a simpleton-第74节

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Then　he　became　very　uneasy；　and　begged　her　not　to　tell　a　soul。　　He
did　not　tell　her　the　reason；　but　he　feared　the　insurance　office
would　hear　of　it；　and　require　proofs　of　Christopher's　decease；
whereas　they　had　accepted　it　without　a　murmur；　on　the　evidence　of
Captain　Hamilton　and　the　Amphitrite's　log…book。

As　for　Falcon；　he　went　carefully　through　Staines's　two　letters；　and
wherever　he　found　a　word　that　suited　his　purpose；　he　traced　it　by
the　usual　process；　and　so；　in　the　course　of　a　few　hours；　he
concocted　a　short　letter；　all　the　words　in　which；　except　three；
were　facsimiles；　only　here　and　there　a　little　shaky；　the　three　odd
words　he　had　to　imitate　by　observation　of　the　letters。　　The
signature　he　got　to　perfection　by　tracing。

He　inserted　this　letter　in　the　original　envelope；　and　sealed　it
very　carefully；　so　as　to　hide　that　the　seal　had　been　tampered　with。

Thus　armed；　he　went　down　to　Gravesend。　　There　he　hired　a　horse　and
rode　to　Kent　Villa。

Why　he　hired　a　horse；　he　knew　how　hard　it　is　to　forge　handwriting；
and　he　chose　to　have　the　means　of　escape　at　hand。

He　came　into　the　drawing…room；　ghastly　pale；　and　almost　immediately
gave　her　the　letter；　then　turned　his　back；　feigning　delicacy。　　In
reality　he　was　quaking　with　fear　lest　she　should　suspect　the
handwriting。　　But　the　envelope　was　addressed　by　Staines；　and　paved
the　way　for　the　letter；　she　was　unsuspicious　and　good；　and　her
heart　cried　out　for　her　husband's　last　written　words：　at　such　a
moment；　what　chance　had　judgment　and　suspicion　in　an　innocent　and
loving　soul？

Her　eloquent　sighs　and　sobs　soon　told　the　caitiff　he　had　nothing　to
fear。

The　letter　ran　thus：


MY　OWN　ROSA；All　that　a　brother　could　do　for　a　beloved　brother；
Falcon　has　done。　　He　nursed　me　night　and　day。　　But　it　is　vain。　　I
shall　never　see　you　again　in　this　world。　　I　send　you　a　protector；
and　a　father　to　your　child。　　Value　him。　　He　has　promised　to　be　your
stay　on　earth；　and　my　spirit　shall　watch　over　you。To　my　last
breath；　your　loving　husband；

CHRISTOPHER　STAINES。


Falcon　rose；　and　began　to　steal　on　tiptoe　out　of　the　room。

Rosa　stopped　him。　　〃You　need　not　go；〃　said　she。　　〃You　are　our
friend。　　By　and　by　I　hope　I　shall　find　words　to　thank　you。〃

〃Pray　let　me　retire　a　moment；〃　said　the　hypocrite。　　〃A　husband's
last　words：　too　sacreda　stranger：〃　and　he　went　out　into　the
garden。　　There　he　found　the　nursemaid　Emily；　and　the　little　boy。

He　stopped　the　child；　and　made　love　to　the　nursemaid；　showed　her
his　diamondshe　carried　them　all　about　himtold　her　he　had　thirty
thousand　acres　in　Cape　Colony；　and　diamonds　on　them；　and　was　going
to　buy　thirty　thousand　more　of　the　government。　　〃Here；　take　one；〃
said　he。　　〃Oh；　you　needn't　be　shy。　　They　are　common　enough　on　my
estates。　　I'll　tell　you　what；　though；　you　could　not　buy　that　for
less　than　thirty　pounds　at　any　shop　in　London。　　Could　she；　my
little　duck？　　Never　mind；　it　is　no　brighter　than　her　eyes。　　Now　do
you　know　what　she　will　do　with　that；　Master　Christie？　　She　will
give　it　to　some　duffer　to　put　in　a　pin。〃

〃She　won't　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　said　Emily；　flushing　all　over。
〃She　is　not　such　a　fool。〃　　She　then　volunteered　to　tell　him　she　had
no　sweetheart；　and　did　not　trouble　her　head　about　young　men　at　all。
He　interpreted　this　to　mean　she　was　looking　out　for　one。　　So　do　I。

〃No　sweetheart！〃　said　he；　〃and　the　prettiest　girl　I　have　seen　since
I　landed：　then　I　put　in　for　the　situation。〃

Here；　seeing　the　footman　coming；　he　bestowed　a　most　paternal　kiss
on　little　Christie；　and　saying；　〃Not　a　word　to　John；　or　no　more
diamonds　from　me；〃　he　moved　carefully　away；　leaving　the　girl　all　in
a　flutter　with　extravagant　hopes。

The　next　moment　this　wolf　in　the　sheep…fold　entered　the　drawing…
room。　　Mrs。　Staines　was　not　there。　　He　waited；　and　waited；　and
began　to　get　rather　uneasy；　as　men　will　who　walk　among　pitfalls。

Presently　the　footman　came　to　say　that　Mrs。　Staines　was　with　her
father；　in　his　study；　but　she　would　come　to　him　in　five　minutes。

This　increased　his　anxiety。　　What！　　She　was　taking　advice　of　an
older　head。　　He　began　to　be　very　seriously　alarmed；　and；　indeed；
had　pretty　well　made　up　his　mind　to　go　down　and　gallop　off；　when
the　door　opened；　and　Rosa　came　hastily　in。　　Her　eyes　were　very　red
with　weeping。　　She　came　to　him　with　both　hands　extended　to　him；　he
gave　her　his；　timidly。　　She　pressed　them　with　such　earnestness　and
power　as　he　could　not　have　suspected；　and　thanked　him；　and　blessed
him；　with　such　a　torrent　of　eloquence；　that　he　hung　his　head　with
shame；　and；　being　unable　to　face　it　out；　villain　as　he　was；　yet
still　artful　to　the　core；　he　pretended　to　burst　out　crying；　and　ran
out　of　the　room；　and　rode　away。

He　waited　two　days；　and　then　called　again。　　Rosa　reproached　him
sweetly　for　going　before　she　had　half　thanked　him。

〃All　the　better；〃　said　he。　　〃I　have　been　thanked　a　great　deal　too
much　already。　　Who　would　not　do　his　best　for　a　dying　countryman；
and　fight　night　and　day　to　save　him　for　his　wife　and　child　at　home？
If　I　had　succeeded；　then　I　would　be　greedy　of　praise：　but　now　it
makes　me　blush；　it　makes　me　very　sad。〃

〃You　did　your　best；〃　said　Rosa　tearfully。

〃Ah！　that　I　did。　　Indeed；　I　was　ill　for　weeks　after；　myself；
through　the　strain　upon　my　mind；　and　the　disappointment；　and　going
so　many　nights　without　sleep。　　But　don't　let　us　talk　of　that。〃

〃Do　you　know　what　my　darling　says　to　me　in　my　letter？〃

〃No。〃

〃Would　you　like　to　see　it？〃

〃Indeed　I　should；　but　I　have　no　right。〃

〃Every　right。　　It　is　the　only　mark　of　esteem；　worth　anything；　I　can
show　you。〃

She　handed　him　the　letter；　and　buried　her　own　face　in　her　hands。

He　read　it；　and　acted　the　deepest　emotion。

He　handed　it　back；　without　a　word。


CHAPTER　XXVIII。


From　this　time　Falcon　was　always　welcome　at　Kent　Villa。　　He
fascinated　everybody　in　the　house。　　He　renewed　his　acquaintance
with　Mr。　Lusignan；　and　got　asked　to　stay　a　week　in　the　house。　　He
showed　Rosa　and　her　father　the　diamonds；　and；　the　truth　must　be
owned；　they　made　Rosa's　eyes　sparkle　for　the　first　time　this
eighteen　months。　　He　insinuated　rather　than　declared　his　enormous
wealth。

In　reply　to　the　old　man's　eager　questions；　as　the　large　diamonds
lay　glittering　on　the　table；　and　pointed　every　word；　he　said　that　a
few　of　his　Hottentots　had　found　these　for　him；　he　had　made　them　dig
on　a　diamondiferous　part　of　his　estate；　just　by　way　of　testing　the
matter；　and　this　was　the　result；　this；　and　a　much　larger　stone；　for
which　he　had　received　eight　thousand　pounds　from　Posno。

〃If　I　was　a　young　man；〃　said　Lusignan；　〃I　would　go　out　directly；
and　dig　on　your　estate。〃

〃I　would　not　let　you　do　anything　so　paltry；〃　said　〃le　Menteur。〃
〃Why；　my　dear　sir；　there　are　no　fortunes　to　be　made　by　grubbing　for
diamonds；　the　fortunes　are　made　out　of　the　diamonds；　but　not　in
that　way。　　Now；　I　have　thirty　thousand　acres；　and　am　just
concluding　a　bargain　for　thirty　thousand　more；　on　which　I　happen　to
know　there　are　diamonds　in　a　sly　corner。　　Well；　of　my　thirty
thousand　tried　acres；　a　hundred　only　are　diamondiferous。　　But　I
have　four　thousand　thirty…foot　claims　leased　at　ten　shillings　per
month。　　Count　that　up。〃

〃Why；　it　is　twenty…four　thousand　pounds　a　year。〃

〃Excuse　me：　you　must　deduct　a　thousand　a　year　for　the　expenses　of
collection。　　But　this　is　only　one　phase　of　the　business。　　I　have　a
large　inn　upon　each　of　the　three　great　routes　from　the　diamonds　to
the　coast；　and　these　inns　are　supplied　with　the　produce　of　my　own
farms。　　Mark　the　effect　of　the　diamonds　on　property。　　My　sixty
thousand　acres；　which　are　not　diamondiferous；　will　very　soon　be
worth　as　much　as　sixty　thousand　English　acres；　say　two　pounds　the
acre　per　annum。　　That　is　under　the　mark；　because　in　Africa　the　land
is　not　burdened　with　poor…rates；　tithes；　and　all　the　other
iniquities　that　crush　the　English　land…owner；　as　I　know　to　my　cost。
But　that　is　not　all；　sir。　　Would　you　believe　it？　even　after　the
diamonds　were　declared；　the　people　out　there　had　so　little
foresight　that　they　allowed　me　to　buy　land　all　round　Port
Elizabeth；　Natal；　and　Cape　Town；　the　three　ports　through　which　the
world　get　at　the　diamonds；　and　the　diamonds　get　at　the　world。　　I
have　got　a　girdle　of　land　round　those　three　outlets；　bought　by　the
acre；　in　two　years　I　shall　sell　it　by　the　yard。　　Believe　me；　sir；
English　fortunes；　even　the　largest；　are　mere　child's　play；　compared
with　the　colossal　wealth　a　man　can　accumulate；　if　he　looks　beyond
these　great　discoveries　to　their　consequences；　and　lets　others　grub
for　him。　　But　what　is　the　use　of　it　all　to　me？〃　said　this　Bohemian；
with　a　sigh。　　〃I　have　no　taste　for　luxuries；　no　love　of　display。　　I
have　not　even　charity　to　dispense　on　a　large　scale；　for　there　are
no　deserving　poor　out　there；　and　the　poverty　that　springs　from
vice；　that　I　never　will　encourage。〃

John　heard　nearly　all　this；　and　took　it　into　the　kitchen；　and
henceforth　Adoration　was　the　only　word　for　this　prince　of　men；　this
rare　combination　of　the　Adonis　and　the　millionnaire。

He　seldom　held　such　discourses　before　Rosa；　but　talked　her　father
into　an　impression　of　his　boundless　wealth；　and　half　reconciled　him
to　Rosa's　refusal　of　Lord　Tadcaster；　since