〃She　is　no　friend　of　mine。　　We　are　enemies　for　life。〃
  〃And　you　were　to　be　friends　till　death；〃　said　Staines；　with　a　sigh。
  Philip　inquired　who　she　was。
  〃Mrs。　John　Cole。〃
  〃Not　of　Curzon　Street？〃
  〃Yes。〃
  〃And　you　have　quarrelled　with　her？〃
  〃Yes。〃
  〃Well；　but　her　husband　is　a　general　practitioner。〃
  〃She　is　a　traitress。〃
  〃But　her　husband　could　put　a　good　deal　of　money　in　Christopher's
  way。〃
  〃I　can't　help　it。　　She　is　a　traitress。〃
  〃And　you　have　quarrelled　with　her　about　an　old　wardrobe。〃
  〃No；　for　her　disloyalty；　and　her　base　good…for…nothingness。　　Oh！
  oh！　oh！〃
  Uncle　Philip　got　up；　looking　sour。　　〃Good　afternoon；　Mrs。
  Christopher；〃　said　he；　very　dryly。
  Christopher　accompanied　him　to　the　foot　of　the　stairs。　　〃Well；
  Christopher；〃　said　he；　〃matrimony　is　a　blunder　at　the　best；　and　you
  have　not　done　the　thing　by　halves。　　You　have　married　a　simpleton。
  She　will　be　your　ruin。〃
  〃Uncle　Philip；　since　you　only　come　here　to　insult　us；　I　hope　in
  future　you　will　stay　at　home。〃
  〃Oh！　with　pleasure；　sir。　　Good…by！〃
  CHAPTER　VII。
  Christopher　Staines　came　back；　looking　pained　and　disturbed。
  〃There；〃　said　he；　〃I　feared　it　would　come　to　this。　　I　have
  quarrelled　with　Uncle　Philip。〃
  〃Oh！　how　could　you？〃
  〃He　affronted　me。〃
  〃What　about？〃
  〃Never　you　mind。　　Don't　let　us　say　anything　more　about　it；　darling。
  It　is　a　pity；　a　sad　pityhe　was　a　good　friend　of　mine　once。〃
  He　paused；　entered　what　had　passed　in　his　diary；　and　then　sat　down；
  with　a　gentle　expression　of　sadness　on　his　manly　features。　　Rosa
  hung　about　him；　soft　and　pitying；　till　it　cleared　away；　at　all
  events　for　the　time。
  Next　day　they　went　together　to　clear　the　goods　Rosa　had　purchased。
  Whilst　the　list　was　being　made　out　in　the　office；　in　came　the　fair…
  haired　boy；　with　a　ten…pound　note　in　his　very　hand。　　Rosa　caught
  sight　of　it；　and　turned　to　the　auctioneer；　with　a　sweet；　pitying
  face：
  〃Oh！　sir；　surely　you　will　not　take　all　that　money　from　him；　poor
  child；　for　a　rickety　old　chair。〃
  The　auctioneer　stared　with　amazement　at　her　simplicity；　and　said；
  〃What　would　the　vendors　say　to　me？〃
  She　looked　distressed；　and　said；　〃Well；　then；　really　we　ought　to
  raise　a　subscription；　poor　thing！〃
  〃Why；　ma'am；〃　said　the　auctioneer；　〃he　isn't　hurt：　the　article
  belonged　to　his　mother　and　her　sister；　the　brother…in…law　isn't　on
  good　terms；　so　he　demanded　a　public　sale。　　She　will　get　back　four
  pun　ten　out　of　it。〃　　Here　the　clerk　put　in　his　word。　　〃And　there's
  five　pounds　paid；　I　forgot　to　tell　you。〃
  〃Oh！　left　a　deposit；　did　he？〃
  〃No；　sir。　　But　the　laughing　hyena　gave　you　five　pounds　at　the　end
  of　the　sale。〃
  〃The　laughing　hyena；　Mr。　Jones？〃
  〃Oh！　beg　pardon；　that　is　what　we　call　him　in　the　room。　　He　has　got
  such　a　curious　laugh。〃
  〃Oh！　I　know　the　gent。　　He　is　a　retired　doctor。　　I　wish　he'd　laugh
  less　and　buy　more：　and　HE　gave　you　five　pounds　towards　the　young
  gentleman's　arm…chair！　　Well；　I　should　as　soon　have　expected　blood
  from　a　flint。　　You　have　got　five　pounds　to　pay；　sir：　so　now　the
  chair　will　cost　your　mamma　ten　shillings。　　Give　him　the　order　and
  the　change；　Mr。　Jones。〃
  Christopher　and　Rosa　talked　this　over　in　the　room　whilst　the　men
  were　looking　out　their　purchases。　　〃Come；〃　said　Rosa；　〃now　I
  forgive　him　sneering　at　me；　his　heart　is　not　really　hard；　you　see。〃
  Staines；　on　the　contrary；　was　very　angry。　　〃What！〃　he　cried；　pity　a
  boy　who　made　one　bad　bargain；　that；　after　all；　was　not　a　very　bad
  bargain；　and　he　had　no　kindness；　nor　even　common　humanity；　for　my
  beautiful　Rosa；　inexperienced　as　a　child；　and　buying　for　her
  husband；　like　a　good；　affectionate；　honest　creature；　amongst　a　lot
  of　sharpers　and　hard…hearted　cynicslike　himself。〃
  〃It　WAS　cruel　of　him；〃　said　Rosa；　altering　her　mind　in　a　moment；
  and　half　inclined　to　cry。
  This　made　Christopher　furious。　　〃The　ill…natured；　crotchety；　old
  the　fact　is；　he　is　a　misogynist。〃
  〃Oh；　the　wretch！〃　said　Rosa　warmly。　　〃And　what　is　that？〃
  〃A　woman…hater。〃
  〃Oh！　is　that　all？　　Why；　so　do　Iafter　that　Florence　Cole。　　Women
  are　mean；　heartless　things。　　Give　me　men；　they　are　loyal　and　true。〃
  〃All　of　them？〃　inquired　Christopher；　a　little　satirically。　　〃Read
  the　papers。〃
  〃Every　soul　of　them；〃　said　Mrs。　Staines；　passing　loftily　over　the
  proposed　test。　　〃That　is；　all　the　ones　I　care　about；　and　that　is　my
  own；　own　one。〃
  Disagreeable　creatures　to　have　about　onethese　simpletons！
  Mrs。　Staines　took　Christopher　to　shops　to　buy　the　remaining
  requisites：　and　in　three　days　more　the　house　was　furnished；　two
  female　servants　engaged；　and　the　couple　took　their　luggage　over　to
  the　Bijou。
  Rosa　was　excited　and　happy　at　the　novelty　of　possession　and
  authority；　and　that　close　sense　of　house　proprietorship　which
  belongs　to　woman。　　By　dinner…time　she　could　have　told　you　how　many
  shelves　there　were　in　every　cupboard；　and　knew　the　Bijou　by　heart
  in　a　way　that　Christopher　never　knew　it。　　All　this　ended；　as
  running　about　and　excitement　generally　does；　with　my　lady　being
  exhausted；　and　lax　with　fatigue。　　So　then　he　made　her　lie　down　on　a
  little　couch；　while　he　went　through　his　accounts。
  When　he　had　examined　all　the　bills　carefully　he　looked　very　grave；
  and　said；　〃Who　would　believe　this？　　We　began　with　three　thousand
  pounds。　　It　was　to　last　us　several　yearstill　I　got　a　good
  practice。　　Rosa；　there　is　only　fourteen　hundred　and　forty　pounds
  left。〃
  〃Oh；　impossible！〃　said　Rosa。　　〃Oh；　dear！　why　did　I　ever　enter　a
  saleroom？〃
  〃No；　no；　my　darling；　you　were　bitten　once　or　twice；　but　you　made
  some　good　bargains　too。　　Remember　there　was　four　hundred　pounds　set
  apart　for　my　life　policy。〃
  〃What　a　waste　of　money！〃
  〃Your　father　did　not　think　so。　　Then　the　lease；　the　premium；
  repairs　of　the　drains　that　would　have　poisoned　my　Rosa；　turning　the
  coach…house　into　a　dispensary；　painting；　papering；　and　furnishing；
  china；　and　linen；　and　everything　to　buy。　　We　must　look　at　this
  seriously。　　Only　fourteen　hundred　and　forty　pounds　left。　　A　slow
  profession。　　No　friends。　　I　have　quarrelled　with　Uncle　Philip：　you
  with　Mrs。　Cole；　and　her　husband　would　have　launched　me。〃
  〃And　it　was　to　please　her　we　settled　here。　　Oh；　I　could　kill　her：
  nasty　cat！〃
  〃Never　mind；　it　is　not　a　case　for　despondency；　but　it　is　for
  prudence。　　All　we　have　to　do　is　to　look　the　thing　in　the　face；　and
  be　very　economical　in　everything。　　I　had　better　give　you　an
  allowance　for　housekeeping；　and　I　earnestly　beg　you　to　buy　things
  yourself　whilst　you　are　a　poor　man's　wife；　and　pay　ready　money　for
  everything。　　My　mother　was　a　great　manager；　and　she　always　said；
  'There　is　but　one　way：　be　your　own　market…woman；　and　pay　on　the
  spot；　never　let　the　tradesmen　get　you　on　their　books；　or；　what　with
  false　weight；　double　charges；　and　the　things　your　servants　order
  that　never　enter　the　house；　you　lose　more　than　a　hundred　a　year　by
  cheating。'〃
  Rosa　yielded　a　languid　assent　to　this　part　of　his　discourse；　and　it
  hardly　seemed　to　enter　her　mind；　but　she　raised　no　objection；　and
  in　due　course　he　made　her　a　special　allowance　for　housekeeping。
  It　soon　transpired　that　medical　advice　was　to　be　had；　gratis；　at
  the　Bijou；　from　eight　till　ten：　and　there　was　generally　a　good
  attendance。　　But　a　week　passed；　and　not　one　patient　came　of　the
  class　this　couple　must　live　by。　　Christopher　set　this　down　to　what
  people　call　〃the　transition　period：〃　his　Kent　patients　had　lost
  him；　his　London　patients　not　found　him。　　He　wrote　to　all　his
  patients　in　the　country；　and　many　of　his　pupils　at　the　university；
  to　let　them　know　where　he　was　settled：　and　then　he　waited。
  Not　a　creature　came。
  Rosa　bore　this　very　well　for　a　time；　so　long　as　the　house　was　a
  novelty；　but　when　that　excitement　was　worn　out；　she　began　to　be
  very　dull；　and　used　to　come　and　entice　him　out　to　walk　with　her：　he
  would　look　wistfully　at　her；　but　object　that；　if　he　left　the　house；
  he　should　be　sure　to　lose　a　patient。
  〃Oh；　they　won't　come　any　more　for　our　staying　intiresome　things！〃
  said　Rosa。
  But　Christopher　would　kiss　her；　and　remain　firm。　　〃My　love；〃　said
  he；　〃you　do　not　realize　how　hard　a　fight　there　is　before　us。　　How
  should　you？　　You　are　very　young。　　No；　for　your　sake；　I　must　not
  throw　a　chance　away。　　Write　to　your　female　friends：　that　will　while
  away　an　hour　or　two。〃
  〃What；　after　that　Florence　Cole？〃
  〃Write　to　those　who　have　not　made　such　violent　professions。〃
  〃So　I　will；　dear。　　Especially　to　those　that　are　married　and　come　to
  London。　　Oh；　and　I'll　write　to　that　cold…blooded　thing；　Lady　Cicely
  Treherne。　　Why　do　you　shake　your　head？〃
  〃Did　I？　　I　was　not　aware。　　Well；　dear；　if　ladies　of　rank　were　to
  come　here；　I　fear　they　might　make　you　discontented　with　your　lot。〃
  〃All　the　women　on　earth　could　not　do　that。　　However；　the　chances
  are　she　will　not　come　near　me：　she　left　the　school　quite　a　big
  girl；　an　immense　girl；　when　I　was　only　twelve。　　She　used　to　smile
  at　my　capriccios；　and　once　she　kissed　meactually。　　She　was　an
  awful　Sawny；　though；　and　so　affected：　I　think　I　will　write　to　her。〃
  These　letters　brought　just　one　lady；　a　Mrs。　Turner；　who　talked　to
  Rosa　very　glibly　about　herself；　and　amused　Rosa　twice：　at　the　third
  visit；　Rosa　tried　to　change　the　conversation。　　Mrs。　Turner
  instant