a simpleton-第24部分

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circular　tonsure　on　the　top　of　the　head；　had　it　sponged　with　tepid
water。

〃I　thought　so；〃　said　he。　　〃Here　is　the　mischief；〃　and　he　pointed　to
a　very　slight　indentation　on　the　left　side　of　the　pia　mater。
〃Observe；〃　said　he；　〃there　is　no　corresponding　indentation　on　the
other　side。　　Underneath　this　trifling　depression　a　minute　piece　of
bone　is　doubtless　pressing　on　the　most　sensitive　part　of　the　brain。
He　must　be　trephined。〃

Mr。　White's　eyes　sparkled。

〃You　are　an　hospital　surgeon；　sir？〃

〃Yes；　Dr。　Staines。　　I　have　no　fear　of　the　operation。〃

〃Then　I　hand　the　patient　over　to　you。　　The　case　at　present　is
entirely　surgical。〃

White　was　driven　home；　and　soon　returned　with　the　requisite
instruments。　　The　operation　was　neatly　performed；　and　then　Lady
Cicely　was　called　in。　　She　came　trembling；　her　brother's　fingers
were　still　working；　but　not　so　regularly。

〃That　is　only　HABIT；〃　said　Staines；　〃it　will　soon　leave　off；　now
the　cause　is　gone。〃

And；　truly　enough；　in　about　five　minutes　the　fingers　became　quiet。
The　eyes　became　human　next；　and　within　half　an　hour　after　the
operation　the　earl　gave　a　little　sigh。

Lady　Cicely　clasped　her　hands；　and　uttered　a　little　cry　of　delight。

〃This　will　not　do；〃　said　Staines；　〃I　shall　have　you　screaming　when
he　speaks。〃

〃Oh；　Dr。　Staines！　will　he　ever　speak？〃

〃I　think　so；　and　very　soon。　　So　be　on　your　guard。〃

This　strange　scene　reached　its　climax　soon　after；　by　the　earl
saying；　quietly；

〃Are　her　knees　broke；　Tom？〃

Lady　Cicely　uttered　a　little　scream；　but　instantly　suppressed　it。

〃No；　my　lord；〃　said　Staines；　smartly；　〃only　rubbed　a　bit。　　You　can
go　to　sleep；　my　lord。　　I'll　take　care　of　the　mare。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　his　lordship；　and　composed　himself　to　slumber。

Dr。　Staines；　at　the　earnest　request　of　Lady　Cicely；　stayed　all
night；　and　in　course　of　the　day　advised　her　how　to　nurse　the
patient；　since　both　physician　and　surgeon　had　done　with　him。

He　said　the　patient's　brain　might　be　irritable　for　some　days；　and
no　women　in　silk　dresses　or　crinoline；　or　creaking　shoes；　must
enter　the　room。　　He　told　her　the　nurse　was　evidently　a　clumsy
woman；　and　would　be　letting　things　fall。　　She　had　better　get　some
old　soldier　used　to　nursing。　　〃And　don't　whisper　in　the　room；〃　said
he；　〃nothing　irritates　them　worse；　and　don't　let　anybody　play　a
piano　within　hearing；　but　in　a　day　or　two　you　may　try　him　with　slow
and　continuous　music　on　the　flute　or　violin　if　you　like。　　Don't
touch　his　bed　suddenly；　don't　sit　on　it　or　lean　on　it。　　Dole
sunlight　into　his　room　by　degrees；　and　when　he　can　bear　it；　drench
him　with　it。　　Never　mind　what　the　old　school　tell　you。　　About　these
things　they　know　a　good　deal　less　than　nothing。〃

Lady　Cicely　received　all　this　like　an　oracle。

The　cure　was　telegraphed　to　Dr。　Barr；　and　he　was　requested　to
settle　the　fee。　　He　was　not　the　man　to　undersell　the　profession；
and　was　jealous　of　nobody；　having　a　large　practice；　and　a　very
wealthy　wife。　　So　he　telegraphed　back〃Fifty　guineas；　and　a　guinea
a　mile　from　London。〃

So；　as　Christopher　Staines　sat　at　an　early　breakfast；　with　the
carriage　waiting　to　take　him　to　the　train；　two　notes　were　brought
him　on　a　salver。

They　were　both　directed　by　Lady　Cicely　Treherne。　　One　of　them
contained　a　few　kind　and　feeling　words　of　gratitude　and　esteem；　the
other；　a　check；　drawn　by　the　earl's　steward；　for　one　hundred　and
thirty　guineas。

He　bowled　up　to　London；　and　told　it　all　to　Rosa。　　She　sparkled　with
pride；　affection；　and　joy。

〃Now；　who　says　you　are　not　a　genius？〃　she　cried。　　〃A　hundred　and
thirty　guineas　for　one　fee！　　Now；　if　you　love　your　wife　as　she
loves　youyou　will　set　up　a　brougham。〃


CHAPTER　VIII。


Doctor　Staines　begged　leave　to　distinguish；　he　had　not　said　he
would　set　up　a　carriage　at　the　first　one　hundred　guinea　fee；　but
only　that　he　would　not　set　up　one　before。　　There　are　misguided
people　who　would　call　this　logic：　but　Rosa　said　it　was
equivocating；　and　urged　him　so　warmly　that　at　last　he　burst　out；
〃Who　can　go　on　forever　saying　'No；'　to　the　only　creature　he
loves？〃and　caved。　　In　forty…eight　hours　more　a　brougham　waited　at
Mrs。　Staines's　door。　　The　servant　engaged　to　drive　it　was　Andrew
Pearman；　a　bachelor；　and；　hitherto；　an　under…groom。　　He　readily
consented　to　be　coachman；　and　to　do　certain　domestic　work　as　well。
So　Mrs。　Staines　had　a　man…servant　as　well　as　a　carriage。

Ere　long；　three　or　four　patients　called；　or　wrote；　one　after　the
other。　　These　Rosa　set　down　to　brougham；　and　crowed；　she　even
crowed　to　Lady　Cicely　Treherne；　to　whose　influence；　and　not　to
brougham's；　every　one　of　these　patients　was　owing。　　Lady　Cicely
kissed　her；　and　demurely　enjoyed　the　poor　soul's　self…satisfaction。

Staines　himself；　while　he　drove　to　or　from　these　patients；　felt
more　sanguine；　and　buoyed　as　he　was　by　the　consciousness　of
ability；　began　to　hope　he　had　turned　the　corner。

He　sent　an　account　of　Lord　Ayscough's　case　to　a　medical　magazine：
and　so　full　is　the　world　of　flunkeyism；　that　this　article；　though
he　withheld　the　name；　retaining　only　the　title；　got　the　literary
wedge　in　for　him　at　once：　and　in　due　course　he　became　a　paid
contributor　to　two　medical　organs；　and　used　to　study　and　write
more；　and　indent　the　little　stone　yard　less　than　heretofore。

It　was　about　this　time　circumstances　made　him　acquainted　with
Phoebe　Dale。　　Her　intermediate　history　I　will　dispose　of　in　fewer
words　than　it　deserves。　　Her　ruin；　Mr。　Reginald　Falcon；　was
dismissed　from　his　club；　for　marking　high　cards　on　the　back　with
his　nail。　　This　stopped　his　remaining　resourceborrowing：　so　he
got　more　and　more　out　at　elbows；　till　at　last　he　came　down　to
hanging　about　billiard…rooms；　and　making　a　little　money　by
concealing　his　game；　from　that；　however；　he　rose　to　be　a　marker。

Having　culminated　to　that；　he　wrote　and　proposed　marriage　to　Miss
Dale；　in　a　charming　letter：　she　showed　it　to　her　father　with　pride。

Now；　if　his　vanity；　his　disloyalty；　his　falsehood；　his　ingratitude；
and　his　other　virtues　had　not　stood　in　the　way；　he　would　have　done
this　three　years　ago；　and　been　jumped　at。

But　the　offer　came　too　late；　not　for　Phoebeshe　would　have　taken
him　in　a　momentbut　for　her　friends。　　A　baited　hook　is　one　thing；
a　bare　hook　is　another。　　Farmer　Dale　had　long　discovered　where
Phoebe's　money　went：　he　said　not　a　word　to　her；　but　went　up　to　town
like　a　shot；　found　Falcon　out；　and　told　him　he　mustn't　think　to　eat
his　daughter's　bread。　　She　should　marry　a　man　that　could　make　a
decent　livelihood；　and　if　she　was　to　run　away　with　HIM；　why　they'd
starve　together。　　The　farmer　was　resolute；　and　spoke　very　loud；
like　one　that　expects　opposition；　and　comes　prepared　to　quarrel。
Instead　of　that；　this　artful　rogue　addressed　him　with　deep　respect
and　an　affected　veneration；　that　quite　puzzled　the　old　man；
acquiesced　in　every　word；　expressed　contrition　for　his　past
misdeeds；　and　told　the　farmer　he　had　quite　determined　to　labor　with
his　hands。　　〃You　know；　farmer；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　not　the　only
gentleman　who　has　come　to　that　in　the　present　day。　　Now；　all　my
friends　that　have　seen　my　sketches；　assure　me　I　am　a　born　painter；
and　a　painter　I'll　befor　love　of　Phoebe。〃

The　farmer　made　a　wry　face。　　〃Painter！　that　is　a　sorry　sort　of　a
trade。〃

〃You　are　mistaken。　　It's　the　best　trade　going。　　There　are　gentlemen
making　their　thousands　a　year　by　it。〃

〃Not　in　our　parts；　there　bain't。　　Stop　a　bit。　　What　be　ye　going　to
paint；　sir？　　Housen；　or　folk？〃

〃Oh；　hang　it；　not　houses。　　Figures；　landscapes。〃

〃Well；　ye　might　just　make　shift　to　live　at　it；　I　suppose；　with　here
and　there　a　signboard。　　They　are　the　best　paid；　our　way：　but；　Lord
bless　ye；　THEY　wants　headpiece。　　Well；　sir；　let　me　see　your　work。
Then　we'll　talk　further。〃

〃I'll　go　to　work　this　afternoon；〃　said　Falcon　eagerly；　then　with
affected　surprise；　〃Bless　me；　I　forgot。　　I　have　no　palette；　no
canvas；　no　colors。　　You　couldn't　lend　me　a　couple　of　sovereigns　to
buy　them；　could　you？〃

〃Ay；　sir；　I　could。　　But　I　woan't。　　I'll　lend　ye　the　things；　though；
if　you　have　a　mind　to　go　with　me　and　buy　'em。〃

Falcon　agreed；　with　a　lofty　smile；　and　the　purchases　were　made。

Mr。　Falcon　painted　a　landscape　or　two　out　of　his　imagination。　　The
dealers　to　whom　he　took　them　declined　them；　one　advised　the
gentleman　painter　to　color　tea…boards。　　〃That's　your　line；〃　said
he。

〃The　world　has　no　taste；〃　said　the　gentleman　painter：　〃but　it　has
got　lots　of　vanity：　I'll　paint　portraits。〃

He　did；　and　formidable　ones：　his　portraits　were　amazingly　like　the
people；　and　yet　unlike　men　and　women；　especially　about　the　face。
One　thing；　he　didn't　trouble　with　lights　and　shades；　but　went　slap
at　the　features。

His　brush　would　never　have　kept　him；　but　he　carried　an　instrument；
in　the　use　of　which　he　was　really　an　artist；　viz。；　his　tongue。　　By
wheedling　and　undersellingfor　he　only　charged　a　pound　for　the
painted　canvashe　contrived　to　live；　then　he　aspired　to　dress　as
well　as　live。　　With　this　second　object　in　view；　he　hit　upon　a
characteristic　expedient。

He　used　to　prowl　about；　and　when　he　saw　a　young　woman　sweeping　the
afternoon　streets　with　a　long　silk　train；　and；　in　short；　dressed　to
ride　in　the　park；　yet　parading　the　streets；　he　would　take　his　hat
off　to　her；　with　an　air　of　profound　respect；　and　ask　permission　to
take　her　portrait。　　Generally　he　met　a　prompt　rebuff；　but　if　the
fair　was　so　unlucky　as　to　hesitate　a　single　moment；　he　told　her　a
melting　tale；　he　had　once　driven　his　four…in…hand；　but　by　indorsing
his　friends'　bills；　was　reduced　to　painting　likeness；　admirable
likenesses　in　oil；　only　a　guinea　each。

His　piteous　tale　provoked　more　gibes　than　pity；　but　as　he　had　no
shame；　the　rebuffs　went　for　nothing：　he　actually　did　get　a　few
sitters　by　his　audacity：　and　some　of　the　sitters　actually　took　the
pictures；　and　paid　for　them；　others　declined　them　with　fury　as　soon
as　they　were　finished。　　These　he　took　back　with　a　piteous　sigh；
that　sometimes　extracted　half　a　crown。　　Then　he　painted　over　the
rejected　one　and　let　it　dry；　so　that　sometimes　a　paid　portrait
would　present　a　beauty　enthroned　on　the　debris　of　two　or　three
rivals；　and　that　is　where　few　beauties　would　object　to　sit。

All　this　time　he　wrote　nice　let