第25章

"Everyright。Itistheonlymarkofesteem，worthanything，Icanshowyou。"

Shehandedhimtheletter，andburiedherownfaceinherhands。

Hereadit，andactedthedeepestemotion。

Hehandeditback，withoutaword。

CHAPTERXXVIII。

FromthistimeFalconwasalwayswelcomeatKentVilla。Hefascinatedeverybodyinthehouse。HerenewedhisacquaintancewithMr。Lusignan，andgotaskedtostayaweekinthehouse。HeshowedRosaandherfatherthediamonds，and，thetruthmustbeowned，theymadeRosa\'seyessparkleforthefirsttimethiseighteenmonths。Heinsinuatedratherthandeclaredhisenormouswealth。

Inreplytotheoldman\'seagerquestions，asthelargediamondslayglitteringonthetable，andpointedeveryword，hesaidthatafewofhisHottentotshadfoundtheseforhim；hehadmadethemdigonadiamondiferouspartofhisestate，justbywayoftestingthematter；andthiswastheresult；this，andamuchlargerstone，forwhichhehadreceivedeightthousandpoundsfromPosno。

"IfIwasayoungman，"saidLusignan，"Iwouldgooutdirectly，anddigonyourestate。"

"Iwouldnotletyoudoanythingsopaltry，"said"leMenteur。"

"Why，mydearsir，therearenofortunestobemadebygrubbingfordiamonds；thefortunesaremadeoutofthediamonds，butnotinthatway。Now，Ihavethirtythousandacres，andamjustconcludingabargainforthirtythousandmore，onwhichIhappentoknowtherearediamondsinaslycorner。Well，ofmythirtythousandtriedacres，ahundredonlyarediamondiferous。ButI

havefourthousandthirty-footclaimsleasedattenshillingspermonth。Countthatup。"

"Why，itistwenty-fourthousandpoundsayear。"

"Excuseme:youmustdeductathousandayearfortheexpensesofcollection。Butthisisonlyonephaseofthebusiness。Ihavealargeinnuponeachofthethreegreatroutesfromthediamondstothecoast；andtheseinnsaresuppliedwiththeproduceofmyownfarms。Marktheeffectofthediamondsonproperty。Mysixtythousandacres，whicharenotdiamondiferous，willverysoonbeworthasmuchassixtythousandEnglishacres，saytwopoundstheacreperannum。Thatisunderthemark，becauseinAfricathelandisnotburdenedwithpoor-rates，tithes，andalltheotheriniquitiesthatcrushtheEnglishland-owner，asIknowtomycost。

Butthatisnotall，sir。Wouldyoubelieveit?evenafterthediamondsweredeclared，thepeopleouttherehadsolittleforesightthattheyallowedmetobuylandallroundPortElizabeth，Natal，andCapeTown，thethreeportsthroughwhichtheworldgetatthediamonds，andthediamondsgetattheworld。I

havegotagirdleoflandroundthosethreeoutlets，boughtbytheacre；intwoyearsIshallsellitbytheyard。Believeme，sir，Englishfortunes，eventhelargest，aremerechild\'splay，comparedwiththecolossalwealthamancanaccumulate，ifhelooksbeyondthesegreatdiscoveriestotheirconsequences，andletsothersgrubforhim。Butwhatistheuseofitalltome?"saidthisBohemian，withasigh。"Ihavenotasteforluxuries；noloveofdisplay。I

havenotevencharitytodispenseonalargescale；fortherearenodeservingpooroutthere；andthepovertythatspringsfromvice，thatIneverwillencourage。"

Johnheardnearlyallthis，andtookitintothekitchen；andhenceforthAdorationwastheonlywordforthisprinceofmen，thisrarecombinationoftheAdonisandthemillionnaire。

HeseldomheldsuchdiscoursesbeforeRosa；buttalkedherfatherintoanimpressionofhisboundlesswealth，andhalfreconciledhimtoRosa\'srefusalofLordTadcaster，sinceherewasanoldsuitor，who，doubtless，withalittleencouragement，wouldsooncomeonagain。

Underthisimpression，Mr。LusignangaveFalconmorethanalittleencouragement，and，asRosadidnotresist，hebecameaconstantvisitoratthevilla，andwasalwaystherefromSaturdaytoMonday。

Heexertedallhisartofpleasing，andhesucceeded。HewaswelcometoRosa，andshemadenosecretofit。

Emilythrewherselfinhisway，andhadmanyaslytalkwithhim，whilehewaspretendingtobeengagedwithyoungChristie。Heflatteredher，andmadehersweetonhim，butwastoomuchinlovewithRosa，afterhisfashion，toflirtseriouslywithher。Hethoughthemightwantherservices:soheworkeduponherafterthisfashion；askedherifshewouldliketokeepaninn。

"Wouldn\'tIjust?"saidshefrankly。

Thenhetoldherthat，ifallwenttohiswishinEngland，sheshouldbelandladyofoneofhisinnsintheCapeColony。"Andyouwillgetagoodhusbandouttheredirectly，"saidhe。"Beautyisaveryuncommonthinginthoseparts。ButIshallaskyoutomarrysomebodywhocanhelpyouinthebusiness——ornottomarryatall。"

"IwishIhadtheinn，"saidEmily。"Husbandsaresoongotwhenagirlhasn\'therfaceonlytolookto。"

"Well，Ipromiseyoutheinn，"saidhe，"andagoodoutfitofclothes，andmoneyinbothpockets，ifyouwilldomeagoodturnhereinEngland。"

"ThatIwould，sir。But，laws，whatcanapoorgirllikemedoforarichgentlemanlikeyou?"

"Canyoukeepasecret，Emily?"

"Nobodybetter。Youtryme，sir。"

Helookedatherwell；sawshewasoneofthosewhocouldkeepasecret，ifshechose，andheresolvedtoriskit。

"Emily，mygirl，"saidhesadly，"Iamanunhappyman。"

"You，sir!Why，youdidn\'toughttobe。"

"Iamthen。Iaminlove；andcannotwinher。"

Thenhetoldthegirlaprettytendertale，thathehadlovedMrs。

StaineswhenshewasMissLusignan，hadthoughthimselfbelovedinturn，butwasrejected；andnow，thoughshewasawidow，hehadnotthecouragetocourther，herheartwasinthegrave。Hespokeinsuchabrokenvoicethatthegirl\'sgood-naturefoughtagainstherlittlepiqueatfindinghowlittlehewassmittenwithHER，andFalconsoonfoundmeanstoarrayhercupidityonthesideofhergood-nature。Hegaveherafive-poundnotetobuygloves，andpromisedherafortune，andsheundertooktobesecretasthegrave，andsaycertainthingsadroitlytoMrs。Staines。

Accordingly，thisyoungwomanomittednoopportunityofdroppingawordinfavorofFalcon。Foronething，shesaidtoMrs。Staines，"Mr。Falconmustbeveryfondofchildren，ma\'am。Why，heworshipsMasterChristie。"

"Indeed!Ihavenotobservedthat。"

"Why，no，ma\'am。Heisrathershyoverit；butwhenheseesusalone，heissuretocometous，andsay，\'Letmelookatmychild，nurse；\'andhedoseemfittoeathim。Onsthesaystome，\'Thisboyismyheir，nurse。\'Whatdidhemeanbythat，ma\'am?"

"Idon\'tknow。"

"Isheanykintoyou，ma\'am?"

"Nonewhatever。Youmusthavemisunderstoodhim。Youshouldnotrepeatallthatpeoplesay。"

"No，ma\'am；onlyIdidthinkitsoodd。Poorgentleman，Idon\'tthinkheishappy，forallhismoney。"

"Heistoogoodtobeunhappyallhislife。"

"SoIthink，ma\'am。"

Theseconversationswerealwaysshort，forRosa，thoughshewastookindandgentletosnubthegirl，wasalsotoodelicatetogivetheleastencouragementtohergossip。

ButRosa\'swasamindthatcouldbeworkedupon，andtheseshortbutrepeatedeulogieswerenotaltogetherwithouteffect。

AtlasttheinsidiousFalcon，bynotmakinghisapproachesinawaytoalarmher，acquiredherfriendshipaswellashergratitude；

and，inshort，shegotusedtohimandlikedhim。Notbeingboundbyanylimitoffactwhatever，heentertainedher，andtookheroutofherselfalittlebyextemporaneouspictures；hetoldherallhisthrillingadventuresbyfloodandfield，notoneofwhichhadeveroccurred，yethemadethemallsoundliketruth；heinventedstrangecharacters，andsetthemtalking；hewentaftergreatwhales，andharpoonedone，whichslappedhisboatintofragmentswithonestrokeofitstail；thendied，andhehungonbytheharpoonprotrudingfromthecarcasstillashipcameandpickedhimup。HeshotalionthatwascarryingoffhisfavoriteHottentot。

Heencounteredanother，woundedhimwithbothbarrels，wasseized，anddraggedalongtheground，andgavehimselfupforlost，butkeptfiringhisrevolverdownthemonster\'sthroattillatlasthesickenedhim，andsoescapedoutofdeath\'smaw；hedidNOTsayhowhehadfiredintheair，andriddenfourteenmilesonend，atthebaresightofalion\'scub；but，tocompensatethatonereserve，plungedintoaragingtorrentandsavedadrowningwomanbyherlonghair，whichhecaughtinhisteeth；herodearaceonanostrichagainstafriendonazebra，whichwentfaster，butthrewhisrider，andscreamedwithrageatnotbeingabletoeathim；he，Falcon，havingdeclinedtorununlesshisfriend\'szebrawasmuzzled。Hefedthehungry，clothedthenaked，andshotawildelephantintheeye；andallthisheenlivenedwithpictorialdescriptionsofnomeanbeauty，andaslikeSouthAfricaasifithadbeenfeuGeorgeRobinsadvertisingthatcontinentforsale。

Inshort，neverwasthereamorevolubleandinterestingliarbywordofmouth，andneverwasthereamoreagreeablecreatureinterposedbetweenabereavedwidowandherdailygriefandregrets。Hedivertedhermindfromherself，anddidhergood。

Atlast，suchwasthecharmofinfinitelying，shemissedhimonthedayshedidnotcome，andwasbrighterwhenhedidcomeandlie。

Thingswentsmoothly，andsopleasantly，thathewouldgladlyhaveprolongedthisformofcourtshipforamonthortwolonger，soonerthanriskaprematuredeclaration。Butmorethanonecausedrovehimtoaboldercourse；hispassion，whichincreasedinviolencebycontactwithitsbeautifulobject，andalsoagreatuneasinesshefeltatnothearingfromPhoebe。Thissilencewasominous。Heandshekneweachother，andwhattheotherwascapableof。Heknewshewasthewomantocrosstheseasafterhim，ifStainesleftthediggings，andanyexplanationtookplacethatmightpointtohiswhereabouts。

Thesedoublecausesprecipitatedmatters，andatlasthebegantothrowmoredevotionintohismanner；andhavingsopreparedherforafewdays，hetookhisopportunityandsaid，oneday，"Wearebothunhappy。Givemetherighttoconsoleyou。"

Shecoloredhigh，andsaid，"Youhaveconsoledmemorethanalltheworld。Butthereisalimit；alwayswillbe。"

Onelessadroitwouldhavebroughthertothepoint；butthisartistonlysighed，andletthearrowrankle。Bythismeansheout-fencedher；fornowshehadlistenedtoadeclarationandnotstoppeditshort。

Heplayedmelancholyforadayortwo，andthenhetriedheranotherway。Hesaid，"Ipromisedyourdyinghusbandtobeyourprotector，andafathertohischild。Iseebutonewaytokeepmyword，andthatgivesmecouragetospeak——withoutthatInevercould。Rosa，Ilovedyouyearsago，Iamunmarriedforyoursake。

Letmebeyourhusband，andafathertoyourchild。"

Rosashookherhead。"ICOULDnotmarryagain。Iesteemyou，Iamverygratefultoyou:andIknowIbehavedilltoyoubefore。IfI

couldmarryagain，itwouldbeyou。ButIcannot。Oh，never!never!"

"Thenwebotharetobeunhappyallourdays。"

"Ishall，asIoughttobe。Youwillnot，Ihope。Ishallmissyousadly；but，forallthat，Iadviseyoutoleaveme。Youwillcarrymyeverlastinggratitude，gowhereyouwill；thatandmyesteemareallIhavetogive。"

"Iwillgo，"saidhe；"andIhopehewhoisgonewillforgivemywantofcourage。"

"Hewhoisgonetookmypromisenevertomarryagain。"

"Dyingmenseeclearer。Iamsurehewished——nomatter；itistoodelicate。"Hekissedherhandandwentout，apictureofdejection。

Mrs。Stainesshedatearforhim。

Nothingwasheardofhimforseveraldays；andRosapit