a simpleton-第12章
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!
perplexed; for lo! a teapot of some base material; but simple and
elegant in form; being an exact reproduction of a melon; and inside
this teapot a canvas bag containing ten guineas in silver; and a
wash…leather bag containing twenty guineas in gold; and a slip of
paper; which Rosa; being now half recovered from her stupefaction;
read out to her father and Dr。 Staines:
〃People that buy presents blindfold give duplicates and
triplicates; and men seldom choose to a woman's taste; so be
pleased to accept the enclosed tea…leaves; and buy for yourself。
The teapot you can put on the hob; for it is nickel。〃
Rosa looked sore puzzled again。 〃Papa;〃 said she; timidly; 〃have
we any friend that isa littlederanged?〃
〃A lot。〃
〃Oh; then; that accounts。〃
〃Why no; love;〃 said Christopher。 〃I have heard of much learning
making a man mad; but never of much good sense。〃
〃What! Do you call this sensible?〃
〃Don't you?〃
〃I'll read it again;〃 said Rosa。 〃WellyesI declareit is not
so mad as I thought; but it is very eccentric。〃
Lusignan suggested there was nothing so eccentric as common sense;
especially in time of wedding。 〃This;〃 said he; 〃comes from the
City。 It is a friend of mine; some old fox; he is throwing dust in
your eyes with his reasons; his real reason was that his time is
money; it would have cost the old rogue a hundred pounds' worth of
timeyou know the City; Christopherto go out and choose the girl
a present; so he has sent his clerk out with a check to buy a
pewter teapot; and fill it with specie。〃
〃Pewter!〃 cried Rosa。 〃No such thing! It's nickel。 What is
nickel; I wonder?〃
The handwriting afforded no clew; so there the discussion ended:
but it was a nice little mystery; and very convenient; made
conversation。 Rosa had many an animated discussion about it with
her female friends。
The wedding…day came at last。 The sun shoneACTUALLY; as Rosa
observed。 The carriages drove up。 The bridesmaids; principally
old schoolfellows and impassioned correspondents of Rosa; were
pretty; and dressed alike and delightfully; but the bride was
peerless; her Southern beauty literally shone in that white satin
dress and veil; and her head was regal with the Crown of orange…
blossoms。 Another crown she hadtrue virgin modesty。 A low
murmur burst from the men the moment they saw her; the old women
forgave her beauty on the spot; and the young women almost pardoned
it; she was so sweet and womanly; and so sisterly to her own sex。
When they started for the church she began to tremble; she scarce
knew why; and when the solemn words were said; and the ring was put
on her finger; she cried a little; and looked half imploringly at
her bridesmaids once; as if seared at leaving them for an untried
and mysterious life with no woman near。
They were married。 Then came the breakfast; that hour of
uneasiness and blushing to such a bride as this; but at last she
was released。 She sped up…stairs; thanking goodness it was over。
Down came her last box。 The bride followed in a plain travelling
dress; which her glorious eyes and brows and her rich glowing
cheeks seemed to illumine: she was handed into the carriage; the
bridegroom followed。 All the young guests clustered about the
door; armed with white shoesslippers are gone by。
They started; the ladies flung their white shoes right and left
with religious impartiality; except that not one of their missiles
went at the object。 The men; more skilful; sent a shower on to the
roof of the carriage; which is the lucky spot。 The bride kissed
her hand; and managed to put off crying; though it cost her a
struggle。 The party hurrahed; enthusiastic youths gathered fallen
shoes; and ran and hurled them again with cheerful yells; and away
went the happy pair; the bride leaning sweetly and confidingly with
both her white hands on the bridegroom's shoulder; while he dried
the tears that would run now at leaving home and parent forever;
and kissed her often; and encircled her with his strong arm; and
murmured comfort; and love; and pride; and joy; and sweet vows of
lifelong tenderness into her ears; that soon stole nearer his lips
to hear; and the fair cheek grew softly to his shoulder。
CHAPTER VI。
Dr。 Staines and Mrs。 Staines visited France; Switzerland; and the
Rhine; and passed a month of Elysium before they came to London to
face their real destiny and fight the battle of life。
And here; methinks; a reader of novels may perhaps cry out and say;
〃What manner of man is this; who marries his hero and heroine; and
then; instead of leaving them happy for life; and at rest from his
uneasy pen and all their other troubles; flows coolly on with their
adventures?〃
To this I can only reply that the old English novel is no rule to
me; and life is; and I respectfully propose an experiment。 Catch
eight old married people; four of each sex; and say unto them;
〃Sir;〃 or 〃Madam; did the more remarkable events of your life come
to you before marriage or after?〃 Most of them will say 〃after;〃
and let that be my excuse for treating the marriage of Christopher
Staines and Rosa Lusignan as merely one incident in their lives; an
incident which; so far from ending their story; led by degrees to
more striking events than any that occurred to them before they
were man and wife。
They returned; then; from their honey tour; and Staines; who was
methodical and kept a diary; made the following entry therein:
〃We have now a life of endurance; and self…denial; and economy;
before us; we have to rent a house; and furnish it; and live in it;
until professional income shall flow in and make all things easy:
and we have two thousand five hundred pounds left to do it with。〃
They came to a family hotel; and Dr。 Staines went out directly
after breakfast to look for a house。 Acting on a friend's advice;
he visited the streets and places north of Oxford Street; looking
for a good commodious house adapted to his business。 He found
three or four at fair rents; neither cheap nor dear; the district
being respectable and rather wealthy; but no longer fashionable。
He came home with his notes; and found Rosa beaming in a crisp
peignoir; and her lovely head its natural size and shape; high…bred
and elegant。 He sat down; and with her hand in his proceeded to
describe the houses to her; when a waiter threw open the door
〃Mrs。 John Cole。〃
〃Florence!〃 cried Rosa; starting up。
In flowed Florence: they both uttered a little squawk of delight;
and went at each other like two little tigresses; and kissed in
swift alternation with a singular ardor; drawing their crests back
like snakes; and then darting them forward and inflicting what; to
the male philosopher looking on; seemed hard kisses; violent
kisses; rather than the tender ones to be expected from two tender
creatures embracing each other。
〃Darling;〃 said Rosa; 〃I knew you would be the first。 Didn't I
tell you so; Christopher?My husbandmy darling Florry! Sit
down; love; and tell me everything; he has just been looking out
for a house。 Ah! you have got all that over long ago: she has been
married six months。 Florry; you are handsomer than ever; and what
a beautiful dress! Ah! London is the place。 Real Brussels; I
declare;〃 and she took hold of her friend's lace and gloated on it。
Christopher smiled good…naturedly; and said; 〃I dare say you ladies
have a good deal to say to each other。〃
〃Oceans;〃 said Rosa。
〃I will go and hunt houses again。〃
〃There's a good husband;〃 said Mrs。 Cole; as soon as the door
closed on him; 〃and such a fine man! Why; he must be six feet。
Mine is rather short。 But he is very good; refuses me nothing。 My
will is law。〃
〃That is all rightyou are so sensible; but I want governing a
little; and I like itactually。 Did the dressmaker find it;
dear?〃
〃Oh; no! I had it by me。 I bought it at Brussels on our wedding
tour: it is dearer there than in London。〃
She said this as if 〃dearer〃 and 〃better〃 were synonymous。
〃But about your house; Rosie dear?〃
〃Yes; darling; I'll tell you all about it。 I never saw a moire
this shade before。 I don't care for them in general; but this is
so distingue。〃
Florence rewarded her with a kiss。
〃The house;〃 said Rosa。 〃Oh; he has seen one in Portman Street;
and one in Gloucester Place。〃
〃Oh; that will never do;〃 cried Mrs。 Cole。 〃It is no use being a
physician in those out…of…the…way places。 He must be in Mayfair。〃
〃Must he?〃
〃Of course。 Besides; then my Johnnie can call him in when they are
just going to die。 Johnnie is a general prac。; and makes two
thousand a year; and he shall call your one in; but he must live in
Mayfair。 Why; Rosie; you would not be such a goose as to live in
those placesthey are quite gone by。〃
〃I shall do whatever you advise me; dear。 Oh; what a comfort to
have a dear friend: and six months married; and knows things。 How
richly it is trimmed! Why; it is nearly all trimmings。〃
〃That is the fashion。〃
〃Oh!〃
And after that big word there was no more to be said。
These two ladies in their conversation gravitated towards dress;
and fell flat on it every half…minute。 That great and elevating
topic held them by a silken cord; but it allowed them to flutter
upwards into other topics; and in those intervals; numerous though
brief; the lady who had been married six months found time to
instruct the matrimonial novice with great authority; and even a
shade of pomposity。 〃My dear; the way ladies and gentlemen get a
housein the first place; you don't go about yourself like that;
and you never go to the people themselves; or you are sure to be
taken in; but to a respectable house…agent。〃
〃Yes; dear; that must be the best way; one would think。〃
〃Of course it is; and you ask for a house in Mayfair; and he shows
you several; and recommends you the best; and sees you are not
cheated。〃
〃Thank you; love;〃 said Rosa; 〃now I know what to do; I'll not
forget a word。 And the train so beautifully shaped! Ah! it is
only in London or Paris they can make a dress flow behind like
that;〃 etc。; etc。
Dr。 Staines came back to dinner in good spirits; he had found a
house in Harewood Square; good entrance hall; where his gratuitous
patients might sit on benches; good dining…room where his superior
patients might wait; and good library; to be used as a consulting…
room。 Rent only eighty…five pounds per annum。
But Rosa told him that would never do; a physician must be in the
fashionable part of the town。
〃Eventually;〃 said Christopher; 〃but surely at first startingand
you know they say little boats should not go too far from shore。〃
Then Rosa repeated all her friend's arguments; and seemed so
unhappy at the idea of not living near her; that Staines; who had
not yet said the hard word 〃no〃 to her; gave in; consoling his
prudence with the reflection that; after all; Mr。 Cole could put
many a guinea in his way; for Mr。 Cole was middle…aged;though his
wife was young;and had really a very large practice。
So next day; the newly…wedded pair called on a house…agent in
Mayfair; and his son and partner went with them to several places。
The rents of houses equal to that in Harewood Squa