so　hot　as　yours；　of　course；　but　believe　me；　sir；　it　is　less
  selfish。　　You　would　expose　her　to　poverty　and　misery；　but　I　say　no；
  it　is　my　duty　to　protect　her　from　all　chance　of　them；　and；　in　doing
  it；　I　am　as　much　your　friend　as　hers；　if　you　could　but　see　it。
  Come；　Dr。　Staines；　be　a　man；　and　see　the　world　as　it　is。　　I　have
  told　you　how　to　earn　my　daughter's　hand　and　my　esteem：　you　must
  gain　both；　or　neither。〃
  Dr。　Staines　was　never　quite　deaf　to　reason：　he　now　put　his　hand　to
  his　brow　and　said；　with　a　sort　of　wonder　and　pitiful　dismay；　〃My
  love　for　Rosa　selfish！　　Sir；　your　words　are　bitter　and　hard。〃
  Then；　after　a　struggle；　and　with　rare　and　touching　candor；　〃Ay；　but
  so　are　bark　and　steel；　yet　they　are　good　medicines。〃　　Then　with　a
  great　glow　in　his　heart　and　tears　in　his　eyes；　〃My　darling　shall
  not　be　a　poor　man's　wife；　she　who　would　adorn　a　coronet；　ay；　or　a
  crown。　　Good…by；　Rosa；　for　the　present。〃　　He　darted　to　her；　and
  kissed　her　hand　with　all　his　soul。　　〃Oh；　the　sacrifice　of　leaving
  you；〃　he　faltered；　〃the　very　world　is　dark　to　me　without　you。　　Ah；
  well；　I　must　earn　the　right　to　come　again。〃　　He　summoned　all　his
  manhood；　and　marched　to　the　door。　　There　he　seemed　to　turn　calmer
  all　of　a　sudden；　and　said　firmly；　yet　humbly；　〃I'll　try　and　show
  you；　sir；　what　love　can　do。〃
  〃And　I'll　show　you　what　love　can　suffer；〃　said　Rosa；　folding　her
  beautiful　arms　superbly。
  It　was　not　in　her　to　have　shot　such　a　bolt；　except　in　imitation；
  yet　how　promptly　the　mimic　thunder　came；　and　how　grand　the　beauty
  looked；　with　her　dark　brows；　and　flashing　eyes；　and　folded　arms！
  much　grander　and　more　inspired　than　poor　Staines；　who　had　only
  furnished　the　idea。
  But　between　these　two　figures　swelling　with　emotion；　the
  representative　of　common　sense；　Lusignan　pere；　stood　cool　and
  impassive；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　looked　on　both　lovers　as
  a　couple　of　ranting　novices　he　was　saving　from　each　other　and
  almshouses。
  For　all　that；　when　the　lover　had　torn　himself　away；　papa's
  composure　was　suddenly　disturbed　by　a　misgiving。　　He　stepped
  hastily　to　the　stairhead；　and　gave　it　vent。　　〃Dr。　Staines；〃　said
  he；　in　a　loud　whisper　（Staines　was　half　way　down　the　stairs：　he
  stopped）。　　〃I　trust　to　you　as　a　gentleman；　not　to　mention　this；　it
  will　never　transpire　here。　　Whatever　we　dono　noise！〃
  CHAPTER　II。
  Rosa　Lusignan　set　herself　pining　as　she　had　promised；　and　she　did
  it　discreetly　for　so　young　a　person。　　She　was　never　peevish；　but
  always　sad　and　listless。　　By　this　means　she　did　not　anger　her
  parent；　but　only　made　him　feel　she　was　unhappy；　and　the　house　she
  had　hitherto　brightened　exceeding　dismal。
  By　degrees　this　noiseless　melancholy　undermined　the　old　gentleman；
  and　he　well…nigh　tottered。
  But　one　day；　calling　suddenly　on　a　neighbor　with　six　daughters；　he
  heard　peals　of　laughter；　and　found　Rosa　taking　her　full　share　of
  the　senseless　mirth。　　She　pulled　up　short　at　sight　of　him；　and
  colored　high；　but　it　was　too　late；　for　he　launched　a　knowing　look
  at　her　on　the　spot；　and　muttered　something　about　seven　foolish
  virgins。
  He　took　the　first　opportunity；　when　they　were　alone；　and　told　her
  he　was　glad　to　find　she　was　only　dismal　at　home。
  But　Rosa　had　prepared　for　him。　　〃One　can　be　loud　without　being　gay
  at　heart；〃　said　she；　with　a　lofty；　languid　air。　　〃I　have　not
  forgotten　your　last　words　to　HIM。　　We　were　to　hide　our　broken
  hearts　from　the　world。　　I　try　to　obey　you；　dear　papa；　but；　if　I　had
  my　way；　I　would　never　go　into　the　world　at　all。　　I　have　but　one
  desire　nowto　end　my　days　in　a　convent。〃
  〃Please　begin　them　first。　　A　convent！　　Why；　you'd　turn　it　out　of
  window。　　You　are　no　more　fit　to　be　a　nun　thana　pauper。〃
  Not　having　foreseen　this　facer；　Rosa　had　nothing　ready；　so　she
  received　it　with　a　sad；　submissive；　helpless　sigh；　as　who　would
  say；　〃Hit　me；　papa：　I　have　no　friend　now。〃　　So　then　he　was　sorry　he
  had　been　so　clever；　and；　indeed；　there　is　one　provoking　thing　about
  〃a　woman's　weakness〃it　is　invincible。
  The　next　minute；　what　should　come　but　a　long　letter　from　Dr。
  Staines；　detailing　his　endeavors　to　purchase　a　practice　in　London；
  and　his　ill…success。　　The　letter　spoke　the　language　of　love　and
  hope；　but　the　facts　were　discouraging；　and；　indeed；　a　touching
  sadness　pierced　through　the　veil　of　the　brave　words。
  Rosa　read　it　again　and　again；　and　cried　over　it　before　her　father；
  to　encourage　him　in　his　heartless　behavior。
  About　ten　days　after　this；　something　occurred　that　altered　her　mood。
  She　became　grave　and　thoughtful；　but　no　longer　lugubrious。　　She
  seemed　desirous　to　atone　to　her　father　for　having　disturbed　his
  cheerfulness。　　She　smiled　affectionately　on　him；　and　often　sat　on　a
  stool　at　his　knee；　and　glided　her　hand　into　his。
  He　was　not　a　little　pleased；　and　said　to　himself；　〃She　is　coming
  round　to　common…sense。〃
  Now；　on　the　contrary；　she　was　farther　from　it　than　ever。
  At　last　he　got　the　clew。　　One　afternoon　he　met　Mr。　Wyman　coming　out
  of　the　villa。　　Mr。　Wyman　was　the　consulting　surgeon　of　that　part。
  〃What！　anybody　ill？〃　said　Mr。　Lusignan。　　〃One　of　the　servants？〃
  〃No；　it　is　Miss　Lusignan。〃
  〃Why；　what　is　the　matter　with　her？〃
  Wyman　hesitated。　　〃Oh；　nothing　very　alarming。　　Would　you　mind
  asking　her？〃
  〃Why？〃
  〃The　fact　is；　she　requested　me　not　to　tell　you：　made　me　promise。〃
  〃And　I　insist　upon　your　telling　me。〃
  〃And　I　think　you　are　quite　right；　sir；　as　her　father。　　Well；　she　is
  troubled　with　a　little　spitting　of　blood。〃
  Mr。　Lusignan　turned　pale。　　〃My　child！　spitting　of　blood！　　God
  forbid！〃
  〃Oh；　do　not　alarm　yourself。　　It　is　nothing　serious。〃
  〃Don't　tell　me！〃　said　the　father。　　〃It　is　always　serious。　　And　she
  kept　this　from　me！〃
  Masking　his　agitation　for　the　time；　he　inquired　how　often　it　had
  occurred；　this　grave　symptom。
  〃Three　or　four　times　this　last　month。　　But　I　may　as　well　tell　you
  at　once：　I　have　examined　her　carefully；　and　I　do　not　think　it　is
  from　the　lungs。〃
  〃From　the　throat；　then？〃
  〃No；　from　the　liver。　　Everything　points　to　that　organ　as　the　seat
  of　derangement：　not　that　there　is　any　lesion；　only　a　tendency　to
  congestion。　　I　am　treating　her　accordingly；　and　have　no　doubt　of
  the　result。〃
  〃Who　is　the　ablest　physician　hereabouts？〃　asked　Lusignan；　abruptly。
  〃Dr。　Snell；　I　think。〃
  〃Give　me　his　address。〃
  〃I'll　write　to　him；　if　you　like；　and　appoint　a　consultation。〃　　He
  added；　with　vast　but　rather　sudden　alacrity；　〃It　will　be　a　great
  satisfaction　to　my　own　mind。〃
  〃Then　send　to　him；　if　you　please；　and　let　him　be　here　to…morrow
  morning；　if　not；　I　shall　take　her　to　London　for　advice　at　once。〃
  On　this　understanding　they　parted；　and　Lusignan　went　at　once　to　his
  daughter。　　〃O　my　child！〃　said　he；　deeply　distressed；　〃how　could　you
  hide　this　from　me？〃
  〃Hide　what；　papa？〃　said　the　girl；　looking　the　picture　of
  unconsciousness。
  〃That　you　have　been　spitting　blood。〃
  〃Who　told　you　that？〃　said　she；　sharply。
  〃Wyman。　　He　is　attending　you。〃
  Rosa　colored　with　anger。　　〃Chatterbox！　　He　promised　me　faithfully
  not　to。〃
  〃But　why；　in　Heaven's　name？　　What！　would　you　trust　this　terrible
  thing　to　a　stranger；　and　hide　it　from　your　poor　father？〃
  〃Yes；〃　replied　Rosa；　quietly。
  The　old　man　would　not　scold　her　now；　he　only　said；　sadly；　〃I　see
  how　it　is：　because　I　will　not　let　you　marry　poverty；　you　think　I　do
  not　love　you。〃　　And　he　sighed。
  〃O　papa！　the　idea！〃　said　Rosa。　　〃Of　course；　I　know　you　love　me。　　It
  was　not　that；　you　dear；　darling；　foolish　papa。　　There！　if　you　must
  know；　it　was　because　I　did　not　want　you　to　be　distressed。　　I
  thought　I　might　get　better　with　a　little　physic；　and；　if　not；　why；
  then　I　thought；　'Papa　is　an　old　man；　la！　I　dare　say　I　shall　last
  his　time；'　and　so；　why　should　I　poison　your　latter　days　with
  worrying　about　ME？〃
  Mr。　Lusignan　stared　at　her；　and　his　lip　quivered；　but　he　thought
  the　trait　hardly　consistent　with　her　superficial　character。　　He
  could　not　help　saying；　half　sadly；　half　bitterly；　〃Well；　but　of
  course　you　have　told　Dr。　Staines。〃
  Rosa　opened　her　beautiful　eyes；　like　two　suns。　　〃Of　course　I　have
  done　nothing　of　the　sort。　　He　has　enough　to　trouble　him；　without
  that。　　Poor　fellow！　there　he　is；　worrying　and　striving　to　make　his
  fortune；　and　gain　your　esteem'they　go　together；'　you　know；　you
  told　him　so。〃　　（Young　cats　will　scratch　when　least　expected。）　　〃And
  for　me　to　go　and　tell　him　I　am　in　danger！　　Why；　he　would　go　wild。
  He　would　think　of　nothing　but　me　and　my　health。　　He　would　never
  make　his　fortune：　and　so　then；　even　when　I　am　gone；　he　will　never
  get　a　wife；　because　he　has　only　got　genius　and　goodness　and　three
  thousand　pounds。　　No；　papa；　I　have　not　told　poor　Christopher。　　I
  may　tease　those　I　love。　　I　have　been　teasing　YOU　this　ever　so　long；
  but　frighten　them；　and　make　them　miserable？　　No！〃
  And　here；　thinking　of　the　anguish　that　was　perhaps　in　store　for
  those　she　loved；　she　wanted　to　cry；　it　almost　choked　her　not　to。
  But　she　fought　it　bravely　down：　she　reserved　her　tears　for　lighter
  occasions　and　less　noble　sentiments。
  Her　father　held　out　his　arms　to　her。　　She　ran　her　footstool　to　him；
  and　sat　nestling　to　his　heart。
  〃Please　forgive　me　my　misconduct。　　I　have　not　been　a　dutiful
  daughter　ever　since　youbut　now　I　will。　　Kiss　me；