the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第12节
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and vowed that the venison should not go to Preston； but should be sent to
a gentleman about whose adventures on the day previous we had just been
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talkingto Mr。 Titmarsh； in fact； whom Preston； as Fanny vowed； had
used most cruelly； and to whom； she said； a reparation was due。 So my
Lady Fanny insists upon our driving straight to my rooms in the Albany
（you know I am only to stay in my bachelor's quarters a month longer）〃
〃Nonsense！〃 says Lady Fanny。
〃Insists upon driving straight to my chambers in the Albany；
extracting thence the above…named haunch〃
〃Grandmamma was very sorry to part with it；〃 cries Lady Fanny。
〃And then she orders us to proceed to Mr。 Titmarsh's house in the
City； where the venison was left； in company with a couple of baskets of
fruit bought at Grange's by Lady Fanny herself。〃
〃And what was more；〃 said Lady Fanny； 〃I made Grandmamma go
into Frinto Lord Tiptoff's rooms； and dictated out of my own mouth the
letter which he wrote； and pinned up the haunch of venison that his
hideous old housekeeper brought usI am quite jealous of herI pinned
up the haunch of venison in a copy of the John Bull newspaper。〃
It had one of the Ramsbottom letters in it； I remember； which Gus and
I read on Sunday at breakfast； and we nearly killed ourselves with
laughing。 The ladies laughed too when I told them this； and good…
natured Lady Jane said she would forgive her sister； and hoped I would too：
which I promised to do as often as her Ladyship chose to repeat the
offence。
I never had any more venison from the family； but I'll tell you WHAT I
had。 About a month after came a card of 〃Lord and Lady Tiptoff；〃 and a
great piece of plum…cake； of which； I am sorry to say； Gus ate a great deal
too much。
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THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
CHAPTER VI
OF THE WEST DIDDLESEX ASSOCIATION； AND OF THE
EFFECT THE DIAMOND HAD THERE
Well； the magic of the pin was not over yet。 Very soon after Mrs。
Brough's grand party； our director called me up to his room at the West
Diddlesex； and after examining my accounts； and speaking awhile about
business； said； 〃That's a very fine diamond…pin； Master Titmarsh〃 （he
spoke in a grave patronising way）； 〃and I called you on purpose to speak
to you upon the subject。 I do not object to seeing the young men of this
establishment well and handsomely dressed； but I know that their salaries
cannot afford ornaments like those； and I grieve to see you with a thing of
such value。 You have paid for it； sir； I trust you have paid for it； for； of
all things； my deardear young friend； beware of debt。〃
I could not conceive why Brough was reading me this lecture about
debt and my having bought the diamond…pin； as I knew that he had been
asking about it already； and how I came by itAbednego told me so。
〃Why； sir；〃 says I； 〃Mr。 Abednego told me that he had told you that I had
told him〃
〃Oh； ay…by…the…bye； now I recollect； Mr。 TitmarshI do recollect yes；
though I suppose； sir； you will imagine that I have other more important
things to remember。〃
〃Oh； sir； in course；〃 says I。
〃That one of the clerks DID say something about a pinthat one of the
other gentlemen had it。 And so your pin was given you； was it？〃
〃It was given me； sir； by my aunt； Mrs。 Hoggarty of Castle Hoggarty；〃
said I； raising my voice； for I was a little proud of Castle Hoggarty。
〃She must be very rich to make such presents； Titmarsh？〃
〃Why； thank you； sir；〃 says I； 〃she is pretty well off。 Four hundred a
year jointure； a farm at Slopperton； sir； three houses at Squashtail； and
three thousand two hundred loose cash at the banker's； as I happen to
know； sir；THAT'S ALL。〃
I did happen to know this； you see； because； while I was down in
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Somersetshire； Mr。 MacManus； my aunt's agent in Ireland； wrote to say
that a mortgage she had on Lord Brallaghan's property had just been paid
off； and that the money was lodged at Coutts's。 Ireland was in a very
disturbed state in those days； and my aunt wisely determined not to invest
her money in that country any more； but to look out for some good
security in England。 However； as she had always received six per cent。
in Ireland； she would not hear of a smaller interest； and had warned me； as
I was a commercial man； on coming to town； to look out for some means
by which she could invest her money at that rate at least。
〃And how do you come to know Mrs。 Hoggarty's property so
accurately？〃 said Mr。 Brough； upon which I told him。
〃Good heavens； sir！ and do you mean that you； a clerk in the West
Diddlesex Insurance Office； applied to by a respectable lady as to the
manner in which she should invest property； never spoke to her about the
Company which you have the honour to serve？ Do you mean； sir； that
you； knowing there was a bonus of five per cent。 for yourself upon shares
taken； did not press Mrs。 Hoggarty to join us？〃
〃Sir；〃 says I； 〃I'm an honest man； and would not take a bonus from my
own relation。〃
〃Honest I know you are； my boygive me your hand！ So am I
honest… …so is every man in this Company honest； but we must be prudent
as well。 We have five millions of capital on our books； as you see five
bona fide millions of bona fide sovereigns paid up； sir； there is no
dishonesty there。 But why should we not have twenty millionsa
hundred millions？ Why should not this be the greatest commercial
Association in the world？as it shall be； sir；it shall； as sure as my name
is John Brough； if Heaven bless my honest endeavours to establish it！
But do you suppose that it can be so； unless every man among us use his
utmost exertions to forward the success of the enterprise？ Never； sir；
never； and； for me； I say so everywhere。 I glory in what I do。 There is
not a house in which I enter； but I leave a prospectus of the West
Diddlesex。 There is not a single tradesman I employ； but has shares in it to
some amount。 My servants； sir；my very servants and grooms； are
bound up with it。 And the first question I ask of anyone who applies to
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me for a place is； Are you insured or a shareholder in the West Diddlesex？
the second； Have you a good character？ And if the first question is
answered in the negative； I say to the party coming to me； Then be a
shareholder before you ask for a place in my household。 Did you not see
meme； John Brough； whose name is good for millionsstep out of my
coach…and…four into this office； with four pounds nineteen； which I paid in
to Mr。 Roundhand as the price of half a share for the porter at my lodge…
gate？ Did you remark that I deducted a shilling from the five pound？〃
〃Yes； sir； it was the day you drew out eight hundred and seventy… three
ten and sixThursday week；〃 says I。
〃And why did I deduct that shilling； sir？ Because it was MY
COMMISSIONJohn Brough's commission； honestly earned by him； and
openly taken。 Was there any disguise about it？ No。 Did I do it for the
love of a shilling？ No；〃 says Brough； laying his hand on his heart； 〃I did
it from PRINCIPLE；from that motive which guides every one of my
actions； as I can look up to Heaven and say。 I wish all my young men to
see my example； and follow it： I wishI pray that they may。 Think of
that example； sir。 That porter of mine has a sick wife and nine young
chi
