They　promised　heartily；　and　more　than　one　of　the　women　began　to
  cry。
  〃A　general　assent　will　not　satisfy　me；〃　said　Dr。　Philip。　　〃I　want
  every　man；　and　every　woman；　to　give　me　a　hand　upon　it；　then　I　shall
  feel　sure　of　you。〃
  The　men　gave　him　their　hands　at　once。　　The　women　wiped　their　hands
  with　their　aprons；　to　make　sure　they　were　clean；　and　gave　him　their
  hands　too。　　The　cook　said；　〃If　any　one　of　us　goes　from　it；　this
  kitchen　will　be　too　hot　to　hold　her。〃
  〃Nobody　will　go　from　it；　cook；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃I'm　not　afraid
  of　that；　and　now　since　you　have　promised　me；　out　of　your　own　good
  hearts；　I'll　try　and　be　even　with　you。　　If　she　knows　nothing　of　it
  by　the　tenth　of　March；　five　guineas　to　every　man　and　woman　in　this
  kitchen。　　You　shall　see　that；　if　you　can　be　kind；　we　can　be
  grateful。〃
  He　then　hurried　away。　　He　found　Mr。　Lusignan　in　the　drawing…room；
  and　told　him　all　this。　　Lusignan　was　fluttered；　but　grateful。　　〃Ah；
  my　good　friend；〃　said　he；　〃this　is　a　hard　trial　to　two　old　men；
  like　you　and　me。〃
  〃It　is；〃　said　Philip。　　〃It　has　shown　me　my　age。　　I　declare　I　am
  trembling；　I；　whose　nerves　were　iron。　　But　I　have　a　particular
  contempt　for　servants。　　Mercenary　wretches！　　I　think　Heaven
  inspired　me　to　talk　to　them。　　After　all；　who　knows？　perhaps　we
  might　find　a　way　to　their　hearts；　if　we　did　not　eternally　shock
  their　vanity；　and　forget　that　it　is；　and　must　be；　far　greater　than
  our　own。　　The　women　gave　me　their　tears；　and　the　men　were　earnest。
  Not　one　hand　lay　cold　in　mine。　　As　for　your　kitchen…maid；　I'd　trust
  my　life　to　that　girl。　　What　a　grip　she　gave　me！　　What　strength！
  What　fidelity　was　in　it！　　My　hand　was　never　GRASPED　before。　　I
  think　we　are　safe　for　a　few　days　more。〃
  Lusignan　sighed。　　〃What　does　it　all　come　to？　　We　are　pulling　the
  trigger　gently；　that　is　all。〃
  〃No；　no；　that　is　not　it。　　Don't　let　us　confound　the　matter　with
  similes；　please。　　Keep　them　for　children。〃
  Mrs。　Staines　left　her　bed；　and　would　have　left　her　room；　but　Dr。
  Philip　forbade　it　strictly。
  One　day；　seated　in　her　arm…chair；　she　said　to　the　nurse；　before　Dr。
  Philip；　〃Nurse；　why　do　the　servants　look　so　curiously　at　me？〃
  Mrs。　Briscoe　cast　a　hasty　glance　at　Dr。　Philip；　and　then　said；　〃I
  don't　know；　madam。　　I　never　noticed　that。〃
  〃Uncle；　why　did　nurse　look　at　you　before　she　answered　such　a　simple
  question？〃
  〃I　don't　know。　　What　question？〃
  〃About　the　servants。〃
  〃Oh；　about　the　servants！〃　said　he　contemptuously。
  〃You　should　not　turn　up　your　nose　at　them；　for　they　are　all　most
  kind　and　attentive。　　Only；　I　catch　them　looking　at　me　so　strangely；
  reallyas　if　they〃
  〃Rosa；　you　are　taking　me　quite　out　of　my　depth。　　The　looks　of
  servant　girls！　　Why；　of　course　a　lady　in　your　condition　is　an
  object　of　especial　interest　to　them。　　I　dare　say　they　are　saying　to
  one　another；　'I　wonder　when　my　turn　will　come！'　　A　fellow…feeling
  makes　us　wondrous　kindthat　is　a　proverb；　is　it　not？〃
  〃To　be　sure。　　I　forgot　that。〃
  She　said　no　more；　but　seemed　thoughtful；　and　not　quite　satisfied。
  On　this　Dr。　Philip　begged　the　maids　to　go　near　her　as　little　as
  possible。　　〃You　are　not　aware　of　it；〃　said　he；　〃but　your　looks；　and
  your　manner　of　speaking；　rouse　her　attention；　and　she　is　quicker
  than　I　thought　she　was；　and　observes　very　subtly。〃
  This　was　done；　and　then　she　complained　that　nobody　came　near　her。
  She　insisted　on　coming　down…stairs；　it　was　so　dull。
  Dr。　Philip　consented；　if　she　would　be　content　to　receive　no　visits
  for　a　week。
  She　assented　to　that；　and　now　passed　some　hours　every　day　in　the
  drawing…room。　　In　her　morning　wrappers；　so　fresh　and　crisp；　she
  looked　lovely；　and　increased　in　health　and　strength　every　day。
  Dr。　Philip　used　to　look　at　her；　and　his　very　flesh　would　creep　at
  the　thought　that；　ere　long；　he　must　hurl　this　fair　creature　into
  the　dust　of　affliction；　must；　with　a　word；　take　the　ruby　from　her
  lips；　the　rose　from　her　cheeks；　the　sparkle　from　her　glorious　eyes
  eyes　that　beamed　on　him　with　sweet　affection；　and　a　mouth　that
  never　opened；　but　to　show　some　simplicity　of　mind；　or　some　pretty
  burst　of　the　sensitive　heart。
  He　put　off；　and　put　off；　and　at　last　cowardice　began　to　whisper；
  〃Why　tell　her　the　whole　truth　at　all？　　Why　not　take　her　through
  stages　of　doubt；　alarm；　and；　after　all；　leave　a　grain　of　hope　till
  her　child　gets　so　rooted　in　her　heart　that〃　　But　conscience　and
  good　sense　interrupted　this　temporary　thought；　and　made　him　see　to
  what　a　horrible　life　of　suspense　he　should　condemn　a　human
  creature；　and　live　a　perpetual　lie；　and　be　always　at　the　edge　of
  some　pitfall　or　other。
  One　day；　while　he　sat　looking　at　her；　with　all　these　thoughts；　and
  many　more；　coursing　through　his　mind；　she　looked　up　at　him；　and
  surprised　him。　　〃Ah！〃　said　she　gravely。
  〃What　is　the　matter；　my　dear？〃
  〃Oh；　nothing；〃　said　she　cunningly。
  〃Uncle；　dear；〃　said　she　presently；　〃when　do　we　go　to　Herne　Bay？〃
  Now；　Dr。　Philip　had　given　that　up。　　He　had　got　the　servants　at　Kent
  Villa　on　his　side；　and　he　felt　safer　here　than　in　any　strange
  place：　so　he　said；　〃I　don't　know：　that　all　depends。　　There　is
  plenty　of　time。〃
  〃No；　uncle；〃　said　Rosa　gravely。　　〃I　wish　to　leave　this　house。　　I
  can　hardly　breathe　in　it。〃
  〃What！　your　native　air？〃
  〃Mystery　is　not　my　native　air；　and　this　house　is　full　of　mystery。
  Voices　whisper　at　my　door；　and　the　people　don't　come　in。　　The　maids
  cast　strange　looks　at　me；　and　hurry　away。　　I　scolded　that　pert　girl
  Jane；　and　she　answered　me　as　meek　as　Moses。　　I　catch　you　looking　at
  me；　with　love；　and　something　else。　　What　is　that　something？　　It
  is　Pity：　that　is　what　it　is。　　Do　you　think；　because　I　am　called　a
  simpleton；　that　I　have　no　eyes；　nor　ears；　nor　sense？　　What　is　this
  secret　which　you　are　all　hiding　from　one　person；　and　that　is　me？
  Ah！　Christopher　has　not　written　these　five　weeks。　　Tell　me　the
  truth；　for　I　will　know　it；〃　and　she　started　up　in　wild　excitement。
  Then　Dr。　Philip　saw　the　hour　was　come。
  He　said；　〃My　poor　girl；　you　have　read　us　right。　　I　am　anxious　about
  Christopher；　and　all　the　servants　know　it。〃
  〃Anxious；　and　not　tell　ME；　his　wife；　the　woman　whose　life　is　bound
  up　in　his。〃
  〃Was　it　for　us　to　retard　your　convalescence；　and　set　you　fretting；
  and　perhaps　destroy　your　child？　　Rosa；　my　darling；　think　what　a
  treasure　Heaven　has　sent　you；　to　love　and　care　for。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　she；　trembling；　〃Heaven　has　been　good　to　me；　I　hope
  Heaven　will　always　be　as　good　to　me。　　I　don't　deserve　it；　but　then
  I　tell　God　so。　　I　am　very　grateful；　and　very　penitent。　　I　never
  forget　that；　if　I　had　been　a　good　wife；　my　husbandfive　weeks　is　a
  long　time。　　Why　do　you　tremble　so？　　Why　are　you　so　palea　strong
  man　like　you？　　CALAMITY！　　CALAMITY！〃
  Dr。　Philip　hung　his　head。
  She　looked　at　him；　started　wildly　up；　then　sank　back　into　her
  chair。　　So　the　stricken　deer　leaps；　then　falls。　　Yet　even　now　she
  put　on　a　deceitful　calm；　and　said；　〃Tell　me　the　truth。　　I　have　a
  right　to　know。〃
  He　stammered　out；　〃There　is　a　report　of　an　accident　at　sea。〃
  She　kept　silence。
  〃Of　a　passenger　drownedout　of　that　ship。　　This；　coupled　with　his
  silence；　fills　our　hearts　with　fear。〃
  〃It　is　worseyou　are　breaking　it　to　meyou　have　gone　too　far　to
  stop。　　One　word：　is　he　alive？　　Oh；　say　he　is　alive！〃
  Philip　rang　the　bell　hard；　and　said　in　a　troubled　voice；　〃Rosa；
  think　of　your　child。〃
  〃Not　when　my　husband　　Is　he　alive　or　dead？〃
  〃It　is　hard　to　say；　with　such　a　terrible　report　about；　and　no
  letters；〃　faltered　the　old　man；　his　courage　failing　him。
  〃What　are　you　afraid　of？　　Do　you　think　I　can't　die；　and　go　to　him？
  Alive；　or　dead？〃　and　she　stood　before　him；　raging　and　quivering　in
  every　limb。
  The　nurse　came　in。
  〃Fetch　her　child；〃　he　cried；　〃God　have　mercy　on　her。〃
  〃Ah；　then　he　is　dead；〃　said　she；　with　stony　calmness。　　〃I　drove　him
  to　sea；　and　he　is　dead。〃
  The　nurse　rushed　in；　and　held　the　child　to　her。
  She　would　not　look　at　it。
  〃Dead！〃
  〃Yes；　our　poor　Christie　is　gonebut　his　child　is　herethe　image
  of　him。　　Do　not　forget　the　mother。　　Have　pity　on　his　child　and
  yours。〃
  〃Take　it　out　of　my　sight！〃　she　screamed。　　〃Away　with　it；　or　I　shall
  murder　it；　as　I　have　murdered　its　father。　　My　dear　Christie；　before
  all　that　live！　　I　have　killed　him。　　I　shall　die　for　him。　　I　shall
  go　to　him。〃　　She　raved　and　tore　her　hair。　　Servants　rushed　in。
  Rosa　was　carried　to　her　bed；　screaming　and　raving；　and　her　black
  hair　all　down　on　both　sides；　a　piteous　sight。
  Swoon　followed　swoon；　and　that　very　night　brain　fever　set　in　with
  all　its　sad　accompaniments；　a　poor　bereaved　creature；　tossing　and
  moaning；　pale；　anxious；　but　resolute　faces　of　the　nurse　and　the
  kitchen…maid　watching：　on　one　table　a　pail　of　ice；　and　on　another
  the　long；　thick　raven　hair　of　our　poor　Simpleton；　lying　on　clean
  silver　paper。　　Dr。　Philip　had　cut　it　all　off　with　his　own　hand；　and
  he　was　now　folding　it　up；　and　crying　over　it；　for　he　thought　to
  himself；　〃Perhaps　in　a　few　days　more　only　this　will　be　left　of　her
  on　earth。〃
  CHAPTER　XV。
  Staines　fell　head…foremost　into　the　sea　with　a　heavy　plunge。　　Being
  an　excellent　swimmer；　he　struck　out　the　moment　he　touched　the
  water；　and　that　arrested　his　dive；　and　brought　him　up　with　a　slant；
  shocked　and　panting；　drench