a simpleton-第61节

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royal　stone　had　to　be　caught　in　a　moment。　　He　could　not　sort；　and
he　had　not　the　heart　to　dig。　　The　only　way　to　make　him　earn　his
half　was　to　turn　him　into　the　travelling　and　selling　partner。

Christopher　was　too　generous　to　tell　him　this；　but　he　acted　on　it；
and　said　he　thought　his　was　an　excellent　proposal；　indeed；　he　had
better　take　all　the　diamonds　they　had　got　to　Dale's　Kloof　first；
and　show　them　to　his　wife；　for　her　consolation：　〃And　perhaps；〃　said
he；　〃in　a　matter　of　this　importance；　she　will　go　to　Cape　Town　with
you；　and　try　the　market　there。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Falcon。

He　sat　and　brooded　over　the　matter　a　long　time；　and　said；　〃Why　make
two　bites　of　a　cherry？　　They　will　only　give　us　half　the　value　at
Cape　Town；　why　not　go　by　the　steamer　to　England；　before　the　London
market　is　glutted；　and　all　the　world　finds　out　that　diamonds　are　as
common　as　dirt？〃

〃Go　to　England！　　What！　without　your　wife？　　I'll　never　be　a　party　to
that。　　Me　part　man　and　wife！　　If　you　knew　my　own　story〃

〃Why；　who　wants　you？〃　said　Reginald。　　〃You　don't　understand。
Phoebe　is　dying　to　visit　England　again；　but　she　has　got　no　excuse。
If　you　like　to　give　her　one；　she　will　be　much　obliged　to　you；　I　can
tell　you。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　a　very　different　matter。　　If　Mrs。　Falcon　can　leave　her
farm〃

〃Oh；　that　brute　of　a　brother　of　hers　is　a　very　honest　fellow；　for
that　matter。　　She　can　trust　the　farm　to　him。　　Besides；　it　is　only　a
month's　voyage　by　the　mail　steamer。〃

This　suggestion　of　Falcon's　set　Christopher's　heart　bounding；　and
his　eyes　glistening。　　But　he　restrained　himself；　and　said；　〃This
takes　me　by　surprise；　let　me　smoke　a　pipe　over　it。〃

He　not　only　did　that；　but　he　lay　awake　all　night。

The　fact　is　that　for　some　time　past；　Christopher　had　felt　sharp
twinges　of　conscience；　and　deep　misgivings　as　to　the　course　he　had
pursued　in　leaving　his　wife　a　single　day　in　the　dark。　　Complete
convalescence　had　cleared　his　moral　sentiments；　and　perhaps；　after
all；　the　discovery　of　the　diamonds　had　co…operated；　since　now　the
insurance　money　was　no　longer　necessary　to　keep　his　wife　from
starving。

〃Ah！〃　said　he；　〃faith　is　a　great　quality；　and　how　I　have　lacked
it！〃

To　do　him　justice；　he　knew　his　wife's　excitable　nature；　and　was　not
without　fears　of　some　disaster；　should　the　news　be　communicated　to
her　unskilfully。

But　this　proposal　of　Falcon's　made　the　way　clearer。　　Mrs。　Falcon；
though　not　a　lady；　had　all　a　lady's　delicacy；　and　all　a　woman's
tact　and　tenderness。　　He　knew　no　one　in　the　world　more　fit　to　be
trusted　with　the　delicate　task　of　breaking　to　his　Rosa　that　the
grave；　for　once；　was　baffled；　and　her　husband　lived。　　He　now　became
quite　anxious　for　Falcon's　departure；　and　ardently　hoped　that
worthy　had　not　deceived　himself　as　to　Mrs。　Falcon's　desire　to　visit
England。

In　short；　it　was　settled　that　Falcon　should　start　for　Dale's　Kloof；
taking　with　him　the　diamonds；　believed　to　be　worth　altogether　three
thousand　pounds　at　Cape　Town；　and　nearly　as　much　again　in　England；
and　a　long　letter　to　Mrs。　Falcon；　in　which　Staines　revealed　his
true　story；　told　her　where　to　find　his　wife；　or　hear　of　her；　viz。；
at　Kent　Villa；　Gravesend；　and　sketched　an　outline　of　instructions
as　to　the　way；　and　cunning　degrees；　by　which　the　joyful　news　should
be　broken　to　her。　　With　this　he　sent　a　long　letter　to　be　given　to
Rosa　herself；　but　not　till　she　should　know　all：　and　in　this　letter
he　enclosed　the　ruby　ring　she　had　given　him。　　That　ring　had　never
left　his　finger；　by　sea　or　land；　in　sickness　or　health。

The　letter　to　Rosa　was　sealed。　　The　two　letters　made　quite　a
packet；　for；　in　the　letter　to　his　beloved　Rosa；　he　told　her
everything　that　had　befallen　him。　　It　was　a　romance；　and　a　picture
of　love；　a　letter　to　lift　a　loving　woman　to　heaven；　and　almost
reconcile　her　to　all　her　bereaved　heart　had　suffered。

This　letter；　written　with　many　tears　from　the　heart　that　had　so
suffered；　and　was　now　softened　by　good　fortune　and　bounding　with
joy；　Staines　entrusted　to　Falcon；　together　with　the　other　diamonds；
and　with　many　warm　shakings　of　the　hand；　started　him　on　his　way。

〃But　mind；　Falcon；〃　said　Christopher；　〃I　shall　expect　an　answer
from　Mrs。　Falcon　in　twenty　days　at　farthest。　　I　do　not　feel　so　sure
as　you　do　that　she　wants　to　go　to　England；　and；　if　not；　I　must
write　to　Uncle　Philip。　　Give　me　your　solemn　promise；　old　fellow；　an
answer　in　twenty　daysif　you　have　to　send　a　Kafir　on　horseback。〃

〃I　give　you　my　honor；〃　said　Falcon　superbly。

〃Send　it　to　me　at　Bulteel's　Farm。〃

〃All　right。　　'Dr。　Christie；　Bulteel's　Farm。'〃

〃Wellno。　　Why　should　I　conceal　my　real　name　any　longer　from　such
friends　as　you　and　your　wife？　　Christie　is　short　for　Christopher
that　IS　my　Christian　name；　but　my　surname　is　Staines。　　Write　to
'Dr。　Staines。'〃

〃Dr。　Staines！〃

〃Yes。　　Did　you　ever　hear　of　me？〃

Falcon　wore　a　strange　look。　　〃I　almost　think　I　have。　　Down　at
Gravesend；　or　somewhere。〃

〃That　is　curious。　　Yes；　I　married　my　Rosa　there；　poor　thing！　　God
bless　her；　God　comfort　her。　　She　thinks　me　dead。〃

His　voice　trembled；　he　grasped　Falcon's　cold　hand　till　the　latter
winced　again；　and　so　they　parted；　and　Falcon　rode　off　muttering；
〃Dr。　Staines！　so　then　YOU　are　Dr。　Staines。〃


CHAPTER　XXII。


Rosa　Staines　had　youth　on　her　side；　and　it　is　an　old　saying　that
youth　will　not　be　denied。　　Youth　struggled　with　death　for　her；　and
won　the　battle。

But　she　came　out　of　that　terrible　fight　weak　as　a　child。　　The　sweet
pale　face；　the　widow's　cap；　the　suit　of　deep　blackit　was　long　ere
these　came　down　from　the　sickroom。　　And　when　they　did；　oh；　the　dead
blank！　　The　weary；　listless　life！　　The　days　spent　in　sighs；　and
tears；　and　desolation。　　Solitude！　solitude！　　Her　husband　was　gone；
and　a　strange　woman　played　the　mother　to　her　child　before　her　eyes。

Uncle　Philip　was　devotedly　kind　to　her；　and　so　was　her　father；　but
they　could　do　nothing　for　her。

Months　rolled　on；　and　skinned　the　wound　over。　　Months　could　not
heal。　　Her　boy　became　dearer　and　dearer；　and　it　was　from　him　came
the　first　real　drops　of　comfort；　however　feeble。

She　used　to　read　her　lost　one's　diary　every　day；　and　worship；　in
deep　sorrow；　the　mind　she　had　scarcely　respected　until　it　was　too
late。　　She　searched　in　his　diary　to　find　his　will；　and　often　she
mourned　that　he　had　written　on　it　so　few　things　she　could　obey。
Her　desire　to　obey　the　dead；　whom；　living；　she　had　often　disobeyed；
was　really　simple　and　touching。　　She　would　mourn　to　her　father　that
there　were　so　few　commands　to　her　in　his　diary。　　〃But；〃　said　she；
〃memory　brings　me　back　his　will　in　many　things；　and　to　obey　is　now
the　only　sad　comfort　I　have。〃

It　was　in　this　spirit　she　now　forced　herself　to　keep　accounts。　　No
fear　of　her　wearing　stays　now；　no　powder；　no　trimmings；　no　waste。

After　the　usual　delay；　her　father　told　her　she　should　instruct　a
solicitor　to　apply　to　the　insurance　company　for　the　six　thousand
pounds。　　She　refused　with　a　burst　of　agony。　　〃The　price　of　his
life；〃　she　screamed。　　〃Never！　　I'd　live　on　bread　and　water　sooner
than　touch　that　vile　money。〃

Her　father　remonstrated　gently。　　But　she　was　immovable。　　〃No。　　It
would　be　like　consenting　to　his　death。〃

Then　Uncle　Philip　was　sent　for。

He　set　her　child　on　her　knee；　and　gave　her　a　pen。　　〃Come；〃　said　he；
sternly；　〃be　a　woman；　and　do　your　duty　to　little　Christie。〃

She　kissed　the　boy；　cried；　and　did　her　duty　meekly。　　But　when　the
money　was　brought　her；　she　flew　to　Uncle　Philip；　and　said；　〃There！
there！〃　and　threw　it　all　before　him；　and　cried　as　if　her　heart
would　break。　　He　waited　patiently；　and　asked　her　what　he　was　to　do
with　all　that：　invest　it？

〃Yes；　yes；　for　my　little　Christie。〃

〃And　pay　you　the　interest　quarterly。〃

〃Oh；　no；　no。　　Dribble　us　out　a　little　as　we　want　it。　　That　is　the
way　to　be　truly　kind　to　a　simpleton。　　I　hate　that　word。〃

〃And　suppose　I　run　off　with　it？　　Such　confiding　geese　as　you
corrupt　a　man。〃

〃I　shall　never　corrupt　you。　　Crusty　people　are　the　soul　of　honor。〃

〃Crusty　people！〃　cried　Philip；　affecting　amazement。　　〃What　are
they？〃

She　bit　her　lip　and　colored　a　little；　but　answered　adroitly；　〃They
are　people　that　pretend　not　to　have　good　hearts；　but　have　the　best
in　the　world；　far　better　ones　than　your　smooth　ones：　that's　crusty
people。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Philip；　〃and　I'll　tell　you　what　simpletons　are。
They　are　little　transparent…looking　creatures　that　look　shallow；
but　are　as　deep　as　Old　Nick；　and　make　you　love　them　in　spite　of
your　judgment。　　They　are　the　most　artful　of　their　sex；　for　they
always　achieve　its　great　object；　to　be　lovedthe　very　thing　that
clever　women　sometimes　fail　in。〃

〃Well；　and　if　we　are　not　to　be　loved；　why　live　at　allsuch　useless
things　as　I　am？〃　said　Rosa　simply。

So　Philip　took　charge　of　her　money；　and　agreed　to　help　her　save
money　for　her　little　Christopher。　　Poverty　should　never　destroy
him；　as　it　had　his　father。

As　months　rolled　on；　she　crept　out　into　public　a　little；　but　always
on　foot；　and　a　very　little　way　from　home。

Youth　and　sober　life　gradually　restored　her　strength；　but　not　her
color；　nor　her　buoyancy。

Yet　she　was　perhaps　more　beautiful　than　ever；　for　a　holy　sorrow
chastened　and　sublimed　her　featu