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In one of these walks she stopped at a shop window； and fell in
love with some baby's things。 〃Oh！ I must have that；〃 said she。
〃I must。 I shall die if I don't； you'll see now。〃
〃You shall；〃 said he； 〃when I can pay for it；〃 and drew her away。
The tears of disappointment stood in her eyes； and his heart
yearned over her。 But he kept his head。
He changed the dinner hour to six； and used to go out directly
afterwards。
She began to complain of his leaving her alone like that。
〃Well； but wait a bit；〃 said he； 〃suppose I am making a little
money by it； to buy you something you have set your heart on； poor
darling！〃
In a very few days after this； he brought her a little box with a
slit in it。 He shook it； and money rattled； then he unlocked it；
and poured out a little pile of silver。 〃There；〃 said he； 〃put on
your bonnet； and come and buy those things。〃
She put on her bonnet； and on the way she asked how it came to be
all in silver。
〃That is a puzzler；〃 said he； 〃isn't it？〃
〃And how did you make it； dear？ by writing？〃
〃No。〃
〃By fees from the poor people？〃
〃What； undersell my brethren！ Hang it； no！ My dear； I made it
honestly； and some day I will tell you how I made it； at present；
all I will tell you is this： I saw my darling longing for something
she had a right to long for； I saw the tears in her sweet eyes；
andoh； come along； do。 I am wretched till I see you with the
things in your hand。〃
They went to the shop； and Staines sat and watched Rosa buying
baby…clothes。 Oh； it was a pretty sight to see this modest young
creature； little more than a child herself； anticipating maternity；
but blushing every now and then； and looking askant at her lord and
master。 How his very bowels yearned over her！
And when they got home； she spread the things on a table； and they
sat hand in hand； and looked at them； and she leaned her head on
his shoulder； and went quietly to sleep there。
And yet； as time rolled on； she became irritable at times； and
impatient； and wanted all manner of things she could not have； and
made him unhappy。
Then he was out from six o'clock till one； and she took it into her
head to be jealous。 So many hours to spend away from her！ Now
that she wanted all his comfort。
Presently； Ellen； the new maid； got gossiping in the yard； and a
groom told her her master had a sweetheart on the sly； he thought；
for he drove the brougham out every evening himself； 〃and；〃 said
the man； 〃he wears a mustache at night。〃
Ellen ran in； brimful of this； and told the cook； the cook told the
washerwoman； the washerwoman told a dozen families； till about two
hundred people knew it。
At last it came to Mrs。 Staines in a roundabout way； at the very
moment when she was complaining to Lady Cicely Treherne of her hard
lot。 She had been telling her she was nothing more than a lay…
figure in the house。
〃My husband is housekeeper now； and cook； and all； and makes me
delicious dishes； I can tell you； SUCH curries！ I couldn't keep
the house with five pounds a week； so now he does it with three：
and I never get the carriage； because walking is best for me； and
he takes it out every night to make money。 I don't understand it。〃
Lady Cicely suggested that perhaps Dr。 Staines thought it best for
her to be relieved of all worry； and so undertook the housekeeping。
〃No； no； no；〃 said Rosa； 〃I used to pay them all a part of their
bills； and then a little more； and so I kept getting deeper； and I
was ashamed to tell Christie； so that he calls deceit； and oh； he
spoke to me so cruelly once！ But he was very sorry afterwards；
poor dear！ Why are girls brought up so silly？ all piano； and no
sense； and why are men sillier still to go and marry such silly
things？ A wife！ I am not so much as a servant。 Oh； I am finely
humiliated； and；〃 with a sudden hearty naivete all her own； 〃it
serves me just right。〃
While Lady Cicely was puzzling this out； in came a letter。 Rosa
opened it； read it； and gave a cry like a wounded deer。
〃Oh！〃 she cried； 〃I am a miserable woman。 What will become of me？〃
The letter informed her bluntly that her husband drove his brougham
out every night to pursue a criminal amour。
While Rosa was wringing her hands in real anguish of heart； Lady
Cicely read the letter carefully。
〃I don't believe this；〃 said she quietly。
〃Not true！ Why； who would be so wicked as to stab a poor；
inoffensive wretch like me； if it wasn't true？〃
〃The first ugly woman would； in a minute。 Don't you see the witer
can't tell you where he goes？ Dwives his bwougham out！ That is
all your infaumant knows。〃
〃Oh； my dear friend； bless you！ What have I been complaining to
you about？ All is light； except to lose his love。 What shall I
do？ I will never tell him。 I will never affront him by saying I
suspected him。〃
〃Wosa； if you do that； you will always have a serpent gnawing you。
No； you must put the letter quietly into his hand； and say； 'Is
there any truth in that？'〃
〃Oh； I could not。 I haven't the courage。 If I do that； I shall
know by his face if there is any truth in it。〃
〃Well； and you must know the twuth。 You shall know it。 I want to
know it too； for if he does not love you twuly； I will nevaa twust
myself to anything so deceitful as a man。〃
Rosa at last consented to follow this advice。
After dinner she put the letter into Christopher's hand； and asked
him quietly was there any truth in that： then her hands trembled；
and her eyes drank him。
Christopher read it； and frowned； then he looked up； and said； 〃No；
not a word。 What scoundrels there are in the world！ To go and
tell you that； NOW！ Why； you little goose！ have you been silly
enough to believe it？〃
〃No；〃 said she irresolutely。 〃But DO you drive the brougham out
every night？〃
〃Except Sunday。〃
〃Where？〃
〃My dear wife； I never loved you as I love you now； and if it was
not for you； I should not drive the brougham out of nights。 That
is all I shall tell you at present； but some day I'll tell you all
about it。〃
He took such a calm high hand with her about it； that she submitted
to leave it there； but from this moment the serpent doubt nibbled
her。
It had one curious effect； though。 She left off complaining of
trifles。
Now it happened one night that Lady Cicely Treherne and a friend
were at a concert in Hanover Square。 The other lady felt rather
faint； and Lady Cicely offered to take her home。 The carriages had
not yet arrived； and Miss Macnamara said to walk a few steps would
do her good： a smart cabman saw them from a distance and drove up；
and touching his hat said； 〃Cab； ladies？〃
It seemed a very superior cab； and Miss Macnamara said 〃Yes〃
directly。
The cabman bustled down and opened the door； Miss Macnamara got in
first； then Lady Cicely； her eye fell on the cabman's face； which
was lighted full by a street…lamp； and it was Christopher Staines！
He started and winced； but the woman of the world never moved a
muscle。
〃Where to？〃 said Staines； averting his head。
She told him where； and when they got out； said； 〃I'll send it you
by the servant。〃
A flunkey soon after appeared with half…a…crown； and the amateur
coachman drove away。 He said to himself； 〃Come； my mustache is a
better disguise than I thought。〃
Next day； and the day after； he asked Rosa； with affected
carelessness； had she heard anything of Lady Cicely。
〃No； dear； but I dare say she will call this afternoon： it is her
day。〃
She did call at last； and after a few words with Rosa； became a
little restless； and asked if she might consult Dr。 Staines。
〃Certainly； dear。 Come to his studio。〃
〃No； might I see him here？〃
〃Certainly。〃 She rang the bell； and told the servant to ask Dr。
Staines if he would be kind enough to step into the drawing…room。
Dr。 Staines came in； and bowed to Lady Cicely； and eyed her a
little uncomfortably。
She began； however； in a way that put him quite at his ease。 〃You
remember the advice you gave us about my little cousin Tadcastah。〃
〃Perfectly： his life is very precarious； he is bilious； consumptive；
and； if not watched； will be epileptical； and he has a fond； weak
mother； who will let him kill himself。〃
〃Exactly： and you wecommended a sea voyage； with a medical
attendant to watch his diet； and contwol his habits。 Well； she
took other advice； and the youth is worse； so now she is
fwightened； and a month ago she asked me to pwopose to you to sail
about with Tadcastah； and she offered me a thousand pounds a year。
I put on my stiff look； and said； 'Countess； with every desiah to
oblige you； I must decline to cawwy that offah to a man of genius；
learning； and weputation； who has the ball at his feet in London。'〃
〃Lord forgive you； Lady Cicely。〃
〃Lord bless her for standing up for my Christie。〃
Lady Cicely continued： 〃Now； this good lady； you must know； is not
exactly one of us： the late earl mawwied into cotton； or wool； or
something。 So she said； 'Name your price for him。' I shwugged my
shoulders； smiled affably； and as affectedly as you like； and
changed the subject。 But since then things have happened。 I am
afwaid it is my duty to make y