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〃Oh； ma'am； don't go yet；〃 said Phoebe； trembling。 〃I haven't half
thanked you。〃
〃Oh； bother thanks。 Kiss me； that is the way。〃
〃May I？〃
〃You may； and must。 Thereand thereand there。 Oh dear； what
nice things good luck and happiness are； and how sweet to bring
them for once。〃
Upon this Phoebe and she had a nice little cry together； and Mrs。
Staines went off refreshed thereby； and as gay as a lark； pointing
slyly at the door； and making faces to Phoebe that she knew he was
there； and she only retired； out of her admirable discretion； that
they might enjoy the diamond together。
When she was gone； Reginald； whose eye and ear had been at the
keyhole； alternately gloating on the face and drinking the accents
of the only woman he had ever really loved； came out； looking pale；
and strangely disturbed； and sat down at table； without a word。
Phoebe came back to him； full of the diamond。 〃Did you hear what
she said； my dear？ It is a diamond； it is worth a hundred and
fifty pounds at least。 Why； what ails you？ Ah！ to be sure！ you
know that lady。〃
〃I have cause to know her。 Cursed jilt！〃
〃You seem a good deal put out at the sight of her。〃
〃It took me by surprise； that is all。〃
〃It takes me by surprise too。 I thought you were cured。 I thought
MY turn had come at last。〃
Reginald met this in sullen silence。 Then Phoebe was sorry she had
said it； for； after all； it wasn't the man's fault if an old
sweetheart had run into the room； and given him a start。 So she
made him some fresh tea； and pressed him kindly to try her home…
made bread and butter。
My lord relaxed his frown and consented； and of course they talked
diamond。
He told her； loftily； he must take a studio； and his sitters must
come to him； and must no longer expect to be immortalized for one
pound。 It must be two pounds for a bust； and three pounds for a
kitcat。
〃Nay； but； my dear；〃 said Phoebe； 〃they will pay no more because
you have a diamond。〃
〃Then they will have to go unpainted；〃 said Mr。 Falcon。
This was intended for a threat。 Phoebe instinctively felt that it
might not be so received； she counselled moderation。 〃It is a
great thing to have earned a diamond；〃 said she： 〃but 'tis only
once in a life。 Now； be ruled by me： go on just as you are。 Sell
the diamond； and give me the money to keep for you。 Why； you might
add a little to it； and so would I； till we made it up two hundred
pounds。 And if you could only show two hundred pounds you had made
and laid by； father would let us marry； and I might keep this shop
it pays well； I can tell youand keep my gentleman in a sly
corner； you need never be seen in it。〃
〃Ay； ay；〃 said he； 〃that is the small game。 But I am a man that
have always preferred the big game。 I shall set up my studio； and
make enough to keep us both。 So give me the stone； if you please。
I shall take it round to them all； and the rogues won't get it out
of ME for a hundred and fifty； why； it is as big as a nut。〃
〃No； no； Reginald。 Money has always made mischief between you and
me。 You never had fifty pounds yet； you didn't fall into
temptation。 Do pray let me keep it for you； or else sell itI
know how to sell； nobody betterand keep the money for a good
occasion。〃
〃Is it yours； or mine？〃 said he； sulkily。
〃Why yours； dear； you earned it。〃
〃Then give it me； please。〃 And he almost forced it out of her
hand。
So now she sat down and cried over this piece of good luck； for her
heart filled with forebodings。
He laughed at her； but at last had the grace to console her； and
assure her she was tormenting herself for nothing。
〃Time will show；〃 said she； sadly。
Time did show。
Three or four days he came； as usual； to laugh her out of her
forebodings。 But presently his visits ceased。 She knew what that
meant： he was living like a gentleman； melting his diamond； and
playing her false with the first pretty face he met。
This blow； coming after she had been so happy； struck Phoebe Dale
stupid with grief。 The line on her high forehead deepened； and at
night she sat with her hands before her； sighing； and sighing； and
listening for the footsteps that never came。
〃Oh； Dick！〃 she said； 〃never you love any one。 I am aweary of my
life。 And to think that； but for that diamondoh； dear！ oh； dear！
oh； dear！〃
Then Dick used to try and comfort her in his way； and often put his
arm round her neck； and gave her his rough but honest sympathy。
Dick's rare affection was her one drop of comfort； it was something
to relieve her swelling heart。
〃Oh； Dick！〃 she said to him one night； 〃I wish I had married him。〃
〃What； to be ill…used？〃
〃He couldn't use me worse。 I have been wife； and mother； and
sweetheart； and all； to him； and to be left like this。 He treats
me like the dirt beneath his feet。〃
〃'Tis your own fault； Phoebe； partly。 You say the word； and I'll
break every bone in his carcass。〃
〃What； do him a mischief！ Why； I'd rather die than harm a hair of
his head。 You must never lift a hand to him； or I shall hate you。〃
〃Hate ME； Phoebe？〃
〃Ay； boy： I should。 God forgive me： 'tis no use deceiving
ourselves； when a woman loves a man she despises； never you come
between them； there's no reason in her love； so it is incurable。
One comfort； it can't go on forever； it must kill me； before my
time and so best。 If I was only a mother； and had a little
Reginald to dandle on my knee and gloat upon； till he spent his
money； and came back to me。 That's why I said I wished I was his
wife。 Oh！ why does God fill a poor woman's bosom with love； and
nothing to spend it on but a stone； for sure his heart must be one。
If I had only something that would let me always love it； a little
toddling thing at my knee； that would always let me look at it； and
love it； something too young to be false to me； too weak to run
away from my longingarmsandyearning heart！〃 Then came a
burst of agony； and moans of desolation； till poor puzzled Dick
blubbered loudly at her grief； and then her tears flowed in
streams。
Trouble on trouble。 Dick himself got strangely out of sorts； and
complained of shivers。 Phoebe sent him to bed early； and made him
some white wine whey very hot。 In the morning he got up； and said
he was better； but after breakfast he was violently sick； and
suffered several returns of nausea before noon。 〃One would think I
was poisoned；〃 said he。
At one o'clock he was seized with a kind of spasm in the throat
that lasted so long it nearly choked him。
Then Phoebe got frightened； and sent to the nearest surgeon。 He
did not hurry； and poor Dick had another frightful spasm just as he
came in。
〃It is hysterical；〃 said the surgeon。 〃No disease of the heart； is
there？ Give him a little sal…volatile every half hour。〃
In spite of the sal…volatile these terrible spasms seized him every
half hour； and now he used to spring off the bed with a cry of
terror when they came； and each one left him weaker and weaker； he
had to be carried back by the women。
A sad； sickening fear seized on Phoebe。 She left Dick with the
maid； and tying on her bonnet in a moment； rushed wildly down the
street； asking the neighbors for a great doctor； the best that
could be had for money。 One sent her east a mile； another west；
and she was almost distracted； when who should drive up but Dr。 and
Mrs。 Staines； to make purchases。 She did not know his name； but
she knew he was a doctor。 She ran to the window； and cried； 〃Oh；
doctor； my brother！ Oh； pray come to him。 Oh！ oh！〃
Dr。 Staines got quickly； but calmly； out； told his wife to wait；
and followed Phoebe up…stairs。 She told him in a few agitated
words how Dick had been taken； and all the symptoms； especially
what had alarmed her so； his springing off the bed when the spasm
came。
Dr。 Staines told her to hold the patient up。 He lost not a moment；
but opened his mouth resolutely； and looked down。
〃The glottis is swollen；〃 said he： then he felt his hands； and
said； with the grave； terrible calm of experience； 〃He is dying。〃
〃Oh； no！ no！ Oh； doctor； save him！ save him！〃
〃Nothing can save him； unless we had a surgeon on the spot。 Yes； I
might save him； if you have the courage： opening his windpipe
before the next spasm is his one chance。〃
〃Open his windpipe！ Oh； doctor！ It will kill him。 Let me look at
you。〃
She looked hard in his face。 It gave her confidence。
〃Is it the only chance？〃
〃The only one： and it is flying while we chatter。〃
〃DO IT。〃
He whipped out his lancet。
〃But I can't look on it。 I trust to you and my Saviour's mercy。〃
She fell on her knees； and bowed her head in prayer。
Staines seized a basin； put it by the bedside； made an incision in
the windpipe； and got Dick down on his stomach； with his face over
the bedside。 Some blood ran； but not much。 〃Now！〃 he cried；
cheerfully； 〃a small bellows！ There's one in your parlor。 Run。〃
Phoebe ran for it； and at Dr。 Staines' direction lifted Dick a
little； while the bellows； duly cleansed； were gently applied to
the aperture in the windpipe； and the action of the lungs
delicately aided by this primitive but effectual means。
He showed Pho