hard cash-第85节

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〃What　train　did　he　go　by？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know；　sir；　I　left　him　at　the　station。〃

〃Well；　then；　where　did　he　take　his　ticket　for？　Where　did　he　tell　the　porter　he　was　going？　Think　now；　and　I'll　give　y'　a　sovereign。〃

The　ostler　scratched　his　head；　and　seemed　at　first　inclined　to　guess　for　the　sovereign；　but　at　last　said：　〃I　should　only　be　robbing　you　gents。　Ye　see；　he　paid　the　fly　then　and　there；　and　gave　me　a　crown：　and　I　druv　away　directly。〃

On　this　they　gave　him　a　shilling　and　left　him。　But　on　leaving　the　yard　Edward　said：　〃Doctor；　I　don't　like　that　fellow's　looks：　let　us　try　the　landlord。〃　They　went　into　the　bar　and　made　similar　inquiries。　The　landlord　was　out；　the　mistress　knew　nothing　about　it；　but　took　a　book　out　of　a　drawer；　and　turned　over　the　leaves。　She　read　out　an　entry　to　this　effect

〃Pair　horse　fly　to　Silverton：　take　up　in　Mill　Street　at　eight　o'clock。　Is　that　it；　sir？〃　Sampson　assented；　but　Edward　told　her　the　ostler　said　it　was　Silverton　station。

〃No：　it　is　Silverton　in　the　book；　sir。　Well；　you　see　it　is　all　one　to　us；　the　station　is　further　than　the　town；　but　we　charge　seven　miles　whichever　'tis。〃

Bradshaw；　inspected　then　and　there；　sought　in　vain　to　conceal　that　four　trains　reach　Silverton　from　different　points　between　8。50　and　9。25　A。　M。

The　friends　retired　with　this　scanty　information。　Alfred　could　hardly　have　gone　to　London；　for　there　was　a　train　up　from　Barkington　itself　at　8。30。　But　he　might　have　gone　to　almost　any　other　part　of　the　island；　or　out　of　it　for　that　matter。　Sampson　fell　into　a　brown　study。

After　a　long　silence；　which　Edward　was　too　sad　to　break；　he　said　thoughtfully：　〃Bring　sceince　to　bear　on　this　hotch…potch。　Facks　are　never　really　opposed　to　facks；　they　onnly　seem　to　be：　and　the　true　solution　is　the　one　which　riconciles　all　the　facks：　for　instance；　the　chronothairmal　Therey　riconciles　all　th'　undisputed　facks　in　midicine。　So　now　sairch　for　a　solution　to　riconcile　the　Deed　with　the　puppy　levanting。〃

Edward　searched；　but　could　find　none；　and　said　so。

〃Can't　you？〃　said　Sampson；　〃then　I'll　give　you　a　couple。　Say　he　is　touched　in　the　upper　story　for　one。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？　Mad？〃

〃Oh：　there　are　degrees　of　Phrinzy。　Here　is　th'　inconsistency　of　conduct　that　marks　a　disturbance　of　the　reason：　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　I　once　knew　a　young　fellow　that　played　this　very　prank　at　a　wedding；　and　the　nixt　thing　we　hard；　my　lorrd　was　in　Bedlam。〃

Edward　shook　his　head：　〃It　is　the　villain's　heart；　not　his　brain。〃

Sampson　then　offered　another　solution；　in　which　he　owned　he　had　more　confidence

〃He　has　been　courting　some　other　wumman　first：　she　declined；　or　made　believe；　but；　when　she　found　he　had　the　spirit　to　go　and　marry　an　innocent　girl；　then　the　jade　wrote　to　him　and　yielded。　It's　a　married　one；　likely。　I've　known　women　go　further　for　hatred　of　a　wumman　than　they　would　for　love　of　a　man　and　here　was　a　temptation！　to　snap　a　lover　off　th'　altar；　and　insult　a　rival；　all　at　one　blow。　He　meant　to　marry：　he　meant　to　sign　that　deed：　ay　and　at　his　age；　even　if　he　had　signed　it；　he　would　have　gone　off　at　passion's　call；　and　beggared　himself。　What　enrages　me　is　that　we　didn't　let　him　sign　it；　and　so　nail　the　young　rascal's　money。〃

〃Curse　his　money；〃　said　Edward；　〃and　him　too。　Wait　till　I　can　lay　my　hand　on　him：　I'll　break　every　bone　in　his　skin。〃

〃And　I'll　help　you。〃

In　the　morning；　Mrs。　Dodd　left　Julia　for　a　few　minutes　expressly　to　ask　Sampson's　advice。　After　Alfred's　conduct　she　was　free；　and　fully　determined；　to　defend　herself　and　family　against　spoliation　by　any　means　in　her　power：　so　she　now　showed　the　doctor　David's　letter　about　the　L。　14；000；　and　the　empty　pocket…book；　and　put　together　the　disjointed　evidence　of　Julia；　Alfred；　and　circumstances；　in　one　neat　and　luminous　statement。　Sampson　was　greatly　struck　with　the　revelation：　he　jumped　off　his　chair　and　marched　about　excited：　said　truth　was　stranger　than　fiction；　and　this　was　a　manifest　swindle：　then　he　surprised　Mrs。　Dodd　in　her　turn　by　assuming　that　old　Hardie　was　at　the　bottom　of　yesterday's　business。　Neither　Edward　nor　his　mother　could　see　that；　and　said　so：　his　reply　was　characteristic：　〃Of　course　you　can't；　you　are　Anglosaxins；　th'　Anglosaxins　are　good　at　drawing　distinctions：　but　they　can't　gineralise。　I'm　a　Celt；　and　gineraliseas　a　duck　swims。　I　discovered　th'　unity　of　all　disease：　it　would　be　odd　if　I　could　not　trace　the　maniform　iniquities　you　suffer　to　their　one　source。〃

〃But　what　is　the　connecting　link？〃　asked　Mrs。　Dodd；　still　incredulous。

〃Why；　Richard　Hardie's　interest。〃

〃Well；　but　the　letter？〃　objected　Edward。

〃There　goes　th'　Anglosaxin　again；〃　remonstrated　Sampson：　〃puzzling　his　head　over　petty　details；　and　they　are　perhaps　mere　blinds　thrown　out　by　the　enemy。　Put　this　and　that　together：　Hardie　senior　always　averse　to　this　marriage；　Hardie　senior　wanting　to　keep　L。　14；000　of　yours：　if　his　son；　who　knows　of　the　fraud；　became　your　mother's　son；　the　swinidle　would　be　hourly　in　danger　（no　connection？　y'　unhappy　Anglosaxins；　why　the　two　things　are　interwoven）。　And　so　young　Hardie　is　got　out　of　the　way：　old　Hardie's　doing；　or　I'm　a　Dutchman。〃

This　reasoning　still　appeared　forced　and　fanciful　to　Edward　but　it　began　to　make　some　little　impression　on　Mrs。　Dodd；　and　encouraged　her　to　own　that　her　poor　daughter　suspected　foul　play。

〃Well；　that　is　possible；　too：　whativer　tempted　man　has　done；　tempted　man　will　do：　but　more　likely　he　has　bribed　Jezebel　to　write　and　catch　the　goose　by　the　heart。　Gintlennen；　I'm　a　bit　of　a　physiognomist：　look　at　old　Hardie's　lines；　his　cords；　I　might　say：　and　deeper　every　time　I　see　him。　Sirs；　there's　an　awful　weight　on　that　man's　mind。　Looksee！　I'll　just　send　a　small　trifle　of　a　detective　down　to　watch　his　game；　and　pump　his　people：　and；　as　soon　as　it　is　safe；　we'll　seize　the　old　bird；　and；　once　he　is　trapped　the　young　one　will　reappear　like　magic：　th'　old　one　will　disgorge；　we'll　just　compound　the　felonybeen　an　old　friendand　recover　the　cash。〃

A　fine　sketch；　but　Edward　thought　it　desperately　wild；　and　Mrs。　Dodd　preferred　employing　a　respectable　attorney　to　try　and　obtain　justice　in　the　regular　way。　Sampson　laughed　at　her；　what　was　the　use　of　attacking　in　the　regular　way　an　irregular　genius　like　old　Hardie？　〃Attorneys　are　too　humdrum　for　such　a　job；〃　said　he；　〃they　start　with　a　civil　letter　putting　a　rogue　on　his　guard；　they　proceed　t'　a　writ　and　then　he　digs　a　hole　in　another　county　and　buries　the　booty；　or　sails　t'　Australia　with　it。　N'list'me；　I'm　an　old　friend；　and　an　insane　lover　of　justiceI　say　insane；　because　my　passion　is　not　returned；　or　the　jade　wouldn't　keep　out　of　my　way　so　all　these　yearsyou　leave　all　this　to　me。〃

〃Stop　a　minute；〃　said　Edward；　〃you　must　not　go　compromising　us：　and　we　have　no　money　to　pay　for　luxuries　like　detectives。〃

〃I　won't　compromise　any　one　of　you：　and　my　detective　shan't　cost　y'　a　penny。〃

〃Ah；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃the　fact　is；　you　do　not　know　all　the　difficulties　that　beset　us。　Tell　him；　Edward。　Well；　then；　let　_me。_　The　poor　boy　is　attached　to　this　gentleman's　daughter；　whom　you　propose　to　treat　like　a　felon：　and　he　is　too　good　a　son　and　too　good　a　friend　for　me　towhat；　what；　shall　I　do？〃

Edward　coloured　up　to　the　eyes。　〃Who　told　you　that；　mother？〃　said　he。　〃Well；　yes；　I　do　love　her；　and　I'm　not　ashamed　of　it。　Doctor；〃　said　the　poor　fellow　after　a　while；　〃I　see　now　I　am　not　quite　the　person　to　advise　my　mother　in　this　matter。　I　consent　to　leave　it　in　your　hands。〃

And　in　pursuance　of　this　resolution；　he　retired　to　his　study。

〃There's　a　damnable　combination；〃　said　Sampson　drily。　〃Truth　is　sairtainly　more　wonderful　than　feckshin。　Here's　my　fathom　o'　good　sense　in　love　with　a　wax　doll；　and　her　brother　jilting　his　sister；　and　her　father　pillaging　his　mother。　It　_beats_　hotch…potch。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　denied　the　wax　doll：　but　owned　Miss　Hardie　was　open　to　vast　objections：　〃An　inestimable　young　lady；　but　so　odd；　she　is　one　of　these　uneasy…minded　Christians　that　have　sprung　up：　a　religious　egotist；　and　_malade　imaginaire；_　eternally　feeling　her　own　spiritual　pulse〃

〃I　know　the　disorrder；〃　cried　Sampson　eagerly：　〃the　pashints　have　a　hot　fit　（and　then　they　are　saints）：　followed　in　due　course　by　the　cold　fit　（and　then　they　are　the　worst　of　sinners）：　and　so　on　in　endless　rotation：　and；　if　they　could　only　realise　my　great　discovery；　the　perriodicity　of　all　disease；　and　time　their　sintiments；　they　would　find　the　hot　fit　and　the　cold　return　chronometrically；　at　intervals　as　rigular　as　the　tide's　ebb　and　flow；　and　the　soul　has　nothing　to　do　with　either　febrile　symptom。　Why　Religion；　apart　from　intermittent　Fever　of　the　Brain；　is　just　the　caumest；　peaceablest；　sedatest　thing　in　all　the　world。〃

〃Ah；　you　are　too　deep　for　me；　my　good　friend。　All　I　know　is　that　she　is　one　of　this　new　school；　whom　I　take　the　liberty　to　call　'THE　FIDGETY　CHRISTIANS。'　They　cannot　let　their　poor　souls　alone　a　minute；　and　they　pester　one　day　and　night　with　the　millennium；　as　if　we　shall　not　all　be　dead　long　before　that。　But　the　worst　is；　they　apply　the　language　of　earthly　passion　to　the　Saviour　of　mankind；　and　make　one's　flesh　creep　at　their　blasphemies；　so　coarse；　so　familiar：　like　that　rude　multitude　which　thronged　and　pressed　Him　w