下载辰思小说免费APP
"No，sir。Anditisverycurious。No，Iwon\'ttellyou。Yes，I
will。HemI——IthinkIhavenoticedone。"
"Onewhat?"
"OneIwishman——danglingafterme。"
"Thenyourladyshiphasonlytotightenthecord——andHE\'Sdonefor。"
Havingadministeredthisprescription，ourlaughingphilosopherwentofftoItaly，andtherefellinwithsomecountrymentohismind，soheaccompaniedthemtoEgyptandPalestine。
Hisabsence，andLordTadcaster\'s，madeRosaStaines\'slifeextremelymonotonous。Dayfollowedday，andweekfollowedweek，eachsounvarying，that，onaretrospect，threemonthsseemedlikeoneday。
AndIthinkatlastyouthandnaturebegantorebel，andsecretlytocravesomelittlechangeorincidenttorufflethestagnantpool。Yetshewouldnotgointosociety，andwouldonlyreceivetwoorthreedullpeopleatthevilla；soshemadetheverymonotonywhichwasbeginningtotireher，andnursedasacredgriefshehadnoneedtonurse，itwassotrulygenuine。
Shewasinthisforlorncondition，when，onemorning，acarriagedrovetothedoor，andacardwasbroughtuptoher——"Mr。ReginaldFalcon。"
Falcon\'shistory，betweenthisandourlastadvices，issoondisposedof。
When，afteralittlestrugglewithhisbetterangel，herodepasthiswife\'sgate，heintended，atfirst，onlytogotoCapeTown，sellthediamonds，havealark，andbringhomethebalance:but，asherodesouth，hisviewsexpanded。HecouldhavetentimesthefuninLondon，andcheaper；sincehecouldsellthediamondsformoremoney，andalsoconcealthetrueprice。ThiswastheBohemian\'swholemindinthebusiness。HehadnodesignswhateveronMrs。
Staines，nordidheintendtostealthediamonds，buttoembezzleaportionofthepurchase-money，andenjoythepleasuresandvicesofthecapitalforafewmonths；thenbacktohismilchcow，Phoebe，andleadaquietlifetillthenextuncontrollablefitshouldcomeuponhimalongwiththemeansofsatisfyingit。
Ontheway，hereadStaines\'slettertoMrs。Falcon，verycarefully。HeneverbrokethesealofthelettertoMrs。Staines。
Thatwastobegivenherwhenhehadbrokenthegoodnewstoher；
andthishedeterminedtodowithsuchskill，asshouldmakeDr。
Stainesveryunwillingtolooksuspiciouslyorill-naturedlyintomoneyaccounts。
HereachedLondon；andbeingathoroughegotist，attendedfirsttohisowninterests；heneverwentnearMrs。Stainesuntilhehadvisitedeverydiamondmerchantanddealerinthemetropolis；heshowedthesmallstonestothemallbutheshowednomorethanonelargestonetoeach。
Atlasthegotanofferoftwelvehundredpoundsforthesmallstones，andthesameforthelargeyellowstone，andninehundredpoundsforthesecondlargeststone。Hetookthisninehundredpounds，andinstantlywrotetoPhoebe，tellingherhehadasuddeninspirationtobringthediamondstoEngland，whichhecouldnotregret，sincehehadneverdoneawiserthing。Hehadsoldasinglestoneforeighthundredpounds，andhadsentthedoctor\'sfourhundredpoundstoheraccountinCapeTown；andaseachsalewaseffected，thehalfwouldbesoremitted。Shewouldseebythat，hewaswiserthaninformerdays。Heshouldonlystaysolongasmightbenecessarytosellthemallequallywell。Hisownsharehewouldapplytopayingoffmortgagesonthefamilyestate，ofwhichhehopedsomedaytoseeherthemistress，orhewouldsenditdirecttoher，whichevershemightprefer。
NowthemainobjectofthisartfulletterwastokeepPhoebequiet，andnothavehercomingafterhim，ofwhichhefeltshewasverycapable。
ThemoneygotsafetoCapeTown，butthelettertoPhoebemiscarried。Howthishappenedwasneverpositivelyknown；buttheservantofthelodging-housewasafterwardsdetectedcuttingstampsoffaletter；soperhapsshehadplayedthatgameonthisoccasion。
Bythismeans，matterstookacuriousturn。Falcon，intendingtolullhiswifeintoafalsesecurity，lulledhimselfintothatstateinstead。
Whenhehadtakencareofhimself，andgotfivehundredpoundstoplaythefoolwith，thenhecondescendedtorememberhiserrandofmercy；andhecamedowntoGravesend，toseeMrs。Staines。
Ontheroad，hegavehismindseriouslytothedelicateanddangeroustask。Itdidnot，however，disquiethimasitwouldyou，sir，oryou，madam。Hehadagreatadvantageoveryou。Hewasaliar——asmooth，ready，accomplishedliar——andheknewit。
Thiswastheoutlinehehadtracedinhismind:heshouldappearverysubduedandsad；shouldwearanairofcondolence。But，afterawhile，shouldsay，"Andyetmenhavebeenlostlikethat，andescaped。Amanwaspickeduponaraftinthoseverylatitudes，andbroughtintoCapeTown。Afriendofminesawhim，monthsafter，atthehospital。Hismemorywasshaken——couldnottellhisname；butinotherrespectshewasallrightagain。"
IfMrs。Stainestookfireatthis，hewouldsayhisfriendknewalltheparticulars，andhewouldaskhim，andsoleavethattorankletillnextvisit。Andhavingplantedhisgermofhope，hewouldgrowit，andwaterit，byvisitsandcorrespondence，tillhecouldthrowoffthemask，andsayhewasconvincedStaineswasalive:andfromthat，byotherdegrees，tillhecouldsay，onhiswife\'sauthority，thatthemanpickedupatsea，andcuredatherhouse，wastheveryphysicianwhohadsavedherbrother\'slife:andsoontotheoverwhelmingproofhecarriedintherubyringandtheletter。
Iamafraidthecunninganddexterity，thesubtletyandtactrequired，interestedhimmoreinthecommissionthandidthebenevolence。Hecalled，sentuphiscard，andcomposedhiscountenanceforhispart，likeanactorattheWing。
"Notathome。"
Hestaredwithamazement。
Thehistoryofa"Notathome"isnot，ingeneral，worthrecording:
butthisisanexception。
OnreceivingFalcon\'scard，Mrs。Stainesgavealittlestart，andcoloredfaintly。Sheinstantlyresolvednottoseehim。What!themanshehadflirtedwith，almostjilted，andrefusedtomarry——hedaredtobealivewhenherChristopherwasdead，andhadcometheretoshowherHEwasalive!
Shesaid"Notathome"withatoneofunusualsharpnessanddecision，whichlefttheservantinnodoubthemustbeequallydecidedatthehalldoor。
Falconreceivedthesuddenfreezerwithamazement。"Nonsense，"
saidhe。"Notathomeatthistimeofthemorning——toanoldfriend!"
"Notathome，"saidthemandoggedly。
"Oh，verywell，"saidFalconwithabittersneer，andreturnedtoLondon。
Hefeltsureshewasathome；andbeingatremendousegotist，hesaid，"Oh!allright。Ifshewouldrathernotknowherhusbandisalive，itisallonetome；"andheactuallytooknomorenoticeofherforafullweek，andneverthoughtofher，excepttochuckleoverthepenaltyshewaspayingfordaringtoaffronthisvanity。
However，Sundaycame；hesawadulldaybeforehim，andsoherelented，andthoughthewouldgiveheranothertrial。
HewentdowntoGravesendbyboat，andstrolledtowardsthevilla。
Whenhewasaboutahundredyardsfromthevilla，alady，allinblack，cameoutwithanurseandchild。
Falconknewherfigureallthatwayoff，anditgavehimacuriousthrillthatsurprisedhim。Hefollowedher，andwasnotveryfarbehindherwhenshereachedthechurch。Sheturnedattheporch，kissedthechildearnestly，andgavethenursesomedirections；
thenenteredthechurch。
"Come，"saidFalcon，"I\'llhavealookather，anyway。"
Hewentintothechurch，andwalkedupasideaisletoapillar，fromwhichhethoughthemightbeabletoseethewholecongregation；and，sureenough，thereshesat，afewyardsfromhim。Shewaslovelierthanever。Mindhadgrownonherfacewithtrouble。Anangelicexpressionilluminatedherbeauty；hegazedonher，fascinated。Hedrankanddrankherbeautytwomortalhours，andwhenthechurchbrokeup，andshewenthome，hewashalfafraidtofollowher，forhefelthowharditwouldbetosayanythingtoherbutthattheoldlovehadreturnedonhimwithdoubleforce。
However，havingwatchedherhome，hewalkedslowlytoandfrocomposinghimselffortheinterview。
Henowdeterminedtomaketheprocessofinformingheraverylongone:hewouldspinitout，andsosecuremanyasweetinterviewwithher:and，whoknows?hemightfascinateherasshehadhim，andripengratitudeintolove，asheunderstoodthatword。
Hecalled，hesentinhiscard。Themanwentin，andcamebackwithasonorous"Notathome。"
"Notathome?nonsense。Why，sheisjustcomeinfromchurch。"
"Notathome，"saidtheman，evidentlystronginhisinstructions。
Falconturnedwhitewithrageatthissecondaffront。"Alltheworseforher，"saidhe，andturnedonhisheel。
Hewenthome，ragingwithdisappointmentandwoundedvanity，and——
sincesuchloveashisisseldomveryfarfromhate——hesworesheshouldneverknowfromhimthatherhusbandwasalive。Heevenmoralized。"Thiscomesofbeingsounselfish，"saidhe。"I\'llgivethatgameupforever。"
Byandby，amerenegativerevengewasnotenoughforhim，andhesethiswitstoworktomakehersmart。
Hewrotetoherfromhislodgings:——
DEARMADAM，——Whatapityyouareneverathometome。Ihadsomethingtosayaboutyourhusband，thatIthoughtmightinterestyou。
Yourstruly，R。FALCON。
Imaginetheeffectofthisabominablenote。Itwaslikearockflungintoaplacidpool。ItsetRosatremblingallover。Whatcouldhemean?
Sheranwithittoherfather，andaskedhimwhatMr。Falconcouldmean。
"Ihavenoidea，"saidhe。"Youhadbetteraskhim，notme。"
"Iamafraiditisonlytogettoseeme。Youknowheadmiredmeonce。Ah，howsuspiciousIamgetting。"
RosawrotetoFalcon:——
DEARSIR，——SincemybereavementIseescarcelyanybody。Myservantdidnotknowyou；soIhopeyouwillexcuseme。Ifitistoomuchtroubletocallagain，wouldyoukindlyexplainyournotetome?
Yoursrespectfully，ROSASTAINES。
Falconchuckledbitterlyoverthis。"No，mylady，"saidhe。"I\'llserveyouout。Youshallrunaftermelikealittledog。Ihavegotthebonethatwilldrawyou。"
Hewrotebackcoldlytosaythatthematterhehadwishedtocommunicatewastoodelicateandimportanttoputonpaper；thathewouldtryandgetdowntoGravesendagainsomedayorother，butwasmuchoccupied，andhada
