Charles Reade

A Simpleton Charles Reade

Originally published in 1873. The basic theme of this novel is how a worldly, intelligent man comes to appreciate the qualities of his extravagant though sweetly innocent wife, whom everyone calls "the simpleton." Dr. Christopher Staines marries Rosa Lusignan, a poor manager of money and all things domestic; Staines is forced to drive a hack incognito at night to make ends meet. When this fails, he sails to South Africa with a wealthy family as caretaker of their ill daughter. Along the way it's reported that Staines falls overboard and drowns. When he reaches Cape Town he decides to let the rumor of his death stand as fact so that Rosa can enjoy the life insurance money due her. But then the unscrupulous Reginald Falcon, aware of the situation, sails to England to get Rosa to marry him for her money. He wins her by faking the kidnapping of her son and then returning him to her posing as his rescuer. Feeling obligated to Falcon now, she is just about to succumb to him when Staines returns and saves his wife.