samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第2部分

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thought　I；　〃a　diamond…pin　is　a　handsome　thing；　and　will　give　me　a
distingue　air；　though　my　clothes　be　never　so　shabby〃and　shabby
they　were　without　any　doubt。　　〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃three　guineas；　which
I　shall　have　over；　will　buy　me　a　couple　of　pairs　of　what…d'ye…call…
'ems；〃　of　which；　entre　nous；　I　was　in　great　want；　having　just　then
done　growing；　whereas　my　pantaloons　were　made　a　good　eighteen
months　before。

Well；　I　walked　down　the　village；　my　hands　in　my　breeches　pockets；　I
had　poor　Mary's　purse　there；　having　removed　the　little　things　which
she　gave　me　the　day　before；　and　placed　themnever　mind　where：　　but
look　you；　in　those　days　I　had　a　heart；　and　a　warm　one　too。　　I　had
Mary's　purse　ready　for　my　aunt's　donation；　which　never　came；　and
with　my　own　little　stock　of　money　besides；　that　Mrs。　Hoggarty's
card　parties　had　lessened　by　a　good　five…and…twenty　shillings；　I
calculated　that；　after　paying　my　fare；　I　should　get　to　town　with　a
couple　of　seven…shilling　pieces　in　my　pocket。

I　walked　down　the　village　at　a　deuce　of　a　pace；　so　quick　that；　if
the　thing　had　been　possible；　I　should　have　overtaken　ten　o'clock
that　had　passed　by　me　two　hours　ago；　when　I　was　listening　to　Mrs。
H。's　long　stories　over　her　terrible　Rosolio。　　The　truth　is；　at　ten
I　had　an　appointment　under　a　certain　person's　window；　who　was　to
have　been　looking　at　the　moon　at　that　hour；　with　her　pretty　quilled
nightcap　on；　and　her　blessed　hair　in　papers。

There　was　the　window　shut；　and　not　so　much　as　a　candle　in　it；　and
though　I　hemmed　and　hawed；　and　whistled　over　the　garden　paling；　and
sang　a　song　of　which　Somebody　was　very　fond；　and　even　threw　a
pebble　at　the　window；　which　hit　it　exactly　at　the　opening　of　the
lattice；I　woke　no　one　except　a　great　brute　of　a　house…dog；　that
yelled；　and　howled；　and　bounced　so　at　me　over　the　rails；　that　I
thought　every　moment　he　would　have　had　my　nose　between　his　teeth。

So　I　was　obliged　to　go　off　as　quickly　as　might　be；　and　the　next
morning　Mamma　and　my　sisters　made　breakfast　for　me　at　four；　and　at
five　came　the　〃True　Blue〃　light　six…inside　post…coach　to　London；
and　I　got　up　on　the　roof　without　having　seen　Mary　Smith。

As　we　passed　the　house；　it　DID　seem　as　if　the　window　curtain　in　her
room　was　drawn　aside　just　a　little　bit。　　Certainly　the　window　was
open；　and　it　had　been　shut　the　night　before：　　but　away　went　the
coach；　and　the　village；　cottage；　and　the　churchyard；　and　Hicks's
hayricks　were　soon　out　of　sight。

*　*　*

〃My　hi；　what　a　pin！〃　said　a　stable…boy；　who　was　smoking　a　cigar；　to
the　guard；　looking　at　me　and　putting　his　finger　to　his　nose。

The　fact　is；　that　I　had　never　undressed　since　my　aunt's　party；　and
being　uneasy　in　mind　and　having　all　my　clothes　to　pack　up；　and
thinking　of　something　else；　had　quite　forgotten　Mrs。　Hoggarty's
brooch；　which　I　had　stuck　into　my　shirt…frill　the　night　before。



CHAPTER　II



TELLS　HOW　THE　DIAMOND　IS　BROUGHT　UP　TO　LONDON；　AND　PRODUCES
WONDERFUL　EFFECTS　BOTH　IN　THE　CITY　AND　AT　THE　WEST　END

The　circumstances　recorded　in　this　story　took　place　some　score　of
years　ago；　when；　as　the　reader　may　remember；　there　was　a　great
mania　in　the　City　of　London　for　establishing　companies　of　all
sorts；　by　which　many　people　made　pretty　fortunes。

I　was　at　this　period；　as　the　truth　must　be　known；　thirteenth　clerk
of　twenty…four　young　gents　who　did　the　immense　business　of　the
Independent　West　Diddlesex　Fire　and　Life　Insurance　Company；　at
their　splendid　stone　mansion　in　Cornhill。　　Mamma　had　sunk　a　sum　of
four　hundred　pounds　in　the　purchase　of　an　annuity　at　this　office；
which　paid　her　no　less　than　six…and…thirty　pounds　a　year；　when　no
other　company　in　London　would　give　her　more　than　twenty…four。　　The
chairman　of　the　directors　was　the　great　Mr。　Brough；　of　the　house　of
Brough　and　Hoff；　Crutched　Friars；　Turkey　Merchants。　　It　was　a　new
house；　but　did　a　tremendous　business　in　the　fig　and　sponge　way；　and
more　in　the　Zante　currant　line　than　any　other　firm　in　the　City。

Brough　was　a　great　man　among　the　Dissenting　connection；　and　you　saw
his　name　for　hundreds　at　the　head　of　every　charitable　society
patronised　by　those　good　people。　　He　had　nine　clerks　residing　at
his　office　in　Crutched　Friars；　he　would　not　take　one　without　a
certificate　from　the　schoolmaster　and　clergyman　of　his　native
place；　strongly　vouching　for　his　morals　and　doctrine；　and　the
places　were　so　run　after；　that　he　got　a　premium　of　four　or　five
hundred　pounds　with　each　young　gent；　whom　he　made　to　slave　for　ten
hours　a　day；　and　to　whom　in　compensation　he　taught　all　the
mysteries　of　the　Turkish　business。　　He　was　a　great　man　on　'Change；
too；　and　our　young　chaps　used　to　hear　from　the　stockbrokers'　clerks
（we　commonly　dined　together　at　the　〃Cock　and　Woolpack；〃　a
respectable　house；　where　you　get　a　capital　cut　of　meat；　bread；
vegetables；　cheese；　half　a　pint　of　porter；　and　a　penny　to　the
waiter；　for　a　shilling）the　young　stockbrokers　used　to　tell　us　of
immense　bargains　in　Spanish；　Greek；　and　Columbians；　that　Brough
made。　　Hoff　had　nothing　to　do　with　them；　but　stopped　at　home
minding　exclusively　the　business　of　the　house。　　He　was　a　young
chap；　very　quiet　and　steady；　of　the　Quaker　persuasion；　and　had　been
taken　into　partnership　by　Brough　for　a　matter　of　thirty　thousand
pounds：　　and　a　very　good　bargain　too。　　I　was　told　in　the　strictest
confidence　that　the　house　one　year　with　another　divided　a　good
seven　thousand　pounds：　　of　which　Brough　had　half；　Hoff　two…sixths；
and　the　other　sixth　went　to　old　Tudlow；　who　had　been　Mr。　Brough's
clerk　before　the　new　partnership　began。　　Tudlow　always　went　about
very　shabby；　and　we　thought　him　an　old　miser。　　One　of　our　gents；
Bob　Swinney　by　name；　used　to　say　that　Tudlow's　share　was　all
nonsense；　and　that　Brough　had　it　all；　but　Bob　was　always　too
knowing　by　half；　used　to　wear　a　green　cutaway　coat；　and　had　his
free　admission　to　Covent　Garden　Theatre。　　He　was　always　talking
down　at　the　shop；　as　we　called　it　（it　wasn't　a　shop；　but　as
splendid　an　office　as　any　in　Cornhill）he　was　always　talking　about
Vestris　and　Miss　Tree；　and　singing


〃The　bramble；　the　bramble；
The　jolly　jolly　bramble！〃


one　of　Charles　Kemble's　famous　songs　in　〃Maid　Marian；〃　a　play　that
was　all　the　rage　then；　taken　from　a　famous　story…book　by　one
Peacock；　a　clerk　in　the　India　House；　and　a　precious　good　place　he
has　too。

When　Brough　heard　how　Master　Swinney　abused　him；　and　had　his
admission　to　the　theatre；　he　came　one　day　down　to　the　office　where
we　all　were；　four…and…twenty　of　us；　and　made　one　of　the　most
beautiful　speeches　I　ever　heard　in　my　life。　　He　said　that　for
slander　he　did　not　care；　contumely　was　the　lot　of　every　public　man
who　had　austere　principles　of　his　own；　and　acted　by　them　austerely；
but　what　he　DID　care　for　was　the　character　of　every　single
gentleman　forming　a　part　of　the　Independent　West　Diddlesex
Association。　　The　welfare　of　thousands　was　in　their　keeping；
millions　of　money　were　daily　passing　through　their　hands；　the　City…
…the　country　looked　upon　them　for　order；　honesty；　and　good　example。
And　if　he　found　amongst　those　whom　he　considered　as　his　children
those　whom　he　loved　as　his　own　flesh　and　bloodthat　that　order　was
departed　from；　that　that　regularity　was　not　maintained；　that　that
good　example　was　not　kept　up　（Mr。　B。　always　spoke　in　this　emphatic
way）if　he　found　his　children　departing　from　the　wholesome　rules
of　morality；　religion；　and　decorumif　he　found　in　high　or　lowin
the　head　clerk　at　six　hundred　a　year　down　to　the　porter　who　cleaned
the　stepsif　he　found　the　slightest　taint　of　dissipation；　he　would
cast　the　offender　from　himyea；　though　he　were　his　own　son；　he
would　cast　him　from　him！

As　he　spoke　this；　Mr。　Brough　burst　into　tears；　and　we　who　didn't
know　what　was　coming；　looked　at　each　other　as　pale　as　parsnips：
all　except　Swinney；　who　was　twelfth　clerk；　and　made　believe　to
whistle。　　When　Mr。　B。　had　wiped　his　eyes　and　recovered　himself；　he
turned　round；　and　oh；　how　my　heart　thumped　as　he　looked　me　full　in
the　face！　　How　it　was　relieved；　though；　when　he　shouted　out　in　a
thundering　voice　…

〃MR。　ROBERT　SWINNEY！〃

〃Sir　to　you；〃　says　Swinney；　as　cool　as　possible；　and　some　of　the
chaps　began　to　titter。

〃Mr。　SWINNEY！〃　roared　Brough；　in　a　voice　still　bigger　than　before；
〃when　you　came　into　this　officethis　family；　sir；　for　such　it　is；
as　I　am　proud　to　sayyou　found　three…and…twenty　as　pious　and　well…
regulated　young　men　as　ever　laboured　togetheras　ever　had　confided
to　them　the　wealth　of　this　mighty　capital　and　famous　empire。　　You
found；　sir；　sobriety；　regularity；　and　decorum；　no　profane　songs
were　uttered　in　this　place　sacred　toto　business；　no　slanders　were
whispered　against　the　heads　of　the　establishmentbut　over　them　I
pass：　　I　can　afford；　sir；　to　pass　them　byno　worldly　conversation
or　foul　jesting　disturbed　the　attention　of　these　gentlemen；　or
desecrated　the　peaceful　scene　of　their　labours。　　You　found
Christians　and　gentlemen；　sir！〃

〃I　paid　for　my　place　like　the　rest；〃　said　Swinney。　　〃Didn't　my
governor　take　sha…？〃

〃Silence；　sir！　　Your　worthy　father　did　take　shares　in　this
establishment；　which　will　yield　him　one　day　an　immense　profit。　　He
DID　take　shares；　sir；　or　you　never　would　have　been　here。　　I　glory
in　saying　that　every　one　of　my　young　friends　around　me　has　a
father；　a　brother；　a　dear　relative　or　friend；　who　is　connected　in　a
similar　way　with　our　glorious　enterprise；　and　that　not　one　of　them
is　there　but　has　an　interest　in　procuring；　at　a　liberal　commission；
other　persons　to　join　the　ranks　of　our　Association。　　BUT；　sir；　I　am
its　chief。　　You　will　find；　sir；　your　appointment　signed　by　me；　and
in　like　manner；　I；　John　Brough；　annul　it。　　Go　from　us；　sir！leave
usquit　a　family　that　can　no　longer　receive　you　in　its　bosom！　　Mr。
Swinney；　I　have　weptI　have　prayed；　sir；　before　I　came　to　this
determination；　I　have　taken　counsel；　sir；　and　am　resolved。　　DEPART
FROM　OUT　OF　US！

〃Not　without　three　months'　salary；　though；　Mr。　B。：　　that　cock　won't
fight！〃

〃They　shall　be　paid　to　your　father；　sir。〃

〃My　father　be　hanged！　　I　tell　you　what；　Brough；　I'm　of　age；　and　if
you　don't　pay　me　my　salary；　I'll　arrest　you；by　Jingo；　I　will！
I'll　have　you　in　quod；　or　my　name's　not　Bob　Swinney！〃

〃Make　out　a　cheque；　Mr。　Roun