catherine-a story(凯瑟琳的故事)-第27节
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The landlady still kept her position at it； and with a storm of oaths against
the Ensign； and against two Englishmen who ran away from a wild
Hirishman； swore she would not budge a foot； and would stand there until
her dying day。
〃Faith； then； needs must；〃 said the Ensign； and made a lunge at the
hostess； which passed so near the wretch's throat； that she screamed； sank
on her knees； and at last opened the door。
Down the stairs； then； with great state； Mr。 Macshane led the elder
lady； the married couple following； and having seen them to the street；
took an affectionate farewell of the party； whom he vowed that he would
come and see。 〃You can walk the eighteen miles aisy； between this and
nightfall；〃 said he。
〃WALK！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Hayes。 〃Why； haven't we got Ball； and shall
ride and tie all the way？〃
〃Madam！〃 cried Macshane； in a stern voice； 〃honour before everything。
Did you not； in the presence of his worship； vow and declare that you gave
me that horse； and now d'ye talk of taking it back again？ Let me tell you；
madam； that such paltry thricks ill become a person of your years and
respectability； and ought never to be played with Insign Timothy
Macshane。〃
He waved his hat and strutted down the street； and Mrs。 Catherine
Hayes； along with her bridegroom and mother…in…law； made the best of
their way homeward on foot。
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CHAPTER VII。 WHICH
EMBRACES A PERIOD OF SEVEN
YEARS。
The recovery of so considerable a portion of his property from the
clutches of Brock was； as may be imagined； no trifling source of joy to
that excellent young man； Count Gustavus Adolphus de Galgenstein； and
he was often known to say； with much archness； and a proper feeling of
gratitude to the Fate which had ordained things so； that the robbery was； in
reality； one of the best things that could have happened to him： for； in
event of Mr。 Brock's NOT stealing the money； his Excellency the Count
would have had to pay the whole to the Warwickshire Squire； who had
won it from him at play。 He was enabled； in the present instance； to plead
his notorious poverty as an excuse； and the Warwickshire conqueror got
off with nothing； except a very badly written autograph of the Count's；
simply acknowledging the debt。
This point his Excellency conceded with the greatest candour； but （as；
doubtless； the reader may have remarked in the course of his experience）
to owe is not quite the same thing as to pay； and from the day of his
winning the money until the day of his death the Warwickshire Squire did
never； by any chance； touch a single bob； tizzy； tester； moidore； maravedi；
doubloon； tomaun； or rupee； of the sum which Monsieur de Galgenstein
had lost to him。
That young nobleman was； as Mr。 Brock hinted in the little
autobiographical sketch which we gave in a former chapter； incarcerated
for a certain period； and for certain other debts； in the donjons of
Shrewsbury； but he released himself from them by that noble and
consolatory method of whitewashing which the law has provided for
gentlemen in his oppressed condition； and he had not been a week in
London； when he fell in with； and overcame； or put to flight； Captain
Wood； alias Brock； and immediately seized upon the remainder of his
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Catherine： A Story
property。 After receiving this； the Count； with commendable discretion；
disappeared from England altogether for a while； nor are we at all
authorised to state that any of his debts to his tradesmen were discharged；
any more than his debts of honour； as they are pleasantly called。
Having thus settled with his creditors； the gallant Count had interest
enough with some of the great folk to procure for himself a post abroad；
and was absent in Holland for some time。 It was here that he became
acquainted with the lovely Madam Silverkoop； the widow of a deceased
gentleman of Leyden； and although the lady was not at that age at which
tender passions are usually inspiredbeing sixtyand though she could
not； like Mademoiselle Ninon de l'Enclos； then at Paris； boast of charms
which defied the progress of time；for Mrs。 Silverkoop was as red as a
boiled lobster； and as unwieldy as a porpoise； and although her mental
attractions did by no means make up for her personal deficiencies；for she
was jealous； violent； vulgar； drunken； and stingy to a miracle： yet her
charms had an immediate effect on Monsieur de Galgenstein； and hence；
perhaps； the reader （the rogue！ how well he knows the world！） will be led
to conclude that the honest widow was RICH。
Such； indeed； she was； and Count Gustavus； despising the difference
between his twenty quarterings and her twenty thousand pounds； laid the
most desperate siege to her； and finished by causing her to capitulate； as I
do believe； after a reasonable degree of pressing； any woman will do to
any man： such； at least； has been MY experience in the matter。
The Count then married； and it was curious to see how hewho； as we
have seen in the case of Mrs。 Cat； had been as great a tiger and domestic
bully as any extantnow； by degrees； fell into a quiet submission towards
his enormous Countess； who ordered him up and down as a lady orders
her footman； who permitted him speedily not to have a will of his own；
and who did not allow him a shilling of her money without receiving for
the same an accurate account。
How was it that he； the abject slave of Madam Silverkoop； had been
victorious over Mrs。 Cat？ The first blow is； I believe； the decisive one in
these cases； and the Countess had stricken it a week after their marriage；
establishing a supremacy which the Count never afterwards attempted to
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question。
We have alluded to his Excellency's marriage； as in duty bound；
because it will be necessary to account for his appearance hereafter in a
more splendid fashion than that under which he has hitherto been known
to us； and just comforting the reader by the knowledge that the union；
though prosperous in a worldly point of view； was； in reality； extremely
unhappy； we must say no more from this time forth of the fat and
legitimate Madam de Galgenstein。 Our darling is Mrs。 Catherine； who had
formerly acted in her stead； and only in so much as the fat Countess did
influence in any way the destinies of our heroine； or those wise and
virtuous persons who have appeared and are to follow her to her end； shall
we in any degree allow her name to figure here。 It is an awful thing to get
a glimpse； as one sometimes does； when the time is past； of some little
little wheel which works the whole mighty machinery of FATE； and see
how our destinies turn on a minute's delay or advance； or on the turning of
a street； or on somebody else's turning of a street； or on somebody else's
doing of something else in Downing Street or in Timbuctoo； now or a
thousand years ago。 Thus； for instance； if Miss Poots； in the year 1695；
had never been the lovely inmate of a Spielhaus at Amsterdam； Mr。 Van
Silverkoop would never have seen her； if the day had not been
extraordinarily hot； the worthy merchant would never have gone thither； if
he had not been fond of Rhenish wine and sugar； he never would have
called for any such delicacies； if he had not called for them； Miss Ottilia
Poots would never have brought them； and partaken of them； if he had not
been rich； she would certainly have rejected all the advances made to her
by Silverkoop； if he had not been so fond of Rhenish and sugar； he never
would have died； and Mrs。 Silv
