a simpleton-第70部分

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！


goal；　for　he　felt　sure　that　all　Rosa's　struggles　would；　sooner　or
later；　succumb　to　her　sense　of　gratitude　and　his　strong　will　and
patient　temper。　　But　when　the　victory　was　won；　what　a　life！　　He
must　fly　with　her　to　some　foreign　country；　pursued　from　pillar　to
post　by　an　enraged　husband；　and　by　the　offended　law。　　And　if　he
escaped　the　vindictive　foe　a　year　or　two；　how　could　he　escape　that
other　enemy　he　knew；　and　dreadedpoverty？　　He　foresaw　he　should
come　to　hate　the　woman　he　was　about　to　wrong；　and　she　would
instantly　revenge　herself；　by　making　him　an　exile　and；　soon　or
late；　a　prisoner；　or　a　pauper。

While　these　misgivings　battled　with　his　base　but　ardent　passion；
strange　things　were　going　on　out　of　doorsbut　they　will　be　best
related　in　another　sequence　of　events；　to　which　indeed　they　fairly
belong。


CHAPTER　XXIX。


Staines　and　Mrs。　Falcon　landed　at　Plymouth；　and　went　up　to　town　by
the　same　train。　　They　parted　in　London；　Staines　to　go　down　to
Gravesend；　Mrs。　Falcon　to　visit　her　husband's　old　haunts；　and　see
if　she　could　find　him。

She　did　not　find　him；　but　she　heard　of　him；　and　learned　that　he
always　went　down　to　Gravesend　from　Saturday　till　Monday。

Notwithstanding　all　she　had　said　to　Staines；　the　actual　information
startled　her；　and　gave　her　a　turn。　　She　was　obliged　to　sit　down；
for　her　knees　seemed　to　give　way。　　It　was　but　a　momentary　weakness。
She　was　now　a　wife　and　a　mother；　and　had　her　rights。　　She　said　to
herself；　〃My　rogue　has　turned　that　poor　woman's　head　long　before
this；　no　doubt。　　But　I　shall　go　down　and　just　bring　him　away　by　the
ear。〃

For　once　her　bitter　indignation　overpowered　every　other　sentiment；
and　she　lost　no　time；　but　late　as　it　was　went　down　to　Gravesend；
ordered　a　private　sitting…room　and　bedroom　for　the　night；　and　took
a　fly　to　Kent　Villa。

But　Christopher　Staines　had　the　start　of　her。　　He　had　already　gone
down　to　Gravesend　with　his　carpet…bag；　left　it　at　the　inn；　and
walked　to　Kent　Villa　that　lovely　summer　night；　the　happiest　husband
in　England。

His　heart　had　never　for　one　instant　been　disturbed　by　Mrs。　Falcon's
monstrous　suspicion；　he　looked　on　her　as　a　monomaniac；　a　sensible
woman　insane　on　one　point；　her　husband。

When　he　reached　the　villa；　however；　he　thought　it　prudent　to　make
sure　that　Falcon　had　come　to　England　at　all；　and　discharged　his
commission。　　He　would　not　run　the　risk；　small　as　he　thought　it；　of
pouncing　unexpected　on　his　Rosa；　being　taken　for　a　ghost；　and
terrifying　her；　or　exciting　her　to　madness。

Now　the　premises　of　Kent　Villa　were　admirably　adapted　to　what　they
call　in　war　a　reconnaissance。　　The　lawn　was　studded　with
laurestinas　and　other　shrubs　that　had　grown　magnificently　in　that
Kentish　air。

Staines　had　no　sooner　set　his　foot　on　the　lawn；　than　he　heard
voices；　he　crept　towards　them　from　bush　to　bush；　and　standing　in
impenetrable　shade；　he　saw　in　the　clear　moonlight　two　figures
Mr。　Lusignan　and　Reginald　Falcon。

These　two　dropped　out　only　a　word　or　two　at　intervals；　but　what
they　did　say　struck　Staines　as　odd。　　For　one　thing；　Lusignan
remarked；　〃I　suppose　you　will　want　to　go　back　to　the　Cape。　　Such
enormous　estates　as　yours　will　want　looking　after。〃

〃Enormous　estates！〃　said　Staines　to　himself。　　〃Then　they　must　have
grown　very　fast　in　a　few　months。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Falcon；　〃but　I　think　of　showing　her　a　little　of
Europe　first。〃

Staines　thought　this　still　more　mysterious；　he　waited　to　hear　more；
but　the　succeeding　remarks　were　of　an　ordinary　kind。

He　noticed；　however；　that　Falcon　spoke　of　his　wife　by　her　Christian
name；　and　that　neither　party　mentioned　Christopher　Staines。　　He
seemed　quite　out　of　their　little　world。

He　began　to　feel　a　strange　chill　creep　down　him。

Presently　Falcon　went　off　to　join　Rosa；　and　Staines　thought　it　was
quite　time　to　ask　the　old　gentleman　whether　Falcon　had　executed　his
commission；　or　not。

He　was　only　hesitating　how　to　do　it；　not　liking　to　pounce　in　the
dark　on　a　man　who　abhorred　everything　like　excitement；　when　Rosa
herself　came　flying　out　in　great　agitation。

Oh！　the　thrill　he　felt　at　the　sight　of　her！　　With　all　his　self…
possession；　he　would　have　sprung　forward　and　taken　her　in　his　arms
with　a　mighty　cry　of　love；　if　she　had　not　immediately　spoken　words
that　rooted　him　to　the　spot　with　horror。　　But　she　came　with　the
words　in　her　very　mouth；　〃Papa；　I　am　come　to　tell　you　I　cannot；　and
will　not；　marry　Mr。　Falcon。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　you　will；　my　dear。〃

〃Never！　　I'll　die　sooner。　　Not　that　you　will　care　for　that。　　I　tell
you　I　saw　my　Christopher　last　nightin　a　dream。　　He　had　a　beard；
but　I　saw　him；　oh；　so　plain；　and　he　said；　'Is　this　the　way　you　keep
your　promise？'　　That　is　enough　for　me。　　I　have　prayed；　again　and
again；　to　his　star；　for　light。　　I　am　so　perplexed　and　harassed　by
you　all；　and　you　make　me　believe　what　you　like。　　Well；　I　have　had　a
revelation。　　It　is　not　my　poor　lost　darling's　wish　I　should　wed
again。　　I　don't　believe　Mr。　Falcon　any　more。　　I　hear　nothing　but
lies　by　day。　　The　truth　comes　to　my　bedside　at　night。　　I　will　not
marry　this　man。〃

〃Consider；　Rosa；　your　credit　is　pledged。　　You　must　not　be　always
jilting　him　heartlessly。　　Dreams！　nonsense。　　ThereI　love　peace。
It　is　no　use　your　storming　at　me；　rave　to　the　moon　and　the　stars；
if　you　like；　and　when　you　have　done；　do　pray　come　in；　and　behave
like　a　rational　woman；　who　has　pledged　her　faith　to　an　honorable
man；　and　a　man　of　vast　estatesa　man　that　nursed　your　husband　in
his　last　illness；　found　your　child；　at　a　great　expense；　when　you
had　lost　him；　and　merits　eternal　gratitude；　not　eternal　jilting。　　I
have　no　patience　with　you。〃

The　old　gentleman　retired　in　high　dudgeon。

Staines　stood　in　the　black　shade　of　his　cedar…tree；　rooted　to　the
ground　by　this　revelation　of　male　villany　and　female　credulity。

He　did　not　know　what　on　earth　to　do。　　He　wanted　to　kill　Falcon；　but
not　to　terrify　his　own　wife　to　death。　　It　was　now　too　clear　she
thought　he　was　dead。

Rosa　watched　her　father's　retiring　figure　out　of　sight。　　〃Very
well；〃　said　she；　clenching　her　teeth；　then　suddenly　she　turned；　and
looked　up　to　heaven。　　〃Do　you　hear？〃　said　she；　〃my　Christie's　star？
I　am　a　poor　perplexed　creature。　　I　asked　you　for　a　sign；　and　that
very　night　I　saw　him　in　a　dream。　　Why　should　I　marry　out　of
gratitude？　　Why　should　I　marry　one　man；　when　I　love　another？　　What
does　it　matter　his　being　dead？　　I　love　him　too　well　to　be　wife　to
any　living　man。　　They　persuade　me；　they　coax　me；　they　pull　me；　they
push　me。　　I　see　they　will　make　me。　　But　I　will　outwit　them。　　See
see！〃　and　she　held　up　a　little　phial　in　the　moonlight。　　〃This　shall
cut　the　knot　for　me；　this　shall　keep　me　true　to　my　Christie；　and
save　me　from　breaking　promises　I　ought　never　to　have　made。　　This
shall　unite　me　once　more　with　him　I　killed；　and　loved。〃

She　meant　she　would　kill　herself　the　night　before　the　wedding；
which　perhaps　she　would　not；　and　perhaps　she　would。　　Who　can　tell？
The　weak　are　violent。　　But　Christopher；　seeing　the　poison　so　near
her　lips；　was　perplexed；　took　two　strides；　wrenched　it　out　of　her
hand；　with　a　snarl　of　rage；　and　instantly　plunged　into　the　shade
again。

Rosa　uttered　a　shriek；　and　flew　into　the　house。

The　farther　she　got；　the　more　terrified　she　became；　and　soon
Christopher　heard　her　screaming　in　the　drawing…room　in　an　alarming
way。　　They　were　like　the　screams　of　the　insane。

He　got　terribly　anxious；　and　followed　her。　　All　the　doors　were
open。

As　he　went　up…stairs；　he　heard　her　cry；　〃His　ghost！　his　ghost！　　I
have　seen　his　ghost！　　No；　no。　　I　feel　his　hand　upon　my　arm　now。　　A
beard！　and　so　he　had　in　the　dream！　　He　is　alive。　　My　darling　is
alive。　　You　have　deceived　me。　　You　are　an　impostora　villain。　　Out
of　the　house　this　moment；　or　he　shall　kill　you。〃

〃Are　you　mad？〃　cried　Falcon。　　〃How　can　he　be　alive；　when　I　saw　him
dead？〃

This　was　too　much。　　Staines　gave　the　door　a　blow　with　his　arm；　and
strode　into　the　apartment；　looking　white　and　tremendous。

Falcon　saw　death　in　his　face；　gave　a　shriek；　drew　his　revolver；　and
fired　at　him　with　as　little　aim　as　he　had　at　the　lioness；　then　made
for　the　open　window。　　Staines　seized　a　chair；　followed　him；　and
hurled　it　at　him；　and　the　chair　and　the　man　went　through　the　window
together；　and　then　there　was　a　strange　thud　heard　outside。

Rosa　gave　a　loud　scream；　and　swooned　away。

Staines　laid　his　wife　flat　on　the　floor；　got　the　women　about　her；
and　at　last　she　began　to　give　the　usual　signs　of　returning　life。

Staines　said　to　the　oldest　woman　there；　〃If　she　sees　me；　she　will
go　off　again。　　Carry　her　to　her　room；　and　tell　her；　by　degrees；
that　I　am　alive。〃

All　this　time　Papa　Lusignan　had　sat　trembling　and　whimpering　in　a
chair；　moaning；　〃This　is　a　painful　scenevery　painful。〃　　But　at
last　an　idea　struck　him〃WHY；　YOU　HAVE　ROBBED　THE　OFFICE！〃

Scarcely　was　Mrs。　Staines　out　of　the　room；　when　a　fly　drove　up；　and
this　was　immediately　followed　by　violent　and　continuous　screaming
close　under　the　window。

〃Oh；　dear！〃　sighed　Papa　Lusignan。

They　ran　down；　and　found　Falcon　impaled　at　full　length　on　the
spikes　of　the　villa；　and　Phoebe　screaming　over　him；　and　trying　in
vain　to　lift　him　off　them。　　He　had　struggled　a　little；　in　silent
terror；　but　had　then　fainted　from　fear　and　loss　of　blood；　and　lying
rather　inside　the　rails；　which　were　high；　he　could　not　be
extricated　from　the　outside。

As　soon　as　his　miserable　condition　was　discovered；　the　servants　ran
down　into　the　kitchen；　and　so　up　to　the　rails　by　the　area　steps。
These　rails　had　caught　him；　one　had　gone　clean　through　his　arm；　the
other　had　penetrated　the　fleshy　part　of　the　thigh；　and　a　third
pierced　his　ear。

They　got　him　off；　but　he　was　insensible；　and　the　place　drenched
with　his　blood。

Phoebe　clutched　Staines　by　the　arm。　　〃Let　me　know　the　worst；〃　said
she。　　〃Is　he　dead？〃

Staines　examined　him；　and　said　〃No。〃

〃Can　you　save　him？〃

〃I？〃

〃Yes。　　Who　can；　if　you　cannot？　　Oh；　have　mercy　on　me！〃　and　she　went
on　her　knees　to　him；　and　put　her　forehead　on　his　knees。

He　was　touched　by　her　simple　faith；　and　the　noble　traditions　of　his
profession　sided　with　his　gratitude　to　this　injured　woman。　　〃My
poor　friend；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　do　my　best；　for　YOUR　sake。〃