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infirmity； pretended he was himself very often troubled in the same
way； and advised him to read the newspapers。 〃My good wife；〃 said
he； 〃has brought me a whole file of the Cape Gazette。 I'd read
them if I was you。 The deuce is in it； if you don't rake up
something or other。〃
Christopher thanked him warmly for this： he got the papers to his
own little room； and had always one or two in his pocket for
reading。 At first he found a good many hard words that puzzled
him； and he borrowed a pencil of Phoebe； and noted them down。
Strange to say； the words that puzzled him were always common
words； that his unaccountable memory had forgotten： a hard word； he
was sure to remember that。
One day he had to ask Falcon the meaning of 〃spendthrift。〃 Falcon
told him briefly。 He could have illustrated the word by a striking
example； but he did not。 He added； in his polite way； 〃No fellow
can understand all the words in a newspaper。 Now； here's a word in
mine'Anemometer；' who the deuce can understand such a word？〃
〃Oh； THAT is a common word enough；〃 said poor Christopher。 〃It
means a machine for measuring the force of the wind。〃
〃Oh； indeed；〃 said Falcon； but did not believe a word of it。
One sultry day Christopher had a violent headache； and complained
to Ucatella。 She told Phoebe； and they bound his brows with a wet
handkerchief； and advised him to keep in…doors。 He sat down in the
coolest part of the house； and held his head with his hands； for it
seemed as if it would explode into two great fragments。
All in a moment the sky was overcast with angry clouds； whirling
this way and that。 Huge drops of hail pattered down； and the next
minute came a tremendous flash of lightning； accompanied； rather
than followed； by a crash of thunder close over their heads。
This was the opening。 Down came a deluge out of clouds that looked
mountains of pitch； and made the day night but for the fast and
furious strokes of lightning that fired the air。 The scream of
wind and awful peals of thunder completed the horrors of the scene。
In the midst of this； by what agency I know no more than science or
a sheep does； something went off inside Christopher's head； like a
pistol…shot。 He gave a sort of scream； and dashed out into the
weather。
Phoebe heard his scream and his flying footstep； and uttered an
ejaculation of fear。 The whole household was alarmed； and； under
other circumstances； would have followed him； but you could not see
ten yards。
A chill sense of impending misfortune settled on the house。 Phoebe
threw her apron over her head； and rocked in her chair。
Dick himself looked very grave。
Ucatella would have tried to follow him； but Dick forbade her。
〃'Tis no use；〃 said he。 〃When it clears； we that be men will go
for him。〃
〃Pray Heaven you may find him alive！〃
〃I don't think but what we shall。 There's nowhere he can fall down
to hurt himself； nor yet drown himself； but our dam； and he has not
gone that way。 But〃
〃But what？〃
〃If we do find him； we must take him back to Cape Town； before he
does himself； or some one； a mischief。 Why； Phoebe； don't you see
the man has gone raving mad？〃
CHAPTER XIX。
The electrified man rushed out into the storm； but he scarcely felt
it in his body； the effect on his mind overpowered hail…stones。
The lightning seemed to light up the past； the mighty explosions of
thunder seemed cannon strokes knocking down a wall； and letting in
his whole life。
Six hours the storm raged； and； before it ended； he had recovered
nearly his whole past； except his voyage with Captain Doddthat；
indeed； he never recoveredand the things that happened to him in
the hospital before he met Phoebe Falcon and her brother： and as
soon as he had recovered his lost memory； his body began to shiver
at the hail and rain。 He tried to find his way home； but missed
it； not so much； however； but that he recovered it as soon as it
began to clear； and just as they were coming out to look for him；
he appeared before them； dripping； shivering； very pale and worn；
with the handkerchief still about his head。
At sight of him； Dick slipped back to his sister； and said； rather
roughly； 〃There now； you may leave off crying： he is come home； and
to…morrow I take him to Cape Town。〃
Christopher crept in； a dismal； sinister figure。
〃Oh； sir；〃 said Phoebe； 〃was this a day for a Christian to be out
in？ How could you go and frighten us so？〃
〃Forgive me； madam；〃 said Christopher humbly； 〃I was not myself。〃
〃The best thing you can do now is to go to bed； and let us send you
up something warm。〃
〃You are very good；〃 said Christopher； and retired with the air of
one too full of great amazing thoughts to gossip。
He slept thirty hours at a stretch； and then； awaking in the dead
of night； he saw the past even more clear and vivid； he lighted his
candle and began to grope in the Cape Gazette。 As to dates； he now
remembered when he had sailed from England； and also from Madeira。
Following up this clew； he found in the Gazette a notice that H。 M。
ship Amphitrite had been spoken off the Cape； and had reported the
melancholy loss of a promising physician and man of science； Dr。
Staines。
The account said every exertion had been made to save him； but in
vain。
Staines ground his teeth with rage at this。 〃Every exertion！ the
false…hearted curs。 They left me to drown； without one manly
effort to save me。 Curse them； and curse all the world。〃
Pursuing his researches rapidly； he found a much longer account of
a raft picked up by Captain Dodd； with a white man on it and a dead
body； the white man having on him a considerable sum in money and
jewels。
Then a new anxiety chilled him。 There was not a word to identify
him with Dr。 Staines。 The idea had never occurred to the editor of
the Cape Gazette。 Still less would it occur to any one in England。
At this moment his wife must be mourning for him。 〃Poorpoor
Rosa！〃
But perhaps the fatal news might not have reached her。
That hope was dashed away as soon as found。 Why； these were all
OLD NEWSPAPERS。 That gentlemanly man who had lent them to him had
said so。
Old！ yet they completed the year 1867。
He now tore through them for the dates alone； and soon found they
went to 1868。 Yet they were old papers。 He had sailed in May；
1867。
〃My God！〃 he cried； in agony； 〃I HAVE LOST A YEAR。〃
This thought crushed him。 By and by he began to carry this awful
idea into details。 〃My Rosa has worn mourning for me； and put it
off again。 I am dead to her； and to all the world。〃
He wept long and bitterly。
Those tears cleared his brain still more。 For all that； he was not
yet himself； at least； I doubt it； his insanity； driven from the
intellect； fastened one lingering claw into his moral nature； and
hung on by it。 His soul filled with bitterness and a desire to be
revenged on mankind for their injustice； and this thought possessed
him more than reason。
He joined the family at breakfast； and never a word all the time。
But when he got up to go； he said； in a strange； dogged way； as if
it went against the grain； 〃God bless the house that succors the
afflicted。〃 Then he went out to brood alone。
〃Dick；〃 said Phoebe； 〃there's a change。 I'll never part with him：
and look； there's Collie following him； that never could abide
him。〃
〃Part with him？〃 said Reginald。 〃Of course not。 He is a
gentleman； and they are not so common in Africa。〃
Dick； who hated Falcon； ignored this speech entirely； and said；
〃Well； Pheeb； you and Collie are wiser than I am。 Take your own
way； and don't blame me if anything happens。〃
Soon Christopher paid the penalty of returning reason。 He suffered
all the poignant agony a great heart can endure。
So this was his reward for his great act of self…denial in leaving
his beloved wife。 He had lost his patient； he had lost the income
from that patient； his wife was worse off than before； and had
doubtless suffered the anguish of a loving heart bereaved。 His
mind； which now seemed more vigorous than ever； after its long
rest； placed her before his very eyes； pale； and worn with grief；
in her widow's cap。
At the picture； he cried like the rain。 He could give her joy； by
writing； but he could not prevent her from suffering a whole year
of misery。
Turning this over in connection with their poverty； his evil genius
whispered； 〃By this time she has received the six thousand pounds
for your death。 SHE would never think of that； but her father has：
and there is her comfort assured； in spite of the caitiffs who left
her husband to drown like a dog。
〃I know my Rosa；〃 he thought。 〃She has swoonedah； my poor
darlingshe has ravedshe has wept；〃 he wept himself at the
thought〃she has mourned every indiscreet act； as if it was a
crime。 But she HAS done all this。 Her good and loving but shallow
nature is now at rest from the agonies of bereavement； and nought
remains but sad and tender regrets。 She can better endure that
than poverty： cursed poverty； which has brought her and me to this；
and is the only real evil in the world； but bodily pain。〃
Then came a struggle； that lasted a whole week； and kn