to which she had replied as I have indicated。 She knew his
handwriting； and opened it with a smile。
That smile soon died off her horror…stricken face。 The letter ran
thus：
TRISTAN D'ACUNHA； Jan。 5。
DEAR CICELY；A terrible thing has just happened。 We signalled a
raft； with a body on it； and poor Dr。 Staines leaned out of the
port…hole； and fell overboard。 Three boats were let down after
him； but it all went wrong； somehow； or it was too late。 They
could never find him； he was drowned； and the funeral service was
read for the poor fellow。
We are all sadly cut up。 Everybody loved him。 It was dreadful
next day at dinner； when his chair was empty。 The very sailors
cried at not finding him。
First of all； I thought I ought to write to his wife。 I know where
she lives； it is called Kent Villa； Gravesend。 But I was afraid；
it might kill her： and you are so good and sensible； I thought I
had better write to you； and perhaps you could break it to her by
degrees； before it gets in all the papers。
I send this from the island； by a small vessel； and paid him ten
pounds to take it。
Your affectionate cousin；
TADCASTER。
Words are powerless to describe a blow like this： the amazement；
the stupor； the reluctance to believethe rising； swelling；
surging horror。 She sat like a woman of stone； crumpling the
letter。 〃Dead！dead？〃
For a long time this was all her mind could realizethat
Christopher Staines was dead。 He who had been so full of life and
thought and genius； and worthier to live than all the world； was
dead； and a million nobodies were still alive； and he was dead。
She lay back on the sofa； and all the power left her limbs。 She
could not move a hand。
But suddenly she started up； for a noble instinct told her this
blow must not fall on the wife as it had on her； and in her time of
peril。
She had her bonnet on in a moment； and for the first time in her
life； darted out of the house without her maid。 She flew along the
streets； scarcely feeling the ground。 She got to Dear Street； and
obtained Philip Staines's address。 She flew to it； and there
learned he was down at Kent Villa。 Instantly she telegraphed to
her maid to come down to her at Gravesend； with things for a short
visit； and wait for her at the station； and she went down by train
to Gravesend。
Hitherto she had walked on air； driven by one overpowering impulse。
Now； as she sat in the train； she thought a little of herself。
What was before her？ To break to Mrs。 Staines that her husband was
dead。 To tell her all her misgivings were more than justified。 To
encounter her cold civility； and let her know； inch by inch； it
must be exchanged for curses and tearing of hair； her husband was
dead。 To tell her this； and in the telling of it； perhaps reveal
that it was HER great bereavement； as well as the wife's； for she
had a deeper affection for him than she ought。
Well； she trembled like an aspen leaf； trembled like one in an
ague； even as she sat。 But she persevered。
A noble woman has her courage； not exactly the same as that which
leads forlorn hopes against bastions bristling with rifles and
tongued with flames and thunderbolts； yet not inferior to it。
Tadcaster； small and dull； but noble by birth and instinct； had
seen the right thing for her to do； and she； of the same breed； and
nobler far； had seen it too； and the great soul steadily drew the
recoiling heart and quivering body to this fiery trial； this act of
humanityto do which was terrible and hard； to shirk it； cowardly
and cruel。
She reached Gravesend； and drove in a fly to Kent Villa。
The door was opened by a maid。
〃Is Mrs。 Staines at home？〃
〃Yes； ma'am； she is at HOME： but〃
〃Can I see her？〃
〃Why； no； ma'am； not at present。〃
〃But I must see her。 I am an old friend。 Please take her my card。
Lady Cicely Treherne。〃
The maid hesitated； and looked confused。 〃Perhaps you don't know；
ma'am。 Mrs。 Staines； she isthe doctor have been in the house all
day。〃
〃Ah； the doctor！ I believe Dr。 Philip Staines is here。〃
〃Why； that IS the doctor； ma'am。 Yes； he is here。〃
〃Then； pray let me see himor no； I had better see Mr。 Lusignan。〃
〃Master have gone out for the day； ma'am； but if you'll step in the
drawing…room； I'll tell the doctor。〃
Lady Cicely waited in the drawing…room some time； heart…sick and
trembling。
At last Dr。 Philip came in； with her card in his hand； looking
evidently a little cross at the interruption。 〃Now； madam； please
tell me； as briefly as you can； what I can do for you。〃
〃Are you Dr。 Philip Staines？〃
〃I am； madam； at your servicefor five minutes。 Can't quit my
patient long； just now。〃
〃Oh； sir； thank God I have found you。 Be prepared for ill news
sad newsa terrible calamityI can't speak。 Read that； sir。〃
And she handed him Tadcaster's note。
He took it； and read it。
He buried his face in his hands。 〃Christopher！ my poor； poor boy！〃
he groaned。 But suddenly a terrible anxiety seized him。 〃Who
knows of this？〃 he asked。
〃Only myself； sir。 I came here to break it to her。〃
〃You are a good； kind lady； for being so thoughtful。 Madam； if
this gets to my niece's ears； it will kill her； as sure as we stand
here。〃
〃Then let us keep it from her。 Command me； sir。 I will do
anything。 I will live heretake the letters inthe journals
anything。〃
〃No； no； you have done your part； and God bless you for it。 You
must not stay here。 Your ladyship's very presence； and your
agitation； would set the servants talking； and some idiot…fiend
among them babblingthere is nothing so terrible as a fool。〃
〃May I remain at the inn； sir； just one night？〃
〃Oh yes； I wish you would； and I will run over； if all is well with
herwell with her？ poor unfortunate girl！〃
Lady Cicely saw he wished her gone； and she went directly。
At nine o'clock that same evening； as she lay on a sofa in the best
room of the inn； attended by her maid； Dr。 Philip Staines came to
her。 She dismissed her maid。
Dr。 Philip was too old； in other words； had lost too many friends；
to be really broken down by bereavement； but he was strangely
subdued。 The loud tones were out of him； and the loud laugh； and
even the keen sneer。 Yet he was the same man； but with a gentler
surface； and this was not without its pathos。
〃Well； madam；〃 said he gravely and quietly。 〃It is as it always
has been。 'As is the race of leaves； so that of man。' When one
falls； another comes。 Here's a little Christopher come； in place
of him that is gone： a brave； beautiful boy； ma'am； the finest but
one I ever brought into the world。 He is come to take his father's
place in our heartsI see you valued his poor father； ma'ambut
he comes too late for me。 At your age； ma'am； friendships come
naturally； they spring like loves in the soft heart of youth： at
seventy； the gate is not so open； the soil is more sterile。 I
shall never care for another Christopher； never see another grow to
man's estate。〃
〃The mother； sir；〃 sobbed Lady Cicely； 〃the poor mother？〃
〃Like them allpoor creature： in heaven； madam； in heaven。 New
life！ new existence！ a new character。 All the pride； glory；
rapture； and amazement of maternitythanks to her ignorance； which
we must prolong； or I would not give one straw for her life； or her
son's。 I shall never leave the house till she does know it； and
come when it may； I dread the hour。 She is not framed by nature to
bear so deadly a shock。〃
〃Her father； sir。 Would he not be the best person to break it to
her？ He was out to…day。〃
〃Her father； ma'am？ I shall get no help from him。 He is one of
those soft； gentle creatures； that come into the world with what
your canting fools call a mission； and his mission is to take care
of number one。 Not dishonestly； mind you； nor violently； nor
rudely； but doucely and calmly。 The care a brute like me takes of
his vitals； that care Lusignan takes of his outer cuticle。 His
number one is a sensitive plant。 No scenes； no noise； nothing
painfulby…the…by； the little creature that writes in the papers；
and calls calamities PAINFUL； is of Lusignan's breed。 Out to…day！
of course he was out； ma'am： he knew from me his daughter would be
in peril all day； so he visited a friend。 He knew his own
tenderness； and evaded paternal sensibilities： a self…defender。 I
count on no help from that charming man。〃
〃A man！ I call such creachaas weptiles！〃 said Lady Cicely； her
ghastly cheek coloring for a moment。
〃Then you give them a false importance。〃
In the course of this interview； Lady Cicely accused herself sadly
of having interfered between man and wife； and with the best
intentions brought about this cruel calamity。 〃Judge； then； sir；〃
said she； 〃how grateful I am to you for undertaking this cruel
task。 I was her schoolfellow； sir； and I love her dearly； but she
has turned against me； and now； oh； with what horror she will
regard me！〃
〃Madam；〃 said the doctor； 〃there is nothing more mean and unjust
than to judge others by events that none could foresee。 Your
conscience is clear。 You did your best for my poor nephew： but
Fate willed it otherwise。 As for my niece； she has many virtues；
but justice is one you must not look for in that quarter。 Justice
requires brains。 It's a virtue the heart does not deal in。 You
must be content with your own good conscience； and an old man's
esteem。 You did all for the best； and this very day you have done
a good； kind action。 God bless you for it！〃
Then he left her； and next day she went sadly home； and for many a
long day the hollow world saw nothing of Cicely Treherne。
When Mr。 Lusignan came home that night； Dr。 Philip told him the
miserable story； and his fears。 He received it； not as Philip had
expected。 The bachelor had counted without his dormant paternity。
He was terror…strickenabjectfell into a chair； and wrung his
hands； and wept piteously。 To keep it from his daughter till she
should be stronger； seemed to him chimerical； impossible。 However；
Philip insisted it must be done； and he must make some excuse for
keeping out of her way； or his manner would rouse her suspicions。
He consented readily to that； and i