hard cash-第102节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ow　unlikely　the　money　was　not　to　be　lost　in　the　_Agra。_　Why；　the　_'Tiser_　says　she　went　to　pieces　almost　directly　she　struck。　What　we　ought　to　have　done　was；　not　to　listen　to　Alfred　Hardie　like　fools；　but　write　to　Lloyd's　like　people　in　their　senses。　I'll　do　it　this　minute；　and　find　out　the　surviving　officers　of　the　ship：　they　will　be　able　to　give　us　information　on　that　head。〃　Mrs。　Dodd　approved；　and　said　she　would　write　to　her　kind　correspondent　Mrs。　Beresford；　and　she　did　sit　down　to　her　desk　at　once。　As　for　Sampson；　he　returned　to　town　next　morning；　not　quite　convinced；　but　thoroughly　staggered；　and　determined　for　once　to　resign　his　own　judgment；　and　abide　the　result　of　Mrs。　Dodd's　correspondence　and　Mr。　Green's　sagacity。　All　he　insisted　on　was；　that　his　placard　about　Alfred　should　be　continued：　he　left　money　for　this；　and　Edward；　against　the　grain；　consented　to　see　it　done。　But　placards　are　no　monopoly：　in　the　afternoon　only　a　section　of　Sampson's　was　visible　in　most　parts　of　the　town　by　reason　of　a　poster　to　this　effect　pasted　half　over　it：

　　　　　〃FIFTY　GUINEAS　REWARD。

〃Whereas；　yesterday　evening　at　ten　o'clock　Richard　Hardie；　Esq。；　of　Musgrove　Cottage；　Barkington；　was　assaulted　at　his　own　door　by　three　ruffians；　who　rifled　his　pockets；　and　read　his　private　memoranda；　and　committed　other　acts　of　violence；　the　shock　of　which　has　laid　him　on　a　bed　of　sickness；　the　above　reward　shall　be　paid　to　any　person；　or　persons；　who　will　give　such　information　as　shall　lead　to　the　detection　of　all　or　any　one　of　the　miscreants　concerned　in　this　outrage。

〃The　above　reward　will　be　paid　by　Mr。　Thomas　Hardie　of　Clare　Court；　Yorkshire。〃


On　this　the　impartial　police　came　to　Mr。　Hardie's　and　made　inquiries。　He　received　them　in　bed；　and　told　them　particulars：　and　they　gathered　from　Peggy　that　she　had　heard　a　cry　of　distress；　and　opened　the　kitchen　door；　and　that　Betty　and　she　had　ventured　out　together；　and　found　poor　master　tied　to　the　gate　with　an　old　cord：　this　she　produced；　and　the　police　inspected　and　took　it　away　with　them。

At　sight　of　that　Notice；　Edward　felt　cold　and　then　hot　and　realised　the　false　and　perilous　position　into　which　he　had　been　betrayed：　〃So　much　for　being　wiser　than　the　law；〃　he　said：　〃what　are　we　now　but　three　footpads？〃　This；　and　the　insult　his　sister　had　received　made　the　place　poison　to　him；　and　hastened　their　departure　by　a　day　or　two。　The　very　next　day　（Thursday）　an　_affiche_　on　the　walls　of　Albion　Villa　announced　that　Mr。　Chippenham；　auctioneer；　would　sell；　next　Wednesday；　on　the　premises；　the　greater　part　of　the　furniture；　plate；　china；　glass；　Oriental　inlaid　boxes　and　screens；　with　several　superb　India　shawls；　scarfs；　and　dresses；　also　a　twenty…one　years'　lease　of　the　villa；　seventeen　to　run。

Edward　took　unfurnished　apartments　in　London；　near　Russell　Square：　a　locality　in　which；　as　he　learned　from　the　_'Tiser；_　the　rooms　were　large　and　cheap。　He　packed　just　so　much　furniture　as　was　essential；　no　knick…knacks。　It　was　to　go　by　rail　on　Monday；　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia　were　to　follow　on　Tuesday：　Edward　to　stay　at　Barkington　and　look　after　the　sale。

Meantime　their　secret　ally；　Mr。　Green；　was　preparing　his　threatened　_coup。_　The　more　he　reflected　the　more　he　suspected　that　he　had　been　outwitted　by　Peggy　Black。　She　had　led　him　on；　and　the　pocket…book　had　been　planted　for　him。　If　so；　why　Peggy　was　a　genius；　and　in　his　own　line；　and　he　would　marry　her；　and　so　kill　two　birds　with　one　stone：　make　a　Detective　of　her　（there　was　a　sad　lack　of　female　detectives）；　and；　once　his　wife；　she　would　split　on　her　master；　and　he　should　defeat　that　old　soldier　at　last；　and　get　a　handsome　slice　of　the　L。　14；000。

He　manoeuvred　thus：　first；　he　went　back　to　London　for　a　day　or　two　to　do　other　jobs；　and　to　let　this　matter　cool；　then　he　returned；　and　wrote　from　a　town　near　Barkington　to　Peggy　Black；　telling　her　he　had　been　sent　away　suddenly　on　a　job；　but　his　heart　had　remained　behind　with　his　Peggy：　would　she　meet　him　at　the　gate　at　nine　that　evening？　he　had　something　very　particular　to　say　to　her。　As　to　the　nature　of　the　business；　the　enclosed　would　give　her　a　hint。　She　might　name　her　own　day；　and　the　sooner　the　better。

The　enclosed　was　a　wedding…ring。

At　nine　this　extraordinary　pair　of　lovers　met　at　the　gate；　but　Peggy　seemed　hardly　at　her　ease；　said　her　master　would　be　coming　out　and　catching　her；　perhaps　they　had　better　walk　up　the　road　a　bit。　〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Green；　but　he　could　not　help　a　little　sneer：　〃Your　master？〃　said　he：　〃why　he　is　your　servant；　as　I　am。　What；　is　he　jealous？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；　young　man；〃　said　Peggy。

〃I'll　tell　you　when　we　are　married。〃

〃La；　that　is　a　long　time　to　wait　for　my　answer：　why　we　ain't　asked　in　church　yet。〃

〃There's　no　need　of　that；　I　can　afford　a　special　licence。〃

〃Lawk　a　daisy：　why　you　be　a　gentleman；　then。〃

〃No；　but　I　can　keep　my　wife　like　a　lady。〃

You　sounds　very　tempting；〃　murmured　Peggy；　throwing　her　skirt　over　her　headfor　a　drizzle　was　beginningand　walking　slower　and　slower。

Then　he　made　hot　love　to　her；　and　pressed　her　hard　to　name　the　day。

She　coquetted　with　the　question　till　they　came　near　the　mouth　of　a　dark　lane；　called　Lovers'　Walk；　then；　as　he　insisted　on　an　answer；　she　hung　her　head　bashfully；　and　coughed　a　little　cough。　At　which　preconcerted　signal　a　huge　policeman　sprang　out　of　the　lane　and　collared　Mr。　Green。

On　this　Peggy；　who　was　all　Lie　from　head　to　heel；　uttered　a　little　scream　of　dismay　and　surprise。

Mr。　Green　laughed。

〃Well；　you　_are_　a　downy　one；〃　said　he。　〃I'll　marry　you　all　the　more　for　thus。〃

The　detective　put　his　hands　suddenly　inside　the　policeman's；　caught　him　by　the　bosom　with　his　right　hand　by　way　of　fulcrum；　and　with　his　left　by　the　chin；　which　he　forced　violently　back；　and　gave　him　a　slight　Cornish　trip　at　the　same　moment；　down　went　the　policeman　on　the　back　of　his　head　a　fearful　crack。　Green　then　caught　the　astonished　Peggy　round　the　neck；　kissed　her　lips　violently；　and　fled　like　the　wind；　removed　all　traces　of　his　personal　identity；　and　up　to　London　by　the　train　in　the　character　of　a　young　swell；　with　a　self…fitting　eyeglass　and　a　long　moustache　the　colour　of　his　tender　mistress's　eyebrow：　tow。

From　town　he　wrote　to　her；　made　her　a　formal　offer　of　marriage；　and　gave　her　an　address　to　write　to　〃should　she　at　any　time　think　more　kindly　of　him　and　of　his　sincere　affection。〃

I　suppose　he　specified　sincere　because　it　was　no　longer　sincere：　he　hurled　the　offer　into　Musgrove　Cottage　by　way　of　an　apple　of　discordat　least　so　I　infer　from　the　memorandum；　with　which　he　retired　at　present　from　the　cash　hunt。

〃Mr。　Hardie　has　the　stiff；　I　think：　but；　if　so；　it　is　planted　somewheredoesn't　carry　it　about　him；　my　Peggy　is　his　mistress：　nothing　to　be　done　till　they　split。〃


Victorious　so　far；　Mr。　Hardie　had　still　one　pressing　anxiety：　Dr。　Sampson's　placard：　this　had　been　renewed；　and　stared　him　everywhere　in　the　face。　Every　copy　of　it　he　encountered　made　him　shiver。　If　he　had　been　a　man　of　impulse；　he　would　have　torn　it　down　wherever　he　saw　it；　but　he　knew　that　would　not　do。　However；　learning　from　Jane；　who　had　it　from　old　Betty；　who　had　it　from　Sarah；　that　Mrs。　and　Miss　Dodd　would　leave　for　London　the　day　before　the　sale；　and　Edward　the　day　after　it；　he　thought　he　might　venture　in　the　busy　intermediate　time　to　take　some　liberties　with　it。　This　he　did　with　excellent　tact　and　judgment。　Peggy　and　a　billsticker　were　seen　in　conference；　and；　soon　after；　the　huge　bills　of　a　travelling　circus　were　pasted　right　over　both　the　rival　advertisements　in　which　the　name　of　Hardie　figured。　The　consequence　was；　Edward　raised　no　objection：　he　was　full　of　the　sale　for　one　thing；　but　I　suspect　he　was　content　to　see　his　own　false　move　pasted　over　on　such　easy　terms。


One　morning　Peggy　brought　in　the　letters；　and　Jane　saw　one　in　Alfred's　handwriting。　She　snatched　it　up；　and　cried　〃Papa；　from　Alfred！〃　And　she　left　off　making　the　tea；　while　her　father　opened　it　with　comparative　composure。

This　coolness；　however；　did　not　outlast　the　perusal：　〃The　young　ruffian！〃　said　he；　〃would　you　believe　it　Jenny；　he　accuses　me　of　being　the　cause　of　his　last　business。〃

〃Let　me　see；　papa。〃

He　held　her　out　the　letter；　but　hesitated　and　drew　it　back。　〃My　dear；　it　would　give　you　pain　to　see　your　poor　father　treated　so。　Here's　a　specimen：　'What　could　they　expect　but　that　the　son　of　a　sharper　would　prove　a　traitor？　You　stole　her　money；　I　her　affections；　of　which　I　am　unworthy。'　Now　what　do　you　think　of　that？〃

〃Unhappy　Alfred！〃　said　Jane。　〃No；　papa；　I　would　not　read　it；　if　you　are　insulted　in　it。　But　where　is　he？〃

〃The　letter　is　dated　Paris。　See！　〃　And　he　showed　her　the　date。　〃But　he　says　here　he　is　coming　back　to　London　directly；　and　he　orders　me　in　the　most　peremptory　way　to　he　ready　with　my　accounts；　and　pay　him　over　his　fortune。　Well；　he　is　alive；　at　all　events：　really　my　good；　kind；　interfering；　pragmatical　friend　Sampson；　with　his　placards；　made　me　feel　uneasy；　more　uneasy　than　I　would　own　to　you；　Jenny。〃

〃Unhappy　Alfred！〃　cried　Jane；　with　the　tears　in　her　eyes；　〃and　poor　papa！〃

〃Oh；　never　mind　me；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　〃now　that　I　know　no　harm　has　come　to　him；　I　really　don't　care　a　straw：　I　have　got　one　child　that　loves