samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第24部分

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especially；　was　one　of　these。　　Of　all　his　fortune　he　had　nothing
left　but　a　dressing…case　and　a　flowered　dressing…gown；　and　to　these
possessions　he　added　a　fine　pair　of　moustaches；　with　which　the　poor
creature　strutted　about；　and　though　cursing　his　ill　fortune；　was；　I
do　believe；　as　happy　whenever　his　friends　brought　him　a　guinea；　as
he　had　been　during　his　brief　career　as　a　gentleman　on　town。　　I　have
seen　sauntering　dandies　in　watering…places　ogling　the　women；
watching　eagerly　for　steamboats　and　stage…coaches　as　if　their　lives
depended　upon　them；　and　strutting　all　day　in　jackets　up　and　down
the　public　walks。　　Well；　there　are　such　fellows　in　prison：　　quite
as　dandified　and　foolish；　only　a　little　more　shabbydandies　with
dirty　beards　and　holes　at　their　elbows。

I　did　not　go　near　what　is　called　the　poor　side　of　the　prisonI
DARED　not；　that　was　the　fact。　　But　our　little　stock　of　money　was
running　low；　and　my　heart　sickened　to　think　what　might　be　my　dear
wife's　fate；　and　on　what　sort　of　a　couch　our　child　might　be　born。
But　Heaven　spared　me　that　pang；Heaven；　and　my　dear　good　friend；
Gus　Hoskins。

The　attorneys　to　whom　Mr。　Smithers　recommended　me；　told　me　that　I
could　get　leave　to　live　in　the　rules　of　the　Fleet；　could　I　procure
sureties　to　the　marshal　of　the　prison　for　the　amount　of　the
detainer　lodged　against　me；　but　though　I　looked　Mr。　Blatherwick
hard　in　the　face；　he　never　offered　to　give　the　bail　for　me；　and　I
knew　no　housekeeper　in　London　who　would　procure　it。　　There　was；
however；　one　whom　I　did　not　know；and　that　was　old　Mr。　Hoskins；
the　leatherseller　of　Skinner　Street；　a　kind　fat　gentleman；　who
brought　his　fat　wife　to　see　Mrs。　Titmarsh；　and　though　the　lady　gave
herself　rather　patronising　airs　（her　husband　being　free　of　the
Skinners'　Company；　and　bidding　fair　to　be　Alderman；　nay；　Lord　Mayor
of　the　first　city　in　the　world）；　she　seemed　heartily　to　sympathise
with　us；　and　her　husband　stirred　and　bustled　about　until　the
requisite　leave　was　obtained；　and　I　was　allowed　comparative
liberty。

As　for　lodgings；　they　were　soon　had。　　My　old　landlady；　Mrs。　Stokes；
sent　her　Jemima　to　say　that　her　first　floor　was　at　our　service；　and
when　we　had　taken　possession　of　it；　and　I　offered　at　the　end　of　the
week　to　pay　her　bill；　the　good　soul；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　told
me　that　she　did　not　want　for　money　now；　and　that　she　knew　I　had
enough　to　do　with　what　I　had。　　I　did　not　refuse　her　kindness；　for；
indeed；　I　had　but　five　guineas　left；　and　ought　not　by　rights　to
have　thought　of　such　expensive　apartments　as　hers；　but　my　wife's
time　was　very　near；　and　I　could　not　bear　to　think　that　she　should
want　for　any　comfort　in　her　lying…in。

The　admirable　woman；　with　whom　the　Misses　Hoskins　came　every　day　to
keep　companyand　very　nice；　kind　ladies　they　arerecovered　her
health　a　good　deal；　now　she　was　out　of　the　odious　prison　and　was
enabled　to　take　exercise。　　How　gaily　did　we　pace　up　and　down　Bridge
Street　and　Chatham　Place；　to　be　sure！　and　yet；　in　truth；　I　was　a
beggar；　and　felt　sometimes　ashamed　of　being　so　happy。

With　regard　to　the　liabilities　of　the　Company　my　mind　was　now　made
quite　easy；　for　the　creditors　could　only　come　upon　our　directors；
and　these　it　was　rather　difficult　to　find。　　Mr。　Brough　was　across
the　water；　and　I　must　say；　to　the　credit　of　that　gentleman；　that
while　everybody　thought　he　had　run　away　with　hundreds　of　thousands
of　pounds；　he　was　in　a　garret　at　Boulogne；　with　scarce　a　shilling
in　his　pocket；　and　his　fortune　to　make　afresh。　　Mrs。　Brough；　like　a
good　brave　woman；　remained　faithful　to　him；　and　only　left　Fulham
with　the　gown　on　her　back；　and　Miss　Belinda；　though　grumbling　and
sadly　out　of　temper；　was　no　better　off。　　For　the　other　directors；
when　they　came　to　inquire　at　Edinburgh　for　Mr。　Mull；　W。　S。；　it
appeared　there　WAS　a　gentleman　of　that　name；　who　had　practised　in
Edinburgh　with　good　reputation　until　1800；　since　when　he　had
retired　to　the　Isle　of　Skye；　and　on　being　applied　to；　knew　no　more
of　the　West　Diddlesex　Association　than　Queen　Anne　did。　　General　Sir
Dionysius　O'Halloran　had　abruptly　quitted　Dublin；　and　returned　to
the　republic　of　Guatemala。　　Mr。　Shirk　went　into　the　Gazette。　　Mr。
Macraw；　M。P。　and　King's　Counsel；　had　not　a　single　guinea　in　the
world　but　what　he　received　for　attending　our　board；　and　the　only
man　seizable　was　Mr。　Manstraw；　a　wealthy　navy　contractor；　as　we
understood；　at　Chatham。　　He　turned　out　to　be　a　small　dealer　in
marine　stores；　and　his　whole　stock　in　trade　was　not　worth　10L。　　Mr。
Abednego　was　the　other　director；　and　we　have　already　seen　what
became　of　HIM。

〃Why；　as　there　is　no　danger　from　the　West　Diddlesex；〃　suggested　Mr。
Hoskins；　senior；　〃should　you　not　now　endeavour　to　make　an
arrangement　with　your　creditors；　and　who　can　make　a　better　bargain
with　them　than　pretty　Mrs。　Titmarsh　here；　whose　sweet　eyes　would
soften　the　hardest…hearted　tailor　or　milliner　that　ever　lived？〃

Accordingly　my　dear　girl；　one　bright　day　in　February；　shook　me　by
the　hand；　and　bidding　me　be　of　good　cheer；　set　forth　with　Gus　in　a
coach；　to　pay　a　visit　to　those　persons。　　Little　did　I　think　a　year
before；　that　the　daughter　of　the　gallant　Smith　should　ever　be
compelled　to　be　a　suppliant　to　tailors　and　haberdashers；　but　SHE；
Heaven　bless　her！　felt　none　of　the　shame　which　oppressed　meor
SAID　she　felt　noneand　went　away；　nothing　doubting；　on　her　errand。

In　the　evening　she　came　back；　and　my　heart　thumped　to　know　the
news。　　I　saw　it　was　bad　by　her　face。　　For　some　time　she　did　not
speak；　but　looked　as　pale　as　death；　and　wept　as　she　kissed　me。
〃YOU　speak；　Mr。　Augustus；〃　at　last　said　she；　sobbing；　and　so　Gus
told　me　the　circumstances　of　that　dismal　day。

〃What　do　you　think；　Sam？〃　says　he；　〃that　infernal　aunt　of　yours；　at
whose　command　you　had　the　things；　has　written　to　the　tradesmen　to
say　that　you　are　a　swindler　and　impostor；　that　you　give　out　that
SHE　ordered　the　goods；　that　she　is　ready　to　drop　down　dead；　and　to
take　her　bible…oath　she　never　did　any　such　thing；　and　that　they
must　look　to　you　alone　for　payment。　　Not　one　of　them　would　hear　of
letting　you　out；　and　as　for　Mantalini；　the　scoundrel　was　so
insolent　that　I　gave　him　a　box　on　the　ear；　and　would　have　half…
killed　him；　only　poor　MaryMrs。　Titmarsh　I　meanscreamed　and
fainted：　　and　I　brought　her　away；　and　here　she　is；　as　ill　as　can
be。〃

That　night；　the　indefatigable　Gus　was　obliged　to　run　post…haste　for
Doctor　Salts；　and　next　morning　a　little　boy　was　born。　　I　did　not
know　whether　to　be　sad　or　happy；　as　they　showed　me　the　little
weakly　thing；　but　Mary　was　the　happiest　woman；　she　declared；　in　the
world；　and　forgot　all　her　sorrows　in　nursing　the　poor　baby；　she
went　bravely　through　her　time；　and　vowed　that　it　was　the　loveliest
child　in　the　world；　and　that　though　Lady　Tiptoff；　whose　confinement
we　read　of　as　having　taken　place　the　same　day；　might　have　a　silk
bed　and　a　fine　house　in　Grosvenor　Square；　she　never　never　could
have　such　a　beautiful　child　as　our　dear　little　Gus：　　for　after　whom
should　we　have　named　the　boy；　if　not　after　our　good　kind　friend？
We　had　a　little　party　at　the　christening；　and　I　assure　you　were
very　merry　over　our　tea。

The　mother；　thank　Heaven！　was　very　well；　and　it　did　one's　heart
good　to　see　her　in　that　attitude　in　which　I　think　every　woman；　be
she　ever　so　plain；　looks　beautifulwith　her　baby　at　her　bosom。
The　child　was　sickly；　but　she　did　not　see　it；　we　were　very　poor；
but　what　cared　she？　　She　had　no　leisure　to　be　sorrowful　as　I　was：
I　had　my　last　guinea　now　in　my　pocket；　and　when　THAT　was　goneah！
my　heart　sickened　to　think　of　what　was　to　come；　and　I　prayed　for
strength　and　guidance；　and　in　the　midst　of　my　perplexities　felt　yet
thankful　that　the　danger　of　the　confinement　was　over；　and　that　for
the　worst　fortune　which　was　to　befall　us；　my　dear　wife　was　at　least
prepared；　and　strong　in　health。

I　told　Mrs。　Stokes　that　she　must　let　us　have　a　cheaper　rooma
garret　that　should　cost　but　a　few　shillings；　and　though　the　good
woman　bade　me　remain　in　the　apartments　we　occupied；　yet；　now　that
my　wife　was　well；　I　felt　it　would　be　a　crime　to　deprive　my　kind
landlady　of　her　chief　means　of　livelihood；　and　at　length　she
promised　to　get　me　a　garret　as　I　wanted；　and　to　make　it　as
comfortable　as　might　be；　and　little　Jemima　declared　that　she　would
be　glad　beyond　measure　to　wait　on　the　mother　and　the　child。

The　room；　then；　was　made　ready；　and　though　I　took　some　pains　not　to
speak　of　the　arrangement　too　suddenly　to　Mary；　yet　there　was　no
need　of　disguise　or　hesitation；　for　when　at　last　I　told　her〃Is
that　all？〃　said　she；　and　took　my　hand　with　one　of　her　blessed
smiles；　and　vowed　that　she　and　Jemima　would　keep　the　room　as　pretty
and　neat　as　possible。　　〃And　I　will　cook　your　dinners；〃　added　she；
〃for　you　know　you　said　I　make　the　best　roly…poly　puddings　in　the
world。〃　　God　bless　her！　　I　do　think　some　women　almost　love　poverty：
but　I　did　not　tell　Mary　how　poor　I　was；　nor　had　she　any　idea　how
lawyers'；　and　prison's；　and　doctors'　fees　had　diminished　the　sum　of
money　which　she　brought　me　when　we　came　to　the　Fleet。

It　was　not；　however；　destined　that　she　and　her　child　should　inhabit
that　little　garret。　　We　were　to　leave　our　lodgings　on　Monday
morning；　but　on　Saturday　evening　the　child　was　seized　with
convulsions；　and　all　Sunday　the　mother　watched　and　prayed　for　it：
but　it　pleased　God　to　take　the　innocent　infant　from　us；　and　on
Sunday；　at　midnight；　it　lay　a　corpse　in　its　mother's　bosom。　　Amen。
We　have　other　children；　happy　and　well；　now　round　about　us；　and
from　the　father's　heart　the　memory　of　this　little　thing　has　almost
faded；　but　I　do　believe　that　every　day　of　her　life　the　mother
thinks　of　the　firstborn　that　was　with　her　for　so　short　a　while：
many　and　many　a　time　has　she　taken　her　daughters　to　the　grave；　in
Saint　Bride's；　where　he　lies　buried；　and　she　wears　still　at　her
neck　a　little　little　lock　of　gold　hair；　which　she　took　from　the
head　of　the　infant　as　he　lay　smiling　in　his　coffin。　　It　has
happened　to　me　to　forget　the　child's　birthday；　but　to　her　never；
and　often　in　the　midst　of　common　talk　comes　something　that　shows
she　is　thinking　of　the　child　still；some　simple　allusion　that　is
to　me　inexpressibly　affecting。

I　shall　not　try　to　describe　her　gri