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！
by it。 The beard gave him dignity； and hid his mean； cruel mouth。
His black suit seemed to say he； too； had lost some one dear to
him； and that was a ground of sympathy。
She received him kindly； and thanked him for taking the trouble to
come again。 She begged him to be seated； and then； womanlike； she
waited for him to explain。
But he was in no hurry； and waited for her。 He knew she would
speak if he was silent。
She could not keep him waiting long。 〃Mr。 Falcon；〃 said she；
hesitating a little； 〃you have something to say to me about him I
have lost。〃
〃Yes；〃 said he softly。 〃I have something I could say； and I think
I ought to say it； but I am afraid： because I don't know what will
be the result。 I fear to make you more unhappy。〃
〃Me！ more unhappy？ Me； whose dear husband lies at the bottom of
the ocean。 Other poor wounded creatures have the wretched comfort
of knowing where he liesof carrying flowers to his tomb。 But I
oh； Mr。 Falcon； I am bereaved of all： even his poor remains lost；
lost〃she could say no more。
Then that craven heart began to quake at what he was doing； quaked；
yet persevered； but his own voice quivered； and his cheek grew ashy
pale。 No wonder。 If ever God condescended to pour lightning on a
skunk； surely now was the time。
Shaking and sweating with terror at his own act； he stammered out；
〃Would it be the least comfort to you to know that you are not
denied that poor consolation？ Suppose he died not so miserably as
you think？ Suppose he was picked up at sea； in a dying state？〃
〃Ah！〃
〃Suppose he lingered； nursed by kind and sympathizing hands； that
almost saved him？ Suppose he was laid in hallowed ground； and a
great many tears shed over his grave？〃
〃Ah； that would indeed be a comfort。 And it was to say this you
came。 I thank you。 I bless you。 But； my good； kind friend； you
are deceived。 You don't know my husband。 You never saw him。 He
perished at sea。〃
〃Will it be kind or unkind； to tell you why I think he died as I
tell you； and not at sea？〃
〃Kind； but impossible。 You deceive yourself。 Ah； I see。 You
found some poor sufferer； and were good to him； but it was not my
poor Christie。 Oh； if it were； I should worship you。 But I thank
you as it is。 It was very kind to want to give me this little；
little crumb of comfort； for I know I did not behave well to you；
sir： but you are generous； and have forgiven a poor heart…broken
creature； that never was very wise。〃
He gave her time to cry； and then said to her； 〃I only wanted to be
sure it WOULD be any comfort to you。 Mrs。 Staines； it is true I
did not even know his name； nor yours。 When I met； in this very
room； the great disappointment that has saddened my own life； I
left England directly。 I collected funds； went to Natal； and
turned land…owner and farmer。 I have made a large fortune； but I
need not tell you I am not happy。 Well； I had a yacht； and sailing
from Cape Town to Algoa Bay； I picked up a raft； with a dying man
on it。 He was perishing from exhaustion and exposure。 I got a
little brandy between his lips； and kept him alive。 I landed with
him at once： and we nursed him on shore。 We had to be very
cautious。 He improved。 We got him to take egg…flip。 He smiled on
us at first； and then he thanked us。 I nursed him day and night
for ten days。 He got much stronger。 He spoke to me； thanked me
again and again； and told me his name was Christopher Staines。 He
told me that he should never get well。 I implored him to have
courage。 He said he did not want for courage； but nature had been
tried too hard。 We got so fond of each other。 Oh！〃and the
caitiff pretended to break down； and his feigned grief mingled with
Rosa's despairing sobs。
He made an apparent effort； and said； 〃He spoke to me of his wife；
his darling Rosa。 The name made me start； but I could not know it
was you。 At last he was strong enough to write a few lines； and he
made me promise to take them to his wife。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Rosa。 〃Show them me。〃
〃I will。〃
〃This moment。〃 And her hands began to work convulsively。
〃I cannot；〃 said Falcon。 〃I have not brought them with me。〃
Rosa cast a keen eye of suspicion and terror on him。 His not
bringing the letter seemed monstrous； and so indeed it was。 The
fact is； the letter was not written。
Falcon affected not to notice her keen look。 He flowed on； 〃The
address he put on that letter astonished me。 'Kent Villa。' Of
course I knew Kent Villa： and he called you 'Rosa。'〃
〃How could you come to me without that letter？〃 cried Rosa；
wringing her hands。 〃How am I to know？ It is all so strange； so
incredible。〃
〃Don't you believe me？〃 said Falcon sadly。 〃Why should I deceive
you？ The first time I came down to tell you all this； I did not
KNOW who Mrs。 Staines was。 I suspected； but no more。 The second
time I saw you in the church； and then I knew； and followed you to
try and tell you all this； and you were not at home to me。〃
〃Forgive me；〃 said Rosa carelessly： then earnestly； 〃The letter！
when can I see it？〃
〃I will send； or bring it。〃
〃Bring it！ I am in agony till I see it。 Oh； my darling！ my
darling！ It can't be true。 It was not my Christie。 He lies in
the depths of the ocean。 Lord Tadcaster was in the ship； and he
says so； everybody says so。〃
〃And I say he sleeps in hallowed ground； and these hands laid him
there。〃
Rosa lifted her hands to heaven； and cried piteously； 〃I don't know
what to think。 You would not willingly deceive me。 But how can
this be？ Oh； Uncle Philip； why are you away from me？ Sir； you say
he gave you a letter？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； why； why did you not bring it？〃
〃Because he told me the contents； and I thought he prized my poor
efforts too highly。 It did not occur to me you would doubt my
word。〃
〃Oh； no： no more I do： but I fear it was not my Christie。〃
〃I'll go for the letter at once； Mrs。 Staines。〃
〃Oh； thank you！ Bless you！ Yes； this minute！〃
The artful rogue did not go； never intended。
He rose TO GO； but had a sudden inspiration； very sudden； of
course。 〃Had he nothing about him you could recognize him by？〃
〃Yes； he had a ring I gave him。〃
Falcon took a black…edged envelope out of his pocket。
〃A ruby ring；〃 said she； beginning to tremble at his quiet action。
〃Is that it？〃 and he handed her a ruby ring。
CHAPTER XXVII。
Mrs。 Staines uttered a sharp cry and seized the ring。 Her eyes
dilated over it； and she began to tremble in every limb； and at
last she sank slowly back； and her head fell on one side like a
broken lily。 The sudden sight of the ring overpowered her almost
to fainting。
Falcon rose to call for assistance； but she made him a feeble
motion not to do so。
She got the better of her faintness； and then she fell to kissing
the ring； in an agony of love； and wept over it； and still held it；
and gazed at it through her blinding tears。
Falcon eyed her uneasily。
But he soon found he had nothing to fear。 For a long time she
seemed scarcely aware of his presence； and when she noticed him； it
was to thank him； almost passionately。
〃It was my Christie you were so good to： may Heaven bless you for
it： and you will bring me his letter； will you not？〃
〃Of course I will。〃
〃Oh； do not go yet。 It is all so strange： so sad。 I seem to have
lost my poor Christie again； since he did not die at sea。 But no；
I am ungrateful to God； and ungrateful to the kind friend that
nursed him to the last。 Ah； I envy you that。 Tell me all。 Never
mind my crying。 I have seen the time I could not cry。 It was
worse then than now。 I shall always cry when I speak of him； ay；
to my dying day。 Tell me； tell me all。〃
Her passion frightened the egotist； but did not turn him。 He had
gone too far。 He told her that； after raising all their hopes； Dr。
Staines had suddenly changed for the worse； and sunk rapidly； that
his last words had been about her； and he had said； 〃My poor Rosa；
who will protect her？〃 That； to comfort him； he had said he would
protect her。 Then the dying man had managed to write a line or
two； and to address it。 Almost his last words had been； 〃Be a
father to my child。〃
〃That is strange。〃
〃You have no child？ Then it must have been you he meant。 He spoke
of you as a child more than once。〃
〃Mr。 Falcon； I have a child； but born since I lost my poor child's
father。〃
〃Then I think he knew it。 They say that dying men can see all over
the world： and I remember； when he said it； his eyes seemed fixed
very strangely； as if on something distant。 Oh； how wonderful all
this is。 May I see his child； to whom I promised〃
The artist in lies left his sentence half completed。
Rosa rang； and sent for her little boy。
Mr。 Falcon admired his beauty； and said quietly； 〃I shall keep my
vow。〃
He then left her； with a promise to come back early next morning
with the letter。
She let him go only on those conditions。
As soon as her father came in； she ran to him with this strange
story。
〃I don't believe it；〃 said he。 〃It is impossible。〃
She showed him the proof； the ruby ring。
Then he became very uneasy； and begged her not to tell a soul。 He