the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第36节
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it for a bit； she put her arms round your wife's neck and kissed her。
〃'My dear；' said she； 'I am sure you are as good as you are pretty； and
you shall keep the child： and I thank God for sending you to me！'
〃These were her very words； and Dr。 Bland； who was standing by； says；
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'It's a second judgment of Solomon！'
〃'I suppose； my Lady； you don't want ME？' says the big woman； with
another curtsey。
〃'Not in the least！' answers my Lady； haughtily； and the grenadier left
the room： and then I told all your story at full length； and Mrs。
Blenkinsop kept me to tea； and I saw the beautiful room that Mrs。
Titmarsh is to have next to Lady Tiptoff's； and when my Lord came home；
what does he do but insist upon coming back with me here in a hackney…
coach； as he said he must apologise to you for keeping your wife away。〃
I could not help； in my own mind； connecting this strange event which；
in the midst of our sorrow； came to console us； and in our poverty to give
us bread；I could not help connecting it with the DIAMOND PIN； and
fancying that the disappearance of that ornament had somehow brought a
different and a better sort of luck into my family。 And though some gents
who read this； may call me a poor… spirited fellow for allowing my wife to
go out to service； who was bred a lady and ought to have servants herself：
yet； for my part； I confess I did not feel one minute's scruple or
mortification on the subject。 If you love a person； is it not a pleasure to
feel obliged to him？ And this； in consequence； I felt。 I was proud and
happy at being able to think that my dear wife should be able to labour and
earn bread for me； now misfortune had put it out of my power to support
me and her。 And now； instead of making any reflections of my own upon
prison discipline； I will recommend the reader to consult that admirable
chapter in the Life of Mr。 Pickwick in which the same theme is handled；
and which shows how silly it is to deprive honest men of the means of
labour just at the moment when they most want it。 What could I do？
There were one or two gents in the prison who could work （literary gents；…
…one wrote his 〃Travels in Mesopotamia；〃 and the other his 〃Sketches at
Almack's；〃 in the place）； but all the occupation I could find was walking
down Bridge Street； and then up Bridge Street； and staring at Alderman
Waithman's windows； and then at the black man who swept the crossing。
I never gave him anything； but I envied him his trade and his broom； and
the money that continually fell into his old hat。 But I was not allowed
even to carry a broom。
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Twice or thricefor Lady Tiptoff did not wish her little boy often to
breathe the air of such a close place as Salisbury Squaremy dear Mary
came in the thundering carriage to see me。 They were merry meetings；
andif the truth must be toldtwice； when nobody was by； I jumped into
the carriage and had a drive with her； and when I had seen her home；
jumped into another hackney…coach and drove back。 But this was only
twice； for the system was dangerous； and it might bring me into trouble；
and it cost three shillings from Grosvenor Square to Ludgate Hill。
Here； meanwhile； my good mother kept me company； and what should
we read of one day but the marriage of Mrs。 Hoggarty and the Rev。
Grimes Wapshot！ My mother； who never loved Mrs。 H。； now said that
she should repent all her life having allowed me to spend so much of my
time with that odious ungrateful woman； and added that she and I too were
justly punished for worshipping the mammon of unrighteousness and
forgetting our natural feelings for the sake of my aunt's paltry lucre。
〃Well； Amen！〃 said I。 〃This is the end of all our fine schemes！ My
aunt's money and my aunt's diamond were the causes of my ruin； and now
they are clear gone； thank Heaven！ and I hope the old lady will be happy；
and I must say I don't envy the Rev。 Grimes Wapshot。〃 So we put Mrs。
Hoggarty out of our thoughts； and made ourselves as comfortable as might
be。
Rich and great people are slower in making Christians of their children
than we poor ones； and little Lord Poynings was not christened until the
month of June。 A duke was one godfather； and Mr。 Edmund Preston； the
State Secretary； another； and that kind Lady Jane Preston； whom I have
before spoken of； was the godmother to her nephew。 She had not long
been made acquainted with my wife's history； and both she and her sister
loved her heartily and were very kind to her。 Indeed； there was not a
single soul in the house； high or low； but was fond of that good sweet
creature； and the very footmen were as ready to serve her as they were
their own mistress。
〃I tell you what； sir；〃 says one of them。 〃You see； Tit my boy； I'm a
connyshure； and up to snough； and if ever I see a lady in my life； Mrs。
Titmarsh is one。 I can't be fimiliar with herI've tried〃
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〃Have you； sir？〃 said I。
〃Don't look so indignant！ I can't； I say； be fimiliar with her as I am
with you。 There's a somethink in her； a jenny…squaw； that haws me； sir！
and even my Lord's own man； that 'as 'ad as much success as any
gentleman in Europehe says that； cuss him〃
〃Mr。 Charles；〃 says I； 〃tell my Lord's own man that； if he wants to
keep his place and his whole skin； he will never address a single word to
that lady but such as a servant should utter in the presence of his mistress；
and take notice that I am a gentleman； though a poor one； and will murder
the first man who does her wrong！〃
Mr。 Charles only said 〃Gammin！〃 to this： but psha！ in bragging
about my own spirit； I forgot to say what great good fortune my dear
wife's conduct procured for me。
On the christening…day； Mr。 Preston offered her first a five； and then a
twenty…pound note； but she declined either； but she did not decline a
present that the two ladies made her together； and this was no other than
MY RELEASE FROM THE FLEET。 Lord Tiptoff's lawyer paid every
one of the bills against me； and that happy christening… day made me a
free man。 Ah！ who shall tell the pleasure of that day； or the merry dinner
we had in Mary's room at Lord Tiptoff's house； when my Lord and my
Lady came upstairs to shake hands with me！
〃I have been speaking to Mr。 Preston；〃 says my Lord； 〃the gentleman
with whom you had the memorable quarrel； and he has forgiven it；
although he was in the wrong； and promises to do something for you。 We
are going down； meanwhile； to his house at Richmond； and be sure； Mr。
Titmarsh； I will not fail to keep you in his mind。〃
〃MRS。 Titmarsh will do that；〃 says my Lady； 〃for Edmund is woefully
smitten with her！〃 And Mary blushed； and I laughed； and we were all
very happy： and sure enough there came from Richmond a letter to me；
stating that I was appointed fourth clerk in the Tape and Sealing…wax
Office； with a salary of 80L。 per annum。
Here perhaps my story ought to stop； for I was happy at last； and have
never since； thank Heaven！ known want： but Gus insists that I should
add how I gave up the place in the Tape and Sealing…wax Office； and for
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what reason。 That excellent Lady Jane Preston is long gone； and so is Mr。
P… off in an apoplexy； and there is no harm now in telling the story。
The fact was； that Mr。 Preston had fallen in love with Mary in a much
more serious way than any of us imagined； for I do believe he invited his
brother…in…la
