is considerable。 The deepest philosopher never fathomed a
character more thoroughly than this poor child fathomed her
philosopher； when she had read his journal ten or eleven times； and
bedewed it with a thousand tears。
One passage almost cut her more intelligent heart in twain：
〃This dark day I have done a thing incredible。 I have spoken with
brutal harshness to the innocent creature I have sworn to protect。
She had run in debt； through inexperience； and that unhappy
timidity which makes women conceal an error till it ramifies； by
concealment； into a fault； and I must storm and rave at her； till
she actually fainted away。 Brute！ Ruffian！ Monster！ And she；
how did she punish me； poor lamb？ By soft and tender wordslike a
lady； as she is。 Oh； my sweet Rosa； I wish you could know how you
are avenged。 Talk of the scourgethe cat！ I would be thankful
for two dozen lashes。 Ah！ there is no need； I think； to punish a
man who has been cruel to a woman。 Let him alone。 He will punish
himself more than you can； if he is really a man。〃
From the date of that entry； this self…reproach and self…torture
kept cropping up every now and then in the diary； and it appeared
to have been not entirely without its influence in sending Staines
to sea； though the main reason he gave was that his Rosa might have
the comforts and luxuries she had enjoyed before she married him。
One day； while she was crying over this diary； Uncle Philip called；
but not to comfort her； I promise you。 He burst on her； irate； to
take her to task。 He had returned； learned Christopher's
departure； and settled the reason in his own mind： that uxorious
fool was gone to sea by a natural reaction； his eyes were open to
his wife at last； and he was sick of her folly； so he had fled to
distant climes； as who would not； that could？
〃SO； ma'am；〃 said he； 〃my nephew is gone to sea； I findall in a
hurry。 Pray may I ask what he has done that for？〃
It was a very simple question； yet it did not elicit a very plain
answer。 She only stared at this abrupt inquisitor； and then cried；
piteously； 〃Oh； Uncle Philip！〃 and burst out sobbing。
〃Why； what is the matter？〃
〃You WILL hate me now。 He is gone to make money for ME； and I
would rather have lived on a crust。 Uncledon't hate me。 I'm a
poor； bereaved； heart…broken creature； that repents。〃
〃Repents！ heigho！ why； what have you been up to now； ma'am？ No
great harm； I'll be bound。 Flirting a little with some FOOLeh？〃
〃Flirting！ Me！ a married woman。〃
〃Oh； to be sure； I forgot。 Why； surely he has not deserted you。〃
〃My Christopher desert me！ He loves me too well； far more than I
deserve； but not more than I will。 Uncle Philip； I am too confused
and wretched to tell you all that has happened； but I know you love
him； though you had a tiff： uncle； he called on you； to shake hands
and ask your forgiveness； poor fellow！ He was so sorry you were
away。 Please read his dear diary： it will tell you all； better
than his poor foolish wife can。 I know it by heart。 I'll show you
where you and he quarrelled about me。 There； see。〃 And she showed
him the passage with her finger。 〃He never told me it was that； or
I would have come and begged your pardon on my knees。 But see how
sorry he was。 There； see。 And now I'll show you another place；
where my Christopher speaks of your many； many acts of kindness。
There； see。 And now please let me show you how he longed for
reconciliation。 There； see。 And it is the same through the book。
And now I'll show you how grieved he was to go without your
blessing。 I told him I was sure you would give him that； and him
going away。 Ah； me！ will he ever return？ Uncle dear； don't hate
me。 What shall I do； now he is gone； if you disown me？ Why； you
are the only Staines left me to love。〃
〃Disown you； ma'am！ that I'll never do。 You are a good…hearted
young woman； I find。 There； run and dry your eyes； and let me read
Christopher's diary all through。 Then I shall see how the land
lies。〃
Rosa complied with his proposal； and left him alone while she
bathed her eyes； and tried to compose herself； for she was all
trembling at this sudden irruption。
When she returned to the drawing…room； he was walking about；
looking grave and thoughtful。
〃It is the old story；〃 said he； rather gently： 〃a MISUNDERSTANDING。
How wise our ancestors were that first used that word to mean a
quarrel！ for； look into twenty quarrels； and you shall detect a
score of mis…under…standings。 Yet our American cousins must go and
substitute the un…ideaed word 'difficulty'； that is wonderful。 I
had no quarrel with him： delighted to see either of you。 But I had
called twice on him； so I thought he ought to get over his temper；
and call on a tried friend like me。 A misunderstanding！ Now； my
dear； let us have no more of these misunderstandings。 You will
always be welcome at my house； and I shall often come here and look
after you and your interests。 What do you mean to do； I wonder？〃
〃Sir； I am to go home to my father； if he will be troubled with me。
I have written to him。〃
〃And what is to become of the Bijou？〃
〃My Christie thought I should like to part with it； and the
furniturebut his own writing…desk and his chair； no； I never
will； and his little clock。 Oh！ oh！ oh！But I remember what you
said about agents； and I don't know what to do； for I shall be
away。〃
〃Then； leave it to me。 I'll come and live here with one servant；
and I'll soon sell it for you。〃
〃You； Uncle Philip！〃
〃Well； why not？〃 said he roughly。
〃That will be a great trouble and discomfort to you； I'm afraid。〃
〃If I find it so； I'll soon drop it。 I'm not the fool to put
myself out for anybody。 When you are ready to go out； send me
word； and I'll come in。〃
Soon after this he bustled off。 He gave her a sort of hurried kiss
at parting； as if he was ashamed of it； and wanted it over as
quickly as possible。
Next day her father came； condoled with her politely； assured her
there was nothing to cry about； husbands were a sort of
functionaries that generally went to sea at some part of their
career； and no harm ever came of it。 On the contrary； 〃Absence
makes the heart grow fonder；〃 said this judicious parent。
This sentiment happened to be just a little too true； and set the
daughter crying bitterly。 But she fought against it。 〃Oh no！〃
said she； 〃I MUSTN'T。 I will not be always crying in Kent Villa。〃
〃Lord forbid！〃
〃I shall get over it in timea little。〃
〃Why； of course you will。 But as to your coming to Kent Villa； I
am afraid you would not be very comfortable there。 You know I am
superannuated。 Only got my pension now。〃
〃I know that； papa： andwhy； that is one of the reasons。 I have a
good income now； and I thought if we put our means together〃
〃Oh； that is a very different thing。 You will want a carriage； I
suppose。 I have put mine down。〃
〃No carriage； no horse； no footman； no luxury of any kind till my
Christie comes back。 I abhor dress； I abhor expense； I loathe
everything I once liked too well； I detest every folly that has
parted us； and I hate myself worst of all。 Oh！ oh！ oh！ Forgive me
for crying so。〃
〃Well； I dare say there are associations about this place that
upset you。 I shall go and make ready for you； dear； and then you
can come as soon as you like。〃
He bestowed a paternal kiss on her brow； and glided doucely away
before she could possibly cry again。
The very next week Rosa was at Kent Villa； with the relics of her
husband about her； his chair； his writing…table； his clock； his
waste…paper basket； a very deep and large one。 She had them all in
her bedroom at Kent Villa。
Here the days glided quietly but heavily。
She derived some comfort from Uncle Philip。 His rough； friendly
way was a tonic； and braced her。 He called several times about the
Bijou。 Told her he had put up enormous boards all over the house；
and puffed it finely。 〃I have had a hundred agents at me；〃 said
he； 〃and the next thing； I hope； will be one customer； that is
about the proportion。〃 At last he wrote her he had hooked a
victim； and sold the lease and furniture for nine hundred guineas。
Staines had assigned the lease to Rosa； so she had full powers； and
Philip invested the money； and two hundred more she gave him； in a
little mortgage at six per cent。
Now came the letter from Madeira。 It gave her new life。
Christopher was well； contented； hopeful。 His example should
animate her。 She would bravely bear the present； and share his
hopes of the future： with these brighter views Nature co…operated。
The instincts of approaching maternity brightened the future。 She
fell into gentle reveries； and saw her husband return； and saw
herself place their infant in his arms with all a wife's； a
mother's pride。
In due course came another long letter from the equator； with a
full journal； and more words of hope。 Home in less than a year；
with reputation increased by this last cure； home； to part no more。
Ah！ what a changed wife he should find！ how frugal； how candid； how
full of appreciation； admiration； and love； of the noblest； dearest
husband that ever breathed！
Lady Cicely Treherne waited some weeks； to let kinder sentiments
return。 She then called in Dear Street； but found Mrs。 Staines was
gone to Gravesend。 She wrote to her。
In a few days she received a reply； studiously polite and cold。
This persistent injustice mortified her at last。 She said to
herself； 〃Does she think his departure was no loss to ME？ It was
to her interests； as well as his； I sacrificed my own selfish
wishes。 I will write to her no more。〃
This resolution she steadily maintained。 It was shaken for a
moment； when she heard； by a side wind； that Mrs。 Staines was fast
approaching the great pain and peril of women。 Then she wavered。
But no。 She prayed for her by name in the Liturgy； but she
troubled her no more。
This state of things lasted some six weeks； when she received a
letter from her cousin Tadcaster； close on the heels of his last；
to which she had replied as I have indicated。 She knew his
handwriting； and opened it with a smile。
That smile soon died o