第26章

Falconsawdeathinhisface；gaveashriek，drewhisrevolver，andfiredathimwithaslittleaimashehadatthelioness；thenmadefortheopenwindow。Stainesseizedachair，followedhim，andhurleditathim；andthechairandthemanwentthroughthewindowtogether，andthentherewasastrangethudheardoutside。

Rosagavealoudscream，andswoonedaway。

Staineslaidhiswifeflatonthefloor，gotthewomenabouther，andatlastshebegantogivetheusualsignsofreturninglife。

Stainessaidtotheoldestwomanthere，"Ifsheseesme，shewillgooffagain。Carryhertoherroom；andtellher，bydegrees，thatIamalive。"

AllthistimePapaLusignanhadsattremblingandwhimperinginachair，moaning，"Thisisapainfulscene——verypainful。"Butatlastanideastruckhim——"WHY，YOUHAVEROBBEDTHEOFFICE!"

ScarcelywasMrs。Stainesoutoftheroom，whenaflydroveup，andthiswasimmediatelyfollowedbyviolentandcontinuousscreamingcloseunderthewindow。

"Oh，dear!"sighedPapaLusignan。

Theyrandown，andfoundFalconimpaledatfulllengthonthespikesofthevilla，andPhoebescreamingoverhim，andtryinginvaintolifthimoffthem。Hehadstruggledalittle，insilentterror，buthadthenfaintedfromfearandlossofblood，andlyingratherinsidetherails，whichwerehigh，hecouldnotbeextricatedfromtheoutside。

Assoonashismiserableconditionwasdiscovered，theservantsrandownintothekitchen，andsouptotherailsbytheareasteps。

Theserailshadcaughthim；onehadgonecleanthroughhisarm，theotherhadpenetratedthefleshypartofthethigh，andathirdpiercedhisear。

Theygothimoff；buthewasinsensible，andtheplacedrenchedwithhisblood。

PhoebeclutchedStainesbythearm。"Letmeknowtheworst，"saidshe。"Ishedead?"

Stainesexaminedhim，andsaid"No。"

"Canyousavehim?"

"I?"

"Yes。Whocan，ifyoucannot?Oh，havemercyonme!"andshewentonherkneestohim，andputherforeheadonhisknees。

Hewastouchedbyhersimplefaith；andthenobletraditionsofhisprofessionsidedwithhisgratitudetothisinjuredwoman。"Mypoorfriend，"saidhe，"Iwilldomybest，forYOURsake。"

Hetookimmediatestepsforstanchingtheblood；andtheflycarriedPhoebeandhervillaintotheinnatGravesend。

Falconcametoontheroad；butfindinghimselfalonewithPhoebe，shammedunconsciousnessofeverythingbutpain。

Staines，beingthoroughlyenragedwithRosa，yetrememberinghissolemnvownevertoabuseheragain，sawherfather，andtoldhimtotellherheshouldthinkoverherconductquietly，notwishingtobeharderuponherthanshedeserved。

Rosa，whohadbeenscreaming，andcryingforjoy，eversinceshecametohersenses，wasnotsomuchafflictedatthismessageasonemighthaveexpected。Hewasalive，andallthingselseweretrifles。

Nevertheless，whendayafterdaywentby，andnotevenalinefromChristopher，shebegantofearhewouldcastheroffentirely；themoresoassheheardhewasnowandthenatGravesendtovisitMrs。

Falconattheinn。

Whilematterswerethus，UnclePhilipburstonherlikeabomb。

"Heisalive!heisalive!heisalive!"Andtheyhadacuddleoverit。

"Oh，UnclePhilip!Haveyouseenhim?"

"Seenhim?Yes。Hecaughtmeonthehop，justasIcameinfromItaly。Itookhimforaghost。"

"Oh，weren\'tyoufrightened?"

"Notabit。Idon\'tmindghosts。I\'dhavehalfadozentodinnereveryday，ifImightchoose\'em。Icouldn\'tstandstupidones。

ButIsay，histemperisn\'timprovedbyallthisdying:heisinanawfulragewithyou；andwhatfor?"

"Ouncle!whatfor?BecauseI\'mthevilestofwomen!"

"Vilestoffiddlesticks!It\'shisfault，notyours。Shouldn\'thavedied。It\'salwaysadangerousexperiment。"

"Ishalldieifhewillnotforgiveme。Hekeepsawayfrommeandfromhischild。"

"I\'lltellyou。Heheard，inGravesend，yourbannshadbeencried:

thathasmovedthepeevishfellow\'sbile。"

"Itwasdonewithoutmyconsent。Papawilltellyouso；and，O

uncle，ifyouknewthearts，theforgedletterinmydarling\'shand，thewayhewroughtonme!Ovillain!villain!Uncle，forgiveyourpoorsillyniece，thattheworldistoowickedandtoocleverforhertolivein。"

"Becauseyouaretoogoodandinnocent，"saidUnclePhilip。

"There，don\'tyoubedown-hearted。I\'llsoonbringyoutwotogetheragain——acoupleofninnies。I\'lltellyouwhatisthefirstthing:youmustcomeandlivewithme。Comeatonce，bagandbaggage。Hewon\'tshowhere，thesulkybrute。"

PhilipStaineshadalargehouseinCavendishSquare，acrustyoldpatient，likehimself，hadlefthim。Itwashishumortoliveinacornerofthismansion，thoughthewholewascapitallyfurnishedbyhisjudiciouspurchasesatauctions。

HegaveRosaandherboyandhisnursetheentirefirstfloor，andtoldhershewasthereforlife。"Lookhere，"saidhe，"thislastaffairhasopenedmyeyes。Suchwomenasyouarethesweetenersofexistence。Youleavemyroofnomore。Yourhusbandwillmakethesamediscovery。Lethimrunabout，andbemiserableabit。Hewillhavetocometobook。"

Sheshookherheadsadly。

"MyChristopherwillneversayaharshwordtome。Alltheworseforme。Hewillquietlyabandonacreaturesoinferiortohim。"

"Stuff!"

Now，shewasalwaysrunningtothewindow，inhopethatChristopherwouldcallonhisuncle，andthatshemightseehim；andonedayshegaveascreamsoeloquent，Philipknewwhatitmeant。"Getyoubehindthatscreen，youandyourboy，"sa