按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
A Simpleton
by Charles Reade
PREFACE。
It has lately been objected to me； in studiously courteous terms of
course； that I borrow from other books； and am a plagiarist。 To
this I reply that I borrow facts from every accessible source； and
am not a plagiarist。 The plagiarist is one who borrows from a
homogeneous work： for such a man borrows not ideas only； but their
treatment。 He who borrows only from heterogeneous works is not a
plagiarist。 All fiction； worth a button； is founded on facts； and
it does not matter one straw whether the facts are taken from
personal experience； hearsay； or printed books； only those books
must not be works of fiction。
Ask your common sense why a man writes better fiction at forty than
he can at twenty。 It is simply because he has gathered more facts
from each of these three sources；experience； hearsay； print。
To those who have science enough to appreciate the above
distinction； I am very willing to admit that in all my tales I use
a vast deal of heterogeneous material； which in a life of study I
have gathered from men； journals； blue…books； histories；
biographies； law reports； etc。 And if I could； I would gladly
specify all the various printed sources to which I am indebted。
But my memory is not equal to such a feat。 I can only say that I
rarely write a novel without milking about two hundred
heterogeneous cows into my pail； and that 〃A Simpleton〃 is no
exception to my general method； that method is the true method； and
the best； and if on that method I do not write prime novels； it is
the fault of the man； and not of the method。
I give the following particulars as an illustration of my method：
In 〃A Simpleton；〃 the whole business of the girl spitting blood；
the surgeon ascribing it to the liver； the consultation； the final
solution of the mystery； is a matter of personal experience
accurately recorded。 But the rest of the medical truths； both fact
and argument； are all from medical books far too numerous to
specify。 This includes the strange fluctuations of memory in a man
recovering his reason by degrees。 The behavior of the doctor's
first two patients I had from a surgeon's daughter in Pimlico。 The
servant…girl and her box； the purple…faced； pig…faced Beak and his
justice； are personal experience。 The business of house…renting；
and the auction…room； is also personal experience。
In the nautical business I had the assistance of two practical
seamen： my brother； William Barrington Reade； and Commander Charles
Edward Reade； R。N。
In the South African business I gleaned from Mr。 Day's recent
handbooks； the old handbooks； Galton's 〃Vacation Tourist；〃 〃Philip
Mavor； or； Life among the Caffres；〃 〃Fossor；〃 〃Notes on the Cape of
Good Hope；〃 1821； 〃Scenes and Occurrences in Albany and Caffre…
land；〃 1827； Bowler's 〃South African Sketches；〃 〃A Campaign in
South Africa；〃 Lucas； 〃Five Years in Caffre…land；〃 Mrs。 Ward； etc。；
etc。； etc。 But my principal obligation on this head is to Mr。
Boyle； the author of some admirable letters to the Daily telegraph；
which he afterwards reprinted in a delightful volume。 Mr。 Boyle
has a painter's eye； and a writer's pen； and if the African scenes
in 〃A Simpleton〃 please my readers； I hope they will go to the
fountain…head； where they will find many more。
As to the plot and characters； they are invented。
The title； 〃A Simpleton；〃 is not quite new。 There is a French play
called La Niaise。 But La Niaise is in reality a woman of rare
intelligence； who is taken for a simpleton by a lot of conceited
fools； and the play runs on their blunders； and her unpretending
wisdom。 That is a very fine plot； which I recommend to our female
novelists。 My aim in these pages has been much humbler； and is； I
hope； too clear to need explanation。
CHARLES READE。
A SIMPLETON。
CHAPTER I。
A young lady sat pricking a framed canvas in the drawing…room of
Kent Villa； a mile from Gravesend； she was making； at a cost of
time and tinted wool； a chair cover； admirably unfit to be sat
uponexcept by some severe artist； bent on obliterating discordant
colors。 To do her justice； her mind was not in her work； for she
rustled softly with restlessness as she sat； and she rose three
times in twenty minutes； and went to the window。 Thence she looked
down； over a trim flowery lawn； and long； sloping meadows； on to
the silver Thames； alive with steamboats ploughing； white sails
bellying； and great ships carrying to and fro the treasures of the
globe。 From this fair landscape and epitome of commerce she
retired each time with listless disdain； she was waiting for
somebody。
Yet she was one of those whom few men care to keep waiting。 Rosa
Lusignan was a dark but dazzling beauty； with coal…black hair； and
glorious dark eyes； that seemed to beam with soul all day long； her
eyebrows； black； straightish； and rather thick； would have been
majestic and too severe； had the other features followed suit； but
her black brows were succeeded by long silky lashes； a sweet oval
face； two pouting lips studded with ivory； and an exquisite chin；
as feeble as any man could desire in the partner of his bosom。
Personstraight； elastic； and rather tall。 Mindnineteen。
Accomplishmentsnumerous； a poor French scholar； a worse German； a
worse English； an admirable dancer； an inaccurate musician； a good
rider； a bad draughtswoman； a bad hairdresser； at the mercy of her
maid； a hot theologian； knowing nothing； a sorry accountant； no
housekeeper； no seamstress； a fair embroideress； a capital
geographer； and no cook。
Collectively； viz。； mind and body； the girl we kneel to。
This ornamental member of society now glanced at the clock once
more； and then glided to the window for the fourth time。 She
peeped at the side a good while； with superfluous slyness or
shyness； and presently she drew back； blushing crimson； then she
peeped again； still more furtively； then retired softly to her
frame； and； for the first time； set to work in earnest。 As she
plied her harpoon； smiling now； the large and vivid blush； that had
suffused her face and throat； turned from carnation to rose； and
melted away slowly； but perceptibly； and ever so sweetly； and
somebody knocked at the street door。
The blow seemed to drive her deeper into her work。 She leaned over
it； graceful as a willow； and so absorbed； she could not even see
the door of the room open and Dr。 Staines come in。
All the better： her not perceiving that slight addition to her
furniture gives me a moment to describe him。
A young man； five feet eleven inches high； very square shouldered
and deep chested； but so symmetrical； and light in his movements；
that his size hardly struck one at first。 He was smooth shaved；
all but a short； thick； auburn whisker； his hair was brown。 His
features no more then comely： the brow full； the eyes wide apart
and deep…seated； the lips rather thin； but expressive； the chin
solid and square。 It was a face of power； and capable of
harshness； but relieved by an eye of unusual color； between hazel
and gray； and wonderfully tender。 In complexion he could not
compare with Rosa； his cheek was clear； but pale； for few young men
had studied night and day so constantly。 Though but twenty…eight
years of age； he was literally a learned physician； deep in
hospital practice； deep in books； especially deep in German
science； too often neglected or skimmed by English physicians。 He
had delivered a course of lectures at a learned university with
general applause。
As my reader has divined； Rosa was preparing the comedy of a cool
reception； but looking up； she saw his pale cheek tinted with a
lover's beautiful joy at the bare sight of her； and his soft eye so
divine with love； that she had not the heart to chill him。 She
gave him her hand kindly； and smiled brightly on him instead of
remonstrating。 She lost nothing by it； for the very first thing he
did was to excuse himself eagerly。 〃I am behind time： the fact is；
just as I was mounting my horse； a poor man came to the gate to
consult me。 He had a terrible disorder I have sometimes succeeded
in arrestingI attack the cause instead of the symptoms； which is
the old practiceand so that detained me。 You forgive me？〃
〃Of course。 Poor man！only you said you wanted to see papa； and
he always goes out at two。〃
When she had been betrayed into saying this； she drew in suddenly；
and blushed with a pretty consciousness。
〃Then don't let me lose another minute；〃 said the lover。 〃Have you
prepared him forforwhat I am going to have the audacity to
say？〃
Rosa answered； with some hesitation； 〃I MUST havea little。 When
I refused Colonel Brightyou need not devour my hand quitehe is
forty。〃
Her sentence ended； and away went the original topic； and
grammatical sequence along with it。 Christopher Staines recaptured
them both。 〃Yes； dear； when you refused Colonel Bright〃
〃Well； papa was astonished； for everybody says the colonel is a
most eligible match。 Don't you hate that expression？ I do。
Eligible！〃
Christopher made due haste； and recaptured her。 〃Yes； love； your
papa said〃
〃I don't think I will tell you。 He aske