a simpleton-第42部分

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When　my　nephew　married　this　poor　girl；　I　was　very　angry　with　him；
and　I　soon　found　she　was　not　fit　to　be　a　struggling　man's　wife；　and
then　I　was　very　angry　with　her。　　She　had　spoiled　a　first…rate
physician；　I　thought。　　But；　since　I　knew　her　better；　it　is　all
changed。　　She　is　so　lovable。　　How　I　shall　ever　tell　her　this
terrible　thing；　God　knows。　　All　I　know　is；　that　I　will　not　throw　a
chance　away。　　Her　body　SHALL　be　stronger；　before　I　break　her　heart。
Cursed　idiots；　that　could　not　save　a　single　man；　with　their　boats；
in　a　calm　sea！　　Lord　forgive　me　for　blaming　people；　when　I　was　not
there　to　see。　　I　say　I　will　give　her　every　chance。　　She　shall　not
know　it　till　she　is　stronger：　no；　not　if　I　live　at　her　door；　and
sleep　there；　and　all。　　Good　God！　inspire　me　with　something。　　There
is　always　something　to　be　done；　if　one　could　but　see　it。〃

Mrs。　Briscoe　sighed　and　said；　〃Sir；　I　think　anything　is　better　than
for　her　to　hear　it　from　a　servantand　they　are　sure　to　blurt　it
out。　　Young　women　are　such　fools。〃

〃No；　no；　I　see　what　it　is；〃　said　Dr。　Philip。　　〃I　have　gone　all
wrong　from　the　first。　　I　have　been　acting　like　a　woman；　when　I
should　have　acted　like　a　man。　　Why；　I　only　trusted　YOU　by　halves。
There　was　a　fool　for　you。　　Never　trust　people　by　halves。〃

〃That　is　true；　sir。〃

〃Well；　then；　now　I　shall　go　at　it　like　a　man。　　I　have　a　vile
opinion　of　servants；　but　no　matter。　　I'll　try　them：　they　are　human；
I　suppose。　　I'll　hit　them　between　the　eyes　like　a　man。　　Go　to　the
kitchen；　Mrs。　Briscoe；　and　tell　them　I　wish　to　speak　to　all　the
servants；　indoors　or　out。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

She　stopped　at　the　door；　and　said；　〃I　had　better　get　back　to　her；
as　soon　as　I　have　told　them。〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃And　what　shall　I　tell　her；　sir？　　Her　first　word　will　be　to　ask　me
what　you　wanted　me　for。　　I　saw　that　in　her　eye。　　She　was　curious：
that　is　why　she　sent　me　after　you　so　quick。〃

Dr。　Philip　groaned。　　He　felt　he　was　walking　among　pitfalls。　　He
rapidly　flavored　some　distilled　water　with　orange…flower；　then
tinted　it　a　beautiful　pink；　and　bottled　it。　　〃There；〃　said　he；　〃I
was　mixing　a　new　medicine。　　Tablespoon；　four　times　a　day：　had　to
filter　it。　　Any　lie　you　like。〃

Mrs。　Briscoe　went　to　the　kitchen；　and　gave　her　message：　then　went
to　Mrs。　Staines　with　the　mixture。

Dr。　Philip　went　down　to　the　kitchen；　and　spoke　to　the　servants　very
solemnly。　　He　said；　〃My　good　friends；　I　am　come　to　ask　your　help　in
a　matter　of　life　and　death。　　There　is　a　poor　young　woman　up…stairs；
she　is　a　widow；　and　does　not　know　it；　and　must　not　know　it　yet。　　If
the　blow　fell　now；　I　think　it　would　kill　her：　indeed；　if　she　hears
it　all　of　a　sudden；　at　any　time；　that　might　destroy　her。　　We　are　in
so　sore　a　strait　that　a　feather　may　turn　the　scale。　　So　we　must　try
all　we　can　to　gain　a　little　time；　and　then　trust　to　God's　mercy
after　all。　　Well；　now；　what　do　you　say？　　Will　you　help　me　keep　it
from　her；　till　the　tenth　of　March；　say？　and　then　I　will　break　it　to
her　by　degrees。　　Forget　she　is　your　mistress。　　Master　and　servant；
that　is　all　very　well　at　a　proper　time；　but　this　is　the　time　to
remember　nothing　but　that　we　are　all　one　flesh　and　blood。　　We　lie
down　together　in　the　churchyard；　and　we　hope　to　rise　together　where
there　will　be　no　master　and　servant。　　Think　of　the　poor　unfortunate
creature　as　your　own　flesh　and　blood；　and　tell　me；　will　you　help　me
try　and　save　her；　under　this　terrible　blow？〃

〃Ay；　doctor；　that　we　will；〃　said　the　footman。　　〃Only　you　give　us
our　orders；　and　you　will　see。〃

〃I　have　no　right　to　give　you　orders；　but　I　entreat　you　not　to　show
her　by　word　or　look；　that　calamity　is　upon　her。　　Alas！　it　is　only　a
reprieve　you　can　give　her　and　to　me。　　The　bitter　hour　MUST　come
when　I　must　tell　her　she　is　a　widow；　and　her　boy　an　orphan。　　When
that　day　comes；　I　will　ask　you　all　to　pray　for　me　that　I　may　find
words。　　But　now　I　ask　you　to　give　me　that　ten　days'　reprieve。　　Let
the　poor　creature　recover　a　little　strength；　before　the　thunderbolt
of　affliction　falls　on　her　head。　　Will　you　promise　me？〃

They　promised　heartily；　and　more　than　one　of　the　women　began　to
cry。

〃A　general　assent　will　not　satisfy　me；〃　said　Dr。　Philip。　　〃I　want
every　man；　and　every　woman；　to　give　me　a　hand　upon　it；　then　I　shall
feel　sure　of　you。〃

The　men　gave　him　their　hands　at　once。　　The　women　wiped　their　hands
with　their　aprons；　to　make　sure　they　were　clean；　and　gave　him　their
hands　too。　　The　cook　said；　〃If　any　one　of　us　goes　from　it；　this
kitchen　will　be　too　hot　to　hold　her。〃

〃Nobody　will　go　from　it；　cook；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃I'm　not　afraid
of　that；　and　now　since　you　have　promised　me；　out　of　your　own　good
hearts；　I'll　try　and　be　even　with　you。　　If　she　knows　nothing　of　it
by　the　tenth　of　March；　five　guineas　to　every　man　and　woman　in　this
kitchen。　　You　shall　see　that；　if　you　can　be　kind；　we　can　be
grateful。〃

He　then　hurried　away。　　He　found　Mr。　Lusignan　in　the　drawing…room；
and　told　him　all　this。　　Lusignan　was　fluttered；　but　grateful。　　〃Ah；
my　good　friend；〃　said　he；　〃this　is　a　hard　trial　to　two　old　men；
like　you　and　me。〃

〃It　is；〃　said　Philip。　　〃It　has　shown　me　my　age。　　I　declare　I　am
trembling；　I；　whose　nerves　were　iron。　　But　I　have　a　particular
contempt　for　servants。　　Mercenary　wretches！　　I　think　Heaven
inspired　me　to　talk　to　them。　　After　all；　who　knows？　perhaps　we
might　find　a　way　to　their　hearts；　if　we　did　not　eternally　shock
their　vanity；　and　forget　that　it　is；　and　must　be；　far　greater　than
our　own。　　The　women　gave　me　their　tears；　and　the　men　were　earnest。
Not　one　hand　lay　cold　in　mine。　　As　for　your　kitchen…maid；　I'd　trust
my　life　to　that　girl。　　What　a　grip　she　gave　me！　　What　strength！
What　fidelity　was　in　it！　　My　hand　was　never　GRASPED　before。　　I
think　we　are　safe　for　a　few　days　more。〃

Lusignan　sighed。　　〃What　does　it　all　come　to？　　We　are　pulling　the
trigger　gently；　that　is　all。〃

〃No；　no；　that　is　not　it。　　Don't　let　us　confound　the　matter　with
similes；　please。　　Keep　them　for　children。〃

Mrs。　Staines　left　her　bed；　and　would　have　left　her　room；　but　Dr。
Philip　forbade　it　strictly。

One　day；　seated　in　her　arm…chair；　she　said　to　the　nurse；　before　Dr。
Philip；　〃Nurse；　why　do　the　servants　look　so　curiously　at　me？〃

Mrs。　Briscoe　cast　a　hasty　glance　at　Dr。　Philip；　and　then　said；　〃I
don't　know；　madam。　　I　never　noticed　that。〃

〃Uncle；　why　did　nurse　look　at　you　before　she　answered　such　a　simple
question？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　What　question？〃

〃About　the　servants。〃

〃Oh；　about　the　servants！〃　said　he　contemptuously。

〃You　should　not　turn　up　your　nose　at　them；　for　they　are　all　most
kind　and　attentive。　　Only；　I　catch　them　looking　at　me　so　strangely；
reallyas　if　they〃

〃Rosa；　you　are　taking　me　quite　out　of　my　depth。　　The　looks　of
servant　girls！　　Why；　of　course　a　lady　in　your　condition　is　an
object　of　especial　interest　to　them。　　I　dare　say　they　are　saying　to
one　another；　'I　wonder　when　my　turn　will　come！'　　A　fellow…feeling
makes　us　wondrous　kindthat　is　a　proverb；　is　it　not？〃

〃To　be　sure。　　I　forgot　that。〃

She　said　no　more；　but　seemed　thoughtful；　and　not　quite　satisfied。

On　this　Dr。　Philip　begged　the　maids　to　go　near　her　as　little　as
possible。　　〃You　are　not　aware　of　it；〃　said　he；　〃but　your　looks；　and
your　manner　of　speaking；　rouse　her　attention；　and　she　is　quicker
than　I　thought　she　was；　and　observes　very　subtly。〃

This　was　done；　and　then　she　complained　that　nobody　came　near　her。
She　insisted　on　coming　down…stairs；　it　was　so　dull。

Dr。　Philip　consented；　if　she　would　be　content　to　receive　no　visits
for　a　week。

She　assented　to　that；　and　now　passed　some　hours　every　day　in　the
drawing…room。　　In　her　morning　wrappers；　so　fresh　and　crisp；　she
looked　lovely；　and　increased　in　health　and　strength　every　day。

Dr。　Philip　used　to　look　at　her；　and　his　very　flesh　would　creep　at
the　thought　that；　ere　long；　he　must　hurl　this　fair　creature　into
the　dust　of　affliction；　must；　with　a　word；　take　the　ruby　from　her
lips；　the　rose　from　her　cheeks；　the　sparkle　from　her　glorious　eyes
eyes　that　beamed　on　him　with　sweet　affection；　and　a　mouth　that
never　opened；　but　to　show　some　simplicity　of　mind；　or　some　pretty
burst　of　the　sensitive　heart。

He　put　off；　and　put　off；　and　at　last　cowardice　began　to　whisper；
〃Why　tell　her　the　whole　truth　at　all？　　Why　not　take　her　through
stages　of　doubt；　alarm；　and；　after　all；　leave　a　grain　of　hope　till
her　child　gets　so　rooted　in　her　heart　that〃　　But　conscience　and
good　sense　interrupted　this　temporary　thought；　and　made　him　see　to
what　a　horrible　life　of　suspense　he　should　condemn　a　human
creature；　and　live　a　perpetual　lie；　and　be　always　at　the　edge　of
some　pitfall　or　other。

One　day；　while　he　sat　looking　at　her；　with　all　these　thoughts；　and
many　more；　coursing　through　his　mind；　she　looked　up　at　him；　and
surprised　him。　　〃Ah！〃　said　she　gravely。

〃What　is　the　matter；　my　dear？〃

〃Oh；　nothing；〃　said　she　cunningly。

〃Uncle；　dear；〃　said　she　presently；　〃when　do　we　go　to　Herne　Bay？〃

Now；　Dr。　Philip　had　given　that　up。　　He　had　got　the　servants　at　Kent
Villa　on　his　side；　and　he　felt　safer　here　than　in　any　strange
place：　so　he　said；　〃I　don't　know：　that　all　depends。　　There　is
plenty　of　time。〃

〃No；　uncle；〃　said　Rosa　gravely。　　〃I　wish　to　leave　this　house。　　I
can　hardly　breathe　in　it。〃

〃What！　your　native　air？〃

〃Mystery　is　not　my　native　air；　and　this　house　is　full　of　mystery。
Voices　whisper　at　my　door；　and　the　people　don't　come　in。　　The　maids
cast　strange　looks　at　me；　and　hurry　away。　　I　scolded　that　pert　girl
Jane；　and　she　answered　me　as　meek　as　Moses。　　I　catch　you　looking　at
me；　with　love；　and　something　else。　　What　is　that　something？　　It
is　Pity：　that　is　what　it　is。　　Do　you　think；　because　I　am　called　a
simpleton；　that　I　have　no　eyes；　nor　ears；　nor　sense？　　What　is　this
secret　which　you　are　all　hiding　from　one　person；　and　that　is　me？
Ah！　Christopher　has　not　written　these　five　weeks。　　Tell　me　the
truth；　for　I　will　know　it；〃　and　she　started　up　in　wild　excitement。

Then　Dr。　Philip　saw　the　hour　was　come。

He　said；　〃My　poor　girl；　you　have　read　us　right。　　I　am　anxious　about
Christopher；　and　all　the　servants　know　it。〃

〃Anxious；　and　not　tell　ME；　his　wife；　the　woman　whose　life　is　bound
up　in　his。〃

〃Was　it　for　us　to　retard　your　convalescence；　an