samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第19部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


subject　a　great　deal　better　than　a　poor　young　fellow　from　a　fire…
office　can。

There　was　our　celebrated　adventure　in　the　Opera　House；　whither　Mrs。
H。　would　insist　upon　conducting　us；　and　where；　in　a　room　of　the
establishment　called　the　crush…room；　where　the　ladies　and　gents
after　the　music　and　dancing　await　the　arrival　of　their　carriages　（a
pretty　figure　did　our　little　Solomon　cut；　by　the　way；　with　his　big
cane；　among　the　gentlemen　of　the　shoulder…knot　assembled　in　the
lobby！）where；　I　say；　in　the　crush…room；　Mrs。　H。　rushed　up　to　old
Lady　Drum；　whom　I　pointed　out　to　her；　and　insisted　upon　claiming
relationship　with　her　Ladyship。　　But　my　Lady　Drum　had　only　a　memory
when　she　chose；　as　I　may　say；　and　had　entirely　on　this　occasion
thought　fit　to　forget　her　connection　with　the　Titmarshes　and
Hoggarties。　　Far　from　recognising　us；　indeed；　she　called　Mrs。
Hoggarty　an　〃ojus　'oman；〃　and　screamed　out　as　loud　as　possible　for
a　police…officer。

This　and　other　rebuffs　made　my　aunt　perceive　the　vanities　of　this
wicked　world；　as　she　said；　and　threw　her　more　and　more　into　really
serious　society。　　She　formed　several　very　valuable　acquaintances；
she　said；　at　the　Independent　Chapel；　and　among　others；　lighted　upon
her　friend　of　the　Rookery；　Mr。　Grimes　Wapshot。　　We　did　not　know
then　the　interview　which　he　had　had　with　Mr。　Smithers；　nor　did
Grimes　think　proper　to　acquaint　us　with　the　particulars　of　it；　but
though　I　did　acquaint　Mrs。　H。　with　the　fact　that　her　favourite
preacher　had　been　tried　for　forgery；　SHE　replied　that　she
considered　the　story　an　atrocious　calumny；　and　HE　answered　by
saying　that　Mary　and　I　were　in　lamentable　darkness；　and　that　we
should　infallibly　find　the　way　to　a　certain　bottomless　pit；　of
which　he　seemed　to　know　a　great　deal。　　Under　the　reverend
gentleman's　guidance　and　advice；　she；　after　a　time；　separated　from
St。　Pancras　altogether〃SAT　UNDER　HIM；〃　as　the　phrase　is；
regularly　thrice　a　weekbegan　to　labour　in　the　conversion　of　the
poor　of　Bloomsbury　and　St。　Giles's；　and　made　a　deal　of　baby…linen
for　distribution　among　those　benighted　people。　　She　did　not　make
any；　however；　for　Mrs。　Sam　Titmarsh；　who　now　showed　signs　that　such
would　be　speedily　necessary；　but　let　Mary　（and　my　mother　and
sisters　in　Somersetshire）　provide　what　was　requisite　for　the　coming
event。　　I　am　not；　indeed；　sure　that　she　did　not　say　it　was　wrong　on
our　parts　to　make　any　such　provision；　and　that　we　ought　to　let　the
morrow　provide　for　itself。　　At　any　rate；　the　Reverend　Grimes
Wapshot　drank　a　deal　of　brandy…and…water　at　our　house；　and　dined
there　even　oftener　than　poor　Gus　used　to　do。

But　I　had　little　leisure　to　attend　to　him　and　his　doings；　for　I
must　confess　at　this　time　I　was　growing　very　embarrassed　in　my
circumstances；　and　was　much　harassed　both　as　a　private　and　public
character。

As　regards　the　former；　Mrs。　Hoggarty　had　given　me　50L。；　but　out　of
that　50L。　I　had　to　pay　a　journey　post　from　Somersetshire；　all　the
carriage　of　her　goods　from　the　country；　the　painting；　papering；　and
carpeting　of　my　house；　the　brandy　and　strong　liquors　drunk　by　the
Reverend　Grimes　and　his　friends　（for　the　reverend　gent　said　that
Rosolio　did　not　agree　with　him）；　and　finally；　a　thousand　small
bills　and　expenses　incident　to　all　housekeepers　in　the　town　of
London。

Add　to　this；　I　received　just　at　the　time　when　I　was　most　in　want　of
cash；　Madame　Mantalini's　bill；　Messrs。　　Howell　and　James's　ditto；
the　account　of　Baron　Von　Stiltz；　and　the　bill　of　Mr。　Polonius　for
the　setting　of　the　diamond　pin。　　All　these　bills　arrived　in　a　week；
as　they　have　a　knack　of　doing；　and　fancy　my　astonishment　in
presenting　them　to　Mrs。　Hoggarty；　when　she　said；　〃Well；　my　dear；
you　are　in　the　receipt　of　a　very　fine　income。　　If　you　choose　to
order　dresses　and　jewels　from　first…rate　shops；　you　must　pay　for
them；　and　don't　expect　that　I　am　to　abet　your　extravagance；　or　give
you　a　shilling　more　than　the　munificent　sum　I　pay　you　for　board　and
lodging！〃

How　could　I　tell　Mary　of　this　behaviour　of　Mrs。　Hoggarty；　and　Mary
in　such　a　delicate　condition？　　And　bad　as　matters　were　at　home；　I
am　sorry　to　say　at　the　office　they　began　to　look　still　worse。

Not　only　did　Roundhand　leave；　but　Highmore　went　away。　　Abednego
became　head　clerk：　　and　one　day　old　Abednego　came　to　the　place　and
was　shown　into　the　directors'　private　room；　when　he　left　it；　he
came　trembling；　chattering；　and　cursing　downstairs；　and　had　begun；
〃Shentlemen〃　a　speech　to　the　very　clerks　in　the　office；　when　Mr。
Brough；　with　an　imploring　look；　and　crying　out；　〃Stop　till
Saturday！〃　at　length　got　him　into　the　street。

On　Saturday　Abednego　junior　left　the　office　for　ever；　and　I　became
head　clerk　with　400L。　a　year　salary。　　It　was　a　fatal　week　for　the
office；　too。　　On　Monday；　when　I　arrived　and　took　my　seat　at　the
head　desk；　and　my　first　read　of　the　newspaper；　as　was　my　right；　the
first　thing　I　read　was；　〃Frightful　fire　in　Houndsditch！　　Total
destruction　of　Mr。　Meshach's　sealing…wax　manufactory　and　of　Mr。
Shadrach's　clothing　depot；　adjoining。　　In　the　former　was　20；000L。
worth　of　the　finest　Dutch　wax；　which　the　voracious　element　attacked
and　devoured　in　a　twinkling。　　The　latter　estimable　gentleman　had
just　completed　forty　thousand　suits　of　clothes　for　the　cavalry　of
H。H。　the　Cacique　of　Poyais。〃

Both　of　these　Jewish　gents；　who　were　connections　of　Mr。　Abednego；
were　insured　in　our　office　to　the　full　amount　of　their　loss。　　The
calamity　was　attributed　to　the　drunkenness　of　a　scoundrelly　Irish
watchman；　who　was　employed　on　the　premises；　and　who　upset　a　bottle
of　whisky　in　the　warehouse　of　Messrs。　Shadrach；　and　incautiously
looked　for　the　liquor　with　a　lighted　candle。　　The　man　was　brought
to　our　office　by　his　employers；　and　certainly；　as　we　all　could
testify；　was　EVEN　THEN　in　a　state　of　frightful　intoxication。

As　if　this　were　not　sufficient；　in　the　obituary　was　announced　the
demise　of　Alderman　PashAlderman　Cally…Pash　we　used　to　call　him　in
our　lighter　hours；　knowing　his　propensity　to　green　fat：　　but　such　a
moment　as　this　was　no　time　for　joking！　　He　was　insured　by　our　house
for　5；000L。　　And　now　I　saw　very　well　the　truth　of　a　remark　of
Gus'sviz。；　that　life…assurance　companies　go　on　excellently　for　a
year　or　two　after　their　establishment；　but　that　it　is　much　more
difficult　to　make　them　profitable　when　the　assured　parties　begin　to
die。

The　Jewish　fires　were　the　heaviest　blows　we　had　had；　for　though　the
Waddingley　Cotton…mills　had　been　burnt　in　1822；　at　a　loss　to　the
Company　of　80；000L。；　and　though　the　Patent　Erostratus　Match
Manufactory　had　exploded　in　the　same　year　at　a　charge　of　14；000L。；
there　were　those　who　said　that　the　loss　had　not　been　near　so　heavy
as　was　supposednay；　that　the　Company　had　burnt　the　above…named
establishments　as　advertisements　for　themselves。　　Of　these　facts　I
can't　be　positive；　having　never　seen　the　early　accounts　of　the
concern。

Contrary　to　the　expectation　of　all　us　gents；　who　were　ourselves　as
dismal　as　mutes；　Mr。　Brough　came　to　the　office　in　his　coach…and…
four；　laughing　and　joking　with　a　friend　as　he　stepped　out　at　the
door。

〃Gentlemen！〃　said　he；　〃you　have　read　the　papers；　they　announce　an
event　which　I　most　deeply　deplore。　　I　mean　the　demise　of　the
excellent　Alderman　Pash；　one　of　our　constituents。　　But　if　anything
can　console　me　for　the　loss　of　that　worthy　man；　it　is　to　think　that
his　children　and　widow　will　receive；　at　eleven　o'clock　next
Saturday；　5；000L。　from　my　friend　Mr。　Titmarsh；　who　is　now　head
clerk　here。　　As　for　the　accident　which　has　happened　to　Messrs。
Shadrach　and　Meshach；in　THAT；　at　least；　there　is　nothing　that　can
occasion　any　person　sorrow。　　On　Saturday　next；　or　as　soon　as　the
particulars　of　their　loss　can　be　satisfactorily　ascertained；　my
friend　Mr。　Titmarsh　will　pay　to　them　across　the　counter　a　sum　of
forty；　fifty；　eighty；　one　hundred　thousand　poundsaccording　to　the
amount　of　their　loss。　　THEY；　at　least；　will　be　remunerated；　and
though　to　our　proprietors　the　outlay　will　no　doubt　be　considerable；
yet　we　can　afford　it；　gentlemen。　　John　Brough　can　afford　it
himself；　for　the　matter　of　that；　and　not　be　very　much　embarrassed；
and　we　must　learn　to　bear　ill…fortune　as　we　have　hitherto　borne
good；　and　show　ourselves　to　be　men　always！〃

Mr。　B。　concluded　with　some　allusions；　which　I　confess　I　don't　like
to　give　here；　for　to　speak　of　Heaven　in　connection　with　common
worldly　matters；　has　always　appeared　to　me　irreverent；　and　to　bring
it　to　bear　witness　to　the　lie　in　his　mouth；　as　a　religious
hypocrite　does；　is　such　a　frightful　crime；　that　one　should　be
careful　even　in　alluding　to　it。

Mr。　Brough's　speech　somehow　found　its　way　into　the　newspapers　of
that　very　evening；　nor　can　I　think　who　gave　a　report　of　it；　for
none　of　our　gents　left　the　office　that　day　until　the　evening　papers
had　appeared。　　But　there　was　the　speechay；　and　at　the　week's　end；
although　Roundhand　was　heard　on　'Change　that　day　declaring　he　would
bet　five　to　one　that　Alderman　Pash's　money　would　never　be　paid；at
the　week's　end　the　money　was　paid　by　me　to　Mrs。　Pash's　solicitor
across　the　counter；　and　no　doubt　Roundhand　lost　his　money。

Shall　I　tell　how　the　money　was　procured？　　There　can　be　no　harm　in
mentioning　the　matter　now　after　twenty　years'　lapse　of　time；　and
moreover；　it　is　greatly　to　the　credit　of　two　individuals　now　dead。

As　I　was　head　clerk；　I　had　occasion　to　be　frequently　in　Brough's
room；　and　he　now　seemed　once　more　disposed　to　take　me　into　his
confidence。

〃Titmarsh　my　boy；〃　said　he　one　day　to　me；　after　looking　me　hard　in
the　face；　〃did　you　ever　hear　of　the　fate　of　the　great　Mr。
Silberschmidt　of　London？〃　　Of　course　I　had。　　Mr。　Silberschmidt；　the
Rothschild　of　his　day　（indeed　I　have　heard　the　latter　famous　gent
was　originally　a　clerk　in　Silberschmidt's　house）Silberschmidt；
fancying　he　could　not　meet　his　engagements；　committed　suicide；　and
had　he　lived　till　four　o'clock　that　day；　would　have　known　that　he
was　worth　400；000L。　　To　tell　you　frankly　the　truth；〃　says　Mr。　B。；
〃I　am　in　Silberschmidt's　case。　　My　late　partner；　Hoff；　has　given
bills　in　the　name　of　the　firm　to　an　enormous　amount；　and　I　have
been　obliged　to　meet　them。　　I　have　been　cast　in　fourteen　actions；
brought　by　creditors　of　that　infernal　Ginge