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 indeed left all to Dr。 Philip。
Dr。 Philip trusted nobody； not even his own confidential servant。
He allowed no journal to come into the house without passing
through his hands； and he read them all before he would let any
other soul in the house see them。 He asked Rosa to let him be her
secretary and open her letters； giving as a pretext that it would
be as well she should have no small worries or trouble just now。
〃Why；〃 said she； 〃I was never so well able to bear them。 It must
be a great thing to put me out now。 I am so happy； and live in the
future。 Well； dear uncle； you can if you likewhat does it
matter？only there must be one exception： my own Christie's
letters； you know。〃
〃Of course；〃 said he； wincing inwardly。
The very next day came a letter of condolence from Miss Lucas。 Dr。
Philip intercepted it； and locked it up； to be shown her at a more
fitting time。
But how could he hope to keep so public a thing as this from
entering the house in one of a hundred newspapers？
He went into Gravesend； and searched all the newspapers； to see
what he had to contend with。 To his horror； he found it in several
dailies and weeklies； and in two illustrated papers。 He sat aghast
at the difficulty and the danger。
The best thing he could think of was to buy them all； and cut out
the account。 He did so； and brought all the papers； thus
mutilated； into the house； and sent them into the kitchen。 He said
to his old servant； 〃These may amuse Mr。 Lusignan's people； and I
have extracted all that interests me。〃
By these means he hoped that none of the servants would go and buy
more of these same papers elsewhere。
Notwithstanding these precautions； he took the nurse apart； and
said； 〃Now； you are an experienced woman； and to be trusted about
an excitable patient。 Mind； I object to any female servant
entering Mrs。 Staines's room with gossip。 Keep them outside the
door for the present； please。 Oh； and nurse； if anything should
happen； likely to grieve or to worry her； it must be kept from her
entirely： can I trust you？〃
〃You may； sir。〃
〃I shall add ten guineas to your fee； if she gets through the month
without a shock or disturbance of any kind。〃
She stared at him； inquiringly。 Then she said；
〃You may rely on me； doctor。〃
〃I feel I may。 Still； she alarms me。 She looks quiet enough； but
she is very excitable。〃
Not all these precautions gave Dr。 Philip any real sense of
security； still less did they to Mr。 Lusignan。 He was not a tender
father； in small things； but the idea of actual danger to his only
child was terrible to him and he now passed his life in a continual
tremble。
This is the less to be wondered at； when I tell you that even the
stout Philip began to lose his nerve； his appetite； his sleep；
under this hourly terror and this hourly torture。
Well did the great imagination of antiquity feign a torment； too
great for the mind long to endure； in the sword of Damocles
suspended by a single hair over his head。 Here the sword hung over
an innocent creature； who smiled beneath it； fearless； but these
two old men must sit and watch the sword； and ask themselves how
long before that subtle salvation shall snap。
〃Ill news travels fast；〃 says the proverb。 〃The birds of the air
shall carry the matter；〃 says Holy Writ； and it is so。 No bolts
nor bars； no promises nor precautions； can long shut out a great
calamity from the ears it is to blast； the heart it is to wither。
The very air seems full of it； until it falls。
Rosa's child was more than a fortnight old； and she was looking
more beautiful than ever； as is often the case with a very young
mother； and Dr。 Philip complimented her on her looks。 〃Now；〃 said
he； 〃you reap the advantage of being good； and obedient； and
keeping quiet。 In another ten days or so； I may take you to the
seaside for a week。 I have the honor to inform you that from about
the fourth to the tenth of March there is always a week of fine
weather； which takes everybody by surprise； except me。 It does not
astonish me； because I observe it is invariable。 Now； what would
you say if I gave you a week at Herne Bay； to set you up
altogether？〃
〃As you please； dear uncle；〃 said Mrs。 Staines； with a sweet smile。
〃I shall be very happy to go； or to stay。 I shall be happy
everywhere； with my darling boy； and the thought of my husband。
Why； I count the days till he shall come back to me。 No； to us； to
us； my pet。 How dare a naughty mammy say to 'me；' as if 'me' was
half the 'portance of oo； a precious pets！〃
Dr。 Philip was surprised into a sigh。
〃What is the matter； dear？〃 said Rosa； very quickly。
〃The matter？〃
〃Yes； dear； the matter。 You sighed； you； the laughing
philosopher。〃
〃Did I？〃 said he； to gain time。 〃Perhaps I remembered the
uncertainty of human life； and of all mortal hopes。 The old will
have their thoughts； my dear。 They have seen so much trouble。〃
〃But； uncle dear； he is a very healthy child。〃
〃Very。〃
〃And you told me yourself carelessness was the cause so many
children die。〃
〃Th