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is　considerable。　　The　deepest　philosopher　never　fathomed　a
character　more　thoroughly　than　this　poor　child　fathomed　her
philosopher；　when　she　had　read　his　journal　ten　or　eleven　times；　and
bedewed　it　with　a　thousand　tears。

One　passage　almost　cut　her　more　intelligent　heart　in　twain：

〃This　dark　day　I　have　done　a　thing　incredible。　　I　have　spoken　with
brutal　harshness　to　the　innocent　creature　I　have　sworn　to　protect。
She　had　run　in　debt；　through　inexperience；　and　that　unhappy
timidity　which　makes　women　conceal　an　error　till　it　ramifies；　by
concealment；　into　a　fault；　and　I　must　storm　and　rave　at　her；　till
she　actually　fainted　away。　　Brute！　　Ruffian！　　Monster！　　And　she；
how　did　she　punish　me；　poor　lamb？　　By　soft　and　tender　wordslike　a
lady；　as　she　is。　　Oh；　my　sweet　Rosa；　I　wish　you　could　know　how　you
are　avenged。　　Talk　of　the　scourgethe　cat！　　I　would　be　thankful
for　two　dozen　lashes。　　Ah！　there　is　no　need；　I　think；　to　punish　a
man　who　has　been　cruel　to　a　woman。　　Let　him　alone。　　He　will　punish
himself　more　than　you　can；　if　he　is　really　a　man。〃

From　the　date　of　that　entry；　this　self…reproach　and　self…torture
kept　cropping　up　every　now　and　then　in　the　diary；　and　it　appeared
to　have　been　not　entirely　without　its　influence　in　sending　Staines
to　sea；　though　the　main　reason　he　gave　was　that　his　Rosa　might　have
the　comforts　and　luxuries　she　had　enjoyed　before　she　married　him。

One　day；　while　she　was　crying　over　this　diary；　Uncle　Philip　called；
but　not　to　comfort　her；　I　promise　you。　　He　burst　on　her；　irate；　to
take　her　to　task。　　He　had　returned；　learned　Christopher's
departure；　and　settled　the　reason　in　his　own　mind：　that　uxorious
fool　was　gone　to　sea　by　a　natural　reaction；　his　eyes　were　open　to
his　wife　at　last；　and　he　was　sick　of　her　folly；　so　he　had　fled　to
distant　climes；　as　who　would　not；　that　could？

〃SO；　ma'am；〃　said　he；　〃my　nephew　is　gone　to　sea；　I　findall　in　a
hurry。　　Pray　may　I　ask　what　he　has　done　that　for？〃

It　was　a　very　simple　question；　yet　it　did　not　elicit　a　very　plain
answer。　　She　only　stared　at　this　abrupt　inquisitor；　and　then　cried；
piteously；　〃Oh；　Uncle　Philip！〃　and　burst　out　sobbing。

〃Why；　what　is　the　matter？〃

〃You　WILL　hate　me　now。　　He　is　gone　to　make　money　for　ME；　and　I
would　rather　have　lived　on　a　crust。　　Uncledon't　hate　me。　　I'm　a
poor；　bereaved；　heart…broken　creature；　that　repents。〃

〃Repents！　heigho！　why；　what　have　you　been　up　to　now；　ma'am？　　No
great　harm；　I'll　be　bound。　　Flirting　a　little　with　some　FOOLeh？〃

〃Flirting！　　Me！　a　married　woman。〃

〃Oh；　to　be　sure；　I　forgot。　　Why；　surely　he　has　not　deserted　you。〃

〃My　Christopher　desert　me！　　He　loves　me　too　well；　far　more　than　I
deserve；　but　not　more　than　I　will。　　Uncle　Philip；　I　am　too　confused
and　wretched　to　tell　you　all　that　has　happened；　but　I　know　you　love
him；　though　you　had　a　tiff：　uncle；　he　called　on　you；　to　shake　hands
and　ask　your　forgiveness；　poor　fellow！　　He　was　so　sorry　you　were
away。　　Please　read　his　dear　diary：　it　will　tell　you　all；　better
than　his　poor　foolish　wife　can。　　I　know　it　by　heart。　　I'll　show　you
where　you　and　he　quarrelled　about　me。　　There；　see。〃　　And　she　showed
him　the　passage　with　her　finger。　　〃He　never　told　me　it　was　that；　or
I　would　have　come　and　begged　your　pardon　on　my　knees。　　But　see　how
sorry　he　was。　　There；　see。　　And　now　I'll　show　you　another　place；
where　my　Christopher　speaks　of　your　many；　many　acts　of　kindness。
There；　see。　　And　now　please　let　me　show　you　how　he　longed　for
reconciliation。　　There；　see。　　And　it　is　the　same　through　the　book。
And　now　I'll　show　you　how　grieved　he　was　to　go　without　your
blessing。　　I　told　him　I　was　sure　you　would　give　him　that；　and　him
going　away。　　Ah；　me！　will　he　ever　return？　　Uncle　dear；　don't　hate
me。　　What　shall　I　do；　now　he　is　gone；　if　you　disown　me？　　Why；　you
are　the　only　Staines　left　me　to　love。〃

〃Disown　you；　ma'am！　that　I'll　never　do。　　You　are　a　good…hearted
young　woman；　I　find。　　There；　run　and　dry　your　eyes；　and　let　me　read
Christopher's　diary　all　through。　　Then　I　shall　see　how　the　land
lies。〃

Rosa　complied　with　his　proposal；　and　left　him　alone　while　she
bathed　her　eyes；　and　tried　to　compose　herself；　for　she　was　all
trembling　at　this　sudden　irruption。

When　she　returned　to　the　drawing…room；　he　was　walking　about；
looking　grave　and　thoughtful。

〃It　is　the　old　story；〃　said　he；　rather　gently：　〃a　MISUNDERSTANDING。
How　wise　our　ancestors　were　that　first　used　that　word　to　mean　a
quarrel！　for；　look　into　twenty　quarrels；　and　you　shall　detect　a
score　of　mis…under…standings。　　Yet　our　American　cousins　must　go　and
substitute　the　un…ideaed　word　'difficulty'；　that　is　wonderful。　　I
had　no　quarrel　with　him：　delighted　to　see　either　of　you。　　But　I　had
called　twice　on　him；　so　I　thought　he　ought　to　get　over　his　temper；
and　call　on　a　tried　friend　like　me。　　A　misunderstanding！　　Now；　my
dear；　let　us　have　no　more　of　these　misunderstandings。　　You　will
always　be　welcome　at　my　house；　and　I　shall　often　come　here　and　look
after　you　and　your　interests。　　What　do　you　mean　to　do；　I　wonder？〃

〃Sir；　I　am　to　go　home　to　my　father；　if　he　will　be　troubled　with　me。
I　have　written　to　him。〃

〃And　what　is　to　become　of　the　Bijou？〃

〃My　Christie　thought　I　should　like　to　part　with　it；　and　the
furniturebut　his　own　writing…desk　and　his　chair；　no；　I　never
will；　and　his　little　clock。　　Oh！　oh！　oh！But　I　remember　what　you
said　about　agents；　and　I　don't　know　what　to　do；　for　I　shall　be
away。〃

〃Then；　leave　it　to　me。　　I'll　come　and　live　here　with　one　servant；
and　I'll　soon　sell　it　for　you。〃

〃You；　Uncle　Philip！〃

〃Well；　why　not？〃　said　he　roughly。

〃That　will　be　a　great　trouble　and　discomfort　to　you；　I'm　afraid。〃

〃If　I　find　it　so；　I'll　soon　drop　it。　　I'm　not　the　fool　to　put
myself　out　for　anybody。　　When　you　are　ready　to　go　out；　send　me
word；　and　I'll　come　in。〃

Soon　after　this　he　bustled　off。　　He　gave　her　a　sort　of　hurried　kiss
at　parting；　as　if　he　was　ashamed　of　it；　and　wanted　it　over　as
quickly　as　possible。

Next　day　her　father　came；　condoled　with　her　politely；　assured　her
there　was　nothing　to　cry　about；　husbands　were　a　sort　of
functionaries　that　generally　went　to　sea　at　some　part　of　their
career；　and　no　harm　ever　came　of　it。　　On　the　contrary；　〃Absence
makes　the　heart　grow　fonder；〃　said　this　judicious　parent。

This　sentiment　happened　to　be　just　a　little　too　true；　and　set　the
daughter　crying　bitterly。　　But　she　fought　against　it。　　〃Oh　no！〃
said　she；　〃I　MUSTN'T。　　I　will　not　be　always　crying　in　Kent　Villa。〃

〃Lord　forbid！〃

〃I　shall　get　over　it　in　timea　little。〃

〃Why；　of　course　you　will。　　But　as　to　your　coming　to　Kent　Villa；　I
am　afraid　you　would　not　be　very　comfortable　there。　　You　know　I　am
superannuated。　　Only　got　my　pension　now。〃

〃I　know　that；　papa：　andwhy；　that　is　one　of　the　reasons。　　I　have　a
good　income　now；　and　I　thought　if　we　put　our　means　together〃

〃Oh；　that　is　a　very　different　thing。　　You　will　want　a　carriage；　I
suppose。　　I　have　put　mine　down。〃

〃No　carriage；　no　horse；　no　footman；　no　luxury　of　any　kind　till　my
Christie　comes　back。　　I　abhor　dress；　I　abhor　expense；　I　loathe
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　o