samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第18部分

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had　never　cherished　a　young　man　in　his　bosom；　but　the　ingrate　had
turned　on　him；　that　he　was　accustomed　to　wrong　and　undutifulness
from　his　children；　and　that　he　would　pray　that　the　sin　might　be
forgiven　me。　　A　moment　before　he　had　been　cursing　and　swearing　at
me；　and　speaking　to　me　as　if　I　had　been　his　shoeblack。　　But；　look
you；　I　was　not　going　to　put　up　with　any　more　of　Madam　Brough's
airs；　or　of　his。　　With　me　they　might　act　as　they　thought　fit；　but　I
did　not　choose　that　my　wife　should　be　passed　over　by　them；　as　she
had　been　in　the　matter　of　the　visit　to　Fulham。

Brough　ended　by　warning　me　of　Hodge　and　Smithers。　　〃Beware　of　these
men；〃　said　he；　〃but　for　my　honesty；　your　aunt's　landed　property
would　have　been　sacrificed　by　these　cormorants：　　and　when；　for　her
benefitwhich　you；　obstinate　young　man；　will　not　perceiveI
wished　to　dispose　of　her　land；　her　attorneys　actually　had　the
audacitythe　unchristian　avarice　I　may　sayto　ask　ten　per　cent。
commission　on　the　sale。〃

There　might　be　some　truth　in　this；　I　thought：　　at　any　rate；　when
rogues　fall　out；　honest　men　come　by　their　own：　　and　now　I　began　to
suspect；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　that　both　the　attorney　and　the　Director
had　a　little　of　the　rogue　in　their　composition。　　It　was　especially
about　my　wife's　fortune　that　Mr。　B。　showed　HIS　cloven　foot：　　for
proposing；　as　usual；　that　I　should　purchase　shares　with　it　in　our
Company；　I　told　him　that　my　wife　was　a　minor；　and　as　such　her
little　fortune　was　vested　out　of　my　control　altogether。　　He　flung
away　in　a　rage　at　this；　and　I　soon　saw　that　he　did　not　care　for　me
any　more；　by　Abednego's　manner　to　me。　　No　more　holidays；　no　more
advances　of　money；　had　I：　　on　the　contrary；　the　private　clerkship
at　150L。　was　abolished；　and　I　found　myself　on　my　250L。　a　year
again。　　Well；　what　then？　it　was　always　a　good　income；　and　I　did　my
duty；　and　laughed　at　the　Director。

About　this　time；　in　the　beginning　of　1824；　the　Jamaica　Ginger　Beer
Company　shut　up　shopexploded；　as　Gus　said；　with　a　bang！　　The
Patent　Pump　shares　were　down　to　15L。　upon　a　paid…up　capital　of　65L。
Still　ours　were　at　a　high　premium；　and　the　Independent　West
Diddlesex　held　its　head　up　as　proudly　as　any　office　in　London。
Roundhand's　abuse　had　had　some　influence　against　the　Director；
certainly；　for　he　hinted　at　malversation　of　shares：　　but　the
Company　still　stood　as　united　as　the　Hand…in…Hand；　and　as　firm　as
the　Rock。

To　return　to　the　state　of　affairs　in　Bernard　Street；　Russell
Square：　　my　aunt's　old　furniture　crammed　our　little　rooms；　and　my
aunt's　enormous　old　jingling　grand　piano；　with　crooked　legs　and
half　the　strings　broken；　occupied　three…fourths　of　the　little
drawing…room。　　Here　used　Mrs。　H。　to　sit；　and　play　us；　for　hours；
sonatas　that　were　in　fashion　in　Lord　Charleville's　time；　and　sung
with　a　cracked　voice；　till　it　was　all　that　we　could　do　to　refrain
from　laughing。

And　it　was　queer　to　remark　the　change　that　had　taken　place　in　Mrs。
Hoggarty's　character　now：　　for　whereas　she　was　in　the　country　among
the　topping　persons　of　the　village；　and　quite　content　with　a　tea…
party　at　six　and　a　game　of　twopenny　whist　afterwards；in　London
she　would　never　dine　till　seven；　would　have　a　fly　from　the　mews　to
drive　in　the　Park　twice　a　week；　cut　and　uncut；　and　ripped　up　and
twisted　over　and　over；　all　her　old　gowns；　flounces；　caps；　and
fallals；　and　kept　my　poor　Mary　from　morning　till　night　altering
them　to　the　present　mode。　　Mrs。　Hoggarty；　moreover；　appeared　in　a
new　wig；　and；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　turned　out　with　such　a　pair　of　red
cheeks　as　Nature　never　gave　her；　and　as　made　all　the　people　in
Bernard　Street　stare；　where　they　are　not　as　yet　used　to　such
fashions。

Moreover；　she　insisted　upon　our　establishing　a　servant　in　livery；
a　boy；　that　is；　of　about　sixteen；who　was　dressed　in　one　of　the
old　liveries　that　she　had　brought　with　her　from　Somersetshire；
decorated　with　new　cuffs　and　collars；　and　new　buttons：　　on　the
latter　were　represented　the　united　crests　of　the　Titmarshes　and
Hoggartys；　viz。；　a　tomtit　rampant　and　a　hog　in　armour。　　I　thought
this　livery　and　crest…button　rather　absurd；　I　must　confess；　though
my　family　is　very　ancient。　　And　heavens！　what　a　roar　of　laughter
was　raised　in　the　office　one　day；　when　the　little　servant　in　the
big　livery；　with　the　immense　cane；　walked　in　and　brought　me　a
message　from　Mrs。　Hoggarty　of　Castle　Hoggarty！　　Furthermore；　all
letters　were　delivered　on　a　silver　tray。　　If　we　had　had　a　baby；　I
believe　Aunt　would　have　had　it　down　on　the　tray：　　but　there　was　as
yet　no　foundation　for　Mr。　Smithers's　insinuation　upon　that　score；
any　more　than　for　his　other　cowardly　fabrication　before　narrated。
Aunt　and　Mary　used　to　walk　gravely　up　and　down　the　New　Road；　with
the　boy　following　with　his　great　gold…headed　stick；　but　though
there　was　all　this　ceremony　and　parade；　and　Aunt　still　talked　of
her　acquaintances；　we　did　not　see　a　single　person　from　week's　end
to　week's　end；　and　a　more　dismal　house　than　ours　could　hardly　be
found　in　London　town。

On　Sundays；　Mrs。　Hoggarty　used　to　go　to　St。　Pancras　Church；　then
just　built；　and　as　handsome　as　Covent　Garden　Theatre；　and　of
evenings；　to　a　meeting…house　of　the　Anabaptists：　　and　that　day；　at
least；　Mary　and　I　had　to　ourselves；for　we　chose　to　have　seats　at
the　Foundling；　and　heard　the　charming　music　there；　and　my　wife　used
to　look　wistfully　in　the　pretty　children's　faces；and　so；　for　the
matter　of　that；　did　I。　　It　was　not；　however；　till　a　year　after　our
marriage　that　she　spoke　in　a　way　which　shall　be　here　passed　over；
but　which　filled　both　her　and　me　with　inexpressible　joy。

I　remember　she　had　the　news　to　give　me　on　the　very　day　when　the
Muff　and　Tippet　Company　shut　up；　after　swallowing　a　capital　of
300；000L。　as　some　said；　and　nothing　to　show　for　it　except　a　treaty
with　some　Indians；　who　had　afterwards　tomahawked　the　agent　of　the
Company。　　Some　people　said　there　were　no　Indians；　and　no　agent　to
be　tomahawked　at　all；　but　that　the　whole　had　been　invented　in　a
house　in　Crutched　Friars。　　Well；　I　pitied　poor　Tidd；　whose　20；000L。
were　thus　gone　in　a　year；　and　whom　I　met　in　the　City　that　day　with
a　most　ghastly　face。　　He　had　1；000L。　of　debts；　he　said；　and　talked
of　shooting　himself；　but　he　was　only　arrested；　and　passed　a　long
time　in　the　Fleet。　　Mary's　delightful　news；　however；　soon　put　Tidd
and　the　Muff　and　Tippet　Company　out　of　my　head；　as　you　may　fancy。

Other　circumstances　now　occurred　in　the　City　of　London　which　seemed
to　show　that　our　Director　waswhat　is　not　to　be　found　in　Johnson's
Dictionaryrather　shaky。　　Three　of　his　companies　had　broken；　four
more　were　in　a　notoriously　insolvent　state；　and　even　at　the
meetings　of　the　directors　of　the　West　Diddlesex；　some　stormy　words
passed；　which　ended　in　the　retirement　of　several　of　the　board。
Friends　of　Mr。　B。's　filled　up　their　places：　　Mr。　Puppet；　Mr。　Straw；
Mr。　Query；　and　other　respectable　gents；　coming　forward　and　joining
the　concern。　　Brough　and　Hoff　dissolved　partnership；　and　Mr。　B。
said　he　had　quite　enough　to　do　to　manage　the　I。　W。　D。；　and　intended
gradually　to　retire　from　the　other　affairs。　　Indeed；　such　an
Association　as　ours　was　enough　work　for　any　man；　let　alone　the
parliamentary　duties　which　Brough　was　called　on　to　perform；　and　the
seventy…two　lawsuits　which　burst　upon　him　as　principal　director　of
the　late　companies。

Perhaps　I　should　here　describe　the　desperate　attempts　made　by　Mrs。
Hoggarty　to　introduce　herself　into　genteel　life。　　Strange　to　say；
although　we　had　my　Lord　Tiptoff's　word　to　the　contrary；　she
insisted　upon　it　that　she　and　Lady　Drum　were　intimately　related；
and　no　sooner　did　she　read　in　the　Morning　Post　of　the　arrival　of
her　Ladyship　and　her　granddaughters　in　London；　than　she　ordered　the
fly　before　mentioned；　and　left　cards　at　their　respective　houses：
her　card；　that　is〃MRS。　HOGGARTY　OF　CASTLE　HOGGARTY；〃
magnificently　engraved　in　Gothic　letters　and　flourishes；　and　ours；
viz。；　〃Mr。　and　Mrs。　S。　Titmarsh；〃　which　she　had　printed　for　the
purpose。

She　would　have　stormed　Lady　Jane　Preston's　door　and　forced　her　way
upstairs；　in　spite　of　Mary's　entreaties　to　the　contrary；　had　the
footman　who　received　her　card　given　her　the　least　encouragement；
but　that　functionary；　no　doubt　struck　by　the　oddity　of　her
appearance；　placed　himself　in　the　front　of　the　door；　and　declared
that　he　had　positive　orders　not　to　admit　any　strangers　to　his　lady。
On　which　Mrs。　Hoggarty　clenched　her　fist　out　of　the　coach…window；
and　promised　that　she　would　have　him　turned　away。

Yellowplush　only　burst　out　laughing　at　this；　and　though　Aunt　wrote
a　most　indignant　letter　to　Mr。　Edmund　Preston；　complaining　of　the
insolence　of　the　servants　of　that　right　honourable　gent；　Mr。
Preston　did　not　take　any　notice　of　her　letter；　further　than　to
return　it；　with　a　desire　that　he　might　not　be　troubled　with　such
impertinent　visits　for　the　future。　　A　pretty　day　we　had　of　it　when
this　letter　arrived；　owing　to　my　aunt's　disappointment　and　rage　in
reading　the　contents；　for　when　Solomon　brought　up　the　note　on　the
silver　tea…tray　as　usual；　my　aunt；　seeing　Mr。　Preston's　seal　and
name　at　the　corner　of　the　letter　（which　is　the　common　way　of
writing　adopted　by　those　official　gents）my　aunt；　I　say；　seeing
his　name　and　seal；　cried；　〃NOW；　Mary；　who　is　right？〃　and　betted　my
wife　a　sixpence　that　the　envelope　contained　an　invitation　to
dinner。　　She　never　paid　the　sixpence；　though　she　lost；　but
contented　herself　by　abusing　Mary　all　day；　and　said　I　was　a　poor…
spirited　sneak　for　not　instantly　horsewhipping　Mr。　P。　　A　pretty
joke；　indeed！　　They　would　have　hanged　me　in　those　days；　as　they　did
the　man　who　shot　Mr。　Perceval。

And　now　I　should　be　glad　to　enlarge　upon　that　experience　in　genteel
life　which　I　obtained　through　the　perseverance　of　Mrs。　Hoggarty；
but　it　must　be　owned　that　my　opportunities　were　but　few；　lasting
only　for　the　brief　period　of　six　months：　　and　also；　genteel　society
has　been　fully　described　already　by　various　authors　of　novels；
whose　names　need　not　here　be　set　down；　but　who；　being　themselves
connected　with　the　aristocracy；　viz。；　as　members　of　noble　families；
or　as　footmen　or　hangers…on　thereof；　naturally　understand　their
subject　a　great　deal　better　than　a　poor　young　fellow　from　a　fire…
office　can。