catherine-a story(凯瑟琳的故事)-第24部分
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lady？〃 continued Mrs。 Hayes。
〃Whyhumohmother； you must give her your blessing。 She is Mrs。
John Hayes。〃 And herewith Mr。 Hayes brought forward his interesting
lady； to introduce her to his mamma。
The news did not at all please the old lady； who received Mrs。
Catherine's embrace with a very sour face indeed。 However； the mischief
was done； and she was too glad to get back her son to be； on such an
occasion； very angry with him。 So； after a proper rebuke； she told Mrs。
John Hayes that though she never approved of her son's attachment； and
thought he married below his condition； yet as the evil was done； it was
their duty to make the best of it； and she； for her part； would receive her
into her house； and make her as comfortable there as she could。 〃I wonder
whether she has any more money in that house？〃 whispered Mr。 Sicklop to
Mr。 Redcap； who； with the landlady； had come to the door of the room；
and had been amusing themselves by the contemplation of this sentimental
scene。
〃What a fool that wild Hirishman was not to bleed her for more！〃 said
the landlady； 〃but he's a poor ignorant Papist。 I'm sure my man〃 （this
gentleman had been hanged）； 〃wouldn't have come away with such a
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beggarly sum。〃
〃Suppose we have some more out of 'em？〃 said Mr。 Redcap。 〃What
prevents us？ We have got the old mare； and the colt too；ha！ ha！ and the
pair of 'em ought to be worth at least a hundred to us。〃
This conversation was carried on sotto voce； and I don't know whether
Mr。 Brock had any notion of the plot which was arranged by the three
worthies。 The landlady began it。 〃Which punch； madam； will you take？〃
says she。 〃You must have something for the good of the house； now you
are in it。〃
〃In coorse；〃 said the Ensign。
〃Certainly；〃 said the other three。 But the old lady said she was anxious
to leave the place； and putting down a crown…piece； requested the hostess
to treat the gentlemen in her absence。 〃Good…bye； Captain；〃 said the old
lady。
〃Ajew！〃 cried the Ensign； 〃and long life to you； my dear。 You got me
out of a scrape at the justice's yonder； and； split me！ but Insign Macshane
will remimber it as long as he lives。〃
And now Hayes and the two ladies made for the door； but the landlady
placed herself against it； and Mr。 Sicklop said； 〃No； no； my pretty madams；
you ain't a…going off so cheap as that neither； you are not going out for a
beggarly twenty guineas； look you；we must have more。〃
Mr。 Hayes starting back； and cursing his fate； fairly burst into tears； the
two women screamed； and Mr。 Brock looked as if the proposition both
amused and had been expected by him： but not so Ensign Macshane。
〃Major！〃 said he； clawing fiercely hold of Brock's arms。
〃Ensign；〃 said Mr。 Brock； smiling。
〃Arr we； or arr we not； men of honour？〃
〃Oh； in coorse；〃 said Brock； laughing； and using Macshane's favourite
expression。
〃If we ARR men of honour； we are bound to stick to our word； and；
hark ye； you dirty one…eyed scoundrel； if you don't immadiately make way
for these leedies； and this lily…livered young jontleman who's crying so；
the Meejor here and I will lug out and force you。〃 And so saying； he drew
his great sword and made a pass at Mr。 Sicklop； which that gentleman
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avoided； and which caused him and his companion to retreat from the door。
The landlady still kept her position at it； and with a storm of oaths against
the Ensign； and against two Englishmen who ran away from a wild
Hirishman； swore she would not budge a foot； and would stand there until
her dying day。
〃Faith； then； needs must；〃 said the Ensign； and made a lunge at the
hostess； which passed so near the wretch's throat； that she screamed； sank
on her knees； and at last opened the door。
Down the stairs； then； with great state； Mr。 Macshane led the elder
lady； the married couple following； and having seen them to the street；
took an affectionate farewell of the party； whom he vowed that he would
come and see。 〃You can walk the eighteen miles aisy； between this and
nightfall；〃 said he。
〃WALK！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Hayes。 〃Why； haven't we got Ball； and shall
ride and tie all the way？〃
〃Madam！〃 cried Macshane； in a stern voice； 〃honour before everything。
Did you not； in the presence of his worship； vow and declare that you gave
me that horse； and now d'ye talk of taking it back again？ Let me tell you；
madam； that such paltry thricks ill become a person of your years and
respectability； and ought never to be played with Insign Timothy
Macshane。〃
He waved his hat and strutted down the street； and Mrs。 Catherine
Hayes； along with her bridegroom and mother…in…law； made the best of
their way homeward on foot。
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CHAPTER VII。 WHICH
EMBRACES A PERIOD OF SEVEN
YEARS。
The recovery of so considerable a portion of his property from the
clutches of Brock was； as may be imagined； no trifling source of joy to
that excellent young man； Count Gustavus Adolphus de Galgenstein； and
he was often known to say； with much archness； and a proper feeling of
gratitude to the Fate which had ordained things so； that the robbery was； in
reality； one of the best things that could have happened to him： for； in
event of Mr。 Brock's NOT stealing the money； his Excellency the Count
would have had to pay the whole to the Warwickshire Squire； who had
won it from him at play。 He was enabled； in the present instance； to plead
his notorious poverty as an excuse； and the Warwickshire conqueror got
off with nothing； except a very badly written autograph of the Count's；
simply acknowledging the debt。
This point his Excellency conceded with the greatest candour； but （as；
doubtless； the reader may have remarked in the course of his experience）
to owe is not quite the same thing as to pay； and from the day of his
winning the money until the day of his death the Warwickshire Squire did
never； by any chance； touch a single bob； tizzy； tester； moidore； maravedi；
doubloon； tomaun； or rupee； of the sum which Monsieur de Galgenstein
had lost to him。
That young nobleman was； as Mr。 Brock hinted in the little
autobiographical sketch which we gave in a former chapter； incarcerated
for a certain period； and for certain other debts； in the donjons of
Shrewsbury； but he released himself from them by that noble and
consolatory method of whitewashing which the law has provided for
gentlemen in his oppressed condition； and he had not been a week in
London； when he fell in with； and overcame； or put to flight； Captain
Wood； alias Brock； and immediately seized upon the remainder of his
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property。 After receiving this； the Count； with commendable discretion；
disappeared from England altogether for a while； nor are we at all
authorised to state that any of his debts to his tradesmen were discharged；
any more than his debts of honour； as they are pleasantly called。
Having thus settled with his creditors； the gallant Count had interest
enough with some of the great folk to procure for himself a post abroad；
and was absent in Holland for some time。 It was here that he became
acquainted with the lovely Madam Silverkoop； the widow of a deceased
gentleman of Leyden； and although the lady was not at that age at which
tender passions are usually inspiredbeing sixtyand though she could
not； like Mademoiselle Ninon de l'Enclos； then at Paris； boast of charms
which defied the progress of time；for Mrs。 Silverkoop was as red as a
boiled lobster； and as unwieldy as a porpoise； and although her mental
attractions did by no means make up for her personal deficiencies；for she
was jealous； violent； vulgar； drunken； and stingy to a miracle： yet her
charms had an immediate effect on Monsieur de Galgenstein； and hence；
perhaps； the reader （the rogue！ how well he knows the world！） will be led
to conclude that the honest widow was RICH。
Such； indeed； she was； and Count Gustavus； despising the difference
between his twenty quarterings and her twenty thousand pounds； laid the
most desperate siege to her； and finished by causing her to capitulate； as I
do believe； after a reasonable degree of pressing； any woman will do to
any man： such； at least； has been MY experience in the matter。
The Count then married； and it was
