a simpleton-第79章

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proud　I　knew　you；　and　proud　I　loved　you；　and　offered　you　my　hand。〃

Then　the　magnanimous　little　fellow　blessed　her；　and　left　her；　and
discontinued　his　visits。

Mr。　Lusignan　found　her　crying；　and　got　the　truth　out　of　her。　　He
was　in　despair。　　He　remonstrated　kindly；　but　firmly。　　Truth　compels
me　to　say　that　she　politely　ignored　him。　　He　observed　that
phenomenon；　and　said；　〃Very　well　then；　I　shall　telegraph　for　Uncle
Philip。〃

〃Do；〃　said　the　rebel。　　〃He　is　always　welcome。〃

Philip；　telegraphed；　came　down　that　evening；　likewise　his　little
black　bag。　　He　found　them　in　the　drawing…room：　papa　with　the　Pall
Mall　Gazette；　Rosa　seated；　sewing；　at　a　lamp。　　She　made　little
Christie's　clothes　herself；fancy　that！

Having　ascertained　that　the　little　boy　was　well；　Philip；　adroitly
hiding　that　he　had　come　down　torn　with　anxiety　on　that　head；
inquired　with　a　show　of　contemptuous　indifference；　whose　cat　was
dead。

〃Nobody's；〃　said　Lusignan　crossly。　　Then　he　turned　and　pointed　the
Gazette　at　his　offspring。　　〃Do　you　see　that　young　lady　stitching
there　so　demurely？〃

Philip　carefully　wiped　and　then　put　on　his　spectacles。

〃I　see　her；〃　said　he。　　〃She　does　look　a　little　too　innocent。　　None
of　them　are　really　so　innocent　as　all　that。　　Has　she　been　swearing
at　the　nurse；　and　boxing　her　ears？〃

〃Worse　than　that。　　She　has　been　and　refused　the　Earl　of　Tadcaster。〃

〃Refused　himwhat！　has　that　little　monkey　had　the　audacity？〃

〃The　condescension；　you　mean。　　Yes。〃

〃And　she　has　refused　him？〃

〃And　twenty　thousand　a　year。〃

〃What　immorality！〃

〃Worse。　　What　absurdity！〃

〃How　is　it　to　be　accounted　for？　　Is　it　the　old　story？　　'I　could
never　love　him。'　　No；　that's　inadequate；　for　they　all　love　a　title
and　twenty　thousand　a　year。〃

Rosa　sewed　on　all　this　time　in　demure　and　absolute　silence。

〃She　ignores　us；〃　said　Philip。　　〃It　is　intolerable。　　She　does　not
appreciate　our　politeness　in　talking　at　her。　　Let　us　arraign　her
before　our　sacred　tribunal；　and　have　her　into　court。　　Now；
mistress；　the　Senate　of　Venice　is　assembled；　and　you　must　be
pleased　to　tell　us　why　you　refused　a　title　and　twenty　thousand　a
year；　with　a　small　but　symmetrical　earl　tacked　on。〃

Rosa　laid　down　her　work；　and　said　quietly；　〃Uncle；　almost　the　last
words　that　passed　between　me　and　my　Christopher；　we　promised　each
other　solemnly　never　to　marry　again　till　death　should　us　part。　　You
know　how　deep　my　sorrow　has　been　that　I　can　find　so　few　wishes　of
my　lost　Christopher　to　obey。　　Well；　to…day　I　have　had　an
opportunity　at　last。　　I　have　obeyed　my　own　lost　one；　it　has　cost　me
a　tear　or　two；　but；　for　all　that；　it　has　given　me　one　little　gleam
of　happiness。　　Ah；　foolish　woman；　that　obeys　too　late！〃

And　with　this　the　tears　began　to　run。

All　this　seemed　a　little　too　high…flown　to　Mr。　Lusignan。　　〃There；〃
said　he；　〃see　on　what　a　straw　her　mind　turns。　　So；　but　for　that；
you　would　have　done　the　right　thing；　and　married　the　earl？〃

〃I　dare　say　I　shouldat　the　timeto　stop　his　crying。〃

And　with　this　listless　remark　she　quietly　took　up　her　sewing　again。

The　sagacious　Philip　looked　at　her　gravely。　　He　thought　to　himself
how　piteous　it　was　to　see　so　young　and　lovely　a　creature；　that　had
given　up　all　hope　of　happiness　for　herself。　　These　being　his　real
thoughts；　he　expressed　himself　as　follows：　〃We　had　better　drop　this
subject；　sir。　　This　young　lady　will　take　us　potent；　grave；　and
reverend　seignors　out　of　our　depth；　if　we　don't　mind。〃

But　the　moment　he　got　her　alone　he　kissed　her　paternally；　and　said；
〃Rosa；　it　is　not　lost　on　me；　your　fidelity　to　the　dead。　　As　years
roll　on；　and　your　deep　wound　first　closes；　then　skins；　then　heals〃

〃Ah；　let　me　die　first〃

〃Time　and　nature　will　absolve　you　from　that　vow；　but　bless　you　for
thinking　this　can　never　be。　　Rosa；　your　folly　of　this　day　has　made
you　my　heir；　so　never　let　money　tempt　you；　for　you　have　enough；　and
will　have　more　than　enough　when　I　go。〃

He　was　as　good　as　his　word；　altered　his　will　next　day；　and　made
Rosa　his　residuary　legatee。　　When　he　had　done　this；　foreseeing　no
fresh　occasion　for　his　services；　he　prepared　for　a　long　visit　to
Italy。　　He　was　packing　up　his　things　to　go　there；　when　he　received
a　line　from　Lady　Cicely　Treherne；　asking　him　to　call　on　her
professionally。　　As　the　lady's　servant　brought　it；　he　sent　back　a
line　to　say　he　no　longer　practised　medicine；　but　would　call　on　her
as　a　friend　in　an　hour's　time。

He　found　her　reclining；　the　picture　of　lassitude。　　〃How　good　of　you
to　come；〃　she　drawled。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　said　he　brusquely。

〃I　wish　to　cawnsult　you　about　myself。　　I　think　if　anybody　can
brighten　me　up；　it　is　you。　　I　feel　such　a　languawsuch　a　want　of
spirit；　and　I　get　palaa；　and　that　is　not　desiwable。〃

He　examined　her　tongue　and　the　white　of　her　eye；　and　told　her；　in
his　blunt　way；　she　ate　and　drank　too　much。

〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　said　she　stiffly。

〃I　mean　too　often。　　Now；　let's　see。　　Cup　of　tea　in　bed；　of　a
morning？〃

〃Yaas。〃

〃Dinner　at　two？〃

〃We　call　it　luncheon。〃

〃Are　you　a　ventriloquist？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then　it　is　only　your　lips　call　it　luncheon。　　Your　poor　stomach；
could　it　speak；　would　call　it　dinner。　　Afternoon　tea？〃

〃Yaas。〃

〃At　seven…thirty　another　dinner。　　Tea　after　that。　　Your　afflicted
stomach　gets　no　rest。　　You　eat　pastry？〃

〃I　confess　it。〃

〃And　sugar　in　a　dozen　forms？〃

She　nodded。

〃Well；　sugar　is　poison　to　your　temperament。　　Now　I'll　set　you　up；
if　you　can　obey。　　Give　up　your　morning　dram。〃

〃What　dwam？〃

〃Tea　in　bed；　before　eating。　　Can't　you　see　that　is　a　dram？　　Animal
food　twice　a　day。　　No　wine　but　a　little　claret　and　water；　no
pastry；　no　sweets；　and　play　battledore　with　one　of　your　male
subjects。〃

〃Battledaw！　won't　a　lady　do　for　that？〃

〃No：　you　would　get　talking；　and　not　play　ad　sudorem。〃

〃Ad　sudawem！　what　is　that？〃

〃In　earnest。〃

〃And　will　sudawem　and　the　west　put　me　in　better　spiwits；　and　give
me　a　tinge？〃

〃It　will　incarnadine　the　lily；　and　make　you　the　happiest　young　lady
in　England；　as　you　are　the　best。〃

〃I　should　like　to　be　much　happier　than　I　am　good；　if　we　could
manage　it　among　us。〃

〃We　will　manage　it　AMONG　us；　for　if　the　diet　allowed　should　not
make　you　boisterously　gay；　I　have　a　remedy　behind；　suited　to　your
temperament。　　I　am　old…fashioned；　and　believe　in　the　temperaments。〃

〃And　what　is　that　wemedy？〃

〃Try　diet；　and　hard　exercise；　first。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　but　let　me　know　that　wemedy。〃

〃I　warn　you　it　is　what　we　call　in　medicine　an　heroic　one。〃

〃Never　mind。　　I　am　despewate。〃

〃Well；　then；　the　heroic　remedyto　be　used　only　as　a　desperate
resort；　mindyou　must　marry　an　Irishman。〃

This　took　the　lady's　breath　away。

〃Mawwy　a　nice　man？〃

〃A　nice　man；　no。　　That　means　a　fool。　　Marry　scientificallya
precaution　eternally　neglected。　　Marry　a　Hibernian　gentleman；　a
being　as　mercurial　as　you　are　lymphatic。〃

〃Mercurial！lymphatic！〃

〃Oh；　hard　words　break　no　bones；　ma'am。〃

〃No；　sir。　　And　it　is　very　curious。　　No；　I　won't　tell　you。　　Yes；　I
will。　　Hem　II　think　I　have　noticed　one。〃

〃One　what？〃

〃One　Iwishmandangling　after　me。〃

〃Then　your　ladyship　has　only　to　tighten　the　cordand　HE'S　done
for。〃

Having　administered　this　prescription；　our　laughing　philosopher
went　off　to　Italy；　and　there　fell　in　with　some　countrymen　to　his
mind；　so　he　accompanied　them　to　Egypt　and　Palestine。

His　absence；　and　Lord　Tadcaster's；　made　Rosa　Staines's　life
extremely　monotonous。　　Day　followed　day；　and　week　followed　week；
each　so　unvarying；　that；　on　a　retrospect；　three　months　seemed　like
one　day。

And　I　think　at　last　youth　and　nature　began　to　rebel；　and　secretly
to　crave　some　little　change　or　incident　to　ruffle　the　stagnant
pool。　　Yet　she　would　not　go　into　society；　and　would　only　receive
two　or　three　dull　people　at　the　villa；　so　she　made　the　very
monotony　which　was　beginning　to　tire　her；　and　nursed　a　sacred　grief
she　had　no　need　to　nurse；　it　was　so　truly　genuine。

She　was　in　this　forlorn　condition；　when；　one　morning；　a　carriage
drove　to　the　door；　and　a　card　was　brought　up　to　her〃Mr。　Reginald
Falcon。〃

Falcon's　history；　between　this　and　our　last　advices；　is　soon
disposed　of。

When；　after　a　little　struggle　with　his　better　angel