a simpleton-第51部分

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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　knitted　his
brows；　and　took　the　color　from　his　cheek；　but　it　ended　in　the
triumph　of　love　and　hate；　over　conscience　and　common　sense。　　His
Rosa　should　not　be　poor；　and　he　would　cheat　some　of　those
contemptible　creatures　called　men；　who　had　done　him　nothing　but
injustice；　and　at　last　had　sacrificed　his　life　like　a　rat's。

When　the　struggle　was　over；　and　the　fatal　resolution　taken；　then　he
became　calmer；　less　solitary；　and　more　sociable。

Phoebe；　who　was　secretly　watching　him　with　a　woman's　eye；　observed
this　change　in　him；　and；　with　benevolent　intentions；　invited　him
one　day　to　ride　round　the　farm　with　her。　　He　consented　readily。
She　showed　him　the　fields　devoted　to　maize　and　wheat；　and　then　the
sheepfolds。　　Tim's　sheep　were　apparently　deserted；　but　he　was
discovered　swinging　head　downwards　from　the　branch　of　a　camel…
thorn；　and　seeing　him；　it　did　strike　one　that　if　he　had　had　a　tail
he　would　have　been　swinging　by　that。　　Phoebe　called　to　him：　he
never　answered；　but　set　off　running　to　her；　and　landed　himself
under　her　nose　in　a　wheel　somersault。

〃I　hope　you　are　watching　them；　Tim；〃　said　his　mistress。

〃Iss；　missy；　always　washing　'em。〃

〃Why；　there's　one　straying　towards　the　wood　now。〃

〃He　not　go　far；〃　said　Tim　coolly。　　The　young　monkey　stole　off　a
little　way；　then　fell　flat；　and　uttered　the　cry　of　a　jackal；　with
startling　precision。　　Back　went　the　sheep　to　his　comrades　post
haste；　and　Tim　effected　a　somersault　and　a　chuckle。

〃You　are　a　clever　boy；〃　said　Phoebe。　　〃So　that　is　how　you　manage
them。〃

〃Dat　one　way；　missy；〃　said　Tim；　not　caring　to　reveal　all　his
resources　at　once。

Then　Phoebe　rode　on；　and　showed　Christopher　the　ostrich　pan。　　It
was　a　large　basin；　a　form　the　soil　often　takes　in　these　parts；　and
in　it　strutted　several　full…grown　ostriches　and　their　young；　bred
on　the　premises。　　There　was　a　little　dam　of　water；　and　plenty　of
food　about。　　They　were　herded　by　a　Kafir　infant　of　about　six；
black；　glossy；　fat；　and　clean；　being　in　the　water　six　times　a　day。

Sometimes　one　of　the　older　birds　would　show　an　inclination　to　stray
out　of　the　pan。　　Then　the　infant　rolled　after　her；　and　tapped　her
ankles　with　a　wand。　　She　instantly　came　back；　but　without　any　loss
of　dignity；　for　she　strutted　with　her　nose　in　the　air；　affecting
completely　to　ignore　the　inferior　little　animal；　that　was
nevertheless　controlling　her　movements。　　〃There's　a　farce；〃　said
Phoebe。　　〃But　you　would　not　believe　the　money　they　cost　me；　nor　the
money　they　bring　me　in。　　Grain　will　not　sell　here　for　a　quarter　its
value：　and　we　can't　afford　to　send　it　to　Cape　Town；　twenty　days　and
back；　but　finery；　that　sells　everywhere。　　I　gather　sixty　pounds　the
year　off　those　poor　fowls'　backsclear　profit。〃

She　showed　him　the　granary；　and　told　him　there　wasn't　such　another
in　Africa。　　This　farm　had　belonged　to　one　of　the　old　Dutch
settlers；　and　that　breed　had　been　going　down　this　many　a　year。
〃You　see；　sir；　Dick　and　I　being　English；　and　not　downright　in　want
of　money；　we　can't　bring　ourselves　to　sell　grain　to　the　middlemen
for　nothing；　so　we　store　it；　hoping　for　better　times；　that　maybe
will　never　come。　　Now　I'll　show　you　how　the　dam　is　made。〃

They　inspected　the　dam　all　round。　　〃This　is　our　best　friend　of
all；〃　said　she。　　〃Without　this　the　sun　would　turn　us　all　to
tinder；crops；　flowers；　beasts；　and　folk。〃

〃Oh；　indeed；〃　said　Staines。　　〃Then　it　is　a　pity　you　have　not　built
it　more　scientifically。　　I　must　have　a　look　at　this。〃

〃Ay　do；　sir；　and　advise　us　if　you　see　anything　wrong。　　But　hark！　it
is　milking　time。　　Come　and　see　that。〃　　So　she　led　the　way　to　some
sheds；　and　there　they　found　several　cows　being　milked；　each　by　a
little　calf　and　a　little　Hottentot　at　the　same　time；　and　both
fighting　and　jostling　each　other　for　the　udder。　　Now　and　then　a
young　cow；　unused　to　incongruous　twins；　would　kick　impatiently　at
both　animals　and　scatter　them。

〃That　is　their　way；〃　said　Phoebe：　〃they　have　got　it　into　their
silly　Hottentot　heads　as　kye　won't　yield　their　milk　if　the　calf　is
taken　away；　and　it　is　no　use　arguing　with　'em；　they　will　have　their
own　way；　but　they　are　very　trusty　and　honest；　poor　things。　　We　soon
found　that　out。　　When　we　came　here　first　it　was　in　a　hired　wagon；
and　Hottentot　drivers：　so　when　we　came　to　settle　I　made　ready　for　a
bit　of　a　wrangle。　　But　my　maid　Sophy；　that　is　nurse　now；　and　a
great　despiser　of　heathens；　she　says；　'Don't　you　trouble；　them
nasty　ignorant　blacks　never　charges　more　than　their　due。'　　'I
forgive　'em；'　says　I；　'I　wish　all　white　folk　was　as　nice。'
However；　I　did　give　them　a　trifle　over；　for　luck：　and　then　they　got
together　and　chattered　something　near　the　door；　hand　in　hand。　　'La；
Sophy；'　says　I；　'what　is　up　now？'　　Says　she；　'They　are　blessing　of
us。　　Things　is　come　to　a　pretty　pass；　for　ignorant　Muslinmen
heathen　to　be　blessing　Christian　folk。'　　'Well；'　says　I；　'it　won't
hurt　us　any。'　　'I　don't　know；'　says　she。　　'I　don't　want　the　devil
prayed　over　me。'　　So　she　cocked　that　long　nose　of　hers　and　followed
it　in　a　doors。〃

By　this　time　they　were　near　the　house；　and　Phoebe　was　obliged　to
come　to　her　postscript；　for　the　sake　of　which；　believe　me；　she　had
uttered　every　syllable　of　this　varied　chat。　　〃Well；　sir；〃　said　she；
affecting　to　proceed　without　any　considerable　change　of　topic；　〃and
how　do　you　find　yourself？　　Have　you　discovered　the　past？〃

〃I　have；　madam。　　I　remember　every　leading　incident　of　my　life。〃

〃And　has　it　made　you　happier？〃　said　Phoebe　softly。

〃No；〃　said　Christopher　gravely。　　〃Memory　has　brought　me　misery。〃

〃I　feared　as　much；　for　you　have　lost　your　fine　color；　and　your　eyes
are　hollow；　and　lines　on　your　poor　brow　that　were　not　there　before。
Are　you　not　sorry　you　have　discovered　the　past？〃

〃No；　Mrs。　Falcon。　　Give　me　the　sovereign　gift　of　reason；　with　all
the　torture　it　can　inflict。　　I　thank　God　for　returning　memory；　even
with　the　misery　it　brings。〃

Phoebe　was　silent　a　long　time：　then　she　said　in　a　low；　gentle
voice；　and　with　the　indirectness　of　a　truly　feminine　nature；