按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
everything I once liked too well； I detest every folly that has
parted us； and I hate myself worst of all。 Oh！ oh！ oh！ Forgive me
for crying so。〃
〃Well； I dare say there are associations about this place that
upset you。 I shall go and make ready for you； dear； and then you
can come as soon as you like。〃
He bestowed a paternal kiss on her brow； and glided doucely away
before she could possibly cry again。
The very next week Rosa was at Kent Villa； with the relics of her
husband about her； his chair； his writing…table； his clock； his
waste…paper basket； a very deep and large one。 She had them all in
her bedroom at Kent Villa。
Here the days glided quietly but heavily。
She derived some comfort from Uncle Philip。 His rough； friendly
way was a tonic； and braced her。 He called several times about the
Bijou。 Told her he had put up enormous boards all over the house；
and puffed it finely。 〃I have had a hundred agents at me；〃 said
he； 〃and the next thing； I hope； will be one customer； that is
about the proportion。〃 At last he wrote her he had hooked a
victim； and sold the lease and furniture for nine hundred guineas。
Staines had assigned the lease to Rosa； so she had full powers； and
Philip invested the money； and two hundred more she gave him； in a
little mortgage at six per cent。
Now came the letter from Madeira。 It gave her new life。
Christopher was well； contented； hopeful。 His example should
animate her。 She would bravely bear the present； and share his
hopes of the future： with these brighter views Nature co…operated。
The instincts of approaching maternity brightened the future。 She
fell into gentle reveries； and saw her husband return； and saw
herself place their infant in his arms with all a wife's； a
mother's pride。
In due course came another long letter from the equator； with a
full journal； and more words of hope。 Home in less than a year；
with reputation increased by this last cure； home； to part no more。
Ah！ what a changed wife he should find！ how frugal； how candid； how
full of appreciation； admiration； and love； of the noblest； dearest
husband that ever breathed！
Lady Cicely Treherne waited some weeks； to let kinder sentiments
return。 She then called in Dear Street； but found Mrs。 Staines was
gone to Gravesend。 She wrote to her。
In a few days she received a reply； studiously polite and cold。
This persistent injustice mortified her at last。 She said to
herself； 〃Does she think his departure was no loss to ME？ It was
to her interests； as well as his； I sacrificed my own selfish
wishes。 I will write to her no more。〃
This resolution she steadily maintained。 It was shaken for a
moment； when she heard； by a side wind； that Mrs。 Staines was fast
approaching the great pain and peril of women。 Then she wavered。
But no。 She prayed for her by name in the Liturgy； but she
troubled her no more。
This state of things lasted some six weeks； when she received a
letter from her cousin Tadcaster； close on the heels of his last；
to which she had replied as I have indicated。 She knew his
handwriting； and opened it with a smile。
That smile soon died off her horror…stricken face。 The letter ran
thus：
TRISTAN D'ACUNHA； Jan。 5。
DEAR CICELY；A terrible thing has just happened。 We signalled a
raft； with a body on it； and poor Dr。 Staines leaned out of the
port…hole； and fell overboard。 Three boats were let down after
him； but it all went wrong； somehow； or it was too late。 They
could never find him； he was drowned； and the funeral service was
read for the poor fellow。
We are all sadly cut up。 Everybody loved him。 It was dreadful
next day at dinner； when his chair was empty。 The very sailors
cried at not finding him。
First of all； I thought I ought to write to his wife。 I know where
she lives； it is called Kent Villa； Gravesend。 But I was afraid；
it might kill her： and you are so good and sensible； I thought I
had better write to you； and perhaps you could break it to her by
degrees； before it gets in all the papers。
I send this from the island； by a small vessel； and paid him ten
pounds to take it。
Your affectionate cousin；
TADCASTER。
Words are powerless to describe a blow like this： the amazement；
the stupor； the reluctance to believethe rising； swelling；
surging horror。 She sat like a woman of stone； crumpling the
letter。 〃Dead！dead？〃
For a long time this was all her mind could realizethat
Christopher Staines was dead。 He who had been so full of life and
thought and genius； and worthier to live than all the world； was
dead； and a million nobodies were still alive； and he was dead。
She lay back on the sofa； and all the power left her limbs。 She
could not move a hand。
But suddenly she started up； for a noble instinct told her this
blow must not fall on the wife as it had on her； and in her time of
peril。
She had her bonnet on in a moment； and for the first time in her
life； darted out of the house without her maid。 She flew along the
streets； scarcely feeling the ground。 She got to Dear Street； and
obtained Philip Staines's address。 She flew to it； and there
learned he was down at Kent Villa。 Instantly she telegraphed to
her maid to come down to her at Gravesend； with things for a short
visit； and wait for her at the station； and she went down by train
to Gravesend。
Hitherto she had walked on air； driven by one overpowering impulse。
Now； as she sat in the train； she thought a little of herself。
What was before her？ To break to Mrs。 Staines that her husband was
dead。 To tell her all her misgivings were more than justified。 To
encounter her cold civility； and let her know； inch by inch； it
must be exchanged for curses and tearing of hair； her husband was
dead。 To tell her this； and in the telling of it； perhaps reveal
that it was HER great bereavement； as well as the wife's； for she
had a deeper affection for him than she ought。
Well； she trembled like an aspen leaf； trembled like one in an
ague； even as she sat。 But she persevered。
A noble woman has her courage； not exactly the same as that which
leads forlorn hopes against bastions bristling with rifles and
tongued with flames and thunderbolts； yet not inferior to it。
Tadcaster； small and dull； but noble by birth and instinct； had
seen the right thing for her to do； and she； of the same breed； and
nobler far； had seen it too； and the great soul steadily drew the
recoiling heart and quivering body to this fiery trial； this act of
humanityto do which was terrible and hard； to shirk it； cowardly
and cruel。
She reached Gravesend； and drove in a fly to Kent Villa。
The door was opened by a maid。
〃Is Mrs。 Staines at home？〃
〃Yes； ma'am； she is at HOME： but〃
〃Can I see her？〃
〃Why； no； ma'am； not at present。〃
〃But I must see her。 I am an old friend。 Please take her my card。
Lady Cicely Treherne。〃
The maid hesitated； and looked confused。 〃Perhaps you don't know；
ma'am。 Mrs。 Staines； she isthe doctor have been in the house all
day。〃
〃Ah； the doctor！ I believe Dr。 Philip Staines is here。〃
〃Why； that IS the doctor； ma'am。 Yes； he is here。〃
〃Then； pray let me see himor no； I had better see Mr。 Lusignan。〃
〃Master have gone out for the day； ma'am； but if you'll step in the
drawing…room； I'll tell the doctor。〃
Lady Cicely waited in the drawing…room some time； heart…sick and
trembling。
At last Dr。 Philip came in； with her card in his hand； looking
evidently a little cross at the interruption。 〃Now； madam； please
tell me； as briefly as you can； what I can do for you。〃
〃Are you Dr。 Philip Staines？〃
〃I am； madam； at your servicefor five minutes。 Can't quit my
patient long； just now。〃
〃Oh； sir； thank God I have found you。 Be prepared for ill news
sad newsa terrible calamityI can't speak。 Read that； sir。〃
And she handed him Tadcaster's note。
He took it； and read it。
He buried his face in his hands。 〃Christopher！ my poor； poor boy！〃
he groaned。 But suddenly a terrible anxiety seized him。 〃Who
knows of this？〃 he asked。
〃Only myself； sir。 I came here to break it to her。〃
〃You are a good； kind lady； for being so thoughtful。 Madam； if
this gets to my niece's ears； it will kill her； as sure as we stand
here。〃
〃Then let us keep it from her。 Command me； sir。 I will do
anything。 I will live heretake the letters inthe journals
anything。〃
〃No； no； you have done your part； and God bless you for it。 You
must not stay here。 Your ladyship's very presence； and your
agitation； would set the servants talking； and some idiot…fiend
among them babblingthere is nothing so terrible as a fool。〃
〃May I remain at the inn； sir； just one night？〃
〃Oh yes； I wish you would； and I will run over； if all is well with
herwell with her？ poor unfortunate girl！〃
Lady Cicely saw he wished her gone； and she went directly。
At nine o'clock that same evening； as she lay on a sofa in the best
room of the inn； attended by her maid； Dr。 Philip Staines came to
her。 She dismissed her maid。
Dr。 Philip was too old； in other words； had lost too many friends；
to be really broken down by bereavement； but he was strangely
subdued。 The loud