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poor friend；〃 said he； 〃I will do my best； for YOUR sake。〃
He took immediate steps for stanching the blood； and the fly
carried Phoebe and her villain to the inn at Gravesend。
Falcon came to on the road； but finding himself alone with Phoebe；
shammed unconsciousness of everything but pain。
Staines； being thoroughly enraged with Rosa； yet remembering his
solemn vow never to abuse her again； saw her father； and told him
to tell her he should think over her conduct quietly； not wishing
to be harder upon her than she deserved。
Rosa； who had been screaming； and crying for joy； ever since she
came to her senses； was not so much afflicted at this message as
one might have expected。 He was alive； and all things else were
trifles。
Nevertheless； when day after day went by； and not even a line from
Christopher； she began to fear he would cast her off entirely； the
more so as she heard he was now and then at Gravesend to visit Mrs。
Falcon at the inn。
While matters were thus； Uncle Philip burst on her like a bomb。
〃He is alive！ he is alive！ he is alive！〃 And they had a cuddle
over it。
〃Oh； Uncle Philip！ Have you seen him？〃
〃Seen him？ Yes。 He caught me on the hop； just as I came in from
Italy。 I took him for a ghost。〃
〃Oh； weren't you frightened？〃
〃Not a bit。 I don't mind ghosts。 I'd have half a dozen to dinner
every day； if I might choose 'em。 I couldn't stand stupid ones。
But I say； his temper isn't improved by all this dying： he is in an
awful rage with you； and what for？〃
〃O uncle！ what for？ Because I'm the vilest of women！〃
〃Vilest of fiddlesticks！ It's his fault； not yours。 Shouldn't
have died。 It's always a dangerous experiment。〃
〃I shall die if he will not forgive me。 He keeps away from me and
from his child。〃
〃I'll tell you。 He heard； in Gravesend； your banns had been cried：
that has moved the peevish fellow's bile。〃
〃It was done without my consent。 Papa will tell you so； and； O
uncle； if you knew the arts； the forged letter in my darling's
hand； the way he wrought on me！ O villain！ villain！ Uncle；
forgive your poor silly niece； that the world is too wicked and too
clever for her to live in。〃
〃Because you are too good and innocent；〃 said Uncle Philip。
〃There； don't you be down…hearted。 I'll soon bring you two
together againa couple of ninnies。 I'll tell you what is the
first thing： you must come and live with me。 Come at once； bag and
baggage。 He won't show here； the sulky brute。〃
Philip Staines had a large house in Cavendish Square； a crusty old
patient； like himself； had left him。 It was his humor to live in a
corner of this mansion； though the whole was capitally furnished by
his judicious purchases at auctions。
He gave Rosa and her boy and his nurse the entire first floor； and
told her she was there for life。 〃Look here；〃 said he； 〃this last
affair has opened my eyes。 Such women as you are the sweeteners of
existence。 You leave my roof no more。 Your husband will make the
same discovery。 Let him run about； and be miserable a bit。 He
will have to come to book。〃
She shook her head sadly。
〃My Christopher will never say a harsh word to me。 All the worse
for me。 He will quietly abandon a creature so inferior to him。〃
〃Stuff！〃
Now； she was always running to the window； in hope that Christopher
would call on his uncle； and that she might see him； and one day
she gave a scream so eloquent； Philip knew what it meant。 〃Get you
behind that screen； you and your boy；〃 said he； 〃and be as still as
mice。 Stop！ give me that letter the scoundrel forged； and the
ring。〃
This was hardly done； and Rosa out of sight； and trembling from
head to foot； when Christopher was announced。 Philip received him
very affectionately； but wasted no time。
〃Been to Kent Villa yet？〃
〃No；〃 was the grim reply。
〃Why not？〃
〃Because I have sworn never to say an angry word to her again； and；
if I was to go there； I should say a good many angry ones。 Oh；
when I think that her folly drove me to sea； to do my best for her；
and that I was nearer death for that woman than ever man was； and
lost my reason for her； and went through toil and privations；
hunger； exile； mainly for her； and then to find the banns cried in
open church； with that scoundrel！say no more； uncle。 I shall
never reproach her； and never forgive her。〃
〃She was deceived。〃
〃I don't doubt that； but nobody has a right to be so great a fool
as all that。〃
〃It was not her folly； but her innocence； that was imposed on。 You
a philosopher； and not know that wisdom itself is sometimes imposed
on； and deceived by cunning folly！ Have you forgotten your
Milton？
〃'At Wisdom's gate； Suspicion sleeps；
And deems no ill where no ill seems。'
Come； come！ are you sure you are not a little to blame？ Did you
write home the moment you found you were not dead？〃
Christopher colored high。
〃Evidently not；〃 said the keen old man。 〃Ah； my fine fellow！ have
I found the flaw in your own armor？〃
〃I did wrong； but it was for her。 I sinned for her。 I could not
bear her to be without money； and I knew the insuranceI sinned
for her。 She has sinned AGAINST me。〃
〃And she had much better have sinned against God； hadn't she？ He
is more forgiving than we perfect creatures that cheat insurance
companies。 And so； my fine fellow； you hid the truth from her for
two or three months。〃
No answer。
〃Strike off those two or three months； would the banns have ever
been cried？〃
〃Well； uncle；〃 said Christopher； hard pressed； 〃I am glad she has
got a champion； and I hope you will always keep your eye on her。〃
〃I mean to。〃
〃Good…morning。〃
〃No； don't be in a hurry。 I have something else to say； not so
provoking。 Do you know the arts by which she was made to believe
you wished her to marry again？〃
〃I wished her to marry again！ Are you mad； uncle？〃
〃Whose handwriting is on this envelope？〃
〃Mine； to be sure。〃
〃Now； read the letter。〃
Christopher read the forged letter。
〃Oh； monstrous！〃
〃This was given her with your ruby ring； and a tale so artful that
nothing we read about the devil comes near it。 This was what did
it。 The Earl of Tadcaster brought her title； and wealth； and
love。〃
〃What； he too！ The little cub I saved； and lost myself forblank
him！ blank him！〃
〃Why； you stupid ninny！ you forget you were dead； and he could not
help loving her。 How could he？ Well； but you see she refused him。
And why？ because he came without a forged letter from YOU。 Do you
doubt her love for you？〃
〃Of course I do。 She never loved me as I loved her。〃
〃Christopher； don't you say that before me； or you and I shall
quarrel。 Poor girl！ she lay； in my sight； as near death for you as
you were for her。 I'll show you something。〃
He went to a cabinet； and took out a silver paper； he unpinned it；
and laid Rosa's beautiful black hair upon her husband's knees。
〃Look at that； you hard…hearted brute！〃 he roared to Christopher；
who sat； anything but hard…hearted； his eyes filling fast； at the
sad proof of his wife's love and suffering。
Rosa could bear no more。 She came out with her boy in her ha