a simpleton-第36节

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In　one　of　these　walks　she　stopped　at　a　shop　window；　and　fell　in
love　with　some　baby's　things。　　〃Oh！　I　must　have　that；〃　said　she。
〃I　must。　　I　shall　die　if　I　don't；　you'll　see　now。〃

〃You　shall；〃　said　he；　〃when　I　can　pay　for　it；〃　and　drew　her　away。

The　tears　of　disappointment　stood　in　her　eyes；　and　his　heart
yearned　over　her。　　But　he　kept　his　head。

He　changed　the　dinner　hour　to　six；　and　used　to　go　out　directly
afterwards。

She　began　to　complain　of　his　leaving　her　alone　like　that。

〃Well；　but　wait　a　bit；〃　said　he；　〃suppose　I　am　making　a　little
money　by　it；　to　buy　you　something　you　have　set　your　heart　on；　poor
darling！〃

In　a　very　few　days　after　this；　he　brought　her　a　little　box　with　a
slit　in　it。　　He　shook　it；　and　money　rattled；　then　he　unlocked　it；
and　poured　out　a　little　pile　of　silver。　　〃There；〃　said　he；　〃put　on
your　bonnet；　and　come　and　buy　those　things。〃

She　put　on　her　bonnet；　and　on　the　way　she　asked　how　it　came　to　be
all　in　silver。

〃That　is　a　puzzler；〃　said　he；　〃isn't　it？〃

〃And　how　did　you　make　it；　dear？　by　writing？〃

〃No。〃

〃By　fees　from　the　poor　people？〃

〃What；　undersell　my　brethren！　　Hang　it；　no！　　My　dear；　I　made　it
honestly；　and　some　day　I　will　tell　you　how　I　made　it；　at　present；
all　I　will　tell　you　is　this：　I　saw　my　darling　longing　for　something
she　had　a　right　to　long　for；　I　saw　the　tears　in　her　sweet　eyes；
andoh；　come　along；　do。　　I　am　wretched　till　I　see　you　with　the
things　in　your　hand。〃

They　went　to　the　shop；　and　Staines　sat　and　watched　Rosa　buying
baby…clothes。　　Oh；　it　was　a　pretty　sight　to　see　this　modest　young
creature；　little　more　than　a　child　herself；　anticipating　maternity；
but　blushing　every　now　and　then；　and　looking　askant　at　her　lord　and
master。　　How　his　very　bowels　yearned　over　her！

And　when　they　got　home；　she　spread　the　things　on　a　table；　and　they
sat　hand　in　hand；　and　looked　at　them；　and　she　leaned　her　head　on
his　shoulder；　and　went　quietly　to　sleep　there。

And　yet；　as　time　rolled　on；　she　became　irritable　at　times；　and
impatient；　and　wanted　all　manner　of　things　she　could　not　have；　and
made　him　unhappy。

Then　he　was　out　from　six　o'clock　till　one；　and　she　took　it　into　her
head　to　be　jealous。　　So　many　hours　to　spend　away　from　her！　　Now
that　she　wanted　all　his　comfort。

Presently；　Ellen；　the　new　maid；　got　gossiping　in　the　yard；　and　a
groom　told　her　her　master　had　a　sweetheart　on　the　sly；　he　thought；
for　he　drove　the　brougham　out　every　evening　himself；　〃and；〃　said
the　man；　〃he　wears　a　mustache　at　night。〃

Ellen　ran　in；　brimful　of　this；　and　told　the　cook；　the　cook　told　the
washerwoman；　the　washerwoman　told　a　dozen　families；　till　about　two
hundred　people　knew　it。

At　last　it　came　to　Mrs。　Staines　in　a　roundabout　way；　at　the　very
moment　when　she　was　complaining　to　Lady　Cicely　Treherne　of　her　hard
lot。　　She　had　been　telling　her　she　was　nothing　more　than　a　lay…
figure　in　the　house。

〃My　husband　is　housekeeper　now；　and　cook；　and　all；　and　makes　me
delicious　dishes；　I　can　tell　you；　SUCH　curries！　　I　couldn't　keep
the　house　with　five　pounds　a　week；　so　now　he　does　it　with　three：
and　I　never　get　the　carriage；　because　walking　is　best　for　me；　and
he　takes　it　out　every　night　to　make　money。　　I　don't　understand　it。〃

Lady　Cicely　suggested　that　perhaps　Dr。　Staines　thought　it　best　for
her　to　be　relieved　of　all　worry；　and　so　undertook　the　housekeeping。

〃No；　no；　no；〃　said　Rosa；　〃I　used　to　pay　them　all　a　part　of　their
bills；　and　then　a　little　more；　and　so　I　kept　getting　deeper；　and　I
was　ashamed　to　tell　Christie；　so　that　he　calls　deceit；　and　oh；　he
spoke　to　me　so　cruelly　once！　　But　he　was　very　sorry　afterwards；
poor　dear！　　Why　are　girls　brought　up　so　silly？　all　piano；　and　no
sense；　and　why　are　men　sillier　still　to　go　and　marry　such　silly
things？　　A　wife！　　I　am　not　so　much　as　a　servant。　　Oh；　I　am　finely
humiliated；　and；〃　with　a　sudden　hearty　naivete　all　her　own；　〃it
serves　me　just　right。〃

While　Lady　Cicely　was　puzzling　this　out；　in　came　a　letter。　　Rosa
opened　it；　read　it；　and　gave　a　cry　like　a　wounded　deer。

〃Oh！〃　she　cried；　〃I　am　a　miserable　woman。　　What　will　become　of　me？〃

The　letter　informed　her　bluntly　that　her　husband　drove　his　brougham
out　every　night　to　pursue　a　criminal　amour。

While　Rosa　was　wringing　her　hands　in　real　anguish　of　heart；　Lady
Cicely　read　the　letter　carefully。

〃I　don't　believe　this；〃　said　she　quietly。

〃Not　true！　　Why；　who　would　be　so　wicked　as　to　stab　a　poor；
inoffensive　wretch　like　me；　if　it　wasn't　true？〃

〃The　first　ugly　woman　would；　in　a　minute。　　Don't　you　see　the　witer
can't　tell　you　where　he　goes？　　Dwives　his　bwougham　out！　　That　is
all　your　infaumant　knows。〃

〃Oh；　my　dear　friend；　bless　you！　　What　have　I　been　complaining　to
you　about？　　All　is　light；　except　to　lose　his　love。　　What　shall　I
do？　　I　will　never　tell　him。　　I　will　never　affront　him　by　saying　I
suspected　him。〃

〃Wosa；　if　you　do　that；　you　will　always　have　a　serpent　gnawing　you。
No；　you　must　put　the　letter　quietly　into　his　hand；　and　say；　'Is
there　any　truth　in　that？'〃

〃Oh；　I　could　not。　　I　haven't　the　courage。　　If　I　do　that；　I　shall
know　by　his　face　if　there　is　any　truth　in　it。〃

〃Well；　and　you　must　know　the　twuth。　　You　shall　know　it。　　I　want　to
know　it　too；　for　if　he　does　not　love　you　twuly；　I　will　nevaa　twust
myself　to　anything　so　deceitful　as　a　man。〃

Rosa　at　last　consented　to　follow　this　advice。

After　dinner　she　put　the　letter　into　Christopher's　hand；　and　asked
him　quietly　was　there　any　truth　in　that：　then　her　hands　trembled；
and　her　eyes　drank　him。

Christopher　read　it；　and　frowned；　then　he　looked　up；　and　said；　〃No；
not　a　word。　　What　scoundrels　there　are　in　the　world！　　To　go　and
tell　you　that；　NOW！　　Why；　you　little　goose！　have　you　been　silly
enough　to　believe　it？〃

〃No；〃　said　she　irresolutely。　　〃But　DO　you　drive　the　brougham　out
every　night？〃

〃Except　Sunday。〃

〃Where？〃

〃My　dear　wife；　I　never　loved　you　as　I　love　you　now；　and　if　it　was
not　for　you；　I　should　not　drive　the　brougham　out　of　nights。　　That
is　all　I　shall　tell　you　at　present；　but　some　day　I'll　tell　you　all
about　it。〃

He　took　such　a　calm　high　hand　with　her　about　it；　that　she　submitted
to　leave　it　there；　but　from　this　moment　the　serpent　doubt　nibbled
her。

It　had　one　curious　effect；　though。　　She　left　off　complaining　of
trifles。

Now　it　happened　one　night　that　Lady　Cicely　Treherne　and　a　friend
were　at　a　concert　in　Hanover　Square。　　The　other　lady　felt　rather
faint；　and　Lady　Cicely　offered　to　take　her　home。　　The　carriages　had
not　yet　arrived；　and　Miss　Macnamara　said　to　walk　a　few　steps　would
do　her　good：　a　smart　cabman　saw　them　from　a　distance　and　drove　up；
and　touching　his　hat　said；　〃Cab；　ladies？〃

It　seemed　a　very　superior　cab；　and　Miss　Macnamara　said　〃Yes〃
directly。

The　cabman　bustled　down　and　opened　the　door；　Miss　Macnamara　got　in
first；　then　Lady　Cicely；　her　eye　fell　on　the　cabman's　face；　which
was　lighted　full　by　a　street…lamp；　and　it　was　Christopher　Staines！

He　started　and　winced；　but　the　woman　of　the　world　never　moved　a
muscle。

〃Where　to？〃　said　Staines；　averting　his　head。

She　told　him　where；　and　when　they　got　out；　said；　〃I'll　send　it　you
by　the　servant。〃

A　flunkey　soon　after　appeared　with　half…a…crown；　and　the　amateur
coachman　drove　away。　　He　said　to　himself；　〃Come；　my　mustache　is　a
better　disguise　than　I　thought。〃

Next　day；　and　the　day　after；　he　asked　Rosa；　with　affected
carelessness；　had　she　heard　anything　of　Lady　Cicely。

〃No；　dear；　but　I　dare　say　she　will　call　this　afternoon：　it　is　her
day。〃

She　did　call　at　last；　and　after　a　few　words　with　Rosa；　became　a
little　restless；　and　asked　if　she　might　consult　Dr。　Staines。

〃Certainly；　dear。　　Come　to　his　studio。〃

〃No；　might　I　see　him　here？〃

〃Certainly。〃　　She　rang　the　bell；　and　told　the　servant　to　ask　Dr。
Staines　if　he　would　be　kind　enough　to　step　into　the　drawing…room。

Dr。　Staines　came　in；　and　bowed　to　Lady　Cicely；　and　eyed　her　a
little　uncomfortably。

She　began；　however；　in　a　way　that　put　him　quite　at　his　ease。　　〃You
remember　the　advice　you　gave　us　about　my　little　cousin　Tadcastah。〃

〃Perfectly：　his　life　is　very　precarious；　he　is　bilious；　consumptive；
and；　if　not　watched；　will　be　epileptical；　and　he　has　a　fond；　weak
mother；　who　will　let　him　kill　himself。〃

〃Exactly：　and　you　wecommended　a　sea　voyage；　with　a　medical
attendant　to　watch　his　diet；　and　contwol　his　habits。　　Well；　she
took　other　advice；　and　the　youth　is　worse；　so　now　she　is
fwightened；　and　a　month　ago　she　asked　me　to　pwopose　to　you　to　sail
about　with　Tadcastah；　and　she　offered　me　a　thousand　pounds　a　year。
I　put　on　my　stiff　look；　and　said；　'Countess；　with　every　desiah　to
oblige　you；　I　must　decline　to　cawwy　that　offah　to　a　man　of　genius；
learning；　and　weputation；　who　has　the　ball　at　his　feet　in　London。'〃

〃Lord　forgive　you；　Lady　Cicely。〃

〃Lord　bless　her　for　standing　up　for　my　Christie。〃

Lady　Cicely　continued：　〃Now；　this　good　lady；　you　must　know；　is　not
exactly　one　of　us：　the　late　earl　mawwied　into　cotton；　or　wool；　or
something。　　So　she　said；　'Name　your　price　for　him。'　　I　shwugged　my
shoulders；　smiled　affably；　and　as　affectedly　as　you　like；　and
changed　the　subject。　　But　since　then　things　have　happened。　　I　am
afwaid　it　is　my　duty　to　make　y