the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第29节
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admiration。 〃Your very good 'earth； sir； and better luck to you next time。〃
〃Pooh； pooh！ HE'S all right；〃 says Aminadab； 〃let HIM alone。〃
〃In for WHAT？〃 shouted I； quite amazed。 〃Why； sir； you arrested me
for 90L。〃
〃Yes； but you are in for half a million；you know you are。 THEM
debts I don't countthem paltry tradesmen's accounts。 I mean Brough's
business。 It's an ugly one； but you'll get through it。 We all know you； and
I lay my life that when you come through the court； Mrs。 Titmarsh has got
a handsome thing laid by。〃
〃Mrs。 Titmarsh has a small property；〃 says I。 〃What then？〃
The three gentlemen burst into a loud laugh； said I was a 〃rum chap〃
a 〃downy cove；〃 and made other remarks which I could not understand
then； but the meaning of which I have since comprehended； for they took
me to be a great rascal； I am sorry to say； and supposed that I had robbed
the I。 W。 D。 Association； and； in order to make my money secure； settled it
on my wife。
It was in the midst of this conversation that； as I said； Gus came in；
and whew！ when he saw what was going on； he gave SUCH a whistle！
〃Herr von Joel； by Jove！〃 says Aminadab。 At which all laughed。
〃Sit down；〃 says Mr。 B。；〃sit down； and wet your whistle； my piper！
I say； egad！ you're the piper that played before Moses！ Had you there； Dab。
Dab； get a fresh bottle of Burgundy for Mr。 Hoskins。〃 And before he
knew where he was； there was Gus for the first time in his life drinking
Clos…Vougeot。 Gus said he had never tasted Bergamy before； at which
the bailiff sneered； and told him the name of the wine。
〃OLD CLO！ What？〃 says Gus； and we laughed： but the Hebrew
gents did not this time。
〃Come； come； sir！〃 says Mr。 Aminadab's friend； 〃ve're all shentlemen
here； and shentlemen never makish reflexunsh upon other gentlemen'sh
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pershuashunsh。〃
After this feast was concluded； Gus and I retired to my room to consult
about my affairs。 With regard to the responsibility incurred as a
shareholder in the West Diddlesex； I was not uneasy； for though the matter
might cause me a little trouble at first； I knew I was not a shareholder； that
the shares were scrip shares； making the dividend payable to the bearer；
and my aunt had called back her shares； and consequently I was free。
But it was very unpleasant to me to consider that I was in debt nearly a
hundred pounds to tradesmen； chiefly of Mrs。 Hoggarty's recommendation；
and as she had promised to be answerable for their bills； I determined to
send her a letter reminding her of her promise； and begging her at the
same time to relieve me from Mr。 Von Stiltz's debt； for which I was
arrested： and which was incurred not certainly at her desire； but at Mr。
Brough's； and would never have been incurred by me but at the absolute
demand of that gentleman。
I wrote to her； therefore； begging her to pay all these debts； and
promised myself on Monday morning again to be with my dear wife。 Gus
carried off the letter； and promised to deliver it in Bernhard Street after
church…time； taking care that Mary should know nothing at all of the
painful situation in which I was placed。 It was near midnight when we
parted； and I tried to sleep as well as I could in the dirty little sofa…
bedstead of Mr。 Aminadab's back…parlour。
That morning was fine and sunshiny； and I heard all the bells ringing
cheerfully for church； and longed to be walking to the Foundling with my
wife： but there were the three iron doors between me and liberty； and I
had nothing for it but to read my prayers in my own room； and walk up
and down afterwards in the court at the back of the house。 Would you
believe it？ This very court was like a cage！ Great iron bars covered it in
from one end to another； and here it was that Mr。 Aminadab's gaol…birds
took the air。
They had seen me reading out of the prayer…book at the back…parlour
window； and all burst into a yell of laughter when I came to walk in the
cage。 One of them shouted out 〃Amen！〃 when I appeared； another called
me a muff （which means； in the slang language； a very silly fellow）； a
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third wondered that I took to my prayer…book YET。
〃When do you mean； sir？〃 says I to the fellowa rough man； a horse…
dealer。
〃Why； when you are going TO BE HANGED； you young hypocrite！〃
says the man。 〃But that is always the way with Brough's people；〃
continued he。 〃I had four greys once for hima great bargain； but he
would not go to look at them at Tattersall's； nor speak a word of business
about them； because it was a Sunday。〃
〃Because there are hypocrites；〃 sir； says I； 〃religion is not to be
considered a bad thing； and if Mr。 Brough would not deal with you on a
Sunday； he certainly did his duty。〃
The men only laughed the more at this rebuke； and evidently
considered me a great criminal。 I was glad to be released from their
society by the appearance of Gus and Mr。 Smithers。 Both wore very long
faces。 They were ushered into my room； and； without any orders of mine；
a bottle of wine and biscuits were brought in by Mr。 Aminadab； which I
really thought was very kind of him。
〃Drink a glass of wine； Mr。 Titmarsh；〃 says Smithers； 〃and read this
letter。 A pretty note was that which you sent to your aunt this morning；
and here you have an answer to it。〃
I drank the wine； and trembled rather as I read as follows：…
〃Sir；If； because you knew I had desined to leave you my proparty；
you wished to murdar me； and so stepp into it； you are dissapointed。
Your VILLIANY and INGRATITUDE WOULD have murdard me； had I
not； by Heaven's grace； been inabled to look for consalation
ELSEWHERE。
〃For nearly a year I have been a MARTAR to you。 I gave up
everything；my happy home in the country； where all respected the name
of Hoggarty； my valuble furnitur and wines； my plate； glass； and crockry；
I brought allall to make your home happy and rispectable。 I put up with
the AIRS AND IMPERTANENCIES of Mrs。 Titmarsh； I loaded her and
you with presents and bennafits。 I sacrafised myself； I gave up the best
sociaty in the land； to witch I have been accustomed； in order to be a
gardian and compannion to you； and prevent； if possible； that WAIST
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AND IXTRAVYGANCE which I PROPHYCIED would be your ruin。
Such waist and ixtravygance never； never； never did I see。 Buttar waisted
as if it had been dirt； coles flung away； candles burnt AT BOTH ENDS； tea
and meat the same。 The butcher's bill in this house was enough to
support six famalies。
〃And now you have the audassaty； being placed in prison justly for
your crimes；for cheating me of 3；000L。； for robbing your mother of an
insignificient summ； which to her； poor thing； was everything （though she
will not feel her loss as I do； being all her life next door to a beggar）； for
incurring detts which you cannot pay； wherein you knew that your
miserable income was quite unable to support your ixtravyganceyou
come upon me to pay your detts！ No； sir； it is quite enough that your
mother should go on the parish； and that your wife should sweep the
streets； to which you have indeed brought them； I； at least； though cheated
by you of a large summ； and obliged to pass my days in comparative ruin；
can retire； and have some of the comforts to which my rank entitles me。
The furnitur in this house is mine； and as I presume you intend YOUR
LADY to sleep in the streets； I give you warning that I shall remove it all
tomorrow。
〃Mr。 Smithers will tell you that I had intended to le
