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〃She is no friend of mine。 We are enemies for life。〃
〃And you were to be friends till death；〃 said Staines； with a sigh。
Philip inquired who she was。
〃Mrs。 John Cole。〃
〃Not of Curzon Street？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And you have quarrelled with her？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； but her husband is a general practitioner。〃
〃She is a traitress。〃
〃But her husband could put a good deal of money in Christopher's
way。〃
〃I can't help it。 She is a traitress。〃
〃And you have quarrelled with her about an old wardrobe。〃
〃No； for her disloyalty； and her base good…for…nothingness。 Oh！
oh！ oh！〃
Uncle Philip got up； looking sour。 〃Good afternoon； Mrs。
Christopher；〃 said he； very dryly。
Christopher accompanied him to the foot of the stairs。 〃Well；
Christopher；〃 said he； 〃matrimony is a blunder at the best； and you
have not done the thing by halves。 You have married a simpleton。
She will be your ruin。〃
〃Uncle Philip； since you only come here to insult us； I hope in
future you will stay at home。〃
〃Oh！ with pleasure； sir。 Good…by！〃
CHAPTER VII。
Christopher Staines came back； looking pained and disturbed。
〃There；〃 said he； 〃I feared it would come to this。 I have
quarrelled with Uncle Philip。〃
〃Oh！ how could you？〃
〃He affronted me。〃
〃What about？〃
〃Never you mind。 Don't let us say anything more about it； darling。
It is a pity； a sad pityhe was a good friend of mine once。〃
He paused； entered what had passed in his diary； and then sat down；
with a gentle expression of sadness on his manly features。 Rosa
hung about him； soft and pitying； till it cleared away； at all
events for the time。
Next day they went together to clear the goods Rosa had purchased。
Whilst the list was being made out in the office； in came the fair…
haired boy； with a ten…pound note in his very hand。 Rosa caught
sight of it； and turned to the auctioneer； with a sweet； pitying
face：
〃Oh！ sir； surely you will not take all that money from him； poor
child； for a rickety old chair。〃
The auctioneer stared with amazement at her simplicity； and said；
〃What would the vendors say to me？〃
She looked distressed； and said； 〃Well； then； really we ought to
raise a subscription； poor thing！〃
〃Why； ma'am；〃 said the auctioneer； 〃he isn't hurt： the article
belonged to his mother and her sister； the brother…in…law isn't on
good terms； so he demanded a public sale。 She will get back four
pun ten out of it。〃 Here the clerk put in his word。 〃And there's
five pounds paid； I forgot to tell you。〃
〃Oh！ left a deposit； did he？〃
〃No； sir。 But the laughing hyena gave you five pounds at the end
of the sale。〃
〃The laughing hyena； Mr。 Jones？〃
〃Oh！ beg pardon； that is what we call him in the room。 He has got
such a curious laugh。〃
〃Oh！ I know the gent。 He is a retired doctor。 I wish he'd laugh
less and buy more： and HE gave you five pounds towards the young
gentleman's arm…chair！ Well； I should as soon have expected blood
from a flint。 You have got five pounds to pay； sir： so now the
chair will cost your mamma ten shillings。 Give him the order and
the change； Mr。 Jones。〃
Christopher and Rosa talked this over in the room whilst the men
were looking out their purchases。 〃Come；〃 said Rosa； 〃now I
forgive him sneering at me； his heart is not really hard； you see。〃
Staines； on the contrary； was very angry。 〃What！〃 he cried； pity a
boy who made one bad bargain； that； after all； was not a very bad
bargain； and he had no kindness； nor even common humanity； for my
beautiful Rosa； inexperienced as a child； and buying for her
husband； like a good； affectionate； honest creature； amongst a lot
of sharpers and hard…hearted cynicslike himself。〃
〃It WAS cruel of him；〃 said Rosa； altering her mind in a moment；
and half inclined to cry。
This made Christopher furious。 〃The ill…natured； crotchety； old
the fact is； he is a misogynist。〃
〃Oh； the wretch！〃 said Rosa warmly。 〃And what is that？〃
〃A woman…hater。〃
〃Oh！ is that all？ Why； so do Iafter that Florence Cole。 Women
are mean； heartless things。 Give me men； they are loyal and true。〃
〃All of them？〃 inquired Christopher； a little satirically。 〃Read
the papers。〃
〃Every soul of them；〃 said Mrs。 Staines； passing loftily over the
proposed test。 〃That is； all the ones I care about； and that is my
own； own one。〃
Disagreeable creatures to have about onethese simpletons！
Mrs。 Staines took Christopher to shops to buy the remaining
requisites： and in three days more the house was furnished； two
female servants engaged； and the couple took their luggage over to
the Bijou。
Rosa was excited and happy at the novelty of possession and
authority； and that close sense of house proprietorship which
belongs to woman。 By dinner…time she could have told you how many
shelves there were in every cupboard； and knew the Bijou by heart
in a way that Christopher never knew it。 All this ended； as
running about and excitement generally does； with my lady being
exhausted； and lax with fatigue。 So then he made her lie down on a
little couch； while he went through his accounts。
When he had examined all the bills carefully he looked very grave；
and said； 〃Who would believe this？ We began with three thousand
pounds。 It was to last us several yearstill I got a good
practice。 Rosa； there is only fourteen hundred and forty pounds
left。〃
〃Oh； impossible！〃 said Rosa。 〃Oh； dear！ why did I ever enter a
saleroom？〃
〃No； no； my darling； you were bitten once or twice； but you made
some good bargains too。 Remember there was four hundred pounds set
apart for my life policy。〃
〃What a waste of money！〃
〃Your father did not think so。 Then the lease； the premium；
repairs of the drains that would have poisoned my Rosa； turning the
coach…house into a dispensary； painting； papering； and furnishing；
china； and linen； and everything to buy。 We must look at this
seriously。 Only fourteen hundred and forty pounds left。 A slow
profession。 No friends。 I have quarrelled with Uncle Philip： you
with Mrs。 Cole； and her husband would have launched me。〃
〃And it was to please her we settled here。 Oh； I could kill her：
nasty cat！〃
〃Never mind； it is not a case for despondency； but it is for
prudence。 All we have to do is to look the thing in the face； and
be very economical in everything。 I had better give you an
allowance for housekeeping； and I earnestly beg you to buy things
yourself whilst you are a poor man's wife； and pay ready money for
everything。 My mother was a great manager； and she always said；
'There is but one way： be your own market…woman； and pay on the
spot； never let the tradesmen get you on their books； or； what with
false weight； double charges； and the things your servants order
that never enter the house； you lose more than a hundred a year by
cheating。'〃
Rosa yielded a languid assent to this part of his discourse； and it
hardly seemed to enter her mind； but she raised no objection； and
in due course he made her a special allowance for housekeeping。
It soon transpired that medical advice was to be had； gratis； at
the Bijou； from eight till ten： and there was generally a good
attendance。 But a week passed； and not one patient came of the
class this couple must live by。 Christopher set this down to what
people call 〃the transition period：〃 his Kent patients had lost
him； his London patients not found him。 He wrote to all his
patients in the country； and many of his pupils at the university；
to let them know where he was settled： and then he waited。
Not a creature came。
Rosa bore this very well for a time； so long as the house was a
novelty； but when that excitement was worn out； she began to be
very dull； and used to come and entice him out to walk with her： he
would look wistfully at her； but object that； if he left the house；
he should be sure to lose a patient。
〃Oh； they won't come any more for our staying intiresome things！〃
said Rosa。
But Christopher would kiss her； and remain firm。 〃My love；〃 said
he； 〃you do not realize how hard a fight there is before us。 How
should you？ You are very young。 No； for your sake； I must not
throw a chance away。 Write to your female friends： that will while
away an hour or two。〃
〃What； after that Florence Cole？〃
〃Write to those who have not made such violent professions。〃
〃So I will； dear。 Especially to those that are married and come to
London。 Oh； and I'll write to that cold…blooded thing； Lady Cicely
Treherne。 Why do you shake your head？〃
〃Did I？ I was not aware。 Well； dear； if ladies of rank were to
come here； I fear they might make you discontented with your lot。〃
〃All the women on earth could not do that。 However； the chances
are she will not come near me： she left the school quite a big
girl； an immense girl； when I was only twelve。 She used to smile
at my capriccios； and once she kissed meactually。 She was an
awful Sawny； though； and so affected： I think I will write to her。〃
These letters brought just one lady； a Mrs。 Turner； who talked to
Rosa very glibly about herself； and amused Rosa twice： at the third
visit； Rosa tried to change the conversation。 Mrs。 Turner
instant