samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第22部分

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went　to　church　this　morning　with　Dr。　Salt's　family；　and　sent　word
that　she　would　spend　the　day　with　them。　　She　was　always　glad　to　be
away　from　Mrs。　H。；　you　know。〃

〃She　never　knew　on　which　side　her　bread　was　buttered；〃　said　Mr。
Smithers。　　〃You　should　have　taken　the　lady　when　she　was　in　the
humour；　sir；　and　have　borrowed　the　money　elsewhere。　　Why；　sir；　I
had　almost　reconciled　her　to　her　loss　in　that　cursed　Company。　　I
showed　her　how　I　had　saved　out　of　Brough's　claws　the　whole　of　her
remaining　fortune；　which　he　would　have　devoured　in　a　day；　the
scoundrel！　　And　if　you　would　have　left　the　matter　to　me；　Mr。
Titmarsh；　I　would　have　had　you　reconciled　completely　to　Mrs。
Hoggarty；　I　would　have　removed　all　your　difficulties；　I　would　have
lent　you　the　pitiful　sum　of　money　myself。〃

〃Will　you？〃　says　Gus；　〃that's　a　trump！〃　and　he　seized　Smithers's
hand；　and　squeezed　it　so　that　the　tears　came　into　the　attorney's
eyes。

〃Generous　fellow！〃　said　I；　〃lend　me　money；　when　you　know　what　a
situation　I　am　in；　and　not　able　to　pay！〃

〃Ay；　my　good　sir；　there's　the　rub！〃　says　Mr。　Smithers。　　〃I　said　I
WOULD　have　lent　the　money；　and　so　to　the　acknowledged　heir　of　Mrs。
Hoggarty　I　wouldwould　at　this　moment；　for　nothing　delights　the
heart　of　Bob　Smithers　more　than　to　do　a　kindness。　　I　would　have
rejoiced　in　doing　it；　and　a　mere　acknowledgment　from　that　respected
lady　would　have　amply　sufficed。　　But　now；　sir；　the　case　is
altered；you　have　no　security　to　offer；　as　you　justly　observe。〃

〃Not　a　whit；　certainly。〃

〃And　without　security；　sir；　of　course　can　expect　no　moneyof
course　not。　　You　are　a　man　of　the　world；　Mr。　Titmarsh；　and　I　see
our　notions　exactly　agree。〃

〃There's　his　wife's　property；〃　says　Gus。

〃Wife's　property？　　Bah！　　Mrs。　Sam　Titmarsh　is　a　minor；　and　can't
touch　a　shilling　of　it。　　No；　no；　no　meddling　with　minors　for　me！
But　stop！your　mother　has　a　house　and　shop　in　our　village。　　Get　me
a　mortgage　of　that〃

〃I'll　do　no　such　thing；　sir；〃　says　I。　　〃My　mother　has　suffered
quite　enough　on　my　score　already；　and　has　my　sisters　to　provide
for；　and　I　will　thank　you；　Mr。　Smithers；　not　to　breathe　a　syllable
to　her　regarding　my　present　situation。〃

〃You　speak　like　a　man　of　honour；　sir；〃　says　Mr。　Smithers；　〃and　I
will　obey　your　injunctions　to　the　letter。　　I　will　do　more；　sir。　　I
will　introduce　you　to　a　respectable　firm　here；　my　worthy　friends；
Messrs。　Higgs；　Biggs；　and　Blatherwick；　who　will　do　everything　in
their　power　to　serve　you。　　And　so；　sir；　I　wish　you　a　very　good
morning。〃

And　with　this　Mr。　Smithers　took　his　hat　and　left　the　room；　and
after　a　further　consultation　with　my　aunt；　as　I　heard　afterwards；
quitted　London　that　evening　by　the　mail。

I　sent　my　faithful　Gus　off　once　more　to　break　the　matter　gently　to
my　wife；　fearing　lest　Mrs。　Hoggarty　should　speak　of　it　abruptly　to
her；　as　I　knew　in　her　anger　she　would　do。　　But　he　came　in　an　hour
panting　back；　to　say　that　Mrs。　H。　had　packed　and　locked　her　trunks；
and　had　gone　off　in　a　hackney…coach。　　So；　knowing　that　my　poor　Mary
was　not　to　return　till　night；　Hoskins　remained　with　me　till　then；
and；　after　a　dismal　day；　left　me　once　more　at　nine；　to　carry　the
dismal　tidings　to　her。

At　ten　o'clock　on　that　night　there　was　a　great　rattling　and　ringing
at　the　outer　door；　and　presently　my　poor　girl　fell　into　my　arms；
and　Gus　Hoskins　sat　blubbering　in　a　corner；　as　I　tried　my　best　to
console　her。

*　*　*

The　next　morning　I　was　favoured　with　a　visit　from　Mr。　Blatherwick；
who；　hearing　from　me　that　I　had　only　three　guineas　in　my　pocket；
told　me　very　plainly　that　lawyers　only　lived　by　fees。　　He
recommended　me　to　quit　Cursitor　Street；　as　living　there　was　very
expensive。　　And　as　I　was　sitting　very　sad；　my　wife　made　her
appearance　（it　was　with　great　difficulty　that　she　could　be　brought
to　leave　me　the　night　previous）　…

〃The　horrible　men　came　at　four　this　morning；〃　said　she；　〃four　hours
before　light。〃

〃What　horrible　men？〃　says　I。

〃Your　aunt's　men；〃　said　she；　〃to　remove　the　furniture　they　had　it
all　packed　before　I　came　away。　　And　I　let　them　carry　all；〃　said
she；　〃I　was　too　sad　to　look　what　was　ours　and　what　was　not。　　That
odious　Mr。　Wapshot　was　with　them；　and　I　left　him　seeing　the　last
waggon…load　from　the　door。　　I　have　only　brought　away　your　clothes；〃
added　she；　〃and　a　few　of　mine；　and　some　of　the　books　you　used　to
like　to　read；　and　somesome　things　I　have　been　getting　for　the
for　the　baby。　　The　servants'　wages　were　paid　up　to　Christmas；　and　I
paid　them　the　rest。　　And　see！　just　as　I　was　going　away；　the　post
came；　and　brought　to　me　my　half…year's　income35L。；　dear　Sam。
Isn't　it　a　blessing？〃

〃Will　you　pay　my　bill；　Mr。　What…d'ye…call…'im？〃　here　cried　Mr。
Aminadab；　flinging　open　the　door　（he　had　been　consulting　with　Mr。
Blatherwick；　I　suppose）。　　〃I　want　the　room　for　A　GENTLEMAN。　　I
guess　it's　too　dear　for　the　like　of　you。〃　　And　herewill　you
believe　it？the　man　handed　me　a　bill　of　three　guineas　for　two
days'　board　and　lodging　in　his　odious　house。

*　*　*

There　was　a　crowd　of　idlers　round　the　door　as　I　passed　out　of　it；
and　had　I　been　alone　I　should　have　been　ashamed　of　seeing　them；
but；　as　it　was；　I　was　only　thinking　of　my　dear　dear　wife；　who　was
leaning　trustfully　on　my　arm；　and　smiling　like　heaven　into　my　face…
…ay；　and　TOOK　heaven；　too；　into　the　Fleet　prison　with　meor　an
angel　out　of　heaven。　　Ah！　I　had　loved　her　before；　and　happy　it　is
to　love　when　one　is　hopeful　and　young　in　the　midst　of　smiles　and
sunshine；　but　be　UNhappy；　and　then　see　what　it　is　to　be　loved　by　a
good　woman！　　I　declare　before　Heaven；　that　of　all　the　joys　and
happy　moments　it　has　given　me；　that　was　the　crowning　onethat
little　ride；　with　my　wife's　cheek　on　my　shoulder；　down　Holborn　to
the　prison！　　Do　you　think　I　cared　for　the　bailiff　that　sat
opposite？　　No；　by　the　Lord！　　I　kissed　her；　and　hugged　heryes；　and
cried　with　her　likewise。　　But　before　our　ride　was　over　her　eyes
dried　up；　and　she　stepped　blushing　and　happy　out　of　the　coach　at
the　prison　door；　as　if　she　were　a　princess　going　to　the　Queen's
Drawing…room。



CHAPTER　XII



IN　WHICH　THE　HERO'S　AUNT'S　DIAMOND　MAKES　ACQUAINTANCE　WITH　THE
HERO'S　UNCLE

The　failure　of　the　great　Diddlesex　Association　speedily　became　the
theme　of　all　the　newspapers；　and　every　person　concerned　in　it　was
soon　held　up　to　public　abhorrence　as　a　rascal　and　a　swindler。　　It
was　said　that　Brough　had　gone　off　with　a　million　of　money。　　Even　it
was　hinted　that　poor　I　had　sent　a　hundred　thousand　pounds　to
America；　and　only　waited　to　pass　through　the　court　in　order　to　be　a
rich　man　for　the　rest　of　my　days。　　This　opinion　had　some　supporters
in　the　prison；　where；　strange　to　say；　it　procured　me　consideration…
…of　which；　as　may　be　supposed；　I　was　little　inclined　to　avail
myself。　　Mr。　Aminadab；　however；　in　his　frequent　visits　to　the
Fleet；　persisted　in　saying　that　I　was　a　poor…spirited　creature；　a
mere　tool　in　Brough's　hands；　and　had　not　saved　a　shilling。
Opinions；　however；　differed；　and　I　believe　it　was　considered　by　the
turnkeys　that　I　was　a　fellow　of　exquisite　dissimulation；　who　had
put　on　the　appearance　of　poverty　in　order　more　effectually　to
mislead　the　public。

Messrs。　Abednego　and　Son　were　similarly　held　up　to　public　odium：
and；　in　fact；　what　were　the　exact　dealings　of　these　gentlemen　with
Mr。　Brough　I　have　never　been　able　to　learn。　　It　was　proved　by　the
books　that　large　sums　of　money　had　been　paid　to　Mr。　Abednego　by　the
Company；　but　he　produced　documents　signed　by　Mr。　Brough；　which　made
the　latter　and　the　West　Diddlesex　Association　his　debtors　to　a
still　further　amount。　　On　the　day　I　went　to　the　Bankruptcy　Court　to
be　examined；　Mr。　Abednego　and　the　two　gentlemen　from　Houndsditch
were　present　to　swear　to　their　debts；　and　made　a　sad　noise；　and
uttered　a　vast　number　of　oaths　in　attestation　of　their　claim。　　But
Messrs。　Jackson　and　Paxton　produced　against　them　that　very　Irish
porter　who　was　said　to　have　been　the　cause　of　the　fire；　and；　I　am
told；　hinted　that　they　had　matter　for　hanging　the　Jewish　gents　if
they　persisted　in　their　demand。　　On　this　they　disappeared
altogether；　and　no　more　was　ever　heard　of　their　losses。　　I　am
inclined　to　believe　that　our　Director　had　had　money　from　Abednego
had　given　him　shares　as　bonus　and　securityhad　been　suddenly
obliged　to　redeem　these　shares　with　ready　money；　and　so　had
precipitated　the　ruin　of　himself　and　the　concern。　　It　is　needless
to　say　here　in　what　a　multiplicity　of　companies　Brough　was　engaged。
That　in　which　poor　Mr。　Tidd　invested　his　money　did　not　pay　2D。　in
the　pound；　and　that　was　the　largest　dividend　paid　by　any　of　them。

As　for　oursah！　there　was　a　pretty　scene　as　I　was　brought　from　the
Fleet　to　the　Bankruptcy　Court；　to　give　my　testimony　as　late　head
clerk　and　accountant　of　the　West　Diddlesex　Association。

My　poor　wife；　then　very　near　her　time；　insisted　upon　accompanying
me　to　Basinghall　Street；　and　so　did　my　friend　Gus　Hoskins；　that
true　and　honest　fellow。　　If　you　had　seen　the　crowd　that　was
assembled；　and　the　hubbub　that　was　made　as　I　was　brought　up！

〃Mr。　Titmarsh；〃　says　the　Commissioner　as　I　came　to　the　table；　with
a　peculiar　sarcastic　accent　on　the　Tit〃Mr。　Titmarsh；　you　were　the
confidant　of　Mr。　Brough；　the　principal　clerk　of　Mr。　Brough；　and　a
considerable　shareholder　in　the　Company？〃

〃Only　a　nominal　one；　sir；〃　said　I。

〃Of　course；　only　nominal；〃　continued　the　Commissioner；　turning　to
his　colleague　with　a　sneer；　〃and　a　great　comfort　it　must　be　to　you；
sir；　to　think　that　you　had　a　share　in　all　the　plunthe　profits　of
the　speculation；　and　now　can　free　yourself　from　the　losses；　by
saying　you　are　only　a　nominal　shareholder。〃

〃The　infernal　villain！〃　shouted　out　a　voice　from　the　crowd。　　It　was
that　of　the　furious　half…pay　captain　and　late　shareholder；　Captain
Sparr。

〃Silence　in　the　court　there！〃　the　Commissioner　continued：　　and　all
this　while　Mary　was　anxiously　looking　in　his　face；　and　then　in
mine；　as　pale　as　death；　while　Gus；　on　the　contrary；　was　as　red　as
vermilion。　　〃Mr。　Titmarsh；　I　have　had　the　good　fortune　to　see　a
list　of　your　debts　from　the　Insolvent　Court；　and　find　that　you　are
indebted　to　Mr。　Stiltz；　the　great　tailor；　in　a　handsome　sum；　to　Mr。
Polonius；　the　celebrated　jeweller；　likewise；　to　fashionable