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wife's profusion and deceit by the side of those signs of painful
industry and self…denial； and his soul filled with bitterness。
〃Deceit！ deceit！〃
Mrs。 Staines heard he was in the house； and came to know about the
trial。 She came hurriedly in； and caught him with his head on the
table； in an attitude of prostration； quite new to him； he raised
his head directly he heard her； and revealed a face； pale； stern；
and wretched。
〃Oh！ what is the matter now？〃 said she。
〃The matter is what it has always been； if I could only have seen
it。 You have deceived me； and disgraced yourself。 Look at those
bills。〃
〃What bills？ Oh！〃
〃You have had an allowance for housekeeping。〃
〃It wasn't enough。〃
〃It was plenty； if you had kept faith with me； and paid ready
money。 It was enough for the first five weeks。 I am housekeeper
now； and I shall allow myself two pounds a week less； and not owe a
shilling either。〃
〃Well； all I know is； I couldn't do it： no woman could。〃
〃Then； you should have come to me； and said so； and I would have
shown you how。 Was I in Egypt； or at the North Pole； that you
could not find me； to treat me like a friend？ You have ruined us：
these debts will sweep away the last shilling of our little
capital； but it isn't that； oh； no！ it is the miserable deceit。〃
Rosa's eye caught the sum total of Madame Cie's bill； and she
turned pale。 〃Oh； what a cheat that woman is！〃
But she turned paler when Christopher said； 〃That is the one honest
bill； for I gave you leave。 It is these that part us： these！
these！ Look at them； false heart！ There； go and pack up your
things。 We can live here no longer； we are ruined。 I must send
you back to your father。〃
〃I thought you would； sooner or later；〃 said Mrs。 Staines； panting；
trembling； but showing a little fight。 〃He told you I wasn't fit
to be a poor man's wife。〃
〃An honest man's wife； you mean： that is what you are not fit for。
You will go home to your father； and I shall go into some humble
lodging to work for you。 I'll contrive to keep you； and find you a
hundred a year to spend in dressthe only thing your heart can
really love。 But I won't have an enemy here in the disguise of a
friend； and I won't have a wife about me I must treat like a
servant； and watch like a traitor。〃
The words were harsh； but the agony with which they were spoken
distinguished them from vulgar vituperation。
They overpowered poor Rosa； she had been ailing a little some time；
and from remorse and terror； coupled with other causes； nature gave
way。 Her lips turned white； she gasped inarticulately； and； with a
little piteous moan； tottered； and swooned dead away。
He was walking wildly about； ready to tear his hair； when she
tottered； he saw her just in time to save her； and laid her gently
on the floor； and kneeled over her。
Away went anger and every other feeling but love and pity for the
poor； weak creature that； with all her faults； was so lovable and
so loved。
He applied no remedies at first： he knew they were useless and
unnecessary。 He laid her head quite low； and opened door and
window； and loosened all her dress； sighing deeply all the time at
her condition。
While he was thus employed； suddenly a strange cry broke from him：
a cry of horror； remorse； joy； tenderness； all combined： a cry
compared with which language is inarticulate。 His swift and
practical eye had made a discovery。
He kneeled over her； with his eyes dilating and his hands clasped；
a picture of love and tender remorse。
She stirred。
Then he made haste； and applied his remedies； and brought her
slowly back to life； he lifted her up； and carried her in his arms
quite away from the bills and things； that； when she came to； she
might see nothing to revive her distress。 He carried her to the
drawing…room； and kneeled down and rocked her in his arms； and
pressed her again and again gently to his heart； and cried over
her。 〃O my dove； my dove！ the tender creature God gave me to love
and cherish； and have I used it harshly？ If I had only known！ if I
had only known！〃
While he was thus bemoaning her； and blaming himself； and crying
over her like the rain；he； whom she had never seen shed a tear
before in all his troubles；she was coming to entirely； and her
quick ears caught his words； and she opened her lovely eyes on him。
〃I forgive you； dear；〃 she said feebly。 〃BUT I HOPE YOU WILL BE A
KINDER FATHER THAN A HUSBAND。〃
These quiet words； spoken with rare gravity and softness； went
through the great heart like a knife。
He gave a sort of shiver； but said not a word。
But that night he made a solemn vow to God that no harsh word from
his lips should ever again strike a being so weak； so loving； and
so beyond his comprehension。 Why look for courage and candor in a
creature so timid and shy； she could not even tell her husband THAT
until； with her subtle sense； she saw he had discovered it？
CHAPTER XII。
To be a father； to have an image of his darling Rosa； and a fruit
of their love to live and work for： this gave the sore heart a
heavenly glow； and elasticity to bear。 Should this dear object be
born to an inheritance of debt； of poverty？ Never。
He began to act as if he was even now a father。 He entreated Rosa
not to trouble or vex herself； he would look into their finances；
and set all straight。
He paid all the bills； and put by a quarter's rent and taxes。 Then
there remained of his little capital just ten pounds。
He went to his printers； and had a thousand order…checks printed。
These forms ran thus：
〃Dr。 Staines； of 13 Dear Street； Mayfair （blank for date）； orders
of （blank here for tradesman and goods ordered）； for cash。
Received same time （blank for tradesman's receipt）。 Notice： Dr。
Staines disowns all orders not printed on this form； and paid for
at date of order。〃
He exhibited these forms； and warned all the tradespeople； before a
witness whom he took round for that purpose。
He paid off Pearman on the spot。 Pearman had met Clara； dressed
like a pauper； her soldier having emptied her box to the very
dregs； and he now offered to stay。 But it was too late。
Staines told the cook Mrs。 Staines was in delicate health； and must
not be troubled with anything。 She must come to him for all
orders。
〃Yes； sir；〃 said she。 But she no sooner comprehended the check
system fully than she gave warning。 It put a stop to her wholesale
pilfering。 Rosa's cooks had made fully a hundred pounds out of her
amongst them since she began to keep accounts。
Under the male housekeeper every article was weighed on delivery；
and this soon revealed that the butcher and the fishmonger had
habitually delivered short weight from the first； besides putting
down the same thing twice。 The things were sent back that moment；
with a printed form； stating the nature and extent of the fraud。
The washerwoman； who had been pilfering wholesale so long as Mrs。
Staines and her sloppy…headed maids counted the linen； and then
forgot it； was brought up with a run； by triplicate forms； and by
Staines counting the things before two witnesses； and compelling
the washerwoman to count them as well； and verify or dispute on the
spot。 The laundress gave warninga plain confession that stealing
had been part of her trade。
He kept the house well for three pounds a week； exclusive of coals；
candles； and wine。 His wife had had five pounds； and whatever she
asked for dinner…parties； yet found it not half enough upon her
method。
He kept no coachman。 If he visited a patient； a man in the yard
drove him at a shilling per hour。
By these means； and by working like a galley slave； he dragged his
expenditure down almost to a level with his income。
Rosa was quite content at first； and thought herself lucky to
escape reproaches on such easy terms。
But by and by so rigorous a system began to gall her。 One day she
fancied a Bath bun； sent the new maid to the pastry…cook's。
Pastry…cook asked to see the doctor's order。 Maid could not show
it； and came back bunless。
Rosa came into the study to complain to her husband。
〃A Bath bun；〃 said Staines。 〃Why； they are colored with annotto；
to save an egg； and annotto is adulterated with chromates that are
poison。 Adulteration upon adulteration。 I'll make you a real Bath
bun。〃 Off coat； and into the kitchen； and made her three； pure；
but rather heavy。 He brought them her in due course。 She declined
them languidly。 She was off the notion； as they say in Scotland。
〃If I can't have a thing when I want it； I don't care for it at
all。〃 Such was the principle she laid down for his future
guidance。
He sighed； and went back to his work； she cleared the plate。
One day； when she asked for the carriage； he told her the time was
now come for her to leave off carriage exercise。 She must walk
with him every day； instead。
〃But I don't like walking。〃
〃I am sorry for that。 But it is necessary to you； and by and by
your life may depend on it。〃
Quietly； but inexorably； he dragged her out walking every day。
In one of these walks she stopped at a shop window； and fell in
love with some baby's things。 〃Oh！ I must have tha