the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第5部分
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〃Neatly； in the present fashion； and send down the account to her。
There is a great deal of gold about the trinket； for which； of course； you
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will make an allowance。〃
〃To the last fraction of a sixpence；〃 says Mr。 Polonius； bowing； and
looking at the jewel。 〃It's a wonderful piece of goods； certainly；〃 said he；
〃though the diamond's a neat little bit； certainly。 Do； my Lady； look at it。
The thing is of Irish manufacture； bears the stamp of '95； and will recall
perhaps the times of your Ladyship's earliest youth。〃
〃Get ye out； Mr。 Polonius！〃 said the old lady； a little wizen…faced old
lady； with her face puckered up in a million of wrinkles。 〃How DAR you；
sir； to talk such nonsense to an old woman like me？ Wasn't I fifty years old
in '95； and a grandmother in '96？〃 She put out a pair of withered
trembling hands； took up the locket； examined it for a minute； and then
burst out laughing： 〃As I live； it's the great Hoggarty diamond！〃
Good heavens！ what was this talisman that had come into my
possession？
〃Look； girls；〃 continued the old lady： 〃this is the great jew'l of all
Ireland。 This red…faced man in the middle is poor Mick Hoggarty； a
cousin of mine； who was in love with me in the year '84； when I had just
lost your poor dear grandpapa。 These thirteen sthreamers of red hair
represent his thirteen celebrated sisters； Biddy； Minny； Thedy； Widdy
（short for Williamina）； Freddy； Izzy； Tizzy； Mysie； Grizzy； Polly； Dolly；
Nell； and Bellall married； all ugly； and all carr'ty hair。 And of which are
you the son； young man？though； to do you justice； you're not like the
family。〃
Two pretty young ladies turned two pretty pairs of black eyes at me；
and waited for an answer： which they would have had； only the old lady
began rattling on a hundred stories about the thirteen ladies above named；
and all their lovers； all their disappointments； and all the duels of Mick
Hoggarty。 She was a chronicle of fifty…years…old scandal。 At last she
was interrupted by a violent fit of coughing； at the conclusion of which Mr。
Polonius very respectfully asked me where he should send the pin； and
whether I would like the hair kept。
〃No；〃 says I； 〃never mind the hair。〃
〃And the pin； sir？〃
I had felt ashamed about telling my address： 〃But； bang it！〃 thought I；
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〃why SHOULD I？ …
'A king can make a belted knight； A marquess； duke； and a' that； An
honest man's abune his might … Gude faith； he canna fa' that。'
Why need I care about telling these ladies where I live？〃
〃Sir；〃 says I； 〃have the goodness to send the parcel； when done； to Mr。
Titmarsh； No。 3 Bell Lane； Salisbury Square； near St。 Bride's Church；
Fleet Street。 Ring； if you please； the two…pair bell。〃
〃WHAT； sir？〃 said Mr。 Polonius。
〃HWAT！〃 shrieked the old lady。 〃Mr。 Hwat？ Mais； ma chere； c'est
impayable。 Come alonghere's the carr'age！ Give me your arm； Mr。
Hwat； and get inside； and tell me all about your thirteen aunts。〃
She seized on my elbow and hobbled through the shop as fast as
possible； the young ladies following her； laughing。
〃Now； jump in； do you hear？〃 said she； poking her sharp nose out of
the window。
〃I can't； ma'am；〃 says I； 〃I have a friend。〃
〃Pooh； pooh！ send 'um to the juice； and jump in！〃 And before almost
I could say a word； a great powdered fellow in yellow…plush breeches
pushed me up the steps and banged the door to。
I looked just for one minute as the barouche drove away at Hoskins；
and never shall forget his figure。 There stood Gus； his mouth wide open；
his eyes staring； a smoking cheroot in his hand； wondering with all his
might at the strange thing that had just happened to me。
〃Who IS that Titmarsh？〃 says Gus： 〃there's a coronet on the carriage；
by Jingo！〃
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THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
CHAPTER III
HOW THE POSSESSOR OF THE DIAMOND IS WHISKED
INTO A MAGNIFICENT CHARIOT； AND HAS YET FURTHER
GOOD LUCK
I sat on the back seat of the carriage； near a very nice young lady；
about my dear Mary's agethat is to say； seventeen and three…quarters； and
opposite us sat the old Countess and her other grand…daughterhandsome
too； but ten years older。 I recollect I had on that day my blue coat and
brass buttons； nankeen trousers； a white sprig waist…coat； and one of
Dando's silk hats； that had just come in in the year '22； and looked a great
deal more glossy than the best beaver。
〃And who was that hidjus manster〃that was the way her Ladyship
pronounced；〃that ojous vulgar wretch； with the iron heels to his boots；
and the big mouth； and the imitation goold neck…chain； who STEERED at
us so as we got into the carriage？〃
How she should have known that Gus's chain was mosaic I can't tell；
but so it was； and we had bought it for five…and…twenty and sixpence only
the week before at M'Phail's； in St。 Paul's Churchyard。 But I did not like
to hear my friend abused； and so spoke out for him …
〃Ma'am；〃 says I； 〃that young gentleman's name is Augustus Hoskins。
We live together； and a better or more kind…hearted fellow does not exist。〃
〃You are quite right to stand up for your friends； sir；〃 said the second
lady； whose name； it appears； was Lady Jane； but whom the grandmamma
called Lady Jene。
〃Well； upon me conscience； so he is now； Lady Jene； and I like sper't
in a young man。 So his name is Hoskins； is it？ I know； my dears； all
the Hoskinses in England。 There are the Lincolnshire Hoskinses； the
Shropshire Hoskinses： they say the Admiral's daughter； Bell； was in love
with a black footman； or boatswain； or some such thing； but the world's so
censorious。 There's old Doctor Hoskins of Bath； who attended poor dear
Drum in the quinsy； and poor dear old Fred Hoskins； the gouty General：
I remember him as thin as a lath in the year '84； and as active as a
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harlequin； and in love with meoh； how he was in love with me！〃
〃You seem to have had a host of admirers in those days；
Grandmamma？〃 said Lady Jane。
〃Hundreds； my dear；hundreds of thousands。 I was the toast of Bath；
and a great beauty； too： would you ever have thought it now； upon your
conscience and without flattery； Mr。…a…What…d'ye…call… 'im？〃
〃Indeed； ma'am； I never should；〃 I answered； for the old lady was as
ugly as possible； and at my saying this the two young ladies began
screaming with laughter； and I saw the two great…whiskered footmen
grinning over the back of the carriage。
〃Upon my word； you're mighty candid； Mr。 What's…your…namemighty
candid indeed； but I like candour in young people。 But a beauty I was。
Just ask your friend's uncle the General。 He's one of the Lincolnshire
HoskinsesI knew he was by the strong family likeness。 Is he the eldest
son？ It's a pretty property； though sadly encumbered； for old Sir George
was the divvle of a mana friend of Hanbury Williams； and Lyttleton； and
those horrid； monstrous； ojous people！ How much will he have now；
mister； when the Admiral dies？〃
〃Why； ma'am； I can't say； but the Admiral is not my friend's father。〃
〃Not his father？but he IS； I tell you； and I'm never wrong。 Who is
his father； then？〃
〃Ma'am； Gus's father's a leatherseller in Skinner Street； Snow Hill；a
very respectable house； ma'am。 But Gus is only third son； and so can't
expect a great share in the property。〃
The two young ladies smiled at thisthe old lady said； 〃Hwat？〃
〃I like you； sir；〃 Lady Jane said； 〃for not being ashamed of your
friends； whatever their rank of life may be。 Shall we have the pleasure of
setting you down anywhere； Mr。 Titmarsh？〃
〃Noways particular； my Lady；〃 says I。 〃We have a holiday at our
office to…dayat least Roundhand gave me and Gus leave； and I shall be
very happy； indeed； to take a drive in the Park； if it's no offence。〃
〃I'm sure it will give usinfinite pleasure；〃 said Lady Jane； though
rather in a grave way。
〃Oh； that it will！〃 says Lady Fanny； clapping her hands： 〃won't it；
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Grandmamma？ And after we have been in the Park； we can walk in
Kensington Gardens； if Mr。 Titmarsh wi
