samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第12部分

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you　at　school；　who　ever　would　have　thought　that　I　was　thrashing　a
sucking　statesman？〃

〃Talk　away；　boys！〃　said　Brough；　waking　out　of　his　sleep；　〃I　only
sleep　with　half　an　eye；　and　hear　you　all。　　Yes；　you　shall　get　into
Parliament；　Tidd　my　man；　or　my　name's　not　Brough！　　You　shall　have
six　per　cent。　for　your　money；　or　never　believe　me！　　But　as　for　my
daughterask　HER；　and　not　me。　You；　or　the　Captain；　or　Titmarsh；
may　have　her；　if　you　can　get　her。　　All　I　ask　in　a　son…in…law　is；
that　he　should　be；　as　every　one　of　you　is；　an　honourable　and　high…
minded　man！〃

Tidd　at　this　looked　very　knowing；　and　as　our　host　sank　off　to　sleep
again；　pointed　archly　at　his　eyebrows；　and　wagged　his　head　at　the
Captain。

〃Bah！〃　says　the　Captain。　　〃I　say　what　I　think；　and　you　may　tell
Miss　Brough　if　you　like。〃　　And　so　presently　this　conversation
ended；　and　we　were　summoned　in　to　coffee。　　After　which　the　Captain
sang　songs　with　Miss　Brough；　Tidd　looked　at　her　and　said　nothing；　I
looked　at　prints；　and　Mrs。　Brough　sat　knitting　stockings　for　the
poor。　　The　Captain　was　sneering　openly　at　Miss　Brough　and　her
affected　ways　and　talk；　but　in　spite　of　his　bullying　contemptuous
way　I　thought　she　seemed　to　have　a　great　regard　for　him；　and　to
bear　his　scorn　very　meekly。

At　twelve　Captain　Fizgig　went　off　to　his　barracks　at　Knightsbridge；
and　Tidd　and　I　to　our　rooms。　　Next　day　being　Sunday；　a　great　bell
woke　us　at　eight；　and　at　nine　we　all　assembled　in　the　breakfast…
room；　where　Mr。　Brough　read　prayers；　a　chapter；　and　made　an
exhortation　afterwards；　to　us　and　all　the　members　of　the　household；
except　the　French　cook；　Monsieur　Nontong…paw；　whom　I　could　see；
from　my　chair；　walking　about　in　the　shrubberies　in　his　white　night…
cap；　smoking　a　cigar。

Every　morning　on　week…days；　punctually　at　eight；　Mr。　Brough　went
through　the　same　ceremony；　and　had　his　family　to　prayers；　but
though　this　man　was　a　hypocrite；　as　I　found　afterwards；　I'm　not
going　to　laugh　at　the　family　prayers；　or　say　he　was　a　hypocrite
BECAUSE　he　had　them。　　There　are　many　bad　and　good　men　who　don't　go
through　the　ceremony　at　all；　but　I　am　sure　the　good　men　would　be
the　better　for　it；　and　am　not　called　upon　to　settle　the　question
with　respect　to　the　bad　ones；　and　therefore　I　have　passed　over　a
great　deal　of　the　religious　part　of　Mr。　Brough's　behaviour：
suffice　it；　that　religion　was　always　on　his　lips；　that　he　went　to
church　thrice　every　Sunday；　when　he　had　not　a　party；　and　if　he　did
not　talk　religion　with　us　when　we　were　alone；　had　a　great　deal　to
say　upon　the　subject　upon　occasions；　as　I　found　one　day　when　we　had
a　Quaker　and　Dissenter　party　to　dine；　and　when　his　talk　was　as
grave　as　that　of　any　minister　present。　　Tidd　was　not　there　that
day；for　nothing　could　make　him　forsake　his　Byron　riband　or
refrain　from　wearing　his　collars　turned　down；　so　Tidd　was　sent　with
the　buggy　to　Astley's。　　〃And　hark　ye；　Titmarsh　my　boy；〃　said　he；
〃leave　your　diamond　pin　upstairs：　　our　friends　to…day　don't　like
such　gewgaws；　and　though　for　my　part　I　am　no　enemy　to　harmless
ornaments；　yet　I　would　not　shock　the　feelings　of　those　who　have
sterner　opinions。　　You　will　see　that　my　wife　and　Miss　Brough
consult　my　wishes　in　this　respect。〃　　And　so　they　did；for　they
both　came　down　to　dinner　in　black　gowns　and　tippets；　whereas　Miss
B。　had　commonly　her　dress　half　off　her　shoulders。

The　Captain　rode　over　several　times　to　see　us；　and　Miss　Brough
seemed　always　delighted　to　see　HIM。　　One　day　I　met　him　as　I　was
walking　out　alone　by　the　river；　and　we　had　a　long　talk　together。

〃Mr。　Titmarsh；〃　says　he；　〃from　what　little　I　have　seen　of　you；　you
seem　to　be　an　honest　straight…minded　young　fellow；　and　I　want　some
information　that　you　can　give。　　Tell　me；　in　the　first　place；　if　you
willand　upon　my　honour　it　shall　go　no　fartherabout　this
Insurance　Company　of　yours？　　You　are　in　the　City；　and　see　how
affairs　are　going　on。　　Is　your　concern　a　stable　one？〃

〃Sir；〃　said　I；　〃frankly　then；　and　upon　my　honour　too；　I　believe　it
is。　　It　has　been　set　up　only　four　years；　it　is　true；　but　Mr。　Brough
had　a　great　name　when　it　was　established；　and　a　vast　connection。
Every　clerk　in　the　office　has；　to　be　sure；　in　a　manner；　paid　for
his　place；　either　by　taking　shares　himself；　or　by　his　relations
taking　them。　　I　got　mine　because　my　mother；　who　is　very　poor；
devoted　a　small　sum　of　money　that　came　to　us　to　the　purchase　of　an
annuity　for　herself　and　a　provision　for　me。　　The　matter　was　debated
by　the　family　and　our　attorneys；　Messrs。　Hodge　and　Smithers；　who
are　very　well　known　in　our　part　of　the　country；　and　it　was　agreed
on　all　hands　that　my　mother　could　not　do　better　with　her　money　for
all　of　us　than　invest　it　in　this　way。　　Brough　alone　is　worth　half　a
million　of　money；　and　his　name　is　a　host　in　itself。　　Nay；　more：　　I
wrote　the　other　day　to　an　aunt　of　mine；　who　has　a　considerable　sum
of　money　in　loose　cash；　and　who　had　consulted　me　as　to　the　disposal
of　it；　to　invest　it　in　our　office。　　Can　I　give　you　any　better　proof
of　my　opinion　of　its　solvency？〃

〃Did　Brough　persuade　you　in　any　way？〃

〃Yes；　he　certainly　spoke　to　me：　　but　he　very　honestly　told　me　his
motives；　and　tells　them　to　us　all　as　honestly。　　He　says；
'Gentlemen；　it　is　my　object　to　increase　the　connection　of　the
office；　as　much　as　possible。　　I　want　to　crush　all　the　other　offices
in　London。　　Our　terms　are　lower　than　any　office；　and　we　can　bear　to
have　them　lower；　and　a　great　business　will　come　to　us　that　way。
But　we　must　work　ourselves　as　well。　　Every　single　shareholder　and
officer　of　the　establishment　must　exert　himself；　and　bring　us
customers；no　matter　for　how　little　they　are　engagedengage　them：
that　is　the　great　point。'　　And　accordingly　our　Director　makes　all
his　friends　and　servants　shareholders：　　his　very　lodge…porter
yonder　is　a　shareholder；　and　he　thus　endeavours　to　fasten　upon　all
whom　he　comes　near。　　I；　for　instance；　have　just　been　appointed　over
the　heads　of　our　gents；　to　a　much　better　place　than　I　held。　　I　am
asked　down　here；　and　entertained　royally：　　and　why？　　Because　my
aunt　has　three　thousand　pounds　which　Mr。　Brough　wants　her　to　invest
with　us。〃

〃That　looks　awkward；　Mr。　Titmarsh。〃

〃Not　a　whit；　sir：　　he　makes　no　disguise　of　the　matter。　　When　the
question　is　settled　one　way　or　the　other；　I　don't　believe　Mr。
Brough　will　take　any　further　notice　of　me。　　But　he　wants　me　now。
This　place　happened　to　fall　in　just　at　the　very　moment　when　he　had
need　of　me；　and　he　hopes　to　gain　over　my　family　through　me。　　He
told　me　as　much　as　we　drove　down。　　'You　are　a　man　of　the　world；
Titmarsh；'　said　he；　'you　know　that　I　don't　give　you　this　place
because　you　are　an　honest　fellow；　and　write　a　good　hand。　　If　I　had
a　lesser　bribe　to　offer　you　at　the　moment；　I　should　only　have　given
you　that；　but　I　had　no　choice；　and　gave　you　what　was　in　my　power。'〃

〃That's　fair　enough；　but　what　can　make　Brough　so　eager　for　such　a
small　sum　as　three　thousand　pounds？〃

〃If　it　had　been　ten；　sir；　he　would　have　been　not　a　bit　more　eager。
You　don't　know　the　city　of　London；　and　the　passion　which　our　great
men　in　the　share…market　have　for　increasing　their　connection。　　Mr。
Brough；　sir；　would　canvass　and　wheedle　a　chimney…sweep　in　the　way
of　business。　　See；　here　is　poor　Tidd　and　his　twenty　thousand
pounds。　　Our　Director　has　taken　possession　of　him　just　in　the　same
way。　　He　wants　all　the　capital　he　can　lay　his　hands　on。〃

〃Yes；　and　suppose　he　runs　off　with　the　capital？〃

〃Mr。　Brough；　of　the　firm　of　Brough　and　Hoff；　sir？　　Suppose　the　Bank
of　England　runs　off！　　But　here　we　are　at　the　lodge…gate。　　Let's　ask
Gates；　another　of　Mr。　Brough's　victims。〃　　And　we　went　in　and　spoke
to　old　Gates。

〃Well；　Mr。　Gates；〃　says　I；　beginning　the　matter　cleverly；　〃you　are
one　of　my　masters；　you　know；　at　the　West　Diddlesex　yonder？〃

〃Yees；　sure；〃　says　old　Gates；　grinning。　　He　was　a　retired　servant；
with　a　large　family　come　to　him　in　his　old　age。

〃May　I　ask　you　what　your　wages　are；　Mr。　Gates；　that　you　can　lay　by
so　much　money；　and　purchase　shares　in　our　Company？〃

Gates　told　us　his　wages；　and　when　we　inquired　whether　they　were
paid　regularly；　swore　that　his　master　was　the　kindest　gentleman　in
the　world：　　that　he　had　put　two　of　his　daughters　into　service；　two
of　his　sons　to　charity　schools；　made　one　apprentice；　and　narrated　a
hundred　other　benefits　that　he　had　received　from　the　family。　　Mrs。
Brough　clothed　half　the　children；　master　gave　them　blankets　and
coats　in　winter；　and　soup　and　meat　all　the　year　round。　　There　never
was　such　a　generous　family；　sure；　since　the　world　began。

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　I　to　the　Captain；　〃does　that　satisfy　you？　　Mr。
Brough　gives　to　these　people　fifty　times　as　much　as　he　gains　from
them；　and　yet　he　makes　Mr。　Gates　take　shares　in　our　Company。〃

〃Mr。　Titmarsh；〃　says　the　Captain；　〃you　are　an　honest　fellow；　and　I
confess　your　argument　sounds　well。　　Now　tell　me；　do　you　know
anything　about　Miss　Brough　and　her　fortune？〃

〃Brough　will　leave　her　everythingor　says　so。〃　　But　I　suppose　the
Captain　saw　some　particular　expression　in　my　countenance；　for　he
laughed　and　said　…

〃I　suppose；　my　dear　fellow；　you　think　she's　dear　at　the　price。
Well；　I　don't　know　that　you　are　far　wrong。〃

〃Why；　then；　if　I　may　make　so　bold；　Captain　Fizgig；　are　you　always
at　her　heels？〃

〃Mr。　Titmarsh；〃　says　the　Captain；　〃I　owe　twenty　thousand　pounds；〃
and　he　went　back　to　the　house　directly；　and　proposed　for　her。

I　thought　this　rather　cruel　and　unprincipled　conduct　on　the
gentleman's　part；　for　he　had　been　introduced　to　the　family　by　Mr。
Tidd；　with　whom　he　had　been　at　school；　and　had　supplanted　Tidd
entirely　in　the　great　heiress's　affections。　　Brough　stormed；　and
actually　swore　at　his　daughter　（as　the　Captain　told　me　afterwards）
when　he　heard　that　the　latter　had　accepted　Mr。　Fizgig；　and　at　last；
seeing　the　Captain；　made　him　give　his　word　that　the　engagement
should　be　kept　secret　for　a　few　months。　　And　Captain　F。　only　made　a
confidant　of　me；　and　the　mess；　as　he　said：　　but　this　was　after　Tidd
had　paid　his　twenty　thousand　pounds　over　to　our　governor；　which　he
did　punctually　when　he　came　of　age。　　The　same　day；　too；　he　proposed
for　the　young　lady；　and　I　need　not　say　was　rejected。　　Presently　the
Captain's　engagement　began　to　be　whisp