下载辰思小说免费APP
CHAPTERXXIV。
Therecameareaction，andPhoebewasprostratedwithgriefandalarm。HerbrotherneverdoubtednowthatReginaldhadruntoCapeTownforalark。ButPhoebe，thoughshethoughtsotoo，couldnotbesure；andsothedoubleagonyofbereavementanddesertiontorturedherbyturns，andalmosttogether。Forthefirsttimethesemanyyears，shewassocrushedshecouldnotgoaboutherbusiness，butlayonalittlesofainherownroom，andhadtheblindsdown，forherheadachedsoshecouldnotbearthelight。
SheconceivedabitterresentmentagainstStaines；andtoldDicknevertolethimintohersight，ifhedidnotwanttobeherdeath。
InvainDickmadeexcusesforhim:shewouldhearnone。Foronceshewasasunreasonableasanyotherlivingwoman:shecouldseenothingbutthatshehadbeenhappy，afteryearsofmisery，andshouldbehappynowifthismanhadneverenteredherhouse。"Ah，Collie!"shecried，"youwerewiserthanIwas。Youasgoodastoldmehewouldmakemesmartforlodgingandcuringhim。AndI
wasSOhappy!"
DalecommunicatedthisasdelicatelyashecouldtoStaines。
Christopherwasdeeplygrievedandwounded。Hethoughtitunjust，butheknewitwasnatural:hesaid，humbly，"Ifeelguiltymyself，Mr。Dale；andyet，unlessIhadpossessedomniscience，whatcouldI
do?Ithoughtofherinall——poorthing!poorthing!"
Thetearswereinhiseyes，andDickDalewentawayscratchinghisheadandthinkingitover。Themorehethought，thelesshewasinclinedtocondemnhim。
Staineshimselfwasmuchtroubledinmind，andlivedonthorns。HewantedtobeofftoEngland；grudgedeveryday，everyhour，hespentinAfrica。ButMrs。Falconwashisbenefactress；hehadbeen，formonthsandmonths，garneringupaheapofgratitudetowardsher。Hehadnotthehearttoleaveherbadfriends，andinmisery。HekepthopingFalconwouldreturn，orwrite。
Twodaysafterhisreturn，hewasseated，disconsolate，gluinggarnetsandcarbunclesontoabroadtaperingbitoflambskin，whenUcatellacametohimandsaid，"Mydoctorchildsick?"
"No，notsick:butmiserable。"Andheexplainedtoher，aswellashecould，whathadpassed。"But，"saidhe，"Iwouldnotmindthelossofthediamondsnow，ifIwasonlysurehewasalive。Ithinkmostofpoor，poorMrs。Falcon。"
WhileUcatellaponderedthis，butwithoneeyeofdemurecuriosityonthecoronethewasmaking，hetoldheritwasforher——hehadnotforgotheratthemines。
"Thesestones，"saidhe，"arenotvaluedthere；butseehowglorioustheyare!"
Inafewminuteshehadfinishedthecoronet，andgaveither。Sheutteredachuckleofdelight，andwithinstinctiveart，boundit，inaturnofherhand，aboutherbrow；andthenStaineshimselfwasstruckdumbwithamazement。Thecarbunclesgatheredfromthosemineslooklikerubies，sofulloffirearethey，andofenormoussize。Thechaplethadtwelvegreatcarbunclesinthecentre，andwentoffbygradationsintosmallergarnetsbythethousand。Theyflashedtheirblood-redflamesintheAfricansun，andtheheadofUcatella，grandbefore，becametheheadoftheSphinx，encircledwithacoronetoffire。ShebestowedalookofrapturousgratitudeonStaines，andthenglidedaway，likethestatelyJuno，toadmireherselfinthenearestglasslikeanyothercoquette，black，brown，yellow，copper，orwhite。
Thatveryday，towardssunset，sheburstuponStainesquitesuddenly，withhercoronetgleamingonhermagnificenthead，andhereyeslikecoalsoffire，andunderhermagnificentarm，hardasarock，aboykickingandstrugglinginvain。Shewasfuriouslyexcited，and，forthefirsttime，showedsignsofthesavageinthewhitesofhereyes，whichseemedtoturnthegloriouspupilsintosemicircles。SheclutchedStainesbytheshoulderwithherlefthand，andsweptalongwiththepair，likedarkFate，oraspotentjusticesweepsawayapairofculprits，andcarriedthemtothelittlewindow，andcried"Open——open!"
DickDalewasatdinner；Phoebelyingdown。Dickgotup，rathercrossly，andthrewopenthewindow。"Whatisupnow?"saidhecrossly:hewasliketwoorthreemoreEnglishmen——hatedtobebotheredatdinner-time。
"Dar，"screamedUcatella，settingdownTim，butholdinghimtightbytheshoulder；"nowyoutellwhatyouseethatnight，youlillyKafirtrash；ifyounottell，IkillyouDEAD；"andsheshowedthewhitesofhereyes，likeawildbeast。
Tim，thoroughlyalarmed，quiveredoutthathehadseenlillymasterrideuptothegateonebrightnight，andlookin，andTimthoughthewasgoingin:buthechangedhismind，andgallopedawaythatway；andthemonkeypointedsouth。
"Andwhycouldn\'tyoutellusthisbefore?"questionedDick。
"Meminddesheep，"saidTimapologetically。"Menotminddelillymaster:jackalsnoteathim。"
"Younomoresensedanasheepyourself，"saidUcatellaloftily。
"No，no:Godblessyouboth，"criedpoorPhoebe:"nowIknowtheworst:"andagreatburstoftearsrelievedhersufferingheart。
Dickwentoutsoftly。Whenhegotoutsidethedoor，hedrewthemallapart，andsaid，"Yuke，youAREagood-heartedgirl。I\'llneverforgetthiswhileIlive；and，Tim，there\'sashillingforthee；butdon\'tyougoandspenditinCapesmoke；thatispoisontowhites，anddestructiontoblacks。"
"No，master，"saidTim。"Ishallbuymuchbread，andmakemytomachtiff；"then，withaglanceofreproachatthedomesticcaterer，Ucatella，"Ialmostneverhavemytomachtiff。"
Dicklefthissisteraloneanhourortwo，tohavehercryout。
Whenhewentbacktohertherewasachange:thebravewomannolongerlayprostrate。Shewentaboutherbusiness；onlyshewasalwayseithercryingordrowninghertears。
HebroughtDr。Stainesin。Phoebeinstantlyturnedherbackonhimwithashuddertherewasnomistaking。
"Ihadbettergo，"saidStaines。"Mrs。Falconwillneverforgiveme。"
"Shewillhavetoquarrelwithmeelse，"saidDicksteadily。"Sityoudown，doctor。HonestfolklikeyouandmeandPhoebewasn\'tmadetoquarrelforwantoflookingathingallround。Mysistershehasn\'tlookeditallround，andIhave。Come，Pheeb，\'tisnouseyourblindingyourself。Howwasthepoordoctortoknowyourhusbandisablackguard?"
"Heisnotablackguard。Howdareyousaythattomyface?"
"Heisablackguard，andalwayswas。Andnowheisathieftoboot。Hehasstolenthosediamonds；youknowthatverywell。"
"Gently，Mr。Dale；youforget:theyareasmuchhisasmine。"
"Well，andifhalfasheepismine，andItakethewholeandsellhim，andkeepthemoney，whatisthatbutstealing?Why，Iwonderatyou，Pheeb。Youwasalwayshonestyourself，andyetyouseethedoctorrobbedbyyourman，andthatdoesnottroubleyou。Whathashedonetodeserveit?Hehasbeenagoodfriendtous。Hehasputusontheroad。Wedidlittlemorethankeepthepotboilingbeforehecame——well，yes，westoredgrain；butwhoseadvicehasturnedthatgraintogold，Imightsay?Well，what\'shisoffence?
Hetrustedthediamondstoyourman，andsenthimtoyou。Ishethefirsthonestmanthathastrustedarogue?Howwashetoknow?
Likelyhejudgedthehusbandbythewife。Answermeonething，Pheeb。Ifhemakesawaywithfifteenhundredpoundsthatishis，orpartlyyours——forhehaseatenyourbreadeversinceIknewhim——
andfifteenhundredmorethatisthedoctor\'s，whereshallwefindfifteenhundredpounds，allinamoment，topaythedoctorbackhisown?"
"Myhonestfriend，"saidStaines，"youaretormentingyourselfwithshadows。Idon\'tbelieveMr。Falconwillwrongmeofashilling；
and，ifhedoes，Ishallquietlyrepaymyselfoutofthebigdiamond。Yes，mydearfriends，Ididnotthrowawayyourhorse，noryourrifle，noryourmoney:Igavethemall，andthelion\'sskin——Igavethemall——forthis。"
Andhelaidthebigdiamondonthetable。
Itwasasbigasawalnut，andofthepurestwater。
DickDaleglancedatitstupidly。Phoebeturnedherbackonit，withacryofhorror，andthencameslowlyroundbydegrees；andhereyeswerefascinatedbytheroyalgem。
"Yes，"saidStainessadly，"Ihadtostripmyselfofalltobuyit，and，whenIhadgotit，howproudIwas，andhowhappyIthoughtweshouldallbeoverit，foritishalfyours，halfmine。Yes，Mr。
Dale，thereliessixthousandpoundsthatbelongtoMrs。Falcon。"
"Sixthousandpounds!"criedDick。
"I\'msureofit。Andso，ifyoursuspicionsarecorrect，andpoorFalconshouldyieldtoasuddentemptation，andspendallthatmoney，Ishalljustcoollydeductitfromyourshareofthiswonderfulstone:somakeyourmindeasy。Butno；ifFalconisreallysowickedastodeserthishappyhome，andsomadastospendthousandsinamonthortwo，letusgoandsavehim。"
"Thatismybusiness，"saidPhoebe。"Iamgoinginthemail-cartto-morrow。"
"Well，youwon\'tgoalone，"saidDick。
"Mrs。Falcon，"saidStainesimploringly，"letmegowithyou。"
"Thankyou，sir。Mybrothercantakecareofme。"
