the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第9节
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and I made a speech that there is no possibility of mentioning here；
because； entre nous； I had quite forgotten in the morning everything that
had taken place after a certain period on the night before。
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THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
CHAPTER IV
HOW THE HAPPY DIAMOND…WEARER DINES AT
PENTONVILLE
I did not go to the office till half…an…hour after opening time on
Monday。 If the truth must be told； I was not sorry to let Hoskins have the
start of me； and tell the chaps what had taken place；for we all have our
little vanities； and I liked to be thought well of by my companions。
When I came in； I saw my business had been done； by the way in
which the chaps looked at me； especially Abednego； who offered me a
pinch out of his gold snuff…box the very first thing。 Roundhand shook
me； too； warmly by the hand； when he came round to look over my day…
book； said I wrote a capital hand （and indeed I believe I do； without any
sort of flattery）； and invited me for dinner next Sunday； in Myddelton
Square。 〃You won't have；〃 said he； 〃quite such a grand turn…out as with
YOUR FRIENDS AT THE WEST END〃he said this with a particular
accent〃but Amelia and I are always happy to see a friend in our plain
way；pale sherry； old port； and cut and come again。 Hey？〃
I said I would come and bring Hoskins too。
He answered that I was very polite； and that he should be very happy
to see Hoskins； and we went accordingly at the appointed day and hour；
but though Gus was eleventh clerk and I twelfth； I remarked that at dinner
I was helped first and best。 I had twice as many force…meat balls as
Hoskins in my mock…turtle； and pretty nearly all the oysters out of the
sauce…boat。 Once； Roundhand was going to help Gus before me； when
his wife； who was seated at the head of the table； looking very big and
fierce in red crape and a turban； shouted out； 〃ANTONY！〃 and poor R。
dropped the plate； and blushed as red as anything。 How Mrs。 R。 did talk
to me about the West End to be sure！ She had a 〃Peerage；〃 as you may
be certain； and knew everything about the Drum family in a manner that
quite astonished me。 She asked me how much Lord Drum had a year；
whether I thought he had twenty； thirty； forty； or a hundred and fifty
thousand a year； whether I was invited to Drum Castle； what the young
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ladies wore； and if they had those odious gigot sleeves which were just
coming in then； and here Mrs。 R。 looked at a pair of large mottled arms
that she was very proud of。
〃I say； Sam my boy！〃 cried； in the midst of our talk； Mr。 Roundhand；
who had been passing the port…wine round pretty freely； 〃I hope you
looked to the main chance； and put in a few shares of the West Diddlesex；…
…hey？〃
〃Mr。 Roundhand； have you put up the decanters downstairs？〃 cries the
lady； quite angry； and wishing to stop the conversation。
〃No； Milly； I've emptied 'em；〃 says R。
〃Don't Milly me； sir！ and have the goodness to go down and tell Lancy
my maid〃 （a look at me） 〃to make the tea in the study。 We have a
gentleman here who is not USED to Pentonville ways〃 （another look）；
〃but he won't mind the ways of FRIENDS。〃 And here Mrs。 Roundhand
heaved her very large chest； and gave me a third look that was so severe；
that I declare to goodness it made me look quite foolish。 As to Gus； she
never so much as spoke to him all the evening； but he consoled himself
with a great lot of muffins； and sat most of the evening （it was a cruel hot
summer） whistling and talking with Roundhand on the verandah。 I think
I should like to have been with them；for it was very close in the room
with that great big Mrs。 Roundhand squeezing close up to one on the sofa。
〃Do you recollect what a jolly night we had here last summer？〃 I heard
Hoskins say； who was leaning over the balcony； and ogling the girls
coming home from church。 〃You and me with our coats off； plenty of
cold rum…and…water； Mrs。 Roundhand at Margate； and a whole box of
Manillas？〃
〃Hush！〃 said Roundhand； quite eagerly； 〃Milly will hear。〃
But Milly didn't hear： for she was occupied in telling me an immense
long story about her waltzing with the Count de Schloppenzollern at the
City ball to the Allied Sovereigns； and how the Count had great large
white moustaches； and how odd she thought it to go whirling round the
room with a great man's arm round your waist。 〃Mr。 Roundhand has
never allowed it since our marriage never； but in the year 'fourteen it was
considered a proper compliment； you know； to pay the sovereigns。 So
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twenty…nine young ladies； of the best families in the City of London； I
assure you； Mr。 Titmarshthere was the Lord Mayor's own daughters；
Alderman Dobbins's gals； Sir Charles Hopper's three； who have the great
house in Baker Street； and your humble servant； who was rather slimmer
in those daystwenty…nine of us had a dancing…master on purpose； and
practised waltzing in a room over the Egyptian Hall at the Mansion House。
He was a splendid man； that Count Schloppenzollern！〃
〃I am sure； ma'am；〃 says I； 〃he had a splendid partner！〃 and blushed up
to my eyes when I said it。
〃Get away； you naughty creature！〃 says Mrs。 Roundhand； giving me a
great slap： 〃you're all the same； you men in the West Endall deceivers。
The Count was just like you。 Heigho！ Before you marry； it's all honey
and compliments； when you win us； it's all coldness and indifference。
Look at Roundhand； the great baby； trying to beat down a butterfly with
his yellow bandanna！ Can a man like THAT comprehend me？ can he fill
the void in my heart？〃 （She pronounced it without the h； but that there
should be no mistake； laid her hand upon the place meant。） 〃Ah； no！
Will YOU be so neglectful when YOU marry； Mr。 Titmarsh？〃
As she spoke； the bells were just tolling the people out of church； and I
fell a…thinking of my dear dear Mary Smith in the country； walking home
to her grandmother's； in her modest grey cloak； as the bells were chiming
and the air full of the sweet smell of the hay； and the river shining in the
sun； all crimson； purple； gold； and silver。 There was my dear Mary a
hundred and twenty miles off； in Somersetshire； walking home from
church along with Mr。 Snorter's family； with which she came and went；
and I was listening to the talk of this great leering vulgar woman。
I could not help feeling for a certain half of a sixpence that you have
heard me speak of； and putting my hand mechanically upon my chest； I
tore my fingers with the point of my new DIAMOND…PIN。 Mr。 Polonius
had sent it home the night before； and I sported it for the first time at
Roundhand's to dinner。
〃It's a beautiful diamond；〃 said Mrs。 Roundhand。 〃I have been
looking at it all dinner…time。 How rich you must be to wear such
splendid things！ and how can you remain in a vulgar office in the City
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you who have such great acquaintances at the West End？〃
The woman had somehow put me in such a passion that I bounced off
the sofa； and made for the balcony without answering a word；ay； and
half broke my head against the sash； too； as I went out to the gents in the
open air。 〃Gus；〃 says I； 〃I feel very unwell： I wish you'd come home
with me。〃 And Gus did not desire anything better； for he had ogled the
last girl out of the last
