hard cash-第138节

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。　Deft。　turned　pale；　and　his　knees　knocked　together；　and　Colls　thinks　he　mistook　himself　for　a　felon；　and　was　going　to　ask　for　mercy。　But　Mr。　Richard　stopped　him；　and　said　his　attorneys　were　Messrs。　Heathfield；　in　Chancery　Lane；　and　was　this　the　way　Mr。　Compton　did　business？　serving　a　writ　personally　on　a　gentleman　in　weak　health。　So　Colls；　who　can　sneer　in　his　quiet　way；　told　him　'No；'　but　the　invalid　had　declined　to　answer　my　letter；　and　the　invalid　had　made　a　violent　attack　upon　our　client's　person；　avoiding　his　attorney；　'so；　as　his　proceedings　are　summary；　we　meet　him　in　kind；'　says　little　Colls。　'Oho；'　says　Mr。　Richard；　'your　are　a　wit；　are　you？　Come　and　have　some　luncheon。'　This　was　to　get　him　away　from　the　weaker　brother；　I　take　it。　He　gave　Colls　an　excellent　luncheon；　and　some　admirable　conversation　on　policy　and　finance：　and　when　he　was　going；　says　this　agreeable　host：　'Well；　Mr。　…；　you　have　had　your　bellyful　of　chicken　and　Madeira；　and　your　client　shall　have　his　bellyful　of　law。'　And　this　Colls　considers　emphatic　but　coarse。I　am；　yours　faithfully；

〃JOHN　COMPTON。

_〃P。S。_Colls　elicited　that　no　further　attempt　will　be　made　to　capture　you。　It　seems　some　injudicious　friend　of　yours　has　been　writing　to　the　newspapers。　Pray　stop　that。〃


On　receiving　this　letter；　Alfred　bought　another　double　pistol；　loaded　it；　hired　a　body…guard　of　two　prizefighters；　and　with　these　at　his　heels；　repaired　to　66　Pembroke　Street。　No　enemy　was　near：　the　press　had　swept　the　street　alike　of　keepers　and　police　with　one　Briarian　gesture。　He　found　Julia　and　Edward　in　great　anxiety　about　their　father。　The　immediate　cause　was　a　letter　from　Mrs。　Dodd；　which　Edward　gave　him　to　read；　but　not　till　he　had　first　congratulated　him　heartily　on　the　aegis　of　the　press　being　thrown　over　him。　〃The　_'Tiser_　has　a　leader　on　it；〃　said　he。

Mrs。　Dodd's　letter　ran　thus：


〃My　DEAR　DEAR　CHILDREN；I　am　coming　home　to　you　heartbroken；　without　your　poor　father。　I　saw　an　East　Indian　ship　go　to　sea；　and　some　instinct　whispered；　suppose　he　should　be　on　board　that　ship！　But；　foolishly；　I　did　not　utter　my　thoughts：　because　they　call　these　instincts　women's　fancies。　But　now　even　Mr。　Green　thinks　he　is　gone　to　sea；　for　the　town　has　been　ransacked；　and　no　trace　of　him　can　we　find。　I　met　my　cousin；　Captain　Bazalgette；　here；　and　he　is　promoted　to　the　_Vulture_　frigate；　and　sails　to…day。　I　have　told　him　all　our　misfortunes；　and　he　has　promised　to　overhaul　that　merchant　ship　if　he　comes　up　with　her：　but　I　_can　see　by　the　way　his　eye　shuns　mine_　he　has　no　real　hopes。　His　ship　is　the　swifter；　but　he　may　pass　her　in　the　night。　And　then　he　is　bound　for　New　Zealand；　not　India。　I　told　Reginald　my　poor　husband's　expression　of　face　is　altered　by　his　affliction；　and　that　he　takes　himself　for　a　common　sailor；　and　has　his　medal　still　round　his　neck。　Our　cousin　is　very　kind；　and　will　do　all　he　can。　God　can　protect　my　darling　at　sea；　as　He　has　ashore：　and　in　His　power　alone　have　I　any　trust。　Any　further　stay　here　is　vain：　my　heart；　too；　yearns　for　my　other　treasures；　and　dreads　lest　whilst　I　am　here；　and　because　I　am　here；　some　evil　should　befall　you　too。　Expect　me　soon　after　this　letter；　and　let　us　try　and　comfort　one　another　under　this　the　heaviest　of　all　our　many　troubles。　With　sad　heart；　I　am；　both　my　darlings'　loving　mother　and　friend；

〃LUCY　DODD〃


In　the　discussion　of　this　letter　Alfred　betrayed　a　slight　defect　of　character。　He　pooh…poohed　the　calamity：　said　David　had　now　a　chance；　and　a　good　one；　of　being　cured：　whereas　confinement　was　one　of　the　common　causes　of　insanity　even　in　sane　persons。　And　he　stoutly　maintained　that　David's　going　to　sea　was　a　happy　inspiration。　Edward　coloured；　but　deigned　no　reply。　Julia　was　less　patient；　and　though　she　was　too　loving　and　too　womanly　to　tell　Alfred　to　his　face　he　was　deceiving　himself；　and　arguing　thus　indirectly　to　justify　himself　in　taking　her　father　out　of　the　asylum　at　all；　yet　she　saw　it；　and　it　imparted　a　certain　coldness　into　her　replies。　Alfred　noticed　this；　and　became　less　confident　and　louder；　and　prodigiously　logical。

He　was　still　flowing　on　with　high　imperious　voice；　which　I　suppose　overpowered　the　sound　of　Mrs。　Dodd's　foot；　when　she　entered　suddenly；　pale　and　weary；　in　her　travelling…dress。

Alfred　stopped；　and　they　all　started　to　their　feet。

At　sight　of　Alfred　she　stood　dumbfoundered　a　single　moment；　then　uttered　a　faint　shriek；　and　looked　at　him　with　unutterable　terror。

He　stood　disconcerted。

Julia　ran；　and　throwing　her　arms　round　Mrs。　Dodd's　neck；　entreated　her　not　to　be　afraid　of　him：　he　was　not　mad；　Dr。　Sampson　said　so。　Edward　confirmed　her　words；　and　then　Julia　poured　out　the　story　of　his　wrongs　with　great　gushes　of　natural　eloquence　that　might　have　melted　a　rock；　and；　as　anticlimax　is　part　of　a　true　woman；　ended　innocently　by　begging　her　mother　not　to　look　so　unkindly　at　him；　and　his　ankle　so　sprained；　and　him　in　such　pain。　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　Mrs。　Dodd　was　deaf　to　her　daughter's　natural　eloquence；　it　was　remarkable　how　little　her　countenance　changed　while　Julia　appealed。　She　stood　looking　askant　with　horror　at　Alfred　all　through　that　gentle　eloquent　appeal。　But　nevertheless　her　conduct　showed　she　had　heard　every　word：　as　soon　as　ever　her　daughter's　voice　stopped；　she　seemed　to　dilate　bodily；　and　moved　towards　Alfred　pale　and　lowering。　Yes；　for　once　this　gentle　quiet　lady　looked　terrible。　She　confronted　Alfred；　〃Is　this　true；　sir？〃　said　she；　in　a　low　stern　voice。　〃Are　you　not　insane？　Have　you　_never_　been　bereft　of　your　reason？〃

〃No；　Mrs。　Dodd；　I　have　not。〃

〃Then　what　have　you　done　with　my　husband；　sir？〃



CHAPTER　XLVII

IT　was　a　thunderbolt。　Alfred　hung　his　head；　and　said　humbly；　〃I　did　but　go　upstairs　for　one　moment　to　wash　my　hands　for　dinner；　and　he　was　gone。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　went　on　in　her　low　stern　voice；　almost　as　if　he　had　not　answered　her　at　all：　〃By　what　right　did　you　assume　the　charge　of　him？　Did　I　authorise　you　to　take　him　from　the　place　where　he　was　safe；　and　under　my　eye？〃

Alfred　replied　sullenly：　〃He　was　not　very　safe；　for　he　was　almost　burnt　to　death。　The　fire　liberated　him；　not　I。　After　the　fire　I　ran　away　from　him：　he　followed　me；　and　then　what　could　I　do？　I　made　the　best　of　it；　and　gave　up　my　own　desires　to　try　and　cure　him。　He　longed　for　the　sea：　I　tried　to　indulge　him：　I　hoped　to　bring　him　back　to　you　sane：　but　fate　was　against　me。　I　am　the　most　unfortunate　of　men。〃

〃Mr。　Hardie；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃what　you　have　done　was　the　act　of　a　madman；　and；　if　I　believed　you　to　be　anything　but　a　madman；　the　sight　of　you　would　be　intolerable　to　me；　for　you　have　made　me　a　widow；　and　my　children　orphans。〃

With　this　she　gave　a　great　shudder；　and　retired　in　tears。

Alfred　rose；　pale　and　defiant。　〃That　is　_her_　notion　of　justice；〃　said　he　bitterly；　〃pray　is　it　yours；　you　two？〃

〃Well；　since　you　ask　my　opinion；〃　said　Edward；　〃I　think　it　was　rather　presumptuous　of　you　to　undertake　the　care　of　my　father：　and；　having　undertaken　it；　you　ought　not　to　have　left　him　a　moment　out　of　your　sight。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　your　opinion；　is　it？　And　you；　dear　Julia？〃

Julia　made　no　reply；　but　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　and　sighed　deeply。

〃I　see；〃　said　Alfred　sorrowfully。　〃Even　you　are　against　me　at　heart。　You　judge　by　the　event；　not　the　motive。　There　is　no　justice　in　this　world　for　me。　I'm　sick　of　life。　I　have　no　right　to　keep　the　mistress　of　the　house　out　of　her　own　room：　there；　I'll　go；　my　heart　is　broken。　No；　it　is　not；　and　never　shall　be；　by　anything　that　breathes。　Thank　Heaven；　I　have　got　one　friend　left　in　this　bitter　world：　and　I'll　make　her　the　judge　whether　I　have　deserved　this　last　injustice。　_I'll　go　to　my　sister。_〃

He　jumped　up　and　hobbled　slowly　across　the　room；　while　Julia　and　Edward　sat　chilled　to　the　bone　by　those　five　little　words；　so　simple；　so　natural；　yet　so　incredible；　and　to　the　hearers　so　awful。　They　started；　they　shuddered；　they　sat　petrified；　staring　at　him；　while　he　hobbled　across　the　room　to　go　to　his　sister。

As　he　opened　the　door　to　go　out　he　heard　stout　Edward　groan　and　Julia　utter　a　low　wail。　He　stood　confounded　a　moment。　Then　he　hobbled　down　a　stair　or　two。　But；　ere　he　had　gone　far；　there　was　a　hasty　whispering　in　the　drawing…room；　and　Edward　came　after　him　in　great　agitation；　and　begged　him　to　return；　Julia　must　speak　with　him。　He　turned；　and　his　face　brightened。　Edward　saw　that；　and　turned　his　own　face　away　and　stammered　out；　〃Forget　what　I　said　to　you。　I　am　your　friend；　and　always　must　be　for　her　sake。　No；　no；　I　cannot　go　into　that　room　with　you；　I'll　go　and　comfort　mamma。　Hardie；　old　fellow；　we　are　very　unhappy；　all　of　us。　We　are　too　unhappy　to　quarrel。〃

These　kind　words　soothed　Alfred's　sore　heart。　He　brightened　up　and　entered　the　drawing…room。　He　found　Julia　standing　in　the　middle　of　it；　the　colour　of　ashes。　Alfred　was　alarmed。　〃You　are　unwell；　dearest；〃　he　cried；　〃you　will　faint。　What　have　I　done　with　my　ungoverned　temper？〃　He　moved　towards　her　with　a　face　full　of　concern。

〃No；　Alfred；〃　said　she　solemnly；　〃I　am　not　the　least　ill。　It　is　sorrow；　deep　sorrow　for　one　I　love　better　than　all　the　world。　Sit　down　beside　me；　my　poor　Alfred；　andGod　help　me　to　speak　to　him！〃

Alfred　began　to　feel　dire　misgivings。

〃Yes；〃　said　she；　〃I　love　you　too