hard cash-第147节

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her　know　it　for　all　your　money。　Come；　sir；　I　see　its　all　right；　you　will　shell　out　sooner　than　be　posted。〃

Here　Peggy　interposed；　〃Mr。　Skinner；　be　more　considerate；　my　master　is　really　poor　just　now。〃

〃That　is　no　reason　why　I　should　be　insulted　and　indicted　and　trampled　under　foot；〃　snarled　Skinner　all　in　one　breath。

〃Show　me　the　receipt　and　take　my　last　shilling；　you　ungrateful；　vindictive　viper；〃　groaned　Mr。　Hardie。

〃Stuff　and　nonsense；　said　Skinner。　〃I'm　not　a　viper；　I'm　a　man　of　business。　Find　me　five　hundred　pounds；　and　I'll　show　you　the　receipt　and　keep　dark。　But　I　can't　afford　to　give　it　you　for　that；　of　course。〃

Skinner　triumphed；　and　made　the　great　man　apologise；　writhing　all　the　time；　and　wishing　he　was　a　day　labourer　with　Peggy　to　wife；　and　fourteen　honest　shillings　a　week　for　his　income。　Having　eaten　humble　pie；　he　agreed　to　meet　Skinner　next　Wednesday　at　midnight；　alone；　under　a　certain　lamp　on　the　North　Kensington　Road：　the　interval　（four　days）　he　required　to　raise　money　upon　his　scrip。　Skinner　bowed　himself　out；　fawning　triumphantly。　Mr。　Hardie　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room　motionless；　scowling　darkly。　Peggy　looked　at　him；　and　saw　some　dark　and　sinister　resolve　forming　in　his　mind：　she　divined　it；　as　such　women　can　divine。　She　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm；　and　said　softly；　〃Richard；　it's　not　worth　_that。_〃　He　started　to　find　his　soul　read　through　his　body　so　clearly。　He　trembled。

But　it　was　only　for　a　moment。　〃His　blood　be　on　his　own　head；〃　he　snarled。　〃This　is　not　my　seeking。　He　shall　learn　what　it　is　to　drive　Richard　Hardie　to　despair。〃

〃No；　no；〃　implored　Peggy；　〃there　are　other　countries　beside　this：　why　not　gather　all　you　have；　and　cross　the　water？　I'll　follow　you　to　the　world's　end；　Richard。〃

〃Mind　your　own　business；〃　said　he　fiercely。

She　made　no　reply；　but　went　softly　and　sat　down　again；　and　sewed　the　buttons　on　his　shirts。　Mr。　Hardie　wrote　to　Messrs。　Heathfield　to　get　Hardie　_v。_　Hardie　tried　as　soon　as　possible。

Meantime　came　a　mental　phenomenon：　gliding　down　Sackville　Street；　victorious　Skinner　suddenly　stopped；　and　clenched　his　hands；　and　his　face　writhed　as　if　he　had　received　a　death…wound。　In　that　instant　Remorse　had　struck　him　like　lightning；　and；　perhaps；　whence　comes　the　lightning。　The　sweet　face　and　voice　that　had　smiled　on　him；　and　cared　for　his　body；　and　cared　for　his　soul；　came　to　his　mind；　and　knocked　at　his　heart　and　conscience。　He　went　home　miserable　with　an　inward　conflict；　and　it　lasted　him　all　the　four　days；　sometimes　Remorse　got　the　better；　sometimes　Avarice。　He　came　to　the　interview　still　undecided　what　he　should　do。　But；　meantime；　he　had　gone　to　a　lawyer　and　made　his　will；　leaving　his　little　all　to　Julia　Dodd：　a　bad　sign　this；　looked　like　compounding　with　his　awakened　conscience。

It　was　a　dark　and　gusty　night。　Very　few　people　were　about。　Skinner　waited　a　little　while；　and　shivered；　for　his　avarice　had　postponed　the　purchase　of　a　greatcoat　until　Christmas　Day。　At　last；　when　the　coast　seemed　clear；　Mr。　Hardie　emerged　from　a　side　street。　Skinner　put　his　hand　to　his　bosom。

They　met。　Mr。　Hardie　said　quietly；　〃I　must　ask　you；　just　for　form；　to　show　me　you　have　the　Receipt。〃

〃Of　course；　sir；　but　not　so　near；　please：　no　snatching；　if　I　know　it。〃

〃You　are　wonderfully　suspicious；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　trying　to　smile。

Skinner　looked；　and　saw　by　the　lamplight　he　was　deadly　pale。　〃Keep　your　distance　a　moment；　sir；〃　said　he；　and；　on　Mr。　Hardie's　complying；　took　the　Receipt　out；　and　held　it　under　the　lamp。

Instantly　Mr。　Hardie　drew　a　life…preserver；　and　sprang　on　him　with　a　savage　curseand　uttered　a　shriek　of　dismay；　for　he　was　met　by　the　long　shiny　barrel　of　a　horse…pistol；　that　Skinner　drew　from　his　bosom；　and　levelled　full　in　the　haggard　face　that　came　at　him。　Mr。　Hardie　recoiled；　crying；　〃No！　no！　for　Heaven's　sake！〃

〃What！〃　cried　Skinner；　stepping　forward　and　hissing；　〃do　you　think　I'm　such　a　fool　as　to　meet　a　thief　unarmed？　Come；　cash　up；　or　I'll　blow　you　to　atoms。〃

〃No；　no；　no！〃　said　Mr。　Hardie　piteously；　retreating　as　Skinner　marched　on　him　with　long　extended　pistol。　〃Skinner；〃　he　stammered；　〃th…this　is　n…not　b…b…business。〃

〃Cash　up；　then；　that's　business。　Fling　the　five　hundred　pounds　down；　and　walk　away。　Mind　it　is　loaded　with　two　bullets；　I'll　make　a　double　entry　on　your　great　treacherous　carcass。〃

〃It's　no　use　trying　to　deceive　such　a　man　as　you；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　playing　on　his　vanity。　〃I　could　not　get　the　money　before　Saturday；　and　so　I　listened　to　the　dictates　of　despair。　Forgive　me。〃

〃Then　come　again　Saturday　night。　Come　alone；　and　I　shall　bring　a　man　to　see　I'm　not　murdered。　And　look　here；　sir；　if　you　don't　come　to　the　hour　and　do　the　right　thing　without　any　more　of　these　unbusiness…like　tricks；　by　Heaven；　I'll　smash　you　before　noon　on　Monday。〃

〃I'll　come。〃

〃I'll　blow　you　to　Mr。　Alfred　and　Miss　Dodd。〃

〃I'll　come；　I　tell　you。〃

〃I'll　post　you　for　a　thief　on　every　brick　in　the　Exchange。〃

〃Have　mercy；　Skinner。　Have　pity　on　the　wretched　man　whose　bread　you　have　eaten。　I　tell　you　I'll　come。〃

〃Well；　mind　you　do；　then；　cash　and　all；〃　said　Skinner　sulkily；　but　not　quite　proof　against　the　reminiscences　those　humble　words　awakened。

Each　walked　backwards　a　good　dozen　steps；　and　then　they　took　different　roads；　Skinner　taking　good　care　not　to　be　tracked　home。　He　went　up　the　high　stairs　to　the　hole　in　the　roof　he　occupied；　and　lighted　a　rushlight。　He　had　half　a　mind　to　kindle　a　fire；　he　felt　so　chilly；　but　he　had　blocked　up　the　vent；　partly　to　keep　out　the　cold；　partly　to　shun　the　temptation　of　burning　fuel。　However；　he　stopped　the　keyhole　with　paper；　and　also　the　sides　of　the　window；　till　he　had　shut　the　wintry　air　all　out。　Still；　what　with　the　cold　and　what　with　the　reaction　after　so　great　an　excitement；　his　feeble　body　began　to　shiver　desperately。　He　thought　at　last　he　would　light　a　foot…warmer　he　had　just　purchased　for　old　iron　at　a　broker's；　_that_　would　only　spend　a　halfpenneyworth　of　charcoal。　No；　he　wouldn't；　he　would　look　at　his　money；　that　would　cheer　him。　He　unripped　a　certain　part　of　his　straw　mattress　and　took　out　a　bag　of　gold。　He　spread　three　hundred　sovereigns　on　the　floor　and　put　the　candle　down　among　them。　They　sparkled；　they　were　all　new　ones；　and　he　rubbed　them　with　an　old　toothbrush　and　whiting　every　week。　〃That's　better　than　any　fire；〃　he　said；　〃they　warm　the　heart。　For　one　thing；　they　are　my　own：　at　all　events；　I　did　not　steal　them；　nor　take　them　of　a　thief　for　a　bribe　to　keep　dark　and　defraud　honest　folk。〃　Then　remorse　gripped　him：　he　asked　himself　what　he　was　going　to　do。　〃To　rob　an　angel；〃　was　the　answer。　〃The　fourteen　thousand　pounds　is　all　hers；　and　I　could　give　it　her　in　a　moment。　Curse　him；　he　would　have　killed　me　for　it。〃

Then　he　pottered　about　and　took　out　his　will。　〃Ah；〃　said　he；　〃that　is　all　right　so　far。　But　what　is　a　paltry　three　hundred　when　I　help　do　her　out　of　fourteen　thousand？　Villain！〃　Then；　to　ease　his　conscience；　he　took　a　slip　of　paper　and　wrote　on　it　a　short　account　of　the　Receipt；　and　how　he　came　by　it；　and　lo：　as　if　an　unseen　power　had　guided　his　hand；　he　added；　〃Miss　Dodd　lives　at　66；　Pembroke　Street；　and　I　am　going　to　take　it　to　her　as　soon　as　I　am　well　of　my　cold。〃　Whether　this　preceded　an　unconscious　resolve　which　had　worked　on　him　secretly　for　some　time；　or　whether　it　awakened　such　a　resolve；　I　hardly　know：　but　certain　it　is；　that　having　written　it；　he　now　thought　seriously　of　doing　it；　and；　the　more　seriously　he　entertained　the　thought；　the　more　good　it　seemed　to　do　him。　He　got　〃The　Sinner's　Friend〃　and　another　good　book　she　had　lent　him；　and　read　a　bit：　then；　finding　his　feet　frozen；　he　lighted　his　chafer　and　blew　it　well；　and　put　it　under　his　feet　and　read。　The　good　words　began　to　reach　his　heart　more　and　more：　so　did　the　thought　of　Julia's　goodness。　The　chafer　warmed　his　feet　and　legs。　〃Ay；〃　said　he；　〃men　don't　want　fires；　warm　the　feet　and　the　body　warms　itself。〃　He　took　out　〃The　Receipt〃　and　held　it　in　his　hand；　and　eyed　it　greedily；　and　asked　himself　could　he　really　part　with　it。　He　thought　he　couldto　Julia。　Still　holding　it　tight　in　his　left　hand；　he　read　on　the　good　but　solemn　words　that　seemed　to　loosen　his　grasp　upon　that　ill…gotten　paper。　〃How　good　it　was　of　her；〃　he　thought；　〃to　come　day　after　day　and　feed　a　poor　little　fellow　like　him；　body　and　soul。　She　asked　nothing　back。　She　didn't　know　he　could　make　her　any　return。　Bless　her！　bless　her！〃　he　screamed。　〃Oh；　how　cruel　I　have　been　to　her；　and　she　so　kind　to　me。　She　would　never　let　me　want；　if　I　took　her　fourteen　thousand　pounds。　Like　enough　give　me　a　thousand；　and　help　me　save　my　poor　soul；　that　I　shall　damn　if　I　meet　him　again。　I　won't　go　his　way　again。　Lead　us　not　into　temptation。　I　repent。　Lord　have　mercy　on　me　a　miserable　sinner。〃　And　tears　bedewed　those　wizened　cheeks；　tears　of　penitence；　sincere；　at　least　for　the　time。

A　sleepy　languor　now　came　over　him；　and　the　good　book　fell　from　his　hand；　but　his　resolution　remained　unshaken。　By…and…by　waking　up　from　a　sort　of　heavy　dose；　he　took；　as　it　were；　a　last　look　at　the　receipt；　and　murmured；　〃My　head；　how　heavy　it　feels。〃　But　presently　he　roused　himself；　full　of　his　penitent　resolution；　and　murmured　again　brokenly；　〃I'll…take　it　to…Pembroke　Street　to…morrow：