poor　Reginald　could　never　resist　a　pretty　face；　and　she　is　so
  lovely；　and　you　should　have　seen　how　he　turned　when　she　came　in　to
  my　place。　　Oh；　sir；　there　has　been　more　between　them　than　you　know
  of；　and　when　I　think　that　he　will　have　been　in　England　so　many
  months　before　we　get　there；　oh；　doctor；　sometimes　I　feel　as　I
  should　go　mad；　my　head　it　is　like　a　furnace；　and　see；　my　brow　is
  all　wrinkled　again。〃
  Then　Staines　tried　to　comfort　her；　assured　her　she　was　tormenting
  herself　idly；　her　husband　would　perhaps　have　spent　some　of　the
  diamond　money　on　his　amusement；　but　what　if　he　had？　he　should
  deduct　it　out　of　the　big　diamond；　which　was　also　their　joint
  property；　and　the　loss　would　hardly　be　felt。　　〃As　to　my　wife；
  madam；　I　have　but　one　anxiety；　lest　he　should　go　blurting　it　out
  that　I　am　alive；　and　almost　kill　her　with　joy。〃
  〃He　will　not　do　that；　sir。　　He　is　no　fool。〃
  〃I　am　glad　of　it；　for　there　is　nothing　else　to　fear。〃
  〃Man；　I　tell　you　there　is　everything　to　fear。　　You　don't　know　him
  as　I　do；　nor　his　power　over　women。〃
  〃Mrs。　Falcon；　are　you　bent　on　affronting　me？〃
  〃No；　sir；　Heaven　forbid！〃
  〃Then　please　to　close　this　subject　forever。　　In　three　weeks　we
  shall　be　in　England。〃
  〃Ay；　but　he　has　been　there　six　months。〃
  He　bowed　stiffly　to　her；　went　to　his　cabin；　and　avoided　the　poor
  foolish　woman　as　much　as　he　could　without　seeming　too　unkind。
  CHAPTER　XXVI。
  Mrs。　Staines　made　one　or　two　movementsto　stop　Lord　Tadcaster
  with　her　hand；　that　expressive　feature　with　which；　at　such　times；　a
  sensitive　woman　can　do　all　but　speak。
  When　at　last　he　paused　for　her　reply；　she　said；　〃Me　marry　again！
  Oh！　for　shame！〃
  〃Mrs。　StainesRosayou　will　marry　again；　some　day。〃
  〃Never。　　Me　take　another　husband；　after　such　a　man　as　I　have　lost！
  I　should　be　a　monster。　　Oh；　Lord　Tadcaster；　you　have　been　so　kind
  to　me；　so　sympathizing。　　You　made　me　believe　you　loved　my
  Christopher；　too；　and　now　you　have　spoiled　all。　　It　is　too　cruel。〃
  〃Oh！　Mrs。　Staines；　do　you　think　me　capable　of　feigningdon't　you
  see　my　love　for　you　has　taken　you　by　surprise？　　But　how　could　I
  visit　youlook　on　youhear　youmingle　my　regrets　with　yours；
  yours　were　the　deepest；　of　course；　but　mine　were　honest。〃
  〃I　believe　it。〃　　And　she　gave　him　her　hand。　　He　held　it；　and　kissed
  it；　and　cried　over　it；　as　the　young　will；　and　implored　her；　on　his
  knees；　not　to　condemn　herself　to　life…long　widowhood；　and　him　to
  despair。
  Then　she　cried；　too；　but　she　was　firm；　and　by　degrees　she　made　him
  see　that　her　heart　was　inaccessible。
  Then　at　last　he　submitted　with　tearful　eyes；　but　a　valiant　heart。
  She　offered　friendship　timidly。
  But　he　was　too　much　of　a　man　to　fall　into　that　trap。　　〃No；〃　he
  said：　〃I　could　not；　I　could　not。　　Love　or　nothing。〃
  〃You　are　right；〃　said　she；　pityingly。　　〃Forgive　me。　　In　my
  selfishness　and　my　usual　folly；　I　did　not　see　this　coming　on；　or　I
  would　have　spared　you　this　mortification。〃
  〃Never　mind　that；〃　gulped　the　little　earl。　　〃I　shall　always　be
  proud　I　knew　you；　and　proud　I　loved　you；　and　offered　you　my　hand。〃
  Then　the　magnanimous　little　fellow　blessed　her；　and　left　her；　and
  discontinued　his　visits。
  Mr。　Lusignan　found　her　crying；　and　got　the　truth　out　of　her。　　He
  was　in　despair。　　He　remonstrated　kindly；　but　firmly。　　Truth　compels
  me　to　say　that　she　politely　ignored　him。　　He　observed　that
  phenomenon；　and　said；　〃Very　well　then；　I　shall　telegraph　for　Uncle
  Philip。〃
  〃Do；〃　said　the　rebel。　　〃He　is　always　welcome。〃
  Philip；　telegraphed；　came　down　that　evening；　likewise　his　little
  black　bag。　　He　found　them　in　the　drawing…room：　papa　with　the　Pall
  Mall　Gazette；　Rosa　seated；　sewing；　at　a　lamp。　　She　made　little
  Christie's　clothes　herself；fancy　that！
  Having　ascertained　that　the　little　boy　was　well；　Philip；　adroitly
  hiding　that　he　had　come　down　torn　with　anxiety　on　that　head；
  inquired　with　a　show　of　contemptuous　indifference；　whose　cat　was
  dead。
  〃Nobody's；〃　said　Lusignan　crossly。　　Then　he　turned　and　pointed　the
  Gazette　at　his　offspring。　　〃Do　you　see　that　young　lady　stitching
  there　so　demurely？〃
  Philip　carefully　wiped　and　then　put　on　his　spectacles。
  〃I　see　her；〃　said　he。　　〃She　does　look　a　little　too　innocent。　　None
  of　them　are　really　so　innocent　as　all　that。　　Has　she　been　swearing
  at　the　nurse；　and　boxing　her　ears？〃
  〃Worse　than　that。　　She　has　been　and　refused　the　Earl　of　Tadcaster。〃
  〃Refused　himwhat！　has　that　little　monkey　had　the　audacity？〃
  〃The　condescension；　you　mean。　　Yes。〃
  〃And　she　has　refused　him？〃
  〃And　twenty　thousand　a　year。〃
  〃What　immorality！〃
  〃Worse。　　What　absurdity！〃
  〃How　is　it　to　be　accounted　for？　　Is　it　the　old　story？　　'I　could
  never　love　him。'　　No；　that's　inadequate；　for　they　all　love　a　title
  and　twenty　thousand　a　year。〃
  Rosa　sewed　on　all　this　time　in　demure　and　absolute　silence。
  〃She　ignores　us；〃　said　Philip。　　〃It　is　intolerable。　　She　does　not
  appreciate　our　politeness　in　talking　at　her。　　Let　us　arraign　her
  before　our　sacred　tribunal；　and　have　her　into　court。　　Now；
  mistress；　the　Senate　of　Venice　is　assembled；　and　you　must　be
  pleased　to　tell　us　why　you　refused　a　title　and　twenty　thousand　a
  year；　with　a　small　but　symmetrical　earl　tacked　on。〃
  Rosa　laid　down　her　work；　and　said　quietly；　〃Uncle；　almost　the　last
  words　that　passed　between　me　and　my　Christopher；　we　promised　each
  other　solemnly　never　to　marry　again　till　death　should　us　part。　　You
  know　how　deep　my　sorrow　has　been　that　I　can　find　so　few　wishes　of
  my　lost　Christopher　to　obey。　　Well；　to…day　I　have　had　an
  opportunity　at　last。　　I　have　obeyed　my　own　lost　one；　it　has　cost　me
  a　tear　or　two；　but；　for　all　that；　it　has　given　me　one　little　gleam
  of　happiness。　　Ah；　foolish　woman；　that　obeys　too　late！〃
  And　with　this　the　tears　began　to　run。
  All　this　seemed　a　little　too　high…flown　to　Mr。　Lusignan。　　〃There；〃
  said　he；　〃see　on　what　a　straw　her　mind　turns。　　So；　but　for　that；
  you　would　have　done　the　right　thing；　and　married　the　earl？〃
  〃I　dare　say　I　shouldat　the　timeto　stop　his　crying。〃
  And　with　this　listless　remark　she　quietly　took　up　her　sewing　again。
  The　sagacious　Philip　looked　at　her　gravely。　　He　thought　to　himself
  how　piteous　it　was　to　see　so　young　and　lovely　a　creature；　that　had
  given　up　all　hope　of　happiness　for　herself。　　These　being　his　real
  thoughts；　he　expressed　himself　as　follows：　〃We　had　better　drop　this
  subject；　sir。　　This　young　lady　will　take　us　potent；　grave；　and
  reverend　seignors　out　of　our　depth；　if　we　don't　mind。〃
  But　the　moment　he　got　her　alone　he　kissed　her　paternally；　and　said；
  〃Rosa；　it　is　not　lost　on　me；　your　fidelity　to　the　dead。　　As　years
  roll　on；　and　your　deep　wound　first　closes；　then　skins；　then　heals〃
  〃Ah；　let　me　die　first〃
  〃Time　and　nature　will　absolve　you　from　that　vow；　but　bless　you　for
  thinking　this　can　never　be。　　Rosa；　your　folly　of　this　day　has　made
  you　my　heir；　so　never　let　money　tempt　you；　for　you　have　enough；　and
  will　have　more　than　enough　when　I　go。〃
  He　was　as　good　as　his　word；　altered　his　will　next　day；　and　made
  Rosa　his　residuary　legatee。　　When　he　had　done　this；　foreseeing　no
  fresh　occasion　for　his　services；　he　prepared　for　a　long　visit　to
  Italy。　　He　was　packing　up　his　things　to　go　there；　when　he　received
  a　line　from　Lady　Cicely　Treherne；　asking　him　to　call　on　her
  professionally。　　As　the　lady's　servant　brought　it；　he　sent　back　a
  line　to　say　he　no　longer　practised　medicine；　but　would　call　on　her
  as　a　friend　in　an　hour's　time。
  He　found　her　reclining；　the　picture　of　lassitude。　　〃How　good　of　you
  to　come；〃　she　drawled。
  〃What's　the　matter？〃　said　he　brusquely。
  〃I　wish　to　cawnsult　you　about　myself。　　I　think　if　anybody　can
  brighten　me　up；　it　is　you。　　I　feel　such　a　languawsuch　a　want　of
  spirit；　and　I　get　palaa；　and　that　is　not　desiwable。〃
  He　examined　her　tongue　and　the　white　of　her　eye；　and　told　her；　in
  his　blunt　way；　she　ate　and　drank　too　much。
  〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　said　she　stiffly。
  〃I　mean　too　often。　　Now；　let's　see。　　Cup　of　tea　in　bed；　of　a
  morning？〃
  〃Yaas。〃
  〃Dinner　at　two？〃
  〃We　call　it　luncheon。〃
  〃Are　you　a　ventriloquist？〃
  〃No。〃
  〃Then　it　is　only　your　lips　call　it　luncheon。　　Your　poor　stomach；
  could　it　speak；　would　call　it　dinner。　　Afternoon　tea？〃
  〃Yaas。〃
  〃At　seven…thirty　another　dinner。　　Tea　after　that。　　Your　afflicted
  stomach　gets　no　rest。　　You　eat　pastry？〃
  〃I　confess　it。〃
  〃And　sugar　in　a　dozen　forms？〃
  She　nodded。
  〃Well；　sugar　is　poison　to　your　temperament。　　Now　I'll　set　you　up；
  if　you　can　obey。　　Give　up　your　morning　dram。〃
  〃What　dwam？〃
  〃Tea　in　bed；　before　eating。　　Can't　you　see　that　is　a　dram？　　Animal
  food　twice　a　day。　　No　wine　but　a　little　claret　and　water；　no
  pastry；　no　sweets；　and　play　battledore　with　one　of　your　male
  subjects。〃
  〃Battledaw！　won't　a　lady　do　for　that？〃
  〃No：　you　would　get　talking；　and　not　play　ad　sudorem。〃
  〃Ad　sudawem！　what　is　that？〃
  〃In　earnest。〃
  〃And　will　sudawem　and　the　west　put　me　in　better　spiwits；　and　give
  me　a　tinge？〃
  〃It　will　incarnadine　the　lily；　and　make　you　the　happiest　young　lady
  in　England；　as　you　are　the　best。〃
  〃I　should　like　to　be　much　happier　than　I　am　good；　if　we　could
  manage　it　among　us。〃
  〃We　will　manage　it　AMONG　us；　for　if　the　diet　allowed　should　not
  make　you　boisterously　gay；　I