第22章

"Naturally。Especiallyateachnewplace。Onlyconceive:oneisalwaysanxiousonthestage；anditisonethingtocomebeforeapublicallstrangers，andnearlyallpoorjudges；itisanothertosee，allreadyforyourfirstnote，anoblefacebrightwithintelligenceandadmiration——thefaceofafriend。OftenthatonefaceistheonlyoneI

allowmyselftosee。Ithidesthewholepublic。"

"Thendon\'tyoubesillyandsenditaway。I\'lltellyoutheonefaultofyourcharacter:youthinktoomuchofotherpeople，andtoolittleofyourself。Now，thatiscontrarytotheschemeofnature。Wearesentintotheworldtotakecareofnumberone。"

"What!"saidIna；"arewetobeallself-indulgence?Istheretobenoprinciple，nowomanlyprudence，foresight，discretion?No；Ifeelthesacrifice:butnopowershallhindermefrommakingit。Ifyoucannotpersuadehim，I\'lldolikeothersingers。Iwillbeill，andquitthecompany。"

"Don\'tdothat，"saidRhoda。"Nowyouhaveputonyourironlook，itisnousearguing——Iknowthattomycost。There——Iwilltalktohim。Onlydon\'thurryme；letmetakemyopportunity。"

Thisbeingunderstood，Inawouldnotpartwithherforthepresent，buttookhertothetheater。Shedismissedherdresser，atRhoda\'srequest，andRhodafilledthatoffice。Sotheycouldtalkfreely。

Rhodahadneverbeenbehindthescenesofatheaterbefore，andshewentpryingabout，ignoringthemusic，forshewasalmostearless。Presently，whomshouldsheencounterbutEdwardSeverne。Shestartedandlookedathimlikeabasilisk。Heremovedhishatanddrewbackastepwithagreatairofrespectandhumility。ShewasshockedandindignantwithInaforlettinghimbeabouther。Shefollowedheroffthestageintoherdressingroom，andtookhertotask。"IhaveseenMr。Severnehere。"

"Hecomeseverynight。"

"Andyouallowhim?"

"Itisthemanager。"

"Buthewouldnotadmithim，ifyouobjected。"

"Iamafraidtodothat。"

"Why?"

"Weshouldhavean_esclandre。_Ifindhehashadsomuchconsiderationformeastotellnooneourrelation；andashehasneverspokentome，IdothemostprudentthingIcan，andtakenonotice。Shouldheattempttointrudehimselfonme，thenitwillbetimetohavehimstoppedinthehall，andIshalldoit_cou\'tequecou\'te。_Ah，mydearfriend，mineisadifficultandtryingposition。"

Afteraverylongwait，Inawentdownandsungherprincipalsong，withtheusualbravasandthundersofapplause。Shewascalledontwice，andassheretired，Severnesteppedforward，and，withalow，obsequiousbow，handedherabeautifulbouquet。Shetookitwithastatelycourtesy，butneverlookednorsmiled。

Rhodasawthatandwondered。Shethoughttoherself，"Thatiscarryingpolitenessalongway。Tobesure，sheishalfaforeigner。"

Havingdonehisnightlyhomage，Severneleftthetheater，andsoonafterwardtheperformanceconcluded，andInatookherfriendhome。

Ashmeadwasinthehalltoshowhispatronesstohercarriage——adutyheneverfailedin。Rhodashookhandswithhim，andhesaid，"Delightedtoseeyouhere，miss。Youwillbeagreatcomforttoher。"

Thetwofriendscommunedtilltwoo\'clockinthemorning:butthelimitsofmytaleforbidmetorepeatwhatpassed。

SufficeittosaythatRhodawasfairlypuzzledbythesituation；but，havingagreatregardforVizard，sawclearlyenoughthatheoughttobesentbacktoIslip。Shethoughtthatperhapstheverysightofherwouldwoundhispride，and，findinghismaniadiscoveredbyathirdperson，hewouldgoofhisownaccord:soshecalledonhim。

Mylordreceivedherwithfriendlycomposure，andallhistalkwasaboutIslip。HedidnotcondescendtoexplainhispresenceatCarlisle。Heknewthat_quis\'excuses\'accuse，_andlefthertoremonstrate。Shehadhardlycourageforthat，andhopeditmightbeunnecessary。

ShetoldInawhatshehaddone。Buthervisitwasfutile:atnighttherewasVizardinhisbox。

NextdaythecompanyopenedinManchester。Vizardwasinhisboxthere——Severneinfront，tillIna\'sprincipalsong。Thenhecameroundandpresentedhisbouquet。ButthistimehecameuptoRhodaGale，andaskedherwhetherapenitentmanmightpayhisrespectstoherinthemorning。

Shesaidshebelievedtherewereveryfewpenitentsintheworld。

"Iknowone，"saidhe。

"Well，Idon\'t，then，"saidthevirago。"But_you_cancome，ifyouarenotafraid。"

OfcourseInaKloskingknewofthisappointmenttwominutesafteritwasmade。Shemerelysaid，"Donotlethimtalkyouover。"

"Heisnotsolikelytotalkmeoverasyou，"saidRhoda。

"Youaremistaken，"wasIna\'sreply。"Iamtheonepersonhewillneverdeceiveagain。"

RhodaGalereceivedhisvisit:hedidnotbeataboutthebush，norfenceatall。Hedeclaredatoncewhathecamefor。Hesaid，"Atthefirstsightofyou，whomIhavebeensoungratefulto，Icouldnotspeak；butnowIthrowmyselfonyourforgiveness。Ithinkyoumusthaveseenthatmyingratitudehasneversatlightonme。"

"Ihaveseenthatyouwereterriblyafraidofme，"saidshe。

"IdaresayIwas。ButIamnotafraidofyounow；andhere，onmyknees，Iimploreyoutoforgivemybaseness，myingratitude。Oh，MissGale，youdon\'tknowwhatitistobemadlyinlove；onehasnoprinciple，norightfeeling，againstarealpassion:andIwasmadlyinlovewithher。ItwasthroughfearoflosingherIdisownedmyphysician，mybenefactress，whohadsavedmylife。Miserablewretch!ItwasthroughfearoflosingherthatIbehavedlikearuffiantomyangelwife，andwouldhavecommittedbigamy，andbeenafelon。Whatwasallthisbutmadness?You，whoaresowise，willyounotforgivemeacrimethatdownrightinsanitywasthecauseof?"

"Humph!ifIunderstandright，youwishmetoforgiveyouforlookinginmyface，andsayingtothewomanwhohadsavedyourlife，\'Idon\'tknowyou?\'"

"Yes——ifyoucan。No:nowyouputitinplainwords，Iseeitisnottobeforgiven。"

"Youaremistaken。Itwaslikeastabtomyheart，andIcriedbitterlyoverit。"

"ThenIdeservetobehanged；thatisall。"

"But，onconsideration，IbelieveitisasmuchyournaturetobewickedasitismyangelIna\'stobegood。SoIforgiveyouthatonething，youcharmingvillain。"Sheheldoutherhandtohiminproofofhergoodfaith。

Hethrewhimselfonhiskneesdirectly，andkissedandmumbledherhand，andbedeweditwithhystericaltears。

"Oh，don\'tdothat，"saidshe；"orI\'mboundtogiveyouagoodkick。I

hateshemen。"

"Givemeamoment，"saidhe，"andIwillbeamanagain。"

Hesatwithhisfaceinhishands，gulpingalittle。

"Come，"saidshe，cockingherheadlikeakeenjackdaw；"nowletushavetherealobjectofyourvisit。"

"No，no，"saidhe，inadvertently——"anothertimewilldoforthat。Iamcontentwithyourforgiveness。NowIcanwait。"

"Whatfor?"

"Canyouask?Doyouconsiderthisahappystateofthings?"

"Certainlynot。Butitcan\'tbehelped:andwehavetothankyouforit。"

"Itcouldbehelpedintime。Ifyouwouldpersuadehertotakethefirststep。"

"Whatstep?"

"Nottodisownherhusband。Tolethimatleastbeherfriend——herpenitent，humblefriend。Wearemanandwife。IfIweretosaysopublicly，shewouldadmitit。InthisrespectatleastIhavebeengenerous:willshenotbegeneroustoo?Whatharmcoulditdoherifwelivedunderthesameroof，andItookhertothetheater，andfetchedherhome，anddidlittlefriendlyofficesforher?"

"Andsogotthethinedgeofthewedgein，eh?Mr。Severne，Ideclineallinterferenceinamattersodelicate，andinfavorofapersonwhowoulduseherasillasever，ifheoncesucceededinrecoveringheraffections。"

Sothenshedismissedhimperemptorily。

But，truetoVizard\'sinterest，shecalledonhimagain，and，afterafewpreliminaries，lethimknowthatSevernewaseverynightbehindthescenes。

Aspasmcrossedhisface。"Iamquiteawareofthat，"saidhe。"Butheisneveradmittedintoherhouse。"

"Howdoyouknow?"

"Heisunderconstantsurveillance。"

"Spies?"

"No。Thief-takers。AllfromScotlandYard。"

"Andlovebringsmendowntothis。Whatisitfor?"

"WhenIamsureofyourco-operation，Iwillletyouknowmyhopes。"

"Hedoubtsmyfriendship，"saidRhodasorrowfully。

"No；onlyyourdiscretion。"

"Iwillbediscreet。"

"Well，then，soonerorlater，heissuretoformsomeimproperconnectionorother；andthenIhopeyouwillaidmeinpersuadinghertodivorcehim。"

"Thatisnotsoeasyinthiscountry。ItisnotlikeourWesternStates，where，thesayingis，theygiveyoufiveminutesatarailwaystationfordi——vorce。"

"YouforgetsheisaGermanProtestantandthemarriagewasinthatcountry。Itwillbeeasyenough。"

"Verywell；dismissitfromyourmind。Shewillnevercomebeforethepublicinthatway。NothingyounorIcouldurgewouldinduceher。"

Vizardreplied，doggedly，"Iwillneverdespair，solongasshekeepshimoutofherhouse。"

RhodatoldInaKloskingthis，andsaid，"Nowitisinyourownhands。Youhaveonlytoletyourcharmingvillainintoyourhouse，andMr。VizardwillreturntoIslip。"

InaKloskingburiedherfaceinherhands，andthought。

Atnight，Vizardinhisbox，asusual。Severnebehindthesceneswithhisbouquet。Butthisnighthestayedfortheballet，toseeaFrenchdanseusewhohadjoinedthem。Hewasacquaintedwithherbefore，andhadasprightlyconversationwithher。Inotherwords，herenewedanoldflirtation。

Thenextoperanightallwentasusual。Vizardinthebox，lookingsadderthanusual。Rhoda\'sgoodsensehadnotbeenentirelywasted。Severne，withhisbouquet，andhisgravehumility，untiltheplayended，andLaKloskingpassedoutintothehall。HerbackwashardlyturnedwhenMademoiselleLafontaine，dressedfortheballet，inamostspicycostume，danceduptoheroldfriend，andslappedhisfaceverysoftlywitharose，thensprungawayandstoodonherdefense。

"I\'llhavethatrose，"criedSeverne。

"Nenni。"

"Andakissintothebargain。"

"Jamais。"

"C\'estcequenousverrons。"

Hechasedher。Sheutteredafeigned"Ah!"anddartedaway。Hefollowedher；shecrossedthesceneattheback，whereitwasdark，boundedoveranopentrap，whichshesawjustintime，butSeverne，notseeingit，becauseshewasbetweenhimandit，fellthroughit，and，strikingthemazarine，fellintothecellar，fifteenfeetbelowthestage。

Thescreamsofthedancerssoonbroughtacrowdroundthetrap，andreachedMademoiselleKloskingjustasshewasgoingouttohercarriage。

"There!"shecried。"Anotheraccident!"andshecameback，makingsureitwassomepoorcarpentercometogrief，asusual。Onsuchoccasionsherpursewasalwaysready。

TheybroughtSeverneupsensible，butmoaning，andbleedingatthetemple，andlookingallstreakyabouttheface。

Theyweregoingtotakehimtotheinfirmary；butMademoiselleKlosking，withafaceofangelicpity，said，"No；hebleeds，hebleeds。Hemustgotomyhouse。"

Theystaredalittle；butittakesagooddealtoastonishpeopleinatheater。

Severnewascarriedout，hisheadhastilybandaged，andhewasliftedintoLaKlosking\'scarriage。O