the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第15节
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POINT OF PROSPERITY
If I had the pen of a George Robins； I might describe the Rookery
properly： suffice it； however； to say it is a very handsome country place；
with handsome lawns sloping down to the river； handsome shrubberies
and conservatories； fine stables； outhouses； kitchen…gardens； and
everything belonging to a first…rate rus in urbe； as the great auctioneer
called it when he hammered it down some years after。
I arrived on a Saturday at half…an…hour before dinner： a grave
gentleman out of livery showed me to my room； a man in a chocolate coat
and gold lace； with Brough's crest on the buttons； brought me a silver
shaving…pot of hot water on a silver tray； and a grand dinner was ready at
six； at which I had the honour of appearing in Von Stiltz's dress…coat and
my new silk stockings and pumps。
Brough took me by the hand as I came in； and presented me to his lady；
a stout fair…haired woman； in light blue satin； then to his daughter； a tall；
thin； dark…eyed girl； with beetle…brows； looking very ill…natured； and about
eighteen。
〃Belinda my love；〃 said her papa； 〃this young gentleman is one of my
clerks； who was at our ball。〃
〃Oh； indeed！〃 says Belinda； tossing up her head。
〃But not a common clerk； Miss Belinda；so； if you please； we will
have none of your aristocratic airs with him。 He is a nephew of the
Countess of Drum； and I hope he will soon be very high in our
establishment； and in the city of London。〃
At the name of Countess （I had a dozen times rectified the error about
our relationship）； Miss Belinda made a low curtsey； and stared at me very
hard； and said she would try and make the Rookery pleasant to any friend
of Papa's。 〃We have not much MONDE to…day；〃 continued Miss Brough；
〃and are only in petit comite； but I hope before you leave us you will see
some societe that will make your sejour agreeable。〃
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I saw at once that she was a fashionable girl； from her using the French
language in this way。
〃Isn't she a fine girl？〃 said Brough； whispering to me； and evidently as
proud of her as a man could be。 〃Isn't she a fine girleh； you dog？ Do
you see breeding like that in Somersetshire？〃
〃No； sir； upon my word！〃 answered I； rather slily； for I was thinking
all the while how 〃Somebody〃 was a thousand times more beautiful；
simple； and ladylike。
〃And what has my dearest love been doing all day？〃 said her papa。
〃Oh； Pa！ I have PINCED the harp a little to Captain Fizgig's flute。
Didn't I； Captain Fizgig？〃
Captain the Honourable Francis Fizgig said； 〃Yes； Brough； your fair
daughter PINCED the harp； and TOUCHED the piano； and
EGRATIGNED the guitar； and ECORCHED a song or two； and we had
the pleasure of a PROMENADE A L'EAU；of a walk upon the water。〃
〃Law； Captain！〃 cries Mrs。 Brough； 〃walk on the water？〃
〃Hush； Mamma； you don't understand French！〃 says Miss Belinda；
with a sneer。
〃It's a sad disadvantage； madam；〃 says Fizgig； gravely； 〃and I
recommend you and Brough here； who are coming out in the great world；
to have some lessons； or at least get up a couple of dozen phrases； and
introduce them into your conversation here and there。 I suppose； sir； you
speak it commonly at the office； Mr。 What you call it？〃 And Mr。 Fizgig
put his glass into his eye and looked at me。
〃We speak English； sir；〃 says I； 〃knowing it better than French。〃
〃Everybody has not had your opportunities；〃 Miss Brough； continued
the gentleman。 〃Everybody has not VOYAGE like NOUS AUTRES； hey？
Mais que voulez…vous； my good sir？ you must stick to your cursed ledgers
and things。 What's the French for ledger； Miss Belinda？〃
〃How can you ask？ Je n'en scais rien； I'm sure。〃
〃You should learn； Miss Brough；〃 said her father。 〃The daughter of a
British merchant need not be ashamed of the means by which her father
gets his bread。 I'M not ashamedI'm not proud。 Those who know John
Brough； know that ten years ago he was a poor clerk like my friend
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Titmarsh here； and is now worth half…a…million。 Is there any man in the
House better listened to than John Brough？ Is there any duke in the land
that can give a better dinner than John Brough； or a larger fortune to his
daughter than John Brough？ Why； sir； the humble person now speaking
to you could buy out many a German duke！ But I'm not proudno； no；
not proud。 There's my daughterlook at herwhen I die； she will be
mistress of my fortune； but am I proud？ No！ Let him who can win her；
marry her； that's what I say。 Be it you； Mr。 Fizgig； son of a peer of the
realm； or you； Bill Tidd。 Be it a duke or a shoeblack； what do I care；
hey？what do I care？〃
〃O…o…oh！〃 sighed the gent who went by the name of Bill Tidd： a very
pale young man； with a black riband round his neck instead of a
handkerchief； and his collars turned down like Lord Byron。 He was
leaning against the mantelpiece； and with a pair of great green eyes ogling
Miss Brough with all his might。
〃Oh； Johnmy dear John！〃 cried Mrs。 Brough； seizing her husband's
hand and kissing it； 〃you are an angel； that you are！〃
〃Isabella； don't flatter me； I'm a MAN；a plain downright citizen of
London； without a particle of pride； except in you and my daughter here
my two Bells； as I call them！ This is the way that we live； Titmarsh my
boy： ours is a happy； humble； Christian home； and that's all。 Isabella；
leave go my hand！〃
〃Mamma； you mustn't do so before company； it's odious！〃 shrieked
Miss B。； and Mamma quietly let the hand fall； and heaved from her ample
bosom a great large sigh。 I felt a liking for that simple woman； and a
respect for Brough too。 He couldn't be a bad man； whose wife loved him
so。
Dinner was soon announced； and I had the honour of leading in Miss
B。； who looked back rather angrily； I thought； at Captain Fizgig； because
that gentleman had offered his arm to Mrs。 Brough。 He sat on the right
of Mrs。 Brough； and Miss flounced down on the seat next to him； leaving
me and Mr。 Tidd to take our places at the opposite side of the table。
At dinner there was turbot and soup first； and boiled turkey afterwards
of course。 How is it that at all the great dinners they have this perpetual
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boiled turkey？ It was real turtle…soup： the first time I had ever tasted it；
and I remarked how Mrs。 B。； who insisted on helping it； gave all the green
lumps of fat to her husband； and put several slices of the breast of the bird
under the body； until it came to his turn to be helped。
〃I'm a plain man；〃 says John； 〃and eat a plain dinner。 I hate your
kickshaws； though I keep a French cook for those who are not of my way
of thinking。 I'm no egotist； look you； I've no prejudices； and Miss there
has her bechamels and fallals according to her taste。 Captain； try the volly…
vong。〃
We had plenty of champagne and old madeira with dinner； and great
silver tankards of porter； which those might take who chose。 Brough made
especially a boast of drinking beer； and； when the ladies retired； said；
〃Gentlemen； Tiggins will give you an unlimited supply of wine： there's
no stinting here；〃 and then laid himself down in his easy…chair and fell
asleep。
〃He always does so；〃 whispered Mr。 Tidd to me。
〃Get some of that yellow…sealed wine； Tiggins；〃 says the Captain。
〃That other claret we had yesterday is loaded； and disagrees with me
infernally！〃
I must say I liked the yellow seal much better than Aunt Hoggarty's
Rosolio。
I soon found out what Mr。 T
