samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第17部分

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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　Reverend
Grimes　Wapshot　had　an　eye　to　your　aunt's　fortune；　and　that　Mr。
Brough　had　similar　predatory　intentions　regarding　her。　　Predatory
is　a　mild　word；　Sam：　　if　I　had　said　robbery　at　once；　I　should
express　my　meaning　clearer。

〃Well；　I　took　the　Fulham　stage；　and　arriving；　made　straight　for　the
lodgings　of　the　reverend　gentleman。　　'Sir；'　said　I；　on　finding　that
worthy　gent；he　was　drinking　warm　brandy…and…water；　Sam；　at　two
o'clock　in　the　day；　or　at　least　the　room　smelt　very　strongly　of
that　beverage'Sir；'　says　I；　'you　were　tried　for　forgery　in　the
year　'14；　at　Lancaster　assizes。'

〃'And　acquitted；　sir。　　My　innocence　was　by　Providence　made　clear；'
said　Wapshot。

〃'But　you　were　not　acquitted　of　embezzlement　in　'16；　sir；'　says　I；
'and　passed　two　years　in　York　Gaol　in　consequence。'　　I　knew　the
fellow's　history；　for　I　had　a　writ　out　against　him　when　he　was　a
preacher　at　Clifton。　　I　followed　up　my　blow。　　'Mr。　Wapshot；'　said
I；　'you　are　making　love　to　an　excellent　lady　now　at　the　house　of
Mr。　Brough：　　if　you　do　not　promise　to　give　up　all　pursuit　of　her；　I
will　expose　you。'

〃'I　HAVE　promised；'　said　Wapshot；　rather　surprised；　and　looking
more　easy。　　'I　have　given　my　solemn　promise　to　Mr。　Brough；　who　was
with　me　this　very　morning；　storming；　and　scolding；　and　swearing。
Oh；　sir；　it　would　have　frightened　you　to　hear　a　Christian　babe　like
him　swear　as　he　did。'

〃'Mr。　Brough　been　here？'　says　I；　rather　astonished。

〃'Yes；　I　suppose　you　are　both　here　on　the　same　scent；'　says
Wapshot。　　'You　want　to　marry　the　widow　with　the　Slopperton　and
Squashtail　estate；　do　you？　　Well；　well；　have　your　way。　　I've
promised　not　to　have　anything　more　to　do　with　the　widow　and　a
Wapshot's　honour　is　sacred。'

〃'I　suppose；　sir；'　says　I；　'Mr。　Brough　has　threatened　to　kick　you
out　of　doors；　if　you　call　again。'

〃'You　HAVE　been　with　him；　I　see；'　says　the　reverend　gent；　with　a
shrug：　　then　I　remembered　what　you　had　told　me　of　the　broken　seal
of　your　letter；　and　have　not　the　slightest　doubt　that　Brough　opened
and　read　every　word　of　it。

〃Well；　the　first　bird　was　bagged：　　both　I　and　Brough　had　had　a　shot
at　him。　　Now　I　had　to　fire　at　the　whole　Rookery；　and　off　I　went；
primed　and　loaded；　sir；primed　and　loaded。

〃It　was　past　eight　when　I　arrived；　and　I　saw；　after　I　passed　the
lodge…gates；　a　figure　that　I　knew；　walking　in　the　shrubberythat
of　your　respected　aunt；　sir：　　but　I　wished　to　meet　the　amiable
ladies　of　the　house　before　I　saw　her；　because　look；　friend
Titmarsh；　I　saw　by　Mrs。　Hoggarty's　letter；　that　she　and　they　were
at　daggers　drawn；　and　hoped　to　get　her　out　of　the　house　at　once　by
means　of　a　quarrel　with　them。〃

I　laughed；　and　owned　that　Mr。　Smithers　was　a　very　cunning　fellow。

〃As　luck　would　have　it；〃　continued　he；　〃Miss　Brough　was　in　the
drawing…room　twangling　on　a　guitar；　and　singing　most　atrociously
out　of　tune；　but　as　I　entered　at　the　door；　I　cried　'Hush！'　to　the
footman；　as　loud　as　possible；　stood　stock…still；　and　then　walked
forward　on　tip…toe　lightly。　　Miss　B。　could　see　in　the　glass　every
movement　that　I　made；　she　pretended　not　to　see；　however；　and
finished　the　song　with　a　regular　roulade。

〃'Gracious　Heaven！'　said　I；　'do；　madam；　pardon　me　for　interrupting
that　delicious　harmony；for　coming　unaware　upon　it；　for　daring
uninvited　to　listen　to　it。'

〃'Do　you　come　for　Mamma；　sir？'　said　Miss　Brough；　with　as　much
graciousness　as　her　physiognomy　could　command。　　'I　am　Miss　Brough；
sir。'

〃'I　wish；　madam；　you　would　let　me　not　breathe　a　word　regarding　my
business　until　you　have　sung　another　charming　strain。'

〃She　did　not　sing；　but　looked　pleased；　and　said；　'La！　sir；　what　is
your　business？'

〃'My　business　is　with　a　lady；　your　respected　father's　guest　in　this
house。'

〃'Oh；　Mrs。　Hoggarty！'　says　Miss　Brough；　flouncing　towards　the　bell；
and　ringing　it。　　'John；　send　to　Mrs。　Hoggarty；　in　the　shrubbery；
here　is　a　gentleman　who　wants　to　see　her。'

〃'I　know；'　continued　I；　'Mrs。　Hoggarty's　peculiarities　as　well　as
anyone；　madam；　and　aware　that　those　and　her　education　are　not　such
as　to　make　her　a　fit　companion　for　you。　　I　know　you　do　not　like
her：　　she　has　written　to　us　in　Somersetshire　that　you　do　not　like
her。'

〃'What！　she　has　been　abusing　us　to　her　friends；　has　she？'　cried
Miss　Brough　（it　was　the　very　point　I　wished　to　insinuate）。　　'If　she
does　not　like　us；　why　does　she　not　leave　us？'

〃'She　HAS　made　rather　a　long　visit；'　said　I；　'and　I　am　sure　that
her　nephew　and　niece　are　longing　for　her　return。　　Pray；　madam；　do
not　move；　for　you　may　aid　me　in　the　object　for　which　I　come。'

〃The　object　for　which　I　came；　sir；　was　to　establish　a　regular
battle…royal　between　the　two　ladies；　at　the　end　of　which　I　intended
to　appeal　to　Mrs。　Hoggarty；　and　say　that　she　ought　really　no　longer
to　stay　in　a　house　with　the　members　of　which　she　had　such　unhappy
differences。　　Well；　sir；　the　battle…royal　was　fought；Miss　Belinda
opening　the　fire；　by　saying　she　understood　Mrs。　Hoggarty　had　been
calumniating　her　to　her　friends。　　But　though　at　the　end　of　it　Miss
rushed　out　of　the　room　in　a　rage；　and　vowed　she　would　leave　her
home　unless　that　odious　woman　left　it；　your　dear　aunt　said；　'Ha；
ha！　　I　know　the　minx's　vile　stratagems；　but；　thank　Heaven！　I　have　a
good　heart；　and　my　religion　enables　me　to　forgive　her。　　I　shall　not
leave　her　excellent　papa's　house；　or　vex　by　my　departure　that
worthy　admirable　man。'

〃I　then　tried　Mrs。　H。　on　the　score　of　compassion。　　'Your　niece；'
said　I；　'Mrs。　Titmarsh；　madam；　has　been　of　late；　Sam　says；　rather
poorly；qualmish　of　mornings；　madam；a　little　nervous；　and　low　in
spirits；symptoms；　madam；　that　are　scarcely　to　be　mistaken　in　a
young　married　person。'

〃Mrs。　Hoggarty　said　she　had　an　admirable　cordial　that　she　would
send　Mrs。　Samuel　Titmarsh；　and　she　was　perfectly　certain　it　would
do　her　good。

〃With　very　great　unwillingness　I　was　obliged　now　to　bring　my　last
reserve　into　the　field；　and　may　tell　you　what　that　was；　Sam　my　boy；
now　that　the　matter　is　so　long　passed。　　'Madam；'　said　I；　'there's　a
matter　about　which　I　must　speak；　though　indeed　I　scarcely　dare。　　I
dined　with　your　nephew　yesterday；　and　met　at　his　table　a　young　man…
…a　young　man　of　low　manners；　but　evidently　one　who　has　blinded　your
nephew；　and　I　too　much　fear　has　succeeded　in　making　an　impression
upon　your　niece。　　His　name　is　Hoskins；　madam；　and　when　I　state　that
he　who　was　never　in　the　house　during　your　presence　there；　has　dined
with　your　too　confiding　nephew　sixteen　times　in　three　weeks；　I　may
leave　you　to　imagine　what　I　dare　notdare　not　imagine　myself。'

〃The　shot　told。　　Your　aunt　bounced　up　at　once；　and　in　ten　minutes
more　was　in　my　carriage；　on　our　way　back　to　London。　　There；　sir；
was　not　that　generalship？〃

〃And　you　played　this　pretty　trick　off　at　my　wife's　expense；　Mr。
Smithers；〃　said　I。

〃At　your　wife's　expense；　certainly；　but　for　the　benefit　of　both　of
you。〃

〃It's　lucky；　sir；　that　you　are　an　old　man；〃　I　replied；　〃and　that
the　affair　happened　ten　years　ago；　or；　by　the　Lord；　Mr。　Smithers；　I
would　have　given　you　such　a　horsewhipping　as　you　never　heard　of！〃

But　this　was　the　way　in　which　Mrs。　Hoggarty　was　brought　back　to　her
relatives；　and　this　was　the　reason　why　we　took　that　house　in
Bernard　Street；　the　doings　at　which　must　now　he　described。



CHAPTER　X



OF　SAM'S　PRIVATE　AFFAIRS　AND　OF　THE　FIRM　OF　BROUGH　AND　HOFF

We　took　a　genteel　house　in　Bernard　Street；　Russell　Square；　and　my
aunt　sent　for　all　her　furniture　from　the　country；　which　would　have
filled　two　such　houses；　but　which　came　pretty　cheap　to　us　young
housekeepers；　as　we　had　only　to　pay　the　carriage　of　the　goods　from
Bristol。

When　I　brought　Mrs。　H。　her　third　half…year's　dividend；　having　not
for　four　months　touched　a　shilling　of　her　money；　I　must　say　she
gave　me　50L。　of　the　80L。；　and　told　me　that　was　ample　pay　for　the
board　and　lodging　of　a　poor　old　woman　like　her；　who　did　not　eat
more　than　a　sparrow。

I　have　myself；　in　the　country；　seen　her　eat　nine　sparrows　in　a
pudding；　but　she　was　rich　and　I　could　not　complain。　　If　she　saved
600L。　a　year；　at　the　least；　by　living　with　us；　why；　all　the　savings
would　one　day　come　to　me；　and　so　Mary　and　I　consoled　ourselves；　and
tried　to　manage　matters　as　well　as　we　might。　　It　was　no　easy　task
to　keep　a　mansion　in　Bernard　Street　and　save　money　out　of　470L。　a
year；　which　was　my　income。　　But　what　a　lucky　fellow　I　was　to　have
such　an　income！

As　Mrs。　Hoggarty　left　the　Rookery　in　Smithers's　carriage；　Mr。
Brough；　with　his　four　greys；　was　entering　the　lodge…gate；　and　I
should　like　to　have　seen　the　looks　of　these　two　gentlemen；　as　the
one　was　carrying　the　other's　prey　off；　out　of　his　own　very　den；
under　his　very　nose。

He　came　to　see　her　the　next　day；　and　protested　that　he　would　not
leave　the　house　until　she　left　it　with　him：　　that　he　had　heard　of
his　daughter's　infamous　conduct；　and　had　seen　her　in　tears〃in
tears；　madam；　and　on　her　knees；　imploring　Heaven　to　pardon　her！〃
But　Mr。　B。　was　obliged　to　leave　the　house　without　my　aunt；　who　had
a　causa　major　for　staying；　and　hardly　allowed　poor　Mary　out　of　her
sight；opening　every　one　of　the　letters　that　came　into　the　house
directed　to　my　wife；　and　suspecting　hers　to　everybody。　　Mary　never
told　me　of　all　this　pain　for　many　many　years　afterwards；　but　had
always　a　smiling　face　for　her　husband　when　he　came　home　from　his
work。　　As　for　poor　Gus；　my　aunt　had　so　frightened　him；　that　he
never　once　showed　his　nose　in　the　place　all　the　time　we　lived
there；　but　used　to　be　content　with　news　of　Mary；　of　whom　he　was　as
fond　as　he　was　of　me。

Mr。　Brough；　when　my　aunt　left　him；　was　in　a　furious　ill…humour　with
me。　　He　found　fault　with　me　ten　times　a　day；　and　openly；　before　the
gents　of　the　office；　but　I　let　him　one　day　know　pretty　smartly　that
I　was　not　only　a　servant；　but　a　considerable　shareholder　in　the
company；　that　I　defied　him　to　find　fault　with　my　work　or　my
regularity；　and　that　I　was　not　minded　to　receive　any　insolent
language　from　him　or　any　man。　　He　said　it　was　always　so：　　that　he
had　never　cherished　a　young　man　in　his　bosom；　but　the　ingrate　had
turned　on　him；　that　he　was　ac