the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第22节
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I should sell it； but on this point I shall follow my own counsel。
〃Meantime you must gett into more comfortable lodgings； and lett my
bedd be warmed every night； and of rainy days have a fire in the grate：
and let Mrs。 Titmarsh look up my blue silk dress； and turn it against I
come； and there is my purple spencer she can have for herself； and I hope
she does not wear those three splendid gowns you gave her； but keep them
until BETTER TIMES。 I shall soon introduse her to my friend Mr。
Brough； and others of my acquaintances； and am always
〃Your loving AUNT。
〃I have ordered a chest of the Rosolio to be sent from Somersetshire。
When it comes； please to send half down here （paying the carriage； of
course）。 'Twill be an acceptable present to my kind entertainer； Mr。 B。〃
This letter was brought to me by Mr。 Brough himself at the office；
who apologised to me for having broken the seal by inadvertence； for the
letter had been mingled with some more of his own； and he opened it
without looking at the superscription。 Of course he had not read it； and I
was glad of that； for I should not have liked him to see my aunt's opinion
of his daughter and lady。
The next day； a gentleman at 〃Tom's Coffee…house；〃 Cornhill； sent me
word at the office that he wanted particularly to speak to me： and I stopped
thither； and found my old friend Smithers； of the house of Hodge and
Smithers； just off the coach； with his carpet… bag between his legs。
〃Sam my boy；〃 said he； 〃you are your aunt's heir； and I have a piece of
news for you regarding her property which you ought to know。 She
wrote us down a letter for a chest of that home…made wine of hers which
she calls Rosolio； and which lies in our warehouse along with her
furniture。〃
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THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
〃Well；〃 says I； smiling； 〃she may part with as much Rosolio as she
likes for me。 I cede all my right。〃
〃Psha！〃 says Smithers； 〃it's not that； though her furniture puts us to a
deuced inconvenience； to be sureit's not that： but； in the postscript of
her letter； she orders us to advertise the Slopperton and Squashtail estates
for immediate sale； as she purposes placing her capital elsewhere。〃
I know that the Slopperton and Squashtail property had been the
source of a very pretty income to Messrs。 Hodge and Smithers； for Aunt
was always at law with her tenants； and paid dearly for her litigious spirit；
so that Mr。 Smithers's concern regarding the sale of it did not seem to me
to be quite disinterested。
〃And did you come to London； Mr。 Smithers； expressly to acquaint me
with this fact？ It seems to me you had much better have obeyed my
aunt's instructions at once； or go to her at Fulham； and consult with her on
this subject。〃
〃'Sdeath； Mr。 Titmarsh！ don't you see that if she makes a sale of her
property； she will hand over the money to Brough； and if Brough gets the
money he〃
〃Will give her seven per cent。 for it instead of three；there's no harm
in that。〃
〃But there's such a thing as security； look you。 He is a warm man；
certainlyvery warmquite respectablemost undoubtedly respectable。
But who knows？ A panic may take place； and then these five hundred
companies in which he is engaged may bring him to ruin。 There's the
Ginger Beer Company； of which Brough is a director： awkward reports
are abroad concerning it。 The Consolidated Baffin's Bay Muff and
Tippet Companythe shares are down very low； and Brough is a director
there。 The Patent Pump Companyshares at 65； and a fresh call； which
nobody will pay。〃
〃Nonsense； Mr。 Smithers！ Has not Mr。 Brough five hundred
thousand pounds' worth of shares in the INDEPENDENT WEST
DIDDLESEX； and is THAT at a discount？ Who recommended my aunt
to invest her money in that speculation； I should like to know？〃 I had
him there。
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〃Well； well； it is a very good speculation； certainly； and has brought
you three hundred a year； Sam my boy； and you may thank us for the
interest we took in you （indeed； we loved you as a son； and Miss Hodge
has not recovered a certain marriage yet）。 You don't intend to rebuke us
for making your fortune； do you？〃
〃No； hang it； no！〃 says I； and shook hands with him； and accepted a
glass of sherry and biscuits； which he ordered forthwith。
Smithers returned； however； to the charge。 〃Sam；〃 he said； 〃mark my
words； and take your aunt AWAY FROM THE ROOKERY。 She wrote to
Mrs。 S。 a long account of a reverend gent with whom she walks out there；…
…the Reverend Grimes Wapshot。 That man has an eye upon her。 He was
tried at Lancaster in the year '14 for forgery； and narrowly escaped with
his neck。 Have a care of himhe has an eye to her money。〃
〃Nay；〃 said I； taking out Mrs。 Hoggarty's letter： 〃read for yourself。〃
He read it over very carefully； seemed to be amused by it； and as he
returned it to me； 〃Well； Sam；〃 he said； 〃I have only two favours to ask of
you： one is； not to mention that I am in town to any living soul； and the
other is to give me a dinner in Lamb's Conduit Street with your pretty
wife。〃
〃I promise you both gladly；〃 I said； laughing。 〃But if you dine with
us； your arrival in town must be known； for my friend Gus Hoskins dines
with us likewise； and has done so nearly every day since my aunt went。〃
He laughed too； and said； 〃We must swear Gus to secrecy over a
bottle。〃 And so we parted till dinner…time。
The indefatigable lawyer pursued his attack after dinner； and was
supported by Gus and by my wife too； who certainly was disinterested in
the mattermore than disinterested； for she would have given a great deal
to be spared my aunt's company。 But she said she saw the force of Mr。
Smithers's arguments； and I admitted their justice with a sigh。 However；
I rode my high horse； and vowed that my aunt should do what she liked
with her money； and that I was not the man who would influence her in
any way in the disposal of it。
After tea； the two gents walked away together； and Gus told me that
Smithers had asked him a thousand questions about the office； about
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Brough； about me and my wife； and everything concerning us。 〃You are
a lucky fellow； Mr。 Hoskins； and seem to be the friend of this charming
young couple；〃 said Smithers； and Gus confessed he was； and said he had
dined with us fifteen times in six weeks； and that a better and more
hospitable fellow than I did not exist。 This I state not to trumpet my own
praises；no； no； but because these questions of Smithers's had a good deal
to do with the subsequent events narrated in this little history。
Being seated at dinner the next day off the cold leg of mutton that
Smithers had admired so the day before； and Gus as usual having his legs
under our mahogany； a hackney…coach drove up to the door； which we did
not much heed； a step was heard on the floor； which we hoped might be
for the two…pair lodger； when who should burst into the room but Mrs。
Hoggarty herself！ Gus； who was blowing the froth off a pot of porter
preparatory to a delicious drink of the beverage； and had been making us
die of laughing with his stories and jokes； laid down the pewter pot as Mrs。
H。 came in； and looked quite sick and pale。 Indeed we all felt a little
uneasy。
My aunt looked haughtily in Mary's face； then fiercely at Gus； and
saying； 〃It is too truemy poor boyALREADY！〃 flung herself
hysterically into my arms； and swore； almost choking； that she would
never never leave me。
I could not understand
