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the fatal boots-第8节

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tens of thousands in this world; dear children; who would count our

poverty riches。〃  And with this she kissed my two sisters; who

began to blubber; as girls always will do; and threw their arms

round her neck; and then round my neck; until I was half stifled

with their embraces; and slobbered all over with their tears。



〃Dearest mamma;〃 said I; 〃I am very glad to see the noble manner in

which you bear your loss; and more still to know that you are so

rich as to be able to put up with it。〃  The fact was; I really

thought the old lady had got a private hoard of her own; as many of

them havea thousand pounds or so in a stocking。  Had she put by

thirty pounds a year; as well she might; for the thirty years of

her marriage; there would have been nine hundred pounds clear; and

no mistake。  But still I was angry to think that any such paltry

concealment had been practisedconcealment too of MY money; so I

turned on her pretty sharply; and continued my speech。  〃You say;

Ma'am; that you are rich; and that Pump and Aldgate's failure has

no effect upon you。  I am very happy to hear you say so; Ma'am

very happy that you ARE rich; and I should like to know where your

property; my father's property; for you had none of your own;I

should like to know where this money liesWHERE YOU HAVE CONCEALED

IT; Ma'am; and; permit me to say; that when I agreed to board you

and my two sisters for eighty pounds a year; I did not know that

you had OTHER resources than those mentioned in my blessed father's

will。〃



This I said to her because I hated the meanness of concealment; not

because I lost by the bargain of boarding them: for the three poor

things did not eat much more than sparrows: and I've often since

calculated that I had a clear twenty pounds a year profit out of

them。



Mamma and the girls looked quite astonished when I made the speech。

〃What does he mean?〃 said Lucy to Eliza。



Mamma repeated the question。  〃My beloved Robert; what concealment

are you talking of?〃



〃I am talking of concealed property; Ma'am;〃 says I sternly。



〃And do youwhatcan youdo you really suppose that I have

concealedany of that blessed sa…a…a…aint's prop…op…op…operty?〃

screams out mamma。  〃Robert;〃 says she〃Bob; my own darling boy

my fondest; best beloved; now HE is gone〃 (meaning my late

governormore tears)〃you don't; you cannot fancy that your own

mother; who bore you; and nursed you; and wept for you; and would

give her all to save you from a moment's harmyou don't suppose

that she would che…e…e…eat you!〃  And here she gave a louder

screech than ever; and flung back on the sofa; and one of my

sisters went and tumbled into her arms; and t'other went round; and

the kissing and slobbering scene went on again; only I was left

out; thank goodness。  I hate such sentimentality。



〃CHE…E…E…EAT ME;〃 says I; mocking her。  〃What do you mean; then; by

saying you're so rich?  Say; have you got money; or have you not?〃

(And I rapped out a good number of oaths; too; which I don't put in

here; but I was in a dreadful fury; that's the fact。)



〃So help me heaven;〃 says mamma; in answer; going down on her knees

and smacking her two hands; 〃I have but a Queen Anne's guinea in

the whole of this wicked world。〃



〃Then what; Madam; induces you to tell these absurd stories to me;

and to talk about your riches; when you know that you and your

daughters are beggars; Ma'amBEGGARS?〃



〃My dearest boy; have we not got the house; and the furniture; and

a hundred a year still; and have you not great talents; which will

make all our fortunes?〃 says Mrs。 Stubbs; getting up off her knees;

and making believe to smile as she clawed hold of my hand and

kissed it。



This was TOO cool。  〃YOU have got a hundred a year; Ma'am;〃 says I

〃YOU have got a house?  Upon my soul and honor this is the first I

ever heard of it; and I'll tell you what; Ma'am;〃 says I (and it

cut her PRETTY SHARPLY too): 〃as you've got it; YOU'D BETTER GO AND

LIVE IN IT。  I've got quite enough to do with my own house; and

every penny of my own income。〃



Upon this speech the old lady said nothing; but she gave a screech

loud enough to be heard from here to York; and down she fell

kicking and struggling in a regular fit。



        。        。        。        。        。        。



I did not see Mrs。 Stubbs for some days after this; and the girls

used to come down to meals; and never speak; going up again and

stopping with their mother。  At last; one day; both of them came in

very solemn to my study; and Eliza; the eldest; said; 〃Robert;

mamma has paid you our board up to Michaelmas。〃



〃She has;〃 says I; for I always took precious good care to have it

in advance。



〃She says; Robert; That on Michaelmas daywe'llwe'll go away;

Robert。〃



〃Oh; she's going to her own house; is she; Lizzy?  Very good。

She'll want the furniture; I suppose; and that she may have too;

for I'm going to sell the place myself。〃  And so THAT matter was

settled。



        。        。        。        。        。        。



On Michaelmas dayand during these two months I hadn't; I do

believe; seen my mother twice (once; about two o'clock in the

morning; I woke and found her sobbing over my bed)on Michaelmas…

day morning; Eliza comes to me and says; 〃ROBERT; THEY WILL COME

AND FETCH US AT SIX THIS EVENING。〃  Well; as this was the last day;

I went and got the best goose I could find (I don't think I ever

saw a primer; or ate more hearty myself); and had it roasted at

three; with a good pudding afterwards; and a glorious bowl of

punch。  〃Here's a health to you; dear girls;〃 says I; 〃and you; Ma;

and good luck to all three; and as you've not eaten a morsel; I

hope you won't object to a glass of punch。  It's the old stuff; you

know; Ma'am; that that Waters sent to my father fifteen years ago。〃



Six o'clock came; and with it came a fine barouche。  As I live;

Captain Waters was on the box (it was his coach); that old thief;

Bates; jumped out; entered my house; and before I could say Jack

Robinson; whipped off mamma to the carriage: the girls followed;

just giving me a hasty shake of the hand; and as mamma was helped

in; Mary Waters; who was sitting inside; flung her arms round her;

and then round the girls; and the Doctor; who acted footman; jumped

on the box; and off they went; taking no more notice of ME than if

I'd been a nonentity。



Here's a picture of the whole business:Mamma and Miss Waters are

sitting kissing each other in the carriage; with the two girls in

the back seat: Waters is driving (a precious bad driver he is too);

and I'm standing at the garden door; and whistling。  That old fool

Mary Malowney is crying behind the garden gate: she went off next

day along with the furniture; and I to get into that precious

scrape which I shall mention next。





SEPTEMBER。PLUCKING A GOOSE。





After my papa's death; as he left me no money; and only a little

land; I put my estate into an auctioneer's hands; and determined to

amuse my solitude with a trip to some of our fashionable watering…

places。  My house was now a desert to me。  I need not say how the

departure of my dear parent; and her children; left me sad and

lonely。



Well; I had a little ready money; and; for the estate; expected a

couple of thousand pounds。  I had a good military…looking person:

for though I had absolutely cut the old North Bungays (indeed;

after my affair with Waters; Colonel Craw hinted to me; in the most

friendly manner; that I had better resign)though I had left the

army; I still retained the rank of Captain; knowing the advantages

attendant upon that title in a watering…place tour。



Captain Stubbs became a great dandy at Cheltenham; Harrogate; Bath;

Leamington; and other places。  I was a good whist and billiard

player; so much so; that in many of these towns; the people used to

refuse; at last; to play with me; knowing how far I was their

superior。  Fancy my surprise; about five years after the Portsmouth

affair; when strolling one day up the High Street; in Leamington;

my eyes lighted upon a young man; whom I remembered in a certain

butcher's yard; and elsewhereno other; in fact; than Dobble。  He;

too; was dressed en militaire; with a frogged coat and spurs; and

was walking with a showy…looking; Jewish…faced; black…haired lady;

glittering with chains and rings; with a green bonnet and a bird…

of…Paradisea lilac shawl; a yellow gown; pink silk stockings; and

light…blue shoes。  Three children; and a handsome footman; were

walking behind her; and the party; not seeing me; entered the

〃Royal Hotel〃 together。



I was known myself at the 〃Royal;〃 and calling one of the waiters;

learned the names of the lady and gentleman。  He was Captain

Dobble; the son of the rich army…clothier; Dobble (Dobble; Hobble

and Co。 of Pall Mall);the lady was a Mrs。 Manasseh; widow of an

American Jew; living quietly at Leamington with her child

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