a simpleton-第77章

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ride　up　to　the　gate　one　bright　night；　and　look　in；　and　Tim　thought
he　was　going　in：　but　he　changed　his　mind；　and　galloped　away　that
way；　and　the　monkey　pointed　south。

〃And　why　couldn't　you　tell　us　this　before？〃　questioned　Dick。

〃Me　mind　de　sheep；〃　said　Tim　apologetically。　　〃Me　not　mind　de　lilly
master：　jackals　not　eat　him。〃

〃You　no　more　sense　dan　a　sheep　yourself；〃　said　Ucatella　loftily。

〃No；　no：　God　bless　you　both；〃　cried　poor　Phoebe：　〃now　I　know　the
worst：〃　and　a　great　burst　of　tears　relieved　her　suffering　heart。

Dick　went　out　softly。　　When　he　got　outside　the　door；　he　drew　them
all　apart；　and　said；　〃Yuke；　you　ARE　a　good…hearted　girl。　　I'll
never　forget　this　while　I　live；　and；　Tim；　there's　a　shilling　for
thee；　but　don't　you　go　and　spend　it　in　Cape　smoke；　that　is　poison
to　whites；　and　destruction　to　blacks。〃

〃No；　master；〃　said　Tim。　　〃I　shall　buy　much　bread；　and　make　my
tomach　tiff；〃　then；　with　a　glance　of　reproach　at　the　domestic
caterer；　Ucatella；　〃I　almost　never　have　my　tomach　tiff。〃

Dick　left　his　sister　alone　an　hour　or　two；　to　have　her　cry　out。

When　he　went　back　to　her　there　was　a　change：　the　brave　woman　no
longer　lay　prostrate。　　She　went　about　her　business；　only　she　was
always　either　crying　or　drowning　her　tears。

He　brought　Dr。　Staines　in。　　Phoebe　instantly　turned　her　back　on　him
with　a　shudder　there　was　no　mistaking。

〃I　had　better　go；〃　said　Staines。　　〃Mrs。　Falcon　will　never　forgive
me。〃

〃She　will　have　to　quarrel　with　me　else；〃　said　Dick　steadily。　　〃Sit
you　down；　doctor。　　Honest　folk　like　you　and　me　and　Phoebe　wasn't
made　to　quarrel　for　want　of　looking　a　thing　all　round。　　My　sister
she　hasn't　looked　it　all　round；　and　I　have。　　Come；　Pheeb；　'tis　no
use　your　blinding　yourself。　　How　was　the　poor　doctor　to　know　your
husband　is　a　blackguard？〃

〃He　is　not　a　blackguard。　　How　dare　you　say　that　to　my　face？〃

〃He　is　a　blackguard；　and　always　was。　　And　now　he　is　a　thief　to
boot。　　He　has　stolen　those　diamonds；　you　know　that　very　well。〃

〃Gently；　Mr。　Dale；　you　forget：　they　are　as　much　his　as　mine。〃

〃Well；　and　if　half　a　sheep　is　mine；　and　I　take　the　whole　and　sell
him；　and　keep　the　money；　what　is　that　but　stealing？　　Why；　I　wonder
at　you；　Pheeb。　　You　was　always　honest　yourself；　and　yet　you　see　the
doctor　robbed　by　your　man；　and　that　does　not　trouble　you。　　What　has
he　done　to　deserve　it？　　He　has　been　a　good　friend　to　us。　　He　has
put　us　on　the　road。　　We　did　little　more　than　keep　the　pot　boiling
before　he　camewell；　yes；　we　stored　grain；　but　whose　advice　has
turned　that　grain　to　gold；　I　might　say？　　Well；　what's　his　offence？
He　trusted　the　diamonds　to　your　man；　and　sent　him　to　you。　　Is　he
the　first　honest　man　that　has　trusted　a　rogue？　　How　was　he　to　know？
Likely　he　judged　the　husband　by　the　wife。　　Answer　me　one　thing；
Pheeb。　　If　he　makes　away　with　fifteen　hundred　pounds　that　is　his；
or　partly　yoursfor　he　has　eaten　your　bread　ever　since　I　knew　him
and　fifteen　hundred　more　that　is　the　doctor's；　where　shall　we　find
fifteen　hundred　pounds；　all　in　a　moment；　to　pay　the　doctor　back　his
own？〃

〃My　honest　friend；〃　said　Staines；　〃you　are　tormenting　yourself　with
shadows。　　I　don't　believe　Mr。　Falcon　will　wrong　me　of　a　shilling；
and；　if　he　does；　I　shall　quietly　repay　myself　out　of　the　big
diamond。　　Yes；　my　dear　friends；　I　did　not　throw　away　your　horse；
nor　your　rifle；　nor　your　money：　I　gave　them　all；　and　the　lion's
skinI　gave　them　allfor　this。〃

And　he　laid　the　big　diamond　on　the　table。

It　was　as　big　as　a　walnut；　and　of　the　purest　water。

Dick　Dale　glanced　at　it　stupidly。　　Phoebe　turned　her　back　on　it；
with　a　cry　of　horror；　and　then　came　slowly　round　by　degrees；　and
her　eyes　were　fascinated　by　the　royal　gem。

〃Yes；〃　said　Staines　sadly；　〃I　had　to　strip　myself　of　all　to　buy　it；
and；　when　I　had　got　it；　how　proud　I　was；　and　how　happy　I　thought　we
should　all　be　over　it；　for　it　is　half　yours；　half　mine。　　Yes；　Mr。
Dale；　there　lies　six　thousand　pounds　that　belong　to　Mrs。　Falcon。〃

〃Six　thousand　pounds！〃　cried　Dick。

〃I'm　sure　of　it。　　And　so；　if　your　suspicions　are　correct；　and　poor
Falcon　should　yield　to　a　sudden　temptation；　and　spend　all　that
money；　I　shall　just　coolly　deduct　it　from　your　share　of　this
wonderful　stone：　so　make　your　mind　easy。　　But　no；　if　Falcon　is
really　so　wicked　as　to　desert　his　happy　home；　and　so　mad　as　to
spend　thousands　in　a　month　or　two；　let　us　go　and　save　him。〃

〃That　is　my　business；〃　said　Phoebe。　　〃I　am　going　in　the　mail…cart
to…morrow。〃

〃Well；　you　won't　go　alone；〃　said　Dick。

〃Mrs。　Falcon；〃　said　Staines　imploringly；　〃let　me　go　with　you。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir。　　My　brother　can　take　care　of　me。〃

〃Me！　　You　had　better　not　take　me。　　If　I　catch　hold　of　him；　by　…
I'll　break　his　neck；　or　his　back；　or　his　leg；　or　something；　he'll
never　run　away　from　you　again；　if　I　lay　hands　on　him；〃　replied
Dick。

〃I'll　go　alone。　　You　are　both　against　me。〃

〃No；　Mrs。　Falcon；　I　am　not；〃　said　Staines。　　〃My　heart　bleeds　for
you。〃

〃Don't　you　demean　yourself；　praying　her；〃　said　Dick。　　〃It's　a
public　conveyance：　you　have　no　need　to　ask　HER　leave。〃

〃That　is　true：　I　can't　hinder　folk　from　going　to　Cape　Town　the　same
day；〃　said　Phoebe　sullenly。

〃If　I　might　presume　to　advise；　I　would　take　little　Tommy。〃

〃What！　all　that　road？　　Do　you　want　me　to　lose　my　child；　as　well　as
my　man？〃

〃O　Mrs。　Falcon！〃

〃Don't　speak　to　her；　doctor；　to　get　your　nose　snapped　off。　　Give
her　time。　　She'll　come　to　her　senses　before　she　dies。〃

Next　day　Mrs。　Falcon　and　Staines　started　for　Cape　Town。　　Staines
paid　her　every　attention；　when　opportunity　offered。　　But　she　was
sullen　and　gloomy；　and　held　no　converse　with　him。

He　landed　her　at　an　inn；　and　then　told　her　he　would　go　at　once　to
the　jeweller's。　　He　asked　her　piteously　would　she　lend　him　a　pound
or　two　to　prosecute　his　researches。　　She　took　out　her　purse；
without　a　word；　and　lent　him　two　pounds。

He　began　to　scour　the　town：　the　jewellers　he　visited　could　tell　him
nothing。　　At　last　he　came　to　a　shop；　and　there　he　found　Mrs。　Falcon
making　her　inquiries　independently。　　She　said　coldly；　〃You　had
better　come　with　me；　and　get　your　money　and　things。〃

She　took　him　to　the　bankit　happened　to　be　the　one　she　did
business　withand　said；　〃This　is　Dr。　Christie；　come　for　his　money
and　jewels。〃

There　was　some　demur　at　this；　but　the　cashier　recognized　him；　and
Phoebe　making　herself　responsible；　the　money　and　jewels　were　handed
over。

Staines　whispered　Phoebe；　〃Are　you　sure　the　jewels　are　mine？〃

〃They　were　found　on　you；　sir。〃

Staines　took　them；　looking　confused。　　He　did　not　know　what　to
think。　　When　they　got　into　the　street　again；　he　told　her　it　was
very　kind　of　her　to　think　of　his　interest　at　all。

No　answer：　she　was　not　going　to　make　friends　with　him　over　such　a
trifle　as　that。

By　degrees；　however；　Christopher's　zeal　on　her　behalf　broke　the
ice；　and　besides；　as　the　search　proved　unavailing；　she　needed
sympathy；　and　he　gave　it　her；　and　did　not　abuse　her　husband　as　Dick
Dale　did。

One　day；　in　the　street；　after　a　long　thought；　she　said　to　him；
〃Didn't　you　say；　sir；　you　gave　him　a　letter　for　me？〃

〃I　gave　him　two　letters；　one　of　them　was　to　you。〃

〃Could　you　remember　what　you　said　in　it？〃

〃Perfectly。　　I　begged　you；　if　you　should　go　to　England；　to　break
the　truth　to　my　wife。　　She　is　very　excitable；　and　sudden　joy　has
killed　ere　now。　　I　gave　you　particular　instructions。〃

〃And　you　were　very　wise。　　But　whatever　could　make　you　think　I　would
go　to　England？〃

〃He　told　me　you　only　wanted　an　excuse。〃

〃Oh！！〃

〃When　he　told　me　that；　I　caught　at　it；　of　course。　　It　was　all　the
world　to　me　to　get　my　Rosa　told　by　such　a　kind；　good；　sensible
friend　as　you；　and；　Mrs。　Falcon；　I　had　no　scruple　about　troubling
you；　because　I　knew　the　stones　would　sell　for　at　least　a　thousand
pounds　more　in　England　than　here；　and　that　would　pay　your　expenses。〃

〃I　see；　sir；　I　see。　　'Twas　very　natural：　you　love　your　wife。〃

〃Better　than　my　life。〃

〃And　he　told　you　I　only　wanted　an　excuse　to　go　to　England？〃

〃He　did；　indeed。　　It　was　not　true？〃

〃It　was　anything　but　true。　　I　had　suffered　so　in　England；　I　had
been　so　happy　here：　too　happy　to　last。　　Ah！　well；　it　is　all　over。
Let　us　think　of　the