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more； and it would last as a dinner…dress for ever so long。〃
Then she clasped him round the neck； and leaned her head upon his
shoulder； and looked lovingly up in his face。 〃I know you would
like your Rosa to look as well as Mrs。 Vivian。〃
〃No one ever looks as well； in my eyes； as my Rosa。 There； the
dress will add nothing to your beauty； but go and get it； to please
yourself； it is very considerate of you to have chosen something of
which you have ten yards； already。 See； dear； I'm to receive
twenty pounds for this article； if research was paid it ought to be
a hundred。 I shall add it all to your allowance for dresses this
year。 So no debt； mind； but come to me for everything。〃
The two ladies drove off to Madame Cie's； a pretty shop lined with
dark velvet and lace draperies。
In the back room they were packing a lovely bridal dress； going off
the following Saturday to New York。
〃What； send from America to London？〃
〃Oh； dear； yes！〃 exclaimed Madame Cie。 〃The American ladies are
excellent customers。 They buy everything of the best； and the most
expensive。〃
〃I have brought a new customer；〃 said Miss Lucas； 〃and I want you to
do a great favor； and that is to match a blue silk； and make her a
pretty dress for the flower…show on the 13th。〃
Madame Cie produced a white muslin polonaise； which she was just
going to send home to the Princess …； to be worn over mauve。
〃Oh； how pretty and simple！〃 exclaimed Miss Lucas。
〃I have some lace exactly like that；〃 said Mrs。 Staines。
〃Then why don't you have a polonaise？ The lace is the only
expensive part； the muslin is a mere nothing； and it is such a
useful dress； it can be worn over any silk。〃
It was agreed Madame Cie was to send for the blue silk and the
lace； and the dresses were to be tried on on Thursday。
On Thursday； as Rosa went gayly into Madame Cie's back room to have
the dresses tried on； Madame Cie said； 〃You have a beautiful lace
shawl； but it wants arranging； in five minutes I could astonish you
with what I could do to that shawl。〃
〃Oh； pray do；〃 said Mrs。 Staines。
The dressmaker kept her word。 By the time the blue dress was tried
on； Madame Cie had； with the aid of a few pins； plaits； and a bow
of blue ribbon； transformed the half lace shawl into one of the
smartest and distingue things imaginable； but when the bill came in
at Christmas； for that five minutes' labor and distingue touch； she
charged one pound eight。
Madame Cie then told the ladies； in an artfully confidential tone；
she had a quantity of black silk coming home； which she had
purchased considerably below cost price； and that she should like
to make them each a dressnot for her own sake； but theirsas she
knew they would never meet such a bargain again。 〃You know； Miss
Lucas；〃 she continued； 〃we don't want our money； when we know our
customers。 Christmas is soon enough for us。〃
〃Christmas is a long time off；〃 thought the young wife； 〃nearly ten
months。 I think I'll have a black silk； Madame Cie； but I must not
say anything to the doctor about it just yet； or he might think me
extravagant。〃
〃No one can ever think a lady extravagant for buying a black silk；
it's such a useful dress； lasts foreveralmost。〃
Days； weeks； and months rolled on； and with them an ever…rolling
tide of flower…shows； dinners； at…homes； balls； operas； lawn…
parties； concerts； and theatres。
Strange that in one house there should be two people who loved each
other； yet their lives ran so far apart； except while they were
asleep： the man all industry； self…denial； patience； the woman all
frivolity； self…indulgence； and amusement； both chained to an oar；
onlyone in a working boat； the other in a painted galley。
The woman got tired first； and her charming color waned sadly。 She
came to him for medicine to set her up。 〃I feel so languid。〃
〃No； no；〃 said he； 〃no medicine can do the work of wholesome food
and rational repose。 You lack the season of all natures； sleep。
Dine at home three days running； and go to bed at ten。〃
On this the doctor's wife went to a chemist for advice。 He gave
her a pink stimulant； and； as stimulants have two effects； viz。；
first to stimulate； and then to weaken； this did her no lasting
good。 Dr。 Staines cursed the London season； and threatened to
migrate to Liverpool。
But there was worse behind。
Returning one day to his dressing…room； just after Rosa had come
down…stairs； he caught sight of a red stain in a wash…hand…basin。
He examined it； it was arterial blood。
He went to her directly； and expressed his anxiety。
〃Oh； it is nothing；〃 said she。
〃Nothing！ Pray； how often has it occurred？〃
〃Once or twice。 I must take your advice； and be quiet； that is
all。〃
Staines examined the housemaid； she lied instinctively at first；
seeing he was alarmed； but； being urged to tell the truth； said she
had seen it repeatedly； and had told the cook。
He went down…stairs again； and sat down； looking wretched。
〃Oh； dear！〃 said Rosa。 〃What is the matter now？〃
〃Rosa；〃 said he； very gravely； 〃there are two people a woman is mad
to deceiveher husband and her physician。 You have deceived
both。〃
CHAPTER X。
I suspect Dr。 Staines merely meant to say that she had concealed
from him an alarming symptom for several weeks； but she answered in
a hurry； to excuse herself； and let the cat out of the bagexcuse
my vulgarity。
〃It was all that Mrs。 Vivian's fault。 She laughed at me so for not
wearing them； and she has a waist you can spanthe wretch！〃
〃Oh； then； you have been wearing stays clandestinely？〃
〃Why； you know I have。 Oh； what a stupid！ I have let it all out。〃
〃How could you do it； when you knew； by experience； it is your
death？〃
〃But it looks so beautiful； a tiny waist。〃
〃It looks as hideous as a Chinese foot； and； to the eye of science；
far more disgusting； it is the cause of so many unlovely diseases。〃
〃Just tell me one thing； have you looked at Mrs。 Vivian？〃
〃Minutely。 I look at all your friends with great anxiety； knowing
no animal more dangerous than a fool。 Viviana skinny woman； with
a pretty face； lovely hair； good teeth； dying eyes〃
〃Yes； lovely！〃
〃A sure proof of a disordered stomachand a waist pinched in so
unnaturally； that I said to myself； 'Where on earth does this idiot
put her liver？' Did you ever read of the frog who burst； trying to
swell to an ox？ Well； here is the rivalry reversed； Mrs。 Vivian is
a bag of bones in a balloon； she can machine herself into a wasp；
but a fine young woman like you； with flesh and muscle； must kill
yourself three or four times before you can make your body as
meagre； hideous； angular； and unnatural as Vivian's。 But all you
ladies are mono…maniacs； one might as well talk sense to a gorilla。
It brought you to the edge of the grave。 I saved you。 Yet you
could go and God grant me patience。 So I suppose these
unprincipled women lent you their stays to deceive your husband？〃
〃No。 But they laughed at me so that Oh； Christie； I'm a wretch；
I kept a pair at the Lucases； and a pair at Madame Cie's； and I put
them on now and then。〃
〃But you never appeared here in them？〃
〃What； before my tyrant？ Oh no； I dared not。〃
〃So you took them off before you came home？〃
Rosa hung her head； and said 〃Yes〃 in a reluctant whisper。
〃You spent your daylight dressing。 You dressed to go out； dressed
again in stays； dressed again without them； and all to deceive your
husband； and kill yourself； at the bidding of two shallow；
heartless women； who would dance over your grave without a pang of
remorse； or sentiment of any kind； since they live； like midges；
ONLY TO DANCE IN THE SUN； AND SUCK SOME WORKER'S BLOOD。〃
〃Oh； Christie！ I'm so easily led。 I am too great a fool to live。
Kill me！〃
And she kneeled down； and renewed the request； looking up in his
face with an expression that might have disarmed Cain ipsum。
He smiled superior。 〃The question is； are you sorry you have been
so thoughtless？〃
〃Yes； dear。 Oh！ oh！〃
〃Will you be very good to make up？〃
〃Oh； yes。 Only tell me how； for it does not come natural to poor
me。〃
〃Keep out of those women's way for the rest of the season。〃
〃I will。〃
〃Bring your stays home； and allow me to do what I like with them。〃
〃Of course。 Cut them in a million pieces。〃
〃Till you are recovered； you must be my patient； and go nowhere
without me。〃
〃That is no punishment； I am sure。〃
〃Punishment！ Am I the man to punish you？ I only want to save
you。〃
〃Well； darling； it won't be the first time。〃
〃No； but I do hope it will be the last。〃
CHAPTER XI。
〃Sublata causa tollitur effectus。〃 The stays being gone； and
dissipation moderated； Mrs。 Staines bloomed again； and they gave
one or two unpretending little dinners at the Bijou。 Dr。 Staines
admitted no false friends to these。 They never went beyond eight；
five gentlemen； three ladies。 By this arrangement the terrible
discursiveness of the fair； and man's cruel disposition to work a
subject threadbare； were controlled and modified； and a happy
balance of conversation established。 Lady Cicely Treherne was
always invited； and always managed to come；