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　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