the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第23节
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never never leave me。
I could not understand the meaning of this extraordinary agitation on
Mrs。 Hoggarty's part； nor could any of us。 She refused Mary's hand
when the poor thing rather nervously offered it； and when Gus timidly said；
〃I think； Sam； I'm rather in the way here； and perhapshad better go；〃 Mrs。
H。 looked him full in the face； pointed to the door majestically with her
forefinger； and said； 〃I think； sir； you HAD better go。〃
〃I hope Mr。 Hoskins will stay as long as he pleases；〃 said my wife；
with spirit。
〃OF COURSE you hope so； madam；〃 answered Mrs。 Hoggarty； very
sarcastic。 But Mary's speech and my aunt's were quite lost upon Gus； for
he had instantly run to his hat； and I heard him tumbling downstairs。
The quarrel ended； as usual； by Mary's bursting into a fit of tears； and
by my aunt's repeating the assertion that it was not too late； she trusted；
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and from that day forth she would never never leave me。
〃What could have made Aunt return and be so angry？〃 said I to Mary
that night； as we were in our own room； but my wife protested she did not
know： and it was only some time after that I found out the reason of this
quarrel； and of Mrs。 H。's sudden reappearance。
The horrible fat coarse little Smithers told me the matter as a very
good joke； only the other year； when he showed me the letter of Hickson；
Dixon； Paxton and Jackson； which has before been quoted in my Memoirs。
〃Sam my boy；〃 said he； 〃you were determined to leave Mrs。 Hoggarty
in Brough's clutches at the Rookery； and I was determined to have her
away。 I resolved to kill two of your mortal enemies with one stone as it
were。 It was quite clear to me that the Reverend Grimes Wapshot had an
eye to your aunt's fortune； and that Mr。 Brough had similar predatory
intentions regarding her。 Predatory is a mild word； Sam： if I had said
robbery at once； I should express my meaning clearer。
〃Well； I took the Fulham stage； and arriving； made straight for the
lodgings of the reverend gentleman。 'Sir；' said I； on finding that worthy
gent；he was drinking warm brandy…and…water； Sam； at two o'clock in the
day； or at least the room smelt very strongly of that beverage'Sir；' says I；
'you were tried for forgery in the year '14； at Lancaster assizes。'
〃'And acquitted； sir。 My innocence was by Providence made clear；'
said Wapshot。
〃'But you were not acquitted of embezzlement in '16； sir；' says I； 'and
passed two years in York Gaol in consequence。' I knew the fellow's
history； for I had a writ out against him when he was a preacher at Clifton。
I followed up my blow。 'Mr。 Wapshot；' said I； 'you are making love to an
excellent lady now at the house of Mr。 Brough： if you do not promise to
give up all pursuit of her； I will expose you。'
〃'I HAVE promised；' said Wapshot； rather surprised； and looking more
easy。 'I have given my solemn promise to Mr。 Brough； who was with me
this very morning； storming； and scolding； and swearing。 Oh； sir； it would
have frightened you to hear a Christian babe like him swear as he did。'
〃'Mr。 Brough been here？' says I； rather astonished。
〃'Yes； I suppose you are both here on the same scent；' says Wapshot。
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'You want to marry the widow with the Slopperton and Squashtail estate；
do you？ Well； well； have your way。 I've promised not to have anything
more to do with the widow and a Wapshot's honour is sacred。'
〃'I suppose； sir；' says I； 'Mr。 Brough has threatened to kick you out of
doors； if you call again。'
〃'You HAVE been with him； I see；' says the reverend gent； with a shrug：
then I remembered what you had told me of the broken seal of your letter；
and have not the slightest doubt that Brough opened and read every word
of it。
〃Well； the first bird was bagged： both I and Brough had had a shot at
him。 Now I had to fire at the whole Rookery； and off I went； primed and
loaded； sir；primed and loaded。
〃It was past eight when I arrived； and I saw； after I passed the lodge…
gates； a figure that I knew； walking in the shrubberythat of your
respected aunt； sir： but I wished to meet the amiable ladies of the house
before I saw her； because look； friend Titmarsh； I saw by Mrs。 Hoggarty's
letter； that she and they were at daggers drawn； and hoped to get her out of
the house at once by means of a quarrel with them。〃
I laughed； and owned that Mr。 Smithers was a very cunning fellow。
〃As luck would have it；〃 continued he； 〃Miss Brough was in the
drawing…room twangling on a guitar； and singing most atrociously out of
tune； but as I entered at the door； I cried 'Hush！' to the footman； as loud as
possible； stood stock…still； and then walked forward on tip…toe lightly。
Miss B。 could see in the glass every movement that I made； she pretended
not to see； however； and finished the song with a regular roulade。
〃'Gracious Heaven！' said I； 'do； madam； pardon me for interrupting that
delicious harmony；for coming unaware upon it； for daring uninvited to
listen to it。'
〃'Do you come for Mamma； sir？' said Miss Brough； with as much
graciousness as her physiognomy could command。 'I am Miss Brough；
sir。'
〃'I wish； madam； you would let me not breathe a word regarding my
business until you have sung another charming strain。'
〃She did not sing； but looked pleased； and said； 'La！ sir； what is your
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business？'
〃'My business is with a lady； your respected father's guest in this
house。'
〃'Oh； Mrs。 Hoggarty！' says Miss Brough； flouncing towards the bell；
and ringing it。 'John； send to Mrs。 Hoggarty； in the shrubbery； here is a
gentleman who wants to see her。'
〃'I know；' continued I； 'Mrs。 Hoggarty's peculiarities as well as anyone；
madam； and aware that those and her education are not such as to make
her a fit companion for you。 I know you do not like her： she has
written to us in Somersetshire that you do not like her。'
〃'What！ she has been abusing us to her friends； has she？' cried Miss
Brough （it was the very point I wished to insinuate）。 'If she does not like
us； why does she not leave us？'
〃'She HAS made rather a long visit；' said I； 'and I am sure that her
nephew and niece are longing for her return。 Pray； madam； do not move；
for you may aid me in the object for which I come。'
〃The object for which I came； sir； was to establish a regular battle…
royal between the two ladies； at the end of which I intended to appeal to
Mrs。 Hoggarty； and say that she ought really no longer to stay in a house
with the members of which she had such unhappy differences。 Well； sir；
the battle…royal was fought；Miss Belinda opening the fire； by saying she
understood Mrs。 Hoggarty had been calumniating her to her friends。 But
though at the end of it Miss rushed out of the room in a rage； and vowed
she would leave her home unless that odious woman left it； your dear aunt
said； 'Ha； ha！ I know the minx's vile stratagems； but； thank Heaven！ I
have a good heart； and my religion enables me to forgive her。 I shall not
leave her excellent papa's house； or vex by my departure that worthy
admirable man。'
〃I then tried Mrs。 H。 on the score of compassion。 'Your niece；' said I；
'Mrs。 Titmarsh； madam； has been of late； Sam says； rather poorly；
qualmish of mornings； madam；a little nervous； and low in spirits；
symptoms； madam； that are scarcely to be mistaken in a young married
person。'
〃Mrs。 Hoggarty said she had an admirable cordial that she would send
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Mrs。 Samuel Titmarsh； and she was perfectly certain it would do her good。
〃With very great unwi
