samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第16部分

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Congrigation　here；　and　who　egshorted　for　3　hours　in　the　afternoon
in　Mr。　B。's　private　chapel。　　As　the　widow　of　a　Hoggarty；　I　have
always　been　a　staunch　supporter　of　the　established　Church　of
England　and　Ireland；　but　I　must　say　Mr。　Wapshot's　stirring　way　was
far　superior　to　that　of　the　Rev。　Bland　Blenkinsop　of　the
Establishment；　who　lifted　up　his　voice　after　dinner　for　a　short
discourse　of　two　hours。

〃Mrs。　Brough　is；　between　ourselves；　a　poor　creature；　and　has　no
sperrit　of　her　own。　　As　for　Miss　B。；　she　is　so　saucy　that　once　I
promised　to　box　her　years；　and　would　have　left　the　house；　had　not
Mr。　B。　taken　my　part；　and　Miss　made　me　a　suitable　apollogy。

〃I　don't　know　when　I　shall　return　to　town；　being　made　really　so
welcome　here。　　Dr。　Blogg　says　the　air　of　Fulham　is　the　best　in　the
world　for　my　simtums；　and　as　the　ladies　of　the　house　do　not　choose
to　walk　out　with　me；　the　Rev。　Grimes　Wapshot　has　often　been　kind
enough　to　lend　me　his　arm；　and　'tis　sweet　with　such　a　guide　to
wander　both　to　Putney　and　Wandsworth；　and　igsamin　the　wonderful
works　of　nature。　　I　have　spoke　to　him　about　the　Slopperton
property；　and　he　is　not　of　Mr。　B。's　opinion　that　I　should　sell　it；
but　on　this　point　I　shall　follow　my　own　counsel。

〃Meantime　you　must　gett　into　more　comfortable　lodgings；　and　lett　my
bedd　be　warmed　every　night；　and　of　rainy　days　have　a　fire　in　the
grate：　　and　let　Mrs。　Titmarsh　look　up　my　blue　silk　dress；　and　turn
it　against　I　come；　and　there　is　my　purple　spencer　she　can　have　for
herself；　and　I　hope　she　does　not　wear　those　three　splendid　gowns
you　gave　her；　but　keep　them　until　BETTER　TIMES。　　I　shall　soon
introduse　her　to　my　friend　Mr。　Brough；　and　others　of　my
acquaintances；　and　am　always

〃Your　loving　AUNT。

〃I　have　ordered　a　chest　of　the　Rosolio　to　be　sent　from
Somersetshire。　　When　it　comes；　please　to　send　half　down　here
（paying　the　carriage；　of　course）。　　'Twill　be　an　acceptable　present
to　my　kind　entertainer；　Mr。　B。〃


This　letter　was　brought　to　me　by　Mr。　Brough　himself　at　the　office；
who　apologised　to　me　for　having　broken　the　seal　by　inadvertence；
for　the　letter　had　been　mingled　with　some　more　of　his　own；　and　he
opened　it　without　looking　at　the　superscription。　　Of　course　he　had
not　read　it；　and　I　was　glad　of　that；　for　I　should　not　have　liked
him　to　see　my　aunt's　opinion　of　his　daughter　and　lady。

The　next　day；　a　gentleman　at　〃Tom's　Coffee…house；〃　Cornhill；　sent
me　word　at　the　office　that　he　wanted　particularly　to　speak　to　me：
and　I　stopped　thither；　and　found　my　old　friend　Smithers；　of　the
house　of　Hodge　and　Smithers；　just　off　the　coach；　with　his　carpet…
bag　between　his　legs。

〃Sam　my　boy；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　your　aunt's　heir；　and　I　have　a
piece　of　news　for　you　regarding　her　property　which　you　ought　to
know。　　She　wrote　us　down　a　letter　for　a　chest　of　that　home…made
wine　of　hers　which　she　calls　Rosolio；　and　which　lies　in　our
warehouse　along　with　her　furniture。〃

〃Well；〃　says　I；　smiling；　〃she　may　part　with　as　much　Rosolio　as　she
likes　for　me。　　I　cede　all　my　right。〃

〃Psha！〃　says　Smithers；　〃it's　not　that；　though　her　furniture　puts　us
to　a　deuced　inconvenience；　to　be　sureit's　not　that：　　but；　in　the
postscript　of　her　letter；　she　orders　us　to　advertise　the　Slopperton
and　Squashtail　estates　for　immediate　sale；　as　she　purposes　placing
her　capital　elsewhere。〃

I　know　that　the　Slopperton　and　Squashtail　property　had　been　the
source　of　a　very　pretty　income　to　Messrs。　　Hodge　and　Smithers；　for
Aunt　was　always　at　law　with　her　tenants；　and　paid　dearly　for　her
litigious　spirit；　so　that　Mr。　Smithers's　concern　regarding　the　sale
of　it　did　not　seem　to　me　to　be　quite　disinterested。

〃And　did　you　come　to　London；　Mr。　Smithers；　expressly　to　acquaint　me
with　this　fact？　　It　seems　to　me　you　had　much　better　have　obeyed　my
aunt's　instructions　at　once；　or　go　to　her　at　Fulham；　and　consult
with　her　on　this　subject。〃

〃'Sdeath；　Mr。　Titmarsh！　don't　you　see　that　if　she　makes　a　sale　of
her　property；　she　will　hand　over　the　money　to　Brough；　and　if　Brough
gets　the　money　he〃

〃Will　give　her　seven　per　cent。　for　it　instead　of　three；there's　no
harm　in　that。〃

〃But　there's　such　a　thing　as　security；　look　you。　　He　is　a　warm　man；
certainlyvery　warmquite　respectablemost　undoubtedly
respectable。　　But　who　knows？　　A　panic　may　take　place；　and　then
these　five　hundred　companies　in　which　he　is　engaged　may　bring　him
to　ruin。　　There's　the　Ginger　Beer　Company；　of　which　Brough　is　a
director：　　awkward　reports　are　abroad　concerning　it。　　The
Consolidated　Baffin's　Bay　Muff　and　Tippet　Companythe　shares　are
down　very　low；　and　Brough　is　a　director　there。　　The　Patent　Pump
Companyshares　at　65；　and　a　fresh　call；　which　nobody　will　pay。〃

〃Nonsense；　Mr。　Smithers！　　Has　not　Mr。　Brough　five　hundred　thousand
pounds'　worth　of　shares　in　the　INDEPENDENT　WEST　DIDDLESEX；　and　is
THAT　at　a　discount？　　Who　recommended　my　aunt　to　invest　her　money　in
that　speculation；　I　should　like　to　know？〃　　I　had　him　there。

〃Well；　well；　it　is　a　very　good　speculation；　certainly；　and　has
brought　you　three　hundred　a　year；　Sam　my　boy；　and　you　may　thank　us
for　the　interest　we　took　in　you　（indeed；　we　loved　you　as　a　son；　and
Miss　Hodge　has　not　recovered　a　certain　marriage　yet）。　　You　don't
intend　to　rebuke　us　for　making　your　fortune；　do　you？〃

〃No；　hang　it；　no！〃　says　I；　and　shook　hands　with　him；　and　accepted　a
glass　of　sherry　and　biscuits；　which　he　ordered　forthwith。

Smithers　returned；　however；　to　the　charge。　　〃Sam；〃　he　said；　〃mark
my　words；　and　take　your　aunt　AWAY　FROM　THE　ROOKERY。　　She　wrote　to
Mrs。　S。　a　long　account　of　a　reverend　gent　with　whom　she　walks　out
there；the　Reverend　Grimes　Wapshot。　　That　man　has　an　eye　upon　her。
He　was　tried　at　Lancaster　in　the　year　'14　for　forgery；　and　narrowly
escaped　with　his　neck。　　Have　a　care　of　himhe　has　an　eye　to　her
money。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　I；　taking　out　Mrs。　Hoggarty's　letter：　　〃read　for
yourself。〃

He　read　it　over　very　carefully；　seemed　to　be　amused　by　it；　and　as
he　returned　it　to　me；　〃Well；　Sam；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　only　two
favours　to　ask　of　you：　　one　is；　not　to　mention　that　I　am　in　town　to
any　living　soul；　and　the　other　is　to　give　me　a　dinner　in　Lamb's
Conduit　Street　with　your　pretty　wife。〃

〃I　promise　you　both　gladly；〃　I　said；　laughing。　　〃But　if　you　dine
with　us；　your　arrival　in　town　must　be　known；　for　my　friend　Gus
Hoskins　dines　with　us　likewise；　and　has　done　so　nearly　every　day
since　my　aunt　went。〃

He　laughed　too；　and　said；　〃We　must　swear　Gus　to　secrecy　over　a
bottle。〃　　And　so　we　parted　till　dinner…time。

The　indefatigable　lawyer　pursued　his　attack　after　dinner；　and　was
supported　by　Gus　and　by　my　wife　too；　who　certainly　was
disinterested　in　the　mattermore　than　disinterested；　for　she　would
have　given　a　great　deal　to　be　spared　my　aunt's　company。　　But　she
said　she　saw　the　force　of　Mr。　Smithers's　arguments；　and　I　admitted
their　justice　with　a　sigh。　　However；　I　rode　my　high　horse；　and
vowed　that　my　aunt　should　do　what　she　liked　with　her　money；　and
that　I　was　not　the　man　who　would　influence　her　in　any　way　in　the
disposal　of　it。

After　tea；　the　two　gents　walked　away　together；　and　Gus　told　me　that
Smithers　had　asked　him　a　thousand　questions　about　the　office；　about
Brough；　about　me　and　my　wife；　and　everything　concerning　us。　　〃You
are　a　lucky　fellow；　Mr。　Hoskins；　and　seem　to　be　the　friend　of　this
charming　young　couple；〃　said　Smithers；　and　Gus　confessed　he　was；
and　said　he　had　dined　with　us　fifteen　times　in　six　weeks；　and　that
a　better　and　more　hospitable　fellow　than　I　did　not　exist。　　This　I
state　not　to　trumpet　my　own　praises；no；　no；　but　because　these
questions　of　Smithers's　had　a　good　deal　to　do　with　the　subsequent
events　narrated　in　this　little　history。

Being　seated　at　dinner　the　next　day　off　the　cold　leg　of　mutton　that
Smithers　had　admired　so　the　day　before；　and　Gus　as　usual　having　his
legs　under　our　mahogany；　a　hackney…coach　drove　up　to　the　door；
which　we　did　not　much　heed；　a　step　was　heard　on　the　floor；　which　we
hoped　might　be　for　the　two…pair　lodger；　when　who　should　burst　into
the　room　but　Mrs。　Hoggarty　herself！　　Gus；　who　was　blowing　the　froth
off　a　pot　of　porter　preparatory　to　a　delicious　drink　of　the
beverage；　and　had　been　making　us　die　of　laughing　with　his　stories
and　jokes；　laid　down　the　pewter　pot　as　Mrs。　H。　came　in；　and　looked
quite　sick　and　pale。　　Indeed　we　all　felt　a　little　uneasy。

My　aunt　looked　haughtily　in　Mary's　face；　then　fiercely　at　Gus；　and
saying；　〃It　is　too　truemy　poor　boyALREADY！〃　flung　herself
hysterically　into　my　arms；　and　swore；　almost　choking；　that　she
would　never　never　leave　me。

I　could　not　understand　the　meaning　of　this　extraordinary　agitation
on　Mrs。　Hoggarty's　part；　nor　could　any　of　us。　　She　refused　Mary's
hand　when　the　poor　thing　rather　nervously　offered　it；　and　when　Gus
timidly　said；　〃I　think；　Sam；　I'm　rather　in　the　way　here；　and
perhapshad　better　go；〃　Mrs。　H。　looked　him　full　in　the　face；
pointed　to　the　door　majestically　with　her　forefinger；　and　said；　〃I
think；　sir；　you　HAD　better　go。〃

〃I　hope　Mr。　Hoskins　will　stay　as　long　as　he　pleases；〃　said　my　wife；
with　spirit。

〃OF　COURSE　you　hope　so；　madam；〃　answered　Mrs。　Hoggarty；　very
sarcastic。　　But　Mary's　speech　and　my　aunt's　were　quite　lost　upon
Gus；　for　he　had　instantly　run　to　his　hat；　and　I　heard　him　tumbling
downstairs。

The　quarrel　ended；　as　usual；　by　Mary's　bursting　into　a　fit　of
tears；　and　by　my　aunt's　repeating　the　assertion　that　it　was　not　too
late；　she　trusted；　and　from　that　day　forth　she　would　never　never
leave　me。

〃What　could　have　made　Aunt　return　and　be　so　angry？〃　said　I　to　Mary
that　night；　as　we　were　in　our　own　room；　but　my　wife　protested　she
did　not　know：　　and　it　was　only　some　time　after　that　I　found　out　the
reason　of　this　quarrel；　and　of　Mrs。　H。's　sudden　reappearance。

The　horrible　fat　coarse　little　Smithers　told　me　the　matter　as　a
very　good　joke；　only　the　other　year；　when　he　showed　me　the　letter
of　Hickson；　Dixon；　Paxton　and　Jackson；　which　has　before　been　quoted
in　my　Memoirs。

〃Sam　my　boy；〃　said　he；　〃you　were　determined　to　leave　Mrs。　Hoggarty
in　Brough's　clutches　at　the　Rookery；　and　I　was　determined　to　have
her　away。　　I　resolved　to　kill　two　of　your　mortal　enemies　with　one
stone　as　it　were。　　It　was　quite　clear　to　me　that　the　Re