hard cash-第58节

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〃Now　suppose　I　treat　this　advance　as　a　personal　trust？　The　bank　breaks：　the　money　disappears。　Consternation　of　the　Dodds；　who；　until　enlightened　by　the　public　settlement；　will　think　it　has　gone　into　the　well。

〃In　that　interval　I　talk　Alfred　over；　and　promise　to　produce　the　L。　14；000　intact；　with　my　paternal　blessing　on　him　and　Miss　Dodd；　provided　he　will　release　me　from　my　debt　to　him；　and　give　me　a　life　interest　in　half　the　money　settled　on　him　by　my　wife's　father；　to　my　most　unjust　and　insolent　exclusion。　Their　passion　will　soon　bring　the　young　people　to　reason；　and　then　they　will　soon　melt　the　old　ones。〃

Skinner　was　struck　with　this　masterly　little　sketch。　But　he　detected　one　fatal　flaw：　〃You　don't　say　what　is　to　become　of　me。〃

〃Oh；　I　haven't　thought　of　that　yet。〃

〃But　do　think　of　it；　sir；　that　I　may　have　the　pleasure　of　co…operating。　It　would　never　do　for　you　and　me　to　be　pulling　two　ways；　you　know。〃

〃I　will　not　forget　you；〃　said　Hardie；　wincing　under　the　chain　this　little　wretch　held　him　with；　and　had　jerked　him　by　way　of　reminder。

〃But　surely；　Skinner；　you　agree　with　me　it　would　be　a　sin　and　a　shame　to　rob　this　honest　captain　of　his　moneyfor　my　creditorscurse　them！　Ah！　you　are　not　a　father。　How　quickly　he　found　that　out！　Well；　I　am；　and　he　touched　me　to　the　quick。　I　love　my　little　Jane　as　dearly　as　he　loves　his　Julia；　every　bit：　and　I　feel　for　_him。_　And　then　he　put　me　in　mind　of　my　own　father；　poor　man。　That　seems　strange；　doesn't　it？　a　sailor　and　a　banker。　Ah！　it　was　because　they　were　both　honest　men。　Yes；　it　was　like　a　wholesome　flower　coming　into　a　close　room；　and　then　out　again　and　heaving　a　whiff　behind　was　that　sailor。　He　left　the　savour　of　Probity　and　Simplicity　behind；　though　he　took　the　things　themselves　away　again。　Why；　why　couldn't　he　leave　us　what　is　more　wanted　here　than　even　his　money？　His　integrity：　the　pearl　of　price；　that　my　father；　whom　I　used　to　sneer　at；　carried　to　his　grave；　and　died　simple；　but　wise；　honest；　but　richrich　in　money；　in　credit；　in　honour；　and　eternal　hopes。　Oh；　Skinner！　Skinner！　I　wish　I　had　never　been　born。〃

Skinner　was　surprised：　he　was　not　aware　that　intelligent　men　who　sin　are　subject　to　fits　of　remorse。　Nay；　more；　he　was　frightened；　for　the　emotion　of　this　iron　man；　so　hard　to　move；　was　overpowering　when　it　came：　it　did　not　soften；　it　convulsed　him。

〃Don't　talk　so；　sir；〃　said　the　little　clerk。　〃Keep　up　your　heart！　Have　a　drop　of　something。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie　gloomily；　〃it　is　idle　to　talk：　we　are　all　the　slaves　of　circumstances。〃

With　this；　he　unlocked　a　safe　that　stood　against　the　wall；　chucked　the　L。　14；000　in；　and　shammed　the　iron　door　sharply；　and；　as　it　closed　upon　the　Cash　with　a　clang；　the　parlour　door　burst　open　as　if　by　concert；　and　David　Dodd　stood　on　the　threshold；　looking　terrible。　His　ruddy　colour　was　all　gone；　and　he　seemed　black　and　white　with　anger　and　anxiety；　and　out　of　this　blanched　yet　lowering　face　his　eyes　glowed　like　coals；　and　roved　keenly　to　and　fro　between　the　banker　and　the　clerk。

A　thunder…cloud　of　a　man。



CHAPTER　XVII

JAMES　MAXLEY　came　out　of　the　bank　that　morning　with　nine　hundred　and　four　pounds　buttoned　up　tight　in　the　pocket　of　his　leather　breeches；　a　joyful　man；　and　so　to　his　work；　and　home　at　one　o'clock　to　dinner。

At　2　P。M。　he　was　thoughtful；　uneasy　at　3；　wretched　at　3。30。　He　was　gardener　as　well　as　capitalist；　and　Mr。　Hardie　owed　him　30s。　for　work。　Such　is　human　nature　in　general；　and　Maxley's　in　particular；　that　the　L。　900　in　pocket　seemed　small；　and　the　30s。　in　jeopardy　large。

〃I　can't　afford　to　go　with　the　creditors；〃　argued　Maxley：　〃Dividend　on　30s。！　Why；　that　will　be　about　thirty　pence：　the　change　for　a　hard*　half…crown。

*_I。e。_　a　half…crown　in　one　piece。

He　stuck　his　spade　in　the　soil　and　made　for　his　debtor's　house。　As　he　came　up　the　street；　Dodd　shot　out　of　the　bank　radiant；　and　was　about　to　pass　him　without　notice；　full　of　his　wife　and　children；　but　Maxley　stopped　him　with　a　right　cordial　welcome；　and　told　him　he　had　given　them　all　a　fright　this　time。

〃What；　is　it　over　the　town　already　that　my　ship　has　been　wrecked？〃　And　Dodd　looked　annoyed。

〃Wrecked？　No；　but　you　have　been　due　this　two　months；　ye　know。　Wrecked？　Why；　Captain；　you　haven't　ever　been　wrecked？〃　And　he　looked　him　all　over　as　if　he　expected　to　see　〃WRECKED〃　branded　on　him　by　the　elements。

〃Ay；　James；　wrecked　on　the　French　coast；　and　lost　my　chronometer；　and　a　tip…top　sextant。　But　what　of　that？　I　saved　_It。_　I　have　just　landed　It　in　the　Bank。　Good…bye；　I　must　sheer　off：　I　long　to　be　home。〃

〃Stay　a　bit；　Captain；〃　said　Maxley。　〃I　am　not　quite　easy　in　my　mind。　I　saw　you　come　out　of　Hardie's。　I　thought　in　course　you　had　been　in　to　draa：　but　you　says　different。　Now　what　was　it　you　did　leave　behind　you　at　that　there　shop；　if　_you_　please：　not　money？〃

〃Not　money？　Only　L。　14；000。　How　the　man　stares！　Why；　it's　not　mine；　James；　it's　my　children's：　there；　good…bye；〃　and　he　was　actually　off　this　time。　But　Maxley　stretched　his　long　limbs；　and　caught　him　in　two　strides；　and　griped　his　shoulder　without　ceremony。　〃Be　you　mad？〃　said　he　sternly。

〃No；　but　I　begin　to　think　you　are。〃

〃That　is　to　be　seen；〃　said　Maxley　gravely。　〃Before　I　lets　you　go；　you　must　tell　me　whether　you　be　jesting；　or　whether　you　have　really　been　so　simple　as　to　drop　fourteenthousandpounds　at　Hardie's？〃　No　judge　upon　the　bench；　nor　bishop　in　his　stall；　could　be　more　impressive　than　this　gardener　was；　when　he　subdued　the　vast　volume　of　his　voice　to　a　low　grave　utterance　of　this　sort。

Dodd　began　to　be　uneasy。　〃Why；　good　heavens；　there　is　nothing　wrong　with　the　old　Barkington　Bank？〃

〃Nothing　wrong？〃　roared　Maxley：　then　whispered'：　〃Holt！　I　was　laad　once　for　slander；　and　cost　me　thirty　pounds：　nearly　killed　my　missus　it　did。〃

〃Man！〃　cried　Dodd；　〃for　my　children's　sake　tell　me　if　you　know　anything　amiss。　After　all；　I'm　like　a　stranger　here；　more　than　two　years　away　at　a　time。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　all　I　know；〃　whispered　Maxley；　〃'tis　the　least　I　can　do。　What　（roaring）　doyouthinkI've　forgotten　you　saving　my　poor　boy　out　o'　that　scrape；　and　getting　him　a　good　place　in　Canada；　andwhy；　he'd　have　been　put　in　prison　but　for　you；　and　that　would　ha'　broken　my　heart　and　his　mother'sand〃　The　stout　voice　began　to　quaver。

〃Oh；　bother　all　that　now；〃　said　Dodd　impatiently。　〃The　bank！　you　have　grounded　me　on　thorns。〃

〃Well；　I'll　tell　ye：　but　you　must　promise　faithful　not　to　go　and　say　I　told　ye；　or　you'll　get　me　laad　again：　and　I　likes　to　laa　_them；_　not　for　_they_　to　laa　me。〃

〃I　promise；　I　promise。〃

〃Well　then；　I　got　a　letter　to…day　from　my　boy；　him　as　you　was　so　good　to；　and　here　'tis　in　my　breeches…pocket。Laws！　how　things　do　come　round　sure_ly：_　why；　lookee　here　now；　if　so　be　_you_　hadn't　been　a　good　friend　to　_he；　he_　wouldn't　be　where　he　is；　and　if　so　be　_he_　warn't　where　_he_　is；　_he_　couldn't　have　writ　_me_　this　here；　and　then　where　should　_you_　and　_I_　be？〃

〃Belay　your　jaw　and　show　me　this　letter；〃　cried　David；　trembling　all　over。

〃That　I　wool；〃　said　Maxley；　diving　a　hand　into　his　pocket。　〃Hush！　lookee　yander　now；　if　there　ain't　Master　Alfred　a…watching　of　us　two　out　of　his　window：　and　he　have　got　an　eye　like　a　hawk；　_he_　have。　Step　in　the　passage；　Captain；　and　I'll　show　it　to　you。

He　drew　him　aside　into　the　passage；　and　gave　him　the　letter。　Dodd　ran　his　eye　over　it　hastily；　uttered　a　cry　like　a　wounded　lion；　dropped　it；　gave　a　slight　stagger；　and　rushed　away。

Maxley　picked　up　his　letter　and　watched　Dodd　into　the　bank　again　and　reflected　on　his　work。　His　heart　was　warmed　at　having　made　a　return　to　the　good　captain。

His　head　suggested　that　he　was　on　the　road　which　leads　to　libel。

But　he　had　picked　up　at　the　assizes　a　smattering　of　the　law　of　evidence；　so　he　coolly　tore　the　letter　in　pieces。　〃There　now；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃if　Hardies　do　laa　me　for　publishing　of　this　here　letter；　why　they　pours　their　water　into　a　sieve。　Ugh！〃　And　with　this　exclamation　he　started；　and　then　put　his　heavy　boot　on　part　of　the　letter；　and　ground　it　furtively　into　the　mud；　for　a　light　hand　had　settled　on　his　shoulder；　and　a　keen　young　face　was　close　to　his。

It　was　Alfred　Hardie；　who　had　stolen　on　him　like　a　cat。　〃I'm　laad；〃　thought　Maxley。

〃Maxley；　old　fellow；〃　said　Alfred；　in　a　voice　as　coaxing　as　a　woman's；　〃are　you　in　a　good　humour？〃

〃Well；　Master；　Halfred；　sight　of　you　mostly　puts　me　in　one；　especially　after　that　there　strychnine　job。〃

〃Then　tell　me；〃　whispered　Alfred；　his　eyes　sparkling　and　his　face　beaming；　〃who　was　that　you　were　talking　to　just　now？　Was　it？wasn't　it？who　was　it？〃


CHAPTER　XVIII

WHILE　Dodd　stood　lowering　in　the　doorway；　he　was　nevertheless　making　a　great　effort　to　control　his　agitation。

At　last　he　said　in　a　stern　but　low　voice；　in　which；　however；　a　quick　ear　might　detect　a　tremor　of　agitation：　〃I　have　changed　my　mind；　sir：　I　want　my　money　back。〃

At　this；　though　David's　face　had　prepared　him；　Mr。　Hardie's　heart　sank：　but　there　was　no　help　for　it。　He　said　faintly；　〃Certainly。　May　I　ask？〃　and　there　he　stopped；　for　it　was　hardly　prudent　to　ask　anything。

〃No　matter；〃　replied　Dodd；　his　agitation　rising　even　at　this　slight　delay。　〃Come！　my　money！　I　must　and　will　have　it。〃

Hardie　drew　himself　up　maj