on the road。〃
〃Only on one road。 Mr。 Dale； he was well armed； with rifle and
revolver； and I cautioned him not to show a diamond on the road。
Who would molest him？ Diamonds don't show； like gold。 Who was to
know he had three thousand pounds hidden under his armpits； and in
two barrels of his revolver？〃
〃Three thousand pounds！〃 cried Dale。 〃You trusted HIM with three
thousand pounds？〃
〃Certainly。 They were worth about three thousand pounds in Cape
Town； and half as much again in〃
Phoebe started up in a moment。 〃Thank God！〃 she cried。 〃There's
hope for me。 Oh； Dick； he is not dead： HE HAS ONLY DESERTED ME。〃
And with these strange and pitiable words； she fell to sobbing as
if her great heart would burst at last。
CHAPTER XXIV。
There came a reaction； and Phoebe was prostrated with grief and
alarm。 Her brother never doubted now that Reginald had run to Cape
Town for a lark。 But Phoebe； though she thought so too； could not
be sure； and so the double agony of bereavement and desertion
tortured her by turns； and almost together。 For the first time
these many years； she was so crushed she could not go about her
business； but lay on a little sofa in her own room； and had the
blinds down； for her head ached so she could not bear the light。
She conceived a bitter resentment against Staines； and told Dick
never to let him into her sight； if he did not want to be her
death。
In vain Dick made excuses for him： she would hear none。 For once
she was as unreasonable as any other living woman： she could see
nothing but that she had been happy； after years of misery； and
should be happy now if this man had never entered her house。 〃Ah；
Collie！〃 she cried； 〃you were wiser than I was。 You as good as
told me he would make me smart for lodging and curing him。 And I
was SO happy！〃
Dale communicated this as delicately as he could to Staines。
Christopher was deeply grieved and wounded。 He thought it unjust；
but he knew it was natural： he said； humbly； 〃I feel guilty myself；
Mr。 Dale； and yet； unless I had possessed omniscience； what could I
do？ I thought of her in allpoor thing！ poor thing！〃
The tears were in his eyes； and Dick Dale went away scratching his
head and thinking it over。 The more he thought； the less he was
inclined to condemn him。
Staines himself was much troubled in mind； and lived on thorns。 He
wanted to be off to England； grudged every day； every hour； he
spent in Africa。 But Mrs。 Falcon was his benefactress； he had
been； for months and months； garnering up a heap of gratitude
towards her。 He had not the heart to leave her bad friends； and in
misery。 He kept hoping Falcon would return； or write。
Two days after his return； he was seated； disconsolate； gluing
garnets and carbuncles on to a broad tapering bit of lambskin； when
Ucatella came to him and said； 〃My doctor child sick？〃
〃No； not sick： but miserable。〃 And he explained to her； as well as
he could； what had passed。 〃But；〃 said he； 〃I would not mind the
loss of the diamonds now； if I was only sure he was alive。 I think
most of poor； poor Mrs。 Falcon。〃
While Ucatella pondered this； but with one eye of demure curiosity
on the coronet he was making； he told her it was for herhe had
not forgot her at the mines。
〃These stones；〃 said he； 〃are not valued there； but see how
glorious they are！〃
In a few minutes he had finished the coronet； and gave it her。 She
uttered a chuckle of delight； and with instinctive art； bound it；
in a turn of her hand； about her brow； and then Staines himself was
struck dumb with amazement。 The carbuncles gathered from those
mines look like rubies； so full of fire are they； and of enormous
size。 The chaplet had twelve great carbuncles in the centre； and
went off by gradations into smaller garnets by the thousand。 They
flashed their blood…red flames in the African sun； and the head of
Ucatella； grand before； became the head of the Sphinx； encircled
with a coronet of fire。 She bestowed a look of rapturous gratitude
on Staines； and then glided away； like the stately Juno； to admire
herself in the nearest glass like any other coquette； black； brown；
yellow； copper； or white。
That very day； towards sunset； she burst upon Staines quite
suddenly； with her coronet gleaming on her magnificent head； and
her eyes like coals of fire； and under her magnificent arm； hard as
a rock； a boy kicking and struggling in vain。 She was furiously
excited； and； for the first time； showed signs of the savage in the
whites of her eyes； which seemed to turn the glorious pupils into
semicircles。 She clutched Staines by the shoulder with her left
hand； and swept along with the pair； like dark Fate； or as potent
justice sweeps away a pair of culprits； and carried them to the
little window； and cried 〃Openopen！〃
Dick Dale was at dinner； Phoebe lying down。 Dick got up； rather
crossly； and threw open the window。 〃What is up now？〃 said he
crossly： he was like two or three more Englishmenhated to be
bothered at dinner…time。
〃Dar；〃 screamed Ucatella； setting down Tim； but holding him tight
by the shoulder； 〃now you tell what you see that night； you lilly
Kafir trash； if you not tell； I kill you DEAD；〃 and she showed the
whites of her eyes； like a wild beast。
Tim； thoroughly alarmed； quivered out that he had seen lilly master
ride up to the gate one bright night； and look in； and T
