hard cash-第97节

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〃Oh；　won't　you；　though；〃　cried　Alfred　gaily。　〃What　is　that？　and　that？　and　that？　Now；　what　on　earth　are　you　crying　about？　Dry　your　tears；　you　dear　good…hearted　girl：　no；　I'll　dry　them　for　you。〃

He　took　out　a　white　handkerchief　and　dried　her　cheeks　gently　for　her；　and　gave　her　a　parting　kiss。　But　the　Archbold's　patience　was　exhausted：　a　door　opened　nearly　opposite；　and　there　she　stood　yellow　with　jealousy　and　sombre　as　night　with　her　ebon　brows。　At　sight　of　this　lowering　figure　Hannah　uttered　a　squawk；　and　fled　with　cheeks　red　as　fire。　Alfred；　not　aware　of　Mrs。　Archbold's　smouldering　passion；　and　little　dreaming　that　jealous　anguish　and　rage　stood　incarnate　before　him；　burst　out　laughing　like　a　mischievous　boy！　On　this　she　swept　upon　him；　and　took　him　by　both　shoulders；　and　awed　him　with　her　lowering　brows　close　to　his。　〃You　ungrateful　wretch；〃　she　said　violently；　and　panted。

His　colour　rose。　〃Ungrateful？　That　I　am　not　madam。　Why　do　you　call　me　so？〃

〃You　areyou　are。　What　have　I　done　to　you　that　you　run　from　me　to　the　very　servants？　However；　she　shall　be　packed　off　this　very　night；　and　you　to　thank　for　it。〃

This　was　the　way　to　wound　the　generous　youth。　〃Now　it　is　you　that　are　ungenerous；〃　he　said。　〃What　harm　has　the　poor　girl　done？　She　had　a　virtuous　movement　and　pitied　me　for　the　heartless　fraud　I　suffer　by；　that　is　all。　Pray；　do　you　never　pity　me？〃

〃Was　it　this　virtuous　movement　set　her　kissing　you？〃　said　the　Archbold；　clenching　her　teeth　as　if　the　word　stung　her；　like　the　sight。

〃She　didn't；　now；〃　said　Alfred；　〃it　was　I　kissed　her。〃

〃And　yet　you　pretend　to　love　your　Julia　so　truly？〃

〃This　is　no　place　for　that　sacred　name；　madam。　But　be　sure　I　have　no　secrets　from　her；　and　kiss　nobody　she　would　not　kiss　herself。〃

〃She　must　be　a　very　accommodating　young　lady。〃

At　this　insult　Alfred　rose　pale　with　anger；　and　was　about　to　defy　his　monitor　mortally；　but　the　quick…witted　woman　saw　and　disarmed　him。　In　one　moment；　before　ever　he　could　speak；　she　was　a　transformed　creature；　a　penitent；　she　put　her　hands　together　supplicatingly；　and　murmured

〃I　didn't　mean　it；　I　respect　_her；_　and　your　love　for　her；　forgive　me；　Alfred：　I　am　so　unhappy；　oh　forgive　me。

And　behold　she　held　his　hand　between　her　soft；　burning　palms；　and　her　proud　head　sank　languidly　on　his　shoulder；　and　the　inevitable　tears　ran　gently。

Morals　apart；　it　was　glorious　love…making。

〃Bother　the　woman；〃　thought　Alfred。

〃Promise　me　not　to　do　it　again；〃　she　murmured；　〃and　the　girl　shall　stay。〃

〃Oh；　lord；　yes；　I　promise；　though　I　can't　see　what　it　matters　to　you。〃

〃Not　much；　cruel　boy；　alas！　but　it　matters　to　her；　for〃　She　kissed　Alfred's　hand　gently；　and　rose　to　her　feet　and　moved　away；　but　at　the　second　step　turned　her　head　sudden　as　a　bird　and　finished　her　sentence〃if　you　kiss　her　before　me；　I　shall　kill　her　before　you。〃

Here　was　a　fresh　complication！　The　men　had　left　off　blistering；　torturing；　and　bullying　him；　but　his　guardian　angels；　the　women；　were　turning　up　their　sleeves　to　pull　caps　over　him；　and　plenty　of　the　random　scratches　would　fall　on　him。　If　anything　could　have　made　him　pine　more　to　be　out　of　the　horrid　place；　this　voluptuous　prospect　would。　He　hunted　everywhere　for　Brown。　But　he　was　away　the　day　with　a　patient。　At　night　he　lay　awake　for　a　long　time；　thinking　how　he　should　open　the　negotiation。　He　shrank　from　it。　He　felt　a　delicacy　about　bribing　Beelzebub's　servant　to　betray　him。

As　Hannah　had　originated　the　idea；　he　thought　he　might　very　well　ask　her　to　do　the　dirty　work　of　bribing　Brown；　and　he　would　pay　her　for　it；　only　in　money；　not　kisses。　With　this　resolution　he　sank　to　sleep；　and　his　spirit　broke　prison：　he　stood　with　Julia　before　the　altar；　and　the　priest　made　them　one。　Then　the　church　and　the　company　and　daylight　disappeared；　and　her　own　sweet　low　moving　voice　came　thrilling；　〃My　own；　own；　own；〃　she　murmured。　〃I　love　you　ten　times　more　for　all　you　have　endured　for　me；〃　and　with　this　her　sweet　lips　settled　on　his　like　the　dew。

Impartial　sleep　flies　at　the　steps　of　the　scaffold　and　the　gate　of　Elysium：　so　Alfred　awoke　at　the　above；　but　doubted　whether　he　was　quite　awake；　for　two　velvet　lips　seemed　to　be　still　touching　his。　He　stirred；　and　somebody　was　gone　like　the　wind；　with　a　rustle　of　flying　petticoats；　and　his　door　shut　in　a　moment。　It　closed　with　a　catch…lock；　this　dastardly　vision　had　opened　it　with　her　key；　and　left　it　open　to　make　good　her　retreat　if　he　should　awake。　Alfred　sat　up　in　bed　indignant；　and　somewhat　fluttered。　〃Confound　her　impudence；〃　said　he。　But　there　was　no　help　for　it；　he　grinned　and　bore　it；　as　he　had　the　blisters；　and　boluses；　&c。；　rolled　the　clothes　round　his　shoulders；　and　off　to　the　sleep　of　the　just　again。　Not　so　the　passionate　hypocrite；　who；　maddened　by　a　paroxysm　of　jealousy；　had　taken　this　cowardly　advantage　of　a　prisoner。　She　had　sucked　fresh　poison　from　those　honest　lips；　and　filled　her　veins　with　molten　fire。　She　tossed　and　turned　the　livelong　night　in　a　high　fever　of　passion；　nor　were　the　cold　chills　wanting　of　shame　and　fear　at　what　she　had　done。

In　the　morning；　Alfred　remembered　this　substantial　vision；　and　determined　to　find　out　which　of　those　two　it　was。　〃I　shall　know　by　her　looks；〃　said　he；　〃she　won't　be　able　to　meet　my　eye。　Well；　the　first　he　saw　was　Mrs。　Archbold。　She　met　his　eye　full　with　a　mild　and　pensive　dignity。　〃Come；　it　is　not　you；〃　thought　Alfred。　Presently　he　fell　in　with　Hannah。　She　wore　a　serene；　infantine　face；　the　picture　of　unobtrusive　modesty。　Alfred　was　dumbfoundered。　〃It's　not　this　one；　either；〃　said　he。　〃But　then；　it　must。　Confound　her　impudence　for　looking　so　modest。〃　However；　he　did　not　speak　to　her；　he　was　looking　out　for　a　face　that　interested　him　far　more：　the　weather…beaten　countenance　of　Giles　Brown。　He　saw　him　once　or　twice；　but　could　not　get　him　alone　till　the　afternoon。　He　invited　him　into　his　room：　and　when　he　got　him　there；　lost　no　time。　〃Just　look　me　in　the　face；　Brown；〃　said　he　quietly。　Brown　looked　him　in　the　face。

〃Now；　sir；　am　I　mad　or　sane？〃

Brown　turned　his　head　away。　Alfred　laughed。　〃No；　no；　none　of　your　tricks；　old　fellow：　look　me　in　the　face　while　you　answer。〃

The　man　coloured。　〃I　can't　look　a　gentleman　like　you　in　the　face；　and　tell　him　he　is　mad。〃

〃I　should　think　not。　Well；　now；　what　shall　I　give　you　to　help　me　escape？〃

〃Hush！　don't　mention　that；　sir；　it's　as　much　as　my　place　is　worth　even　to　listen　to　you。〃

〃Well！　then　I　must　give　you　as　much　as　your　place　is　worth。　Please　to　calculate　that；　and　name　the　figure。〃

〃My　place！　I　wouldn't　lose　it　for　a　hundred　pounds。〃

〃Exactly。　Then　I'll　give　you　a　hundred　guineas。〃

〃And　how　am　I　to　get　my　money；　sir？〃

〃The　first　time　you　are　out；　come　to　Albion　Villa；　in　Barkington；　and　I'll　have　it　all　ready　for　you。〃

〃And　suppose　you　were　to　say；　'No：　you　didn't　ought　ever　to　have　been　confined'？〃

〃I　must　trouble　you　to　look　in　my　face　again；　Mr。　Brown。　Now；　do　you　see　treason；　bad　faith；　avarice；　ingratitude；　rascality　in　it？〃

〃Not　a　grain　of　'em；〃　said　Brown；　with　an　accent　of　conviction。　〃Well；　now；　I'll　tell　you　the　truth；　I　can　read　a　gent　by　this　time：　and　I'm　no　more　afeared　for　the　money　than　if　I　had　it　in　my　hand。　But　ye　see；　my　stomach　won't　let　me　do　it。〃

This　was　a　sad　disappointment；　so　sudden；　too。　〃　Your　stomach？〃　said　Alfred　ruefully。　〃'What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Ay；　my　stomach。　Wouldn't　_your_stomach　rise　against　serving　a　man　that　had　done　you　the　worst　turn　one　man　can　do　anotherbeen　and　robbed　you　of　your　sweetheart？〃

Alfred　stared　with　amazement。

Brown　continued；　and　now　with　some　emotion：　〃Hannah　Blake　and　I　were　very　good　friends　till　you　came；　and　I　was　thinking　of　asking　her　to　name　the　day；　but　now　she　won't　look　at　me。　'Don't　come　teasing　me；'　says　she；　'I　am　meat　for　your　master。'　It's　you　that　have　turned　the　girl's　head；　sir。〃

〃Bother　the　women！〃　said　Alfred　cordially。　〃Oh；　what　plagues　they　are！　And　how　unjust　_you_　are；　to　spite　me　for　the　fault　of　another。　Can　I　help　the　fools　from　spooning　upon　me？〃　He　reflected　a　moment　then　burst　out：　〃Brown；　you　are　a　duffer；　a　regular　duffer。　What；　don't　you　see　your　game　is　to　get　me　out　of　the　place？　If　you　do；　in　forty…eight　hours　I　shall　be　married　to　my　Julia；　and　that　dumpling…faced　girl　will　be　cured。　But　if　you　keep　me　here；　by　Gee；　sir；　I'll　make　hot　love　to　your　Hannah；　boiling　hot；　hotter　than　ever　wasout　of　the　isles　of　Greece。　Oh　do　help　me　out；　and　I'll　give　you　the　hundred　pounds；　and　I'll　give　Hannah　another　hundred　pounds；　on　condition　she　marries　you：　and；　if　she　won't　marry　you；　she　shan't　have　a　farthing；　only　a　good　hiding。〃

Brown　was　overpowered　by　his　maniac's　logic。　〃You　have　a　head；〃　said　he；　〃there's　my　hand；　I'll　go　in；　if　I　die　for　it。〃

They　now　put　their　heads　together　over　the　means。　Brown's　plan　was　to　wait；　and　wait；　for　an　opportunity。　Alfred's　was　to　make　one　this　very　night。

〃But　how　can　I？〃　said　Brown。　〃I　shan't　have　the　key　of　your　room。　I　am　not　on　watch　in　your　part　to…night。〃

〃Borrow　Hannah's。〃

〃Hannah's？　She　has　got　no　key　of　the　male　patients　rooms。〃

〃Oh　yes；　she　has；　of　mine；　at　all　events。〃

〃What　makes　you　think　that；　sir？〃　said　Brown　suspiciously。

Alfred　didn't　know　what　to　say：　he　could　not　tell　him