hard cash-第3节

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ose　an　amendment。　Now　I　second　it。　Now　I　carry　it。〃

〃And　now　let　me　hear　it。〃

〃She　is　my　friend　till　deathor　Eclipse；　and　that　means　until　she　eclipses　me；　of　course。〃　But　she　added　softly；　and　with　sudden　gravity：　〃Ah！　Jane　Hardie　has　a　fault　which　will　always　prevent　her　from　eclipsing　your　humble　servant　in　this　wicked　world。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃She　is　too　good。　Much。〃

〃Par　exemple？〃

〃Too　religious。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　another　matter。〃

〃For　shame；　mamma！　I　am　glad　to　hear　it：　for　I　scorn　a　life　of　frivolity；　but　then；　again；　I　should　not　like　to　give　up　everything；　you　know。〃　Mrs。　Dodd　looked　a　little　staggered；　too；　at　so　vast　a　scheme　of　capitulation　But　〃everything〃　was　soon　explained　to　mean　balls；　concerts；　dinner…parties　in　general；　tea…parties　without　exposition　of　Scripture；　races；　and　operas；　cards；　charades；　and　whatever　else　amuses　society　without　perceptibly　sanctifying　it。　All　these；　by　Julia's　account；　Miss　Hardie　had　renounced；　and　was　now　denouncing　（with　the　young　the　latter　verb　treads　on　the　very　heels　of　the　former）。　〃And；　you　know；　she　is　a　district　visitor。〃

This　climax　delivered；　Julia　stopped　short；　and　awaited　the　result。

Mrs。　Dodd　heard　it　all　with　quiet　disapproval　and　cool　incredulity。　She　had　seen　so　many　young　ladies　healed　of　many　young　enthusiasms　by　a　wedding　ring。　But；　while　she　was　searching　diligently　in　her　mine　of　ladylike　Englishmine　with　plenty　of　water　in　it；　begging　her　pardonfor　expressions　to　convey　inoffensively；　and　roundabout；　her　conviction　that　Miss　Hardie　was　a　little；　furious　simpleton；　the　post　came　and　swept　the　subject　away　in　a　moment。

Two　letters；　one　from　Calcutta；　one　from　Oxford。

They　came　quietly　in　upon　one　salver；　and　were　opened　and　read　with　pleasurable　interest；　but　without　surprise；　or　misgiving；　and　without　the　slightest　foretaste　of　their　grave　amid　singular　consequences。

Rivers　deep　and　broad　start　from　such　little　springs。


David's　letter　was　of　unusual　length　for　him。　The　main　topics　were；　first；　the　date　and　manner　of　his　return　home。　His　ship；　a　very　old　one；　had　been　condemned　in　port：　and　he　was　to　sail　a　fine　new　teak…built　vessel；　the　_Agra；_　as　far　as　the　Cape；　where　her　captain；　just　recovered　from　a　severe　illness；　would　come　on　board；　and　convey　her　and　him　to　England。　In　future；　Dodd　was　to　command　one　of　the　Company's　large　steamers　to　Alexandria　and　back。

〃It　is　rather　a　come…down　for　a　sailor；　to　go　straight　ahead　like　a　wheelbarrow　in　all　weathers　with　a　steam…pot　and　a　crew　of　coalheavers　But　then　I　shall　not　be　parted　from　my　sweetheart　such　long　dreary　spells　as　I　have　been　thus　twenty　years；　my　dear　love：　so　is　it　for　me　to　complain？〃

The　second　topic　was　pecuniary；　the　transfer　of　their　savings　from　India；　where　interest　was　higher　than　at　home；　but　the　capital　not　so　secure。

And　the　third　was　ardent　and　tender　expressions　of　affection　for　the　wife　and　children　he　adored。　These　effusions　of　the　heart　had　no　separate　place；　except　in　my　somewhat　arbitrary　analysis　of　the　honest　sailor's　letter；　they　were　the　under　current。　Mrs。　Dodd　read　part　of　it　out　to　Julia；　in　fact　all　but　the　money　matter：　that　concerned　the　heads　of　the　family　more　immediately；　and　Cash　was　a　topic　her　daughter　did　not　understand；　nor　care　about。　And　when　Mrs。　Dodd　had　read　it　with　glistening　eyes；　she　kissed　it　tenderly；　and　read　it　all　over　again　to　herself；　and　then　put　it　into　her　bosom　as　naively　as　a　milkmaid　in　love。

Edward's　letter　was　short　enough；　and　Mrs。　Dodd　allowed　Julia　to　read　it　to　her；　which　she　did　with　panting　breath；　and　glowing　cheeks；　and　a　running　fire　of　comments。

〃'Dear　Mamma；　I　hope　you　and　Ju　are　quite　well'〃

〃Ju；〃　murmured　Mrs。　Dodd　plaintively。

〃'And　that　there　is　good　news　about　papa　coming　home。　As　for　me；　I　have　plenty　on　my　hands　just　now；　all　this　term　I　have　been　（'training'　scratched　out；　and　another　word　put　in：　C　　R　　oh；　I　know）　'cramming。'〃

〃'Cramming；'　love？〃

〃Yes；　that　is　the　Oxfordish　for　studying。〃

〃'For　smalls。'〃

Mrs。　Dodd　contrived　to　sigh　interrogatively。　Julia；　who　understood　her　every　accent；　reminded　her　that　〃smalls〃　was　the　new　word　for　〃little　go。〃

〃'Cramming　for　smalls；　and　now　I　am　in　two　races　at　Henley；　and　that　rather　puts　the　snaffie　on　reading　and　gooseberry　pie'　（Goodness　me）；　'and　adds　to　my　chance　of　being　ploughed　for　smalls。'〃

〃What　does　it　all　mean？〃　inquired　mamma；　〃'gooseberry　pie'？　and　'the　snaffle'？　and　'ploughed'　？〃

〃Well；　the　gooseberry　pie　is　really　too　deep　for　me：　but　'ploughed'　is　the　new　Oxfordish　for　'plucked。'　O　mamma；　have　you　forgotten　that？　'Plucked'　was　vulgar；　so　now　they　are　'ploughed。'　'For　smalls；　but　I　hope　I　shall　not　be；　to　vex　you　and　Puss。'〃

〃Heaven　forbid　he　should　be　so　disgraced！　But　what　has　the　cat　to　do　with　it？〃

〃Nothing　on　earth。　Puss？　that　is　me。　How　dare　he？　Did　I　not　forbid　all　these　nicknames　and　all　this　Oxfordish；　by　proclamation；　last　Long。〃

〃Last　Long？〃

〃Hem！　last　protracted　vacation。〃

〃'Dear　mamma；　sometimes　I　cannot　help　being　down　in　the　mouth；'　（why；　it　is　a　string　of　pearls）　'to　think　you　have　not　got　a　son　like　Hardie。'〃　At　this　unfortunate　reflection　it　was　Julia's　turn　to　suffer。　She　deposited　the　letter　in　her　lap；　and　fired　up。　〃Now；　have　not　I　cause　to　hate；　and　scorn；　and　despise　le　petit　Hardie？〃

〃Julia！〃

〃I　mean　to　dislike　with　propriety；　and　gently　to　abominate　Mr。　Hardie；　junior。〃

〃'Dear　mamma；　do　come　to　Henley　on　the　tenth；　you　and　Ju。　The　university　eights　will　not　be　there；　but　the　head　boats　of　the　Oxford　and　Cambridge　river　will；　and　the　Oxford　head　boat　is　Exeter；　you　know；　and　I　pull　Six。'〃

〃Then　I　am　truly　sorry　to　hear　it；　my　poor　boy　will　overtask　his　strength；　and　how　unfair　of　the　other　young　gentlemen；　it　seems　ungenerous；　unreasonable；　my　poor　child　against　so　many。〃

〃'And　I　am　entered　for　the　sculls　as　well；　and　if　you　and　〃the　Impetuosity〃'　（Vengeance！）　'were　looking　on　from　the　bank；　I　do　think　I　should　be　lucky　this　time。　Henley　is　a　long　way　from　Barkington；　but　it　is　a　pretty　place；　all　the　ladies　admire　it；　and　like　to　see　both　the　universities　out　and　a　stunning　race。'　Oh；　well；　there　_is_　an　epithet。　One　would　think　thunder　was　going　to　race　lightning；　instead　of　Oxford　Cambridge。〃

〃'If　you　can　come；　please　write；　and　I　will　get　you　nice　lodgings；　I　will　not　let　you　go　to　a　noisy　inn。　Love　to　Julia　and　no　end　of　kisses　to　my　pretty　mamma。　From　your　affectionate　Son；

〃'EDWARD　DODD。'〃


They　wrote　off　a　cordial　assent；　and　reached　Henley　in　time　to　see　the　dullest　town　in　Europe；　and　also　to　see　it　turn　one　of　the　gayest　in　an　hour　or　two；　so　impetuously　came　both　the　universities　pouring　into　itin　all　known　vehicles　that　could　go　_their_　paceby　land　and　water。


CHAPTER　I

IT　was　a　bright　hot　day　in　June。　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia　sat　half　reclining；　with　their　parasols　up；　in　an　open　carriage；　by　the　brink　of　the　Thames　at　one　of　its　loveliest　bends。

About　a　furlong　up　stream　a　silvery　stone　bridge；　just　mellowed　by　time；　spanned　the　river　with　many　fair　arches。　Through　these　the　coming　river　peeped　sparkling　a　long　way　above；　then　came　meandering　and　shining　down；　loitered　cool　and　sombre　under　the　dark　vaults；　then　glistened　on　again　crookedly　to　the　spot　where　sat　its　two　fairest　visitors　that　day；　but　at　that　very　point　flung　off　its　serpentine　habits；　and　shot　straight　away　in　a　broad　stream　of　scintillating　water　a　mile　long；　down　to　an　island　in　mid…stream：　a　little　fairy　island　with　old　trees；　and　a　white　temple。　To　curl　round　this　fairy　isle　the　broad　current　parted；　and　both　silver　streams　turned　purple　in　the　shade　of　the　grove；　then　winded　and　melted　from　the　sight。

This　noble　and　rare　passage　of　the　silvery　Thames　was　the　Henley　racecourse。　The　starting…place　was　down　at　the　island；　and　the　goal　was　up　at　a　point　in　the　river　below　the　bridge；　but　above　the　bend　where　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia　sat；　unruffled　by　the　racing；　and　enjoying　luxuriously　the　glorious　stream；　the　mellow　bridge　crowded　with　carriageswhose　fair　occupants　stretched　a　broad　band　of　bright　colour　above　the　dark　figures　clustering　on　the　battlementsand　the　green　meadows　opposite　with　the　motley　crowd　streaming　up　and　down。

Nor　was　that　sense；　which　seems　especially　keen　and　delicate　in　women；　left　unregaled　in　the　general　bounty　of　the　time。　The　green　meadows　on　the　opposite　bank；　and　the　gardens　at　the　back　of　our　fair　friends；　flung　their　sweet　fresh　odours　at　their　liquid　benefactor　gliding　by；　and　the　sun　himself　seemed　to　burn　perfumes；　and　the　air　to　scatter　them；　over　the　motley　merry　crowd；　that　bright；　hot；　smiling；　airy　day　in　June。

Thus　tuned　to　gentle　enjoyment；　the　fair　mother　and　her　lovely　daughter　leaned　back　in　a　delicious　languor　proper　to　their　sex；　and　eyed　with　unflagging　though　demure　interest；　and　furtive　curiosity；　the　wealth　of　youth；　beauty；　stature；　agility；　gaiety；　and　good　temper；　the　two　great　universities　had　poured　out　upon　those　obscure　banks；　all　dressed　in　neat　but　easy…fitting　clothes；　cut　in　the　height　of'　the　fashion；　or　else　in　jerseys　white　or　striped；　and　flannel　trousers；　and　straw　hats；　or　cloth　caps　of　bright　and　various　hues；　betting；　strolling；　laughing；　chaffing；　larking；　and　whirl