the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第14节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
must say that the rest of the chaps behaved very kindly in the matter； and
said that if one man were to be put over their heads before another； they
46
… Page 47…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
would have pitched upon me； for I had never harmed any of them； and
done little kindnesses to several。
〃I know；〃 says Abednego； 〃how you got the place。 It was I who got it
you。 I told Brough you were a cousin of Preston's； the Lord of the
Treasury； had venison from him and all that； and depend upon it he
expects that you will be able to do him some good in that quarter。〃
I think there was some likelihood in what Abednego said； because our
governor； as we called him； frequently spoke to me about my cousin； told
me to push the concern in the West End of the town； get as many
noblemen as we could to insure with us； and so on。 It was in vain I said I
could do nothing with Mr。 Preston。 〃Bah！ bah！〃 says Mr。 Brough； 〃don't
tell ME。 People don't send haunches of venison to you for nothing；〃 and
I'm convinced he thought I was a very cautious prudent fellow； for not
bragging about my great family； and keeping my connection with them a
secret。 To be sure he might have learned the truth from Gus； who lived
with me； but Gus would insist that I was hand in glove with all the nobility；
and boasted about me ten times as much as I did myself。
The chaps used to call me the 〃West Ender。〃
〃See；〃 thought I； 〃what I have gained by Aunt Hoggarty giving me a
diamond…pin！ What a lucky thing it is that she did not give me the
money； as I hoped she would！ Had I not had the pinhad I even taken it
to any other person but Mr。 Polonius； Lady Drum would never have
noticed me； had Lady Drum never noticed me； Mr。 Brough never would；
and I never should have been third clerk of the West Diddlesex。〃
I took heart at all this； and wrote off on the very evening of my
appointment to my dearest Mary Smith； giving her warning that a 〃certain
event；〃 for which one of us was longing very earnestly； might come off
sooner than we had expected。 And why not？ Miss S。's own fortune was
70L。 a year； mine was 150L。； and when we had 300L。； we always vowed
we would marry。 〃Ah！〃 thought I； 〃if I could but go to Somersetshire
now； I might boldly walk up to old Smith's door〃 （he was her grandfather；
and a half…pay lieutenant of the navy）； 〃I might knock at the knocker and
see my beloved Mary in the parlour； and not be obliged to sneak behind
hayricks on the look…out for her； or pelt stones at midnight at her window。〃
47
… Page 48…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
My aunt； in a few days； wrote a pretty gracious reply to my letter。 She
had not determined； she said； as to the manner in which she should employ
her three thousand pounds； but should take my offer into consideration；
begging me to keep my shares open for a little while； until her mind was
made up。
What； then； does Mr。 Brough do？ I learned afterwards； in the year
1830； when he and the West Diddlesex Association had disappeared
altogether； how he had proceeded。
〃Who are the attorneys at Slopperton？〃 says he to me in a careless
way。
〃Mr。 Ruck； sir；〃 says I； 〃is the Tory solicitor； and Messrs。 Hodge and
Smithers the Liberals。〃 I knew them very well； for the fact is； before
Mary Smith came to live in our parts； I was rather partial to Miss Hodge；
and her great gold…coloured ringlets； but Mary came and soon put HER
nose out of joint； as the saying is。
〃And you are of what politics？〃
〃Why； sir； we are Liberals。〃 I was rather ashamed of this； for Mr。
Brough was an out…and…out Tory； but Hodge and Smithers is a most
respectable firm。 I brought up a packet from them to Hickson； Dixon；
Paxton； and Jackson； OUR solicitors； who are their London
correspondents。
Mr。 Brough only said； 〃Oh； indeed！〃 and did not talk any further on the
subject； but began admiring my diamond…pin very much。
〃Titmarsh； my dear boy；〃 says he； 〃I have a young lady at Fulham who
is worth seeing； I assure you； and who has heard so much about you from
her father （for I like you； my boy； I don't care to own it）； that she is rather
anxious to see you too。 Suppose you come down to us for a week？
Abednego will do your work。〃
〃Law； sir！ you are very kind；〃 says I。
〃Well； you shall come down； and I hope you will like my claret。 But
hark ye！ I don't think； my dear fellow； you are quite smart enoughquite
well enough dressed。 Do you understand me？〃
〃I've my blue coat and brass buttons at home； sir。〃
〃What！ that thing with the waist between your shoulders that you wore
48
… Page 49…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
at Mrs。 Brough's party？〃 （It WAS rather high…waisted； being made in the
country two years before。） 〃Nono； that will never do。 Get some new
clothes； sir；two new suits of clothes。〃
〃Sir！〃 says I； 〃I'm already； if the truth must be told； very short of
money for this quarter； and can't afford myself a new suit for a long time
to come。〃
〃Pooh； pooh！ don't let that annoy you。 Here's a ten…pound note but
no； on second thoughts； you may as well go to my tailor's。 I'll drive you
down there： and never mind the bill； my good lad！〃 And drive me down
he actually did； in his grand coach…and…four； to Mr。 Von Stiltz； in Clifford
Street； who took my measure； and sent me home two of the finest coats
ever seen； a dress…coat and a frock； a velvet waist…coat； a silk ditto； and
three pairs of pantaloons； of the most beautiful make。 Brough told me to
get some boots and pumps； and silk stockings for evenings； so that when
the time came for me to go down to Fulham； I appeared as handsome as
any young nobleman； and Gus said that 〃I looked； by Jingo； like a regular
tip…top swell。〃
In the meantime the following letter had been sent down to Hodge and
Smithers：…
〃RAM ALLEY； CORNHILL； LONDON： July 1822。
〃DEAR SIRS；
* * *
＇This part being on private affairs relative to the cases of Dixon v。
Haggerstony； Snodgrass v。 Rubbidge and another； I am not permitted to
extract。＇
* * *
〃Likewise we beg to hand you a few more prospectuses of the
Independent West Diddlesex Fire and Life Insurance Company； of which
we have the honour to be the solicitors in London。 We wrote to you last
year； requesting you to accept the Slopperton and Somerset agency for the
same； and have been expecting for some time back that either shares or
assurances should be effected by you。
〃The capital of the Company； as you know； is five millions sterling
（say 5；000；000L。）； and we are in a situation to offer more than the usual
49
… Page 50…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
commission to our agents of the legal profession。 We shall be happy to
give a premium of 6 per cent。 for shares to the amount of 1；000L。； 6。5 per
cent。 above a thousand； to be paid immediately upon the taking of the
shares。
〃I am； dear Sirs； for self and partners； 〃Yours most faithfully；
〃SAMUEL JACKSON。〃
This letter； as I have said； came into my hands some time afterwards。
I knew nothing of it in the year 1822； when； in my new suit of clothes； I
went down to pass a week at the Rookery； Fulham； residence of John
Brough； Esquire； M。P。
50
… Page 51…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
CHAPTER VII
HOW SAMUEL TITMARSH REACHED THE HIGHEST
POINT OF PROSPERITY
If I had the pen of a George Robins； I might describe th
