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sad proof of his wife's love and suffering。
Rosa could bear no more。 She came out with her boy in her hand。
〃O uncle； do not speak harshly to him； or you will kill me quite！〃
She came across the room； a picture of timidity and penitence； with
her whole eloquent body bent forward at an angle。 She kneeled at
his knees； with streaming eyes； and held her boy up to him： 〃Plead
for your poor mother； my darling。 She mourns her fault； and will
never excuse it。〃
The cause was soon decided。 All Philip's logic was nothing；
compared with mighty nature。 Christopher gave one great sob； and
took his darling to his heart； without one word； and he and Rosa
clung together； and cried over each other。 Philip slipped out of
the room； and left the restored ones together。
I have something more to say about my hero and heroine； but must
first deal with other characters； not wholly uninteresting to the
reader； I hope。
Dr。 Staines directed Phoebe Falcon how to treat her husband。 No
medicine； no stimulants； very wholesome food； in moderation； and
the temperature of the body regulated by tepid water。 Under these
instructions； the injured but still devoted wife was the real
healer。 He pulled through； but was lame for life； and ridiculously
lame； for he went with a spring halt；a sort of hop…and…go…one
that made the girls laugh； and vexed Adonis。
Phoebe found the diamonds； and offered them all to Staines； in
expiation of his villany。 〃See；〃 she said； 〃he has only spent
one。〃
Staines said he was glad of it； for her sake； for he must be just
to his own family。 He sold them for three thousand two hundred
pounds； but for the big diamond he got twelve thousand pounds； and
I believe it was worth double the money。
Counting the two sums； and deducting six hundred for the stone Mr。
Falcon had embezzled； he gave her over seven thousand pounds。
She stared at him； and changed color at so large a sum。 〃But I
have no claim on that； sir。〃
〃That is a good joke；〃 said he。 〃Why； you and I are partners in
the whole thingyou and I and Dick。 Was it not with his horse and
rifle I bought the big diamond？ Poor dear； honest； manly Dick！
No； the money is honestly yours； Mrs。 Falcon； but don't trust a
penny to your husband。〃
〃He will never see it； sir。 I shall take him back； and give him
all his heart can ask for； with this； but he will be little more
than a servant in the house now； as long as Dick is single； I know
that；〃 and she could still cry at the humiliation of her villain。
Staines made her promise to write to him； and she did write him a
sweet； womanly letter； to say that they were making an enormous
fortune； and hoped to end their days in England。 Dick sent his
kind love and thanks。
I will add； what she only said by implication； that she was happy
after all。 She still contrived to love the thing she could not
respect。 Once； when an officious friend pitied her for her
husband's lameness； she said； 〃Find me a face like his。 The lamer
the better； he can't run after the girls； like SOME。〃
Dr。 Staines called on Lady Cicely Treherne； the footman stared。 He
left his card。
A week afterwards； she called on him。 She had a pink tinge in her
cheeks； a general animation； and her face full of brightness and
archness。
〃Bless me！〃 said he bluntly； 〃is this you？ How you are improved！〃
〃Yes；〃 said she； 〃and I am come to thank you for your pwescwiption：
I followed it to the lettaa。〃
〃Woe is me！ I have forgotten it。〃
〃You diwected me to mawwy a nice man。〃
〃Never： I hate a nice man。〃
〃No； noan Iwishman： and I have done it。〃
〃Good gracious！ you don't mean that！ I must be more cautious in my
prescriptions。 After all； it seems to agree。〃
〃Admiwably。〃
〃He loves you？〃
〃To distwaction。〃
〃He amuses you？〃
〃Pwodigiously。 Come and see。〃
Dr。 and Mrs。 Staines live with Uncle Philip。 The insurance money
is returned； but the diamond money makes them very easy。 Staines
follows his profession now under great advantages： a noble house；
rent free； the curiosity that attaches to a man who has been canted
out of a ship in mid…ocean； and lives to tell it； and then Lord
Tadcaster； married into another noble house； swears by him； and
talks of him； so does Lady Cicely Munster； late Treherne； and when
such friends as these are warm； it makes a physician the centre of
an important clientele； but his best friend of all is his
unflagging industry； and his truly wonderful diagnosis； which
resembles divination。 He has the ball at his feet； and above all；
that without which worldly success soon palls； a happy home； a
fireside warm with sympathy。
Mrs。 Staines is an admiring； sympathizing wife； and an admirable
housekeeper。 She still utters inadvertencies now and then； commits
new errors at odd times； but never repeats them when exposed。
Observing which docility； Uncle Philip has been heard to express a
fear that； in twenty years； she will be the wisest woman in
England。 〃But； thank heaven！〃 he adds； 〃I shall be gone before
that。〃
Her conduct and conversation afford this cynic constant food for
observation； and he has delivered himself oracularly at various
stages of the study： but I cannot say that his observations； taken
as a whole； present that consistency which entitles them to be
regarded as a body of philosophy。 Examples： In the second month
after Mrs。 Staines came to live with him； he delivered himself
thus： 〃My niece Rosa is an anomaly。 She gives you the impression
she is shallow。 Mind your eye： in one moment she will take you out
of your depth or any man's depth。 She is like those country
streams I used to fish for pike when I was young； you go along；
seeing the bottom everywhere； but presently you come to a corner；
and it is fifteen deep all in a moment； and souse you go over head
and ears： that's my niece Rosa。〃
In six months he had got to thisand； mind you； each successive
dogma was delivered in a loud； aggressive tone； and in sublime
oblivion of the preceding oracle〃My niece Rosa is the most artful
woman。 （You may haw！ haw！ haw！ as much as you like。 You have not
found out her little gameI have。） What is the aim of all women？
To be beloved by an unconscionable number of people。 Well； she
sets up for a simpleton； and so disarms all the brilliant people；
and they love her。 Everybody loves her。 Just you put her down in
a room with six clever women； and you will see who is the favorite。
She looks as shallow as a pond； and she is as deep as the ocean。〃
At the end of the year he threw off the mask altogether。 〃The
great sweetener of a man's life；〃 said he； 〃is 'a simpleton。' I
shall not go abroad any more； my house has become attractive： I've
got a simpleton。 When I have a headache； her eyes fill with tender
concern； and she hovers about me and pesters me with pillows： when
I am cross with her； she is afraid I am ill。 When I die； and leave
her a lot of money； she will howl for months； and say I don't want
his money： 'I waw…waw…waw…waw…want my Uncle Philip； to love me； and
scold me。' One day she told me； with a sigh； I hadn't lectured her
for a month。 'I am afraid I have offended you；' says