hard cash-第157节

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e　poison　back　into　the　phial；　and　put　it　and　the　pistol　and　all　the　letters　carefully　into　his　pocket；　and　took　a　cab　to　the　City。

The　report　was　true；　there　was　an　extraordinary　movement　in　the　Old　Turks。　The　Sultan　was　about　to　pay　a　portion　of　this　loan；　being　at　six　per　cent。；　this　had　transpired；　and　at　four　o'clock　the　Turks　were　quoted　at　73。　Mr。　Hardie　returned　a　gainer　of　L。　5000　instead　of　a　loser。　He　locked　up　the　means　of　death　for　the　present。

And　now　an　ordinary　man　would　have　sold　out；　and　got　clear　of　the　fatal　trap：　but　this　was　not　an　ordinary　man：　he　would　not　sell　a　share　that　day。　In　the　afternoon　they　rose　to　74。　He　came　home；　unloaded　his　pistol；　and　made　himself　some　brandy…and…water；　and　with　a　grim　smile；　flavoured　it　with　a　few　drops　of　the　poisonthat　was　a　delicious　tumbler。　The　Turks　went　up；　up；　up；　to　82。　Then　he　sold　out；　and　cleared　L。　49；000；　and　all　in　about　ten　days。

With　this　revived　the　habits　of　his　youth；　no　more　cheating：　nothing　could　excuse　that　but　the　dread　of　poverty。　He　went　to　his　appointment　with　Mr。　Compton；　asked　to　see　the　Receipt；　said　〃Yes；　that　was　his　form；　and　Skinner's　handwriting；　he　had　never　personally　received　one　farthing　of　the　money；　Skinner　had　clearly　embezzled　it：　but　that　did　not　matter；　of　course；　Captain　Dodd　must　not　lose　his　money。　Send　your　bill　of　costs　in　Hardie　_v。_　Hardie　to　me；　Mr。　Compton；〃　said　he；　〃they　shall　not　be　taxed：　you　have　lost　enough　by　me　already。〃

There　was　an　air　of　dignity　and　good　faith　about　the　man　that　half　imposed　even　on　Compton。　And　when　Mr。　Hardie　drew　out　the　notes　and　said；　〃I　should　be　grateful　if　you　would　forgive　me　the　interest；　but　for　a　great　piece　of　good　fortune　on　the　Stock　Exchange；　I　could　never　have　paid　the　whole　principal；〃　he　said　warmly；　〃the　interest　should　never　be　demanded　through　him。〃

He　called　in　Colls；　delivered　up　the　Receipt；　and　received　the　L。　14；010；　12s。　6d。　from　Mr。　Hardie。


O　immortal　Cash！　You；　like　your　great　inventor；　have　then　a　kind　of　spirit　as　well　as　a　body；　and　on　this；　not　on　your　grosser　part；　depends　your　personal　identity。　So　long　as　that　survives；　your　body　may　be　recalled　to　its　lawful　owner　from　Heaven　knows　where。

Mr。　Compton　rushed　to　Pembroke　Street；　and　put　this　hard；　hard　Cash　in　David　Dodd's　hands　once　more。


Love　and　Constancy　had　triumphed：　and　Julia　and　Alfred　were　to　be　married　and　go　down　to　Albion　Villa　to　prepare　it　for　the　whole　party：　tenants　no　more：　Alfred　had　bought　it。　The　Commissioners　of　Lunacy　had　protected　his　L。　20；000　zealously　from　the　first：　and　his　trustees　had　now　paid　the　money　over。

Alfred　consulted　by　Mrs。　Dodd；　whose　pet　of　pets　he　now　was；　as　to　the　guests　to　be　asked　to　the　wedding　breakfast；　suggested　〃None　but　the　tried　friends　of　our　adversity。〃

〃What　an　excellent　idea！〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　naively。

Dr。　Sampson　being　duly　invited　asked　if　he　should　bring　his　Emulsion。

This　proposal　puzzled　all　but　Mrs。　Dodd。　She　was　found　laughing　heartily　in　a　corner　without　any　sound　of　laughter。　Being　detected　and　pointed　out　by　Julia；　she　said；　with　a　little　crow；　〃He　means　his　wife。　Yes；　certainly；　bring　your　Emulcent〃pretending　he　had　used　that　more　elegant　word〃and　then　they　will　all　see　how　well　you　can　behave。〃

Accordingly　he　brought　a　lady；　who　was　absurdly　pretty　to　be　the　mother　of　several　grown　young　ladies　and　gentlemen；　and　two　shades　more　quiet　and　placid　than　Mrs。　Dodd。　She　quietly　had　her　chair　placed　by　Dr。　Sampson's；　and；　whenever　he　got　racy；　she　put　a　hand　gently　on　his　shoulder；　and　by　some　mesmeric　effect　it　moderated　him　as　Neptune　did　the　waves　in　the　AEneid。　She　was　such　a　mistress　of　this　mesmeric　art；　that　she　carried　on　a　perfect　conversation　with　her　other　neighbour；　yet　modulated　her　lion　lord　with　a　touch　of　that　composing　hand；　in　a　parenthetical　manner；　and　even　while　looking　another　way。

This　hand；　soft　as　down；　yet　irresistible；　suppressed　the　great　art　of　healing；　vital　chronometry；　the　wrongs　of　inventors；　the　collusions　of　medicine；　the　Mad　Ox；　and　all　but　drawing…room　topics；　at　the　very　first　symptom；　and　only　just　allowed　the　doctor　to　be　the　life　and　soul　of　the　party。

Julia　and　Mrs。　Dodd　had　a　good　cry　at　parting。　Of　course　Alfred　consoled　them：　reminded　them　it　was　only　for　a　week；　and　carried　off　his　lovely　prize；　who　in　the　carriage　soon　dried　her　eyes　upon　his　shoulder。

Then　she　applied　to　her　new　lord　and　master　for　information。　〃They　_say_　that　you　and　me　are　one；　now；〃　said　she　interrogatively。

He　told　her　triumphantly　it　was　so。

〃At　that　rate　you　are　Julius　and　I　am　Elfrida；〃　said　she。

〃That　is　a　bargain；〃　said　he；　and　sealed　it　on　the　sweet　lips　that　were　murmuring　Heaven　so　near　him。

In　this　sore…tried　and　now　happy　pair　the　ardour　of　possession　lasted　long；　and　was　succeeded　by　the　sober　but　full　felicity　of　conjugal　love　and　high　esteem　combined。　They　were　so　young　and　elastic；　that　past　sorrows　seemed　but　to　give　one　zest　more　to　the　great　draught　of　happiness　they　now　drank　day　by　day。　They　all　lived　together　at　Albion　Villa；　thanks　to　Alfred。　He　was　by　nature　combative；　and　his　warlike　soul　was　roused　at　the　current　theory　that　you　cannot　be　happy　under　the　same　roof　with　your　wife's　mother。　〃That　is　cant；〃　said　he　to　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃let　us；　you　and　I；　trample　on　it　hand　in　hand。〃

〃My　child；〃　said　poor　Mrs。　Dodd　sorrowfully；　〃I　am　a　poor　hand　at　trampling；　and　everybody　says　a　mother…in…law　in　the　house　bores　a　young　gentleman　sadly。〃

〃If　a　young　gentleman　can't　live　happy　with　you；　mamma；〃　said　he；　kissing　her；　〃he　is　a　little　snob；　that　is　all；　and　not　fit　to　live　at　all。　_Delenda　est　Cantilena！_　That　means　'Down　with　Cant！'〃

They　did　live　together：　and　behold　eleven　French　plays；　with　their　thirty…three　English　adaptations；　confuted　to　the　end　of　time。

Creatures　so　high…bred　as　Mrs。　Dodd　never　fidget　one。　There　is　a　repose　about　them；　they　are　balm　to　all　those　they　love；　and　blister　to　none。　Item；　no　stranger　could　tell　by　Mrs。　Dodd's　manner　whether　Edward　or　Alfred　was　her　own　son。

Oh；　you　happy　little　villa！　you　were　as　like　Paradise　as　any　mortal　dwelling　can　be。　A　day　came；　however；　when　your　walls　could　no　longer　hold　all　the　happy　inmates。　Julia　presented　Alfred　with　a　lovely　boy；　enter　nurses；　and　the　villa　showed　symptoms　of　bursting。　Two　months　more；　and　Alfred　and　his　wife　and　boy　overflowed　into　the　next　villa。　It　was　but　twenty　yards　off；　and　there　was　a　double　reason　for　the　migration。　As　often　happens　after　a　long　separation　Heaven　bestowed　on　Captain　and　Mrs。　Dodd　another　infant　to　play　about　their　knees　at　present；　and　help　them　grow　younger　instead　of　older：　for　tender　parents　begin　life　again　with　their　children。

The　boys　were　nearly　of　a　size；　though　the　nephew　was　a　month　or　two　older　than　his　uncle；　a　relationship　that　was　early　impressed　on　their　young　minds；　and　caused　those　who　heard　their　prattle　many　a　hearty　laugh。

〃Mrs。　Dodd；〃　said　a　lady；　〃I　couldn't　tell　by　your　manner　which　is　yours　and　which　is　your　daughter's。〃

〃Why　they　are　both　mine；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　piteously；　and　opening　her　eyes　with　gentle　astonishment。

As　years　rolled　on　Dr。　Sampson　made　many　converts　at　home　and　abroad。　The　foreign　ones　acknowledged　their　obligations。　The　leading　London　physicians　managed　more　skilfully；　they　came　into　his　ideas；　and　bit　by　bit　reversed　their　whole　practice；　and；　twenty　years　after；　Sampson　began　to　strengthen　the　invalid　at　once；　instead　of　first　prostrating　him；　and　so　causing　either　long　sickness　or　sudden　death。　But；　with　all　this；　they　disowned　their　forerunner；　and　still　called　him　a　quack　while　adopting　his　quackery。　This　dishonesty　led　them　into　difficulties。　To　hide　that　their　whole　practice　in　medicine　was　reversed　on　_better　information；_　they　went　from　shuffle　to　shuffle；　till　at　last　they　reached　this　climax　of　fatuity　and　egotismTHE　TYPE　OF　DISEASE　IS　CHANGED。


　　　　　Natura　mutatur；　non　nos　mutamur。

O；　mutable　Nature　and　immutable　doctors！

O；　unstable　Omniscience；　and　infallible　Nescience！

The　former　may　err；　the　latter　neverin　its　own　opinion。

At　this　rate；　draining　the　weak　of　their　life　blood　was　the　right　thing　in　Cervantes'　day：　and　when　he　observed　that　it　killed　men　like　sheep；　and　said　so　under　the　head　of　Sangrado；　he　was　confounding　his　own　age　with　an　age　to　come　three　hundred　years　later；　in　which　coming　age　depletion　was　_going_　to　be　wrong。

Molierein　lashing　the　whole　scholastic　system　of　lancet；　purge；　and　blister　as　one　of　slaughtercommitted　the　same　error：　mistook　his　century　for　one　to　come。

And　Sampson；　thirty　years　ago；　sang　the　same　tune；　and　mistook　his　inflammatory　generation　for　the　cool　generation　as　yet　unborn。　In　short；　it　is　the　characteristic　of　a　certain　blunder　called　genius　to　see　things　too　far　in　advance。　The　surest　way　to　avoid　this　is　not　to　see　them　at　all；　but　go　blindly　by　the　cant　of　the　hour。　_Race　moutonuiere　va！_

Sampson　was　indignant　at　finding　that　these　gentry；　after　denouncing　him　for　years　as　a　quack；　were　pilfering　his　system；　yet　still　reviling　him。　He　went　in　a　towering　passion；　and　hashed　them　by　tongue　and　pen：　told　them　they　were　his　subtractors　now　as　well　as　detractors；　asked　them　how　it　happened　that　in　countri