the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第30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！
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 leave you my intire
fortune。 I have this morning； in his presents； solamly toar up my will；
and hereby renounce all connection with you and your beggarly family。
〃SUSAN HOGGARTY。
〃P。S。I took a viper into my bosom； AND IT STUNG ME。〃
I confess that； on the first reading of this letter； I was in such a fury
that I forgot almost the painful situation in which it plunged me； and the
ruin hanging over me。
〃What a fool you were； Titmarsh； to write that letter！〃 said Mr。
Smithers。 〃You have cut your own throat； sir；lost a fine property；
written yourself out of five hundred a year。 Mrs。 Hoggarty； my client；
brought the will； as she says； downstairs； and flung it into the fire before
our faces。〃
〃It's a blessing that your wife was from home；〃 added Gus。 〃She
went to church this morning with Dr。 Salt's family； and sent word that she
102
… Page 103…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
would spend the day with them。 She was always glad to be away from
Mrs。 H。； you know。〃
〃She never knew on which side her bread was buttered；〃 said Mr。
Smithers。 〃You should have taken the lady when she was in the humour；
sir； and have borrowed the money elsewhere。 Why； sir； I had almost
reconciled her to her loss in that cursed Company。 I showed her how I
had saved out of Brough's claws the whole of her remaining fortune；
which he would have devoured in a day； the scoundrel！ And if you
would have left the matter to me； Mr。 Titmarsh； I would have had you
reconciled completely to Mrs。 Hoggarty； I would have removed all your
difficulties； I would have lent you the pitiful sum of money myself。〃
〃Will you？〃 says Gus； 〃that's a trump！〃 and he seized Smithers's hand；
and squeezed it so that the tears came into the attorney's eyes。
〃Generous fellow！〃 said I； 〃lend me money； when you know what a
situation I am in； and not able to pay！〃
〃Ay； my good sir； there's the rub！〃 says Mr。 Smithers。 〃I said I
WOULD have lent the money； and so to the acknowledged heir of Mrs。
Hoggarty I wouldwould at this moment； for nothing delights the heart of
Bob Smithers more than to do a kindness。 I would have rejoiced in doing
it； and a mere acknowledgment from that respected lady would have
amply sufficed。 But now； sir； the case is altered；you have no security to
offer； as you justly observe。〃
〃Not a whit； certainly。〃
〃And without security； sir； of course can expect no moneyof course
not。 You are a man of the world； Mr。 Titmarsh； and I see our notions
exactly agree。〃
〃There's his wife's property；〃 says Gus。
〃Wife's property？ Bah！ Mrs。 Sam Titmarsh is a minor； and can't
touch a shilling of it。 No； no； no meddling with minors for me！ But
stop！your mother has a house and shop in our village。 Get me a
mortgage of that〃
〃I'll do no such thing； sir；〃 says I。 〃My mother has suffered quite
enough on my score already； and has my sisters to provide for； and I will
thank you； Mr。 Smithers； not to breathe a syllable to her regarding my
103
… Page 104…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
present situation。〃
〃You speak like a man of honour； sir；〃 says Mr。 Smithers； 〃and I will
obey your injunctions to the letter。 I will do more； sir。 I will introduce
you to a respectable firm here； my worthy friends； Messrs。 Higgs； Biggs；
and Blatherwick； who will do everything in their power to serve you。
And so； sir； I wish you a very good morning。〃
And with this Mr。 Smithers took his hat and left the room； and after a
further consultation with my aunt； as I heard afterwards； quitted London
that evening by the mail。
I sent my faithful Gus off once more to break the matter gently to my
wife； fearing lest Mrs。 Hoggarty should speak of it abruptly to her； as I
knew in her anger she would do。 But he came in an hour panting back； to
say that Mrs。 H。 had packed and locked her trunks； and had gone off in a
hackney…coach。 So； knowing that my poor Mary was not to return till
night； Hoskins remained with me till then； and； after a dismal day； left me
once more at nine； to carry the dismal tidings to her。
At ten o'clock on that night there was a great rattling and ringing at the
outer door； and presently my poor girl fell into my arms； and Gus Hoskins
sat blubbering in a corner； as I tried my best to console her。
* * *
The next morning I was favoured with a visit from Mr。 Blatherwick；
who； hearing from me that I had only three guineas in my pocket； told me
very plainly that lawyers only lived by fees。 He recommended me to quit
Cursitor Street； as living there was very expensive。 And as I was sitting
very sad； my wife made her appearance （it was with great difficulty that
she could be brought to leave me the night previous） …
〃The horrible men came at four this morning；〃 said she； 〃four hours
before light。〃
〃What horrible men？〃 says I。
〃Your aunt's men；〃 said she； 〃to remove the furniture they had it all
packed before I came away。 And I let them carry all；〃 said she； 〃I was
too sad to look what was ours and what was not。 That odious Mr。
Wapshot was with them； and I left him seeing the last waggon…load from
the door。 I have only brought away your clothes；〃 added she； 〃and a few
104
… Page 105…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
of mine； and some of the books you used to like to read； and somesome
things I have been getting for the for the baby。 The servants' wages
were paid up to Christmas； and I paid them the rest。 And see！ just as I
was going away； the post came； and brought to me my half…year's income
35L。； dear Sam。 Isn't it a blessing？〃
〃Will you pay my bill； Mr。 What…d'ye…call…'im？〃 here cried Mr。
Aminadab； flinging open the door （he had been consulting with Mr。
Blatherwick； I suppose）。 〃I want the room for A GENTLEMAN。 I
guess it's too dear for the like of you。〃 And herewill you believe it？
the man handed me a bill of three guineas for two days' board and lodging
in his odious house。
* * *
There was a crowd of idlers round the door as I passed out of it； and
had I been alone I should have been ashamed of seeing them； but； as it was；
I was only thinking of my dear dear wife； who was leaning trustfully on
my arm； and smiling like heaven into my face… …ay； and TOOK heaven； too；
into the Fleet prison with meor an angel out of heaven。 Ah！ I had loved
her before； and happy it is to love when one is hopeful and young in the
midst of smiles and sunshine； but be UNhappy； and then see what it is to
be loved by a good woman！ I declare before Heaven； that of all the joys
and happy moments it has given me； that was the crowning onethat little
ride； with my wife's cheek on my shoulder； down Holborn to the prison！
Do you think I cared for the bailiff that sat opposite？ No； by the Lord！
I kissed her； and hugged heryes； and cried with her likewise。 But
before our ride was over her eyes dried up； and she stepped blushing and
happy out of the coach at the prison door； as if she were a princess going
to the Queen's Drawing…room。
105
… Page 106…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
CHAPTER XII
IN WHICH THE HERO'S AUNT'S DIAMOND MAKES
ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE HERO'S UNCLE
The failure of the great Diddlesex Association speedily became the
theme of all the newspapers； and every person concerned in it was soon
held up to public abhorrence as a rascal and a swindler。 It was said that
Brough had gone off with a millio
