samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第25部分

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she　is　thinking　of　the　child　still；some　simple　allusion　that　is
to　me　inexpressibly　affecting。

I　shall　not　try　to　describe　her　grief；　for　such　things　are　sacred
and　secret；　and　a　man　has　no　business　to　place　them　on　paper　for
all　the　world　to　read。　　Nor　should　I　have　mentioned　the　child's
loss　at　all；　but　that　even　that　loss　was　the　means　of　a　great
worldly　blessing　to　us；　as　my　wife　has　often　with　tears　and　thanks
acknowledged。

While　my　wife　was　weeping　over　her　child；　I　am　ashamed　to　say　I　was
distracted　with　other　feelings　besides　those　of　grief　for　its　loss；
and　I　have　often　since　thought　what　a　masternay；　destroyerof
the　affections　want　is；　and　have　learned　from　experience　to　be
thankful　for　DAILY　BREAD。　　That　acknowledgment　of　weakness　which　we
make　in　imploring　to　be　relieved　from　hunger　and　from　temptation；
is　surely　wisely　put　in　our　daily　prayer。　　Think　of　it　you　who　are
rich；　and　take　heed　how　you　turn　a　beggar　away。

The　child　lay　there　in　its　wicker　cradle；　with　its　sweet　fixed
smile　in　its　face　（I　think　the　angels　in　heaven　must　have　been　glad
to　welcome　that　pretty　innocent　smile）；　and　it　was　only　the　next
day；　after　my　wife　had　gone　to　lie　down；　and　I　sat　keeping　watch　by
it；　that　I　remembered　the　condition　of　its　parents；　and　thought；　I
can't　tell　with　what　a　pang；　that　I　had　not　money　left　to　bury　the
little　thing；　and　wept　bitter　tears　of　despair。　　Now；　at　last；　I
thought　I　must　apply　to　my　poor　mother；　for　this　was　a　sacred
necessity；　and　I　took　paper；　and　wrote　her　a　letter　at　the　baby's
side；　and　told　her　of　our　condition。　　But；　thank　Heaven！　　I　never
sent　the　letter；　for　as　I　went　to　the　desk　to　get　sealing…wax　and
seal　that　dismal　letter；　my　eyes　fell　upon　the　diamond　pin　that　I
had　quite　forgotten；　and　that　was　lying　in　the　drawer　of　the　desk。

I　looked　into　the　bedroom；my　poor　wife　was　asleep；　she　had　been
watching　for　three　nights　and　days；　and　had　fallen　asleep　from
sheer　fatigue；　and　I　ran　out　to　a　pawnbroker's　with　the　diamond；
and　received　seven　guineas　for　it；　and　coming　back　put　the　money
into　the　landlady's　hand；　and　told　her　to　get　what　was　needful。　　My
wife　was　still　asleep　when　I　came　back；　and　when　she　woke；　we
persuaded　her　to　go　downstairs　to　the　landlady's　parlour；　and
meanwhile　the　necessary　preparations　were　made；　and　the　poor　child
consigned　to　its　coffin。

The　next　day；　after　all　was　over；　Mrs。　Stokes　gave　me　back　three
out　of　the　seven　guineas；　and　then　I　could　not　help　sobbing　out　to
her　my　doubts　and　wretchedness；　telling　her　that　this　was　the　last
money　I　had；　and　when　that　was　gone　I　knew　not　what　was　to　become
of　the　best　wife　that　ever　a　man　was　blest　with。

My　wife　was　downstairs　with　the　woman。　　Poor　Gus；　who　was　with　me；
and　quite　as　much　affected　as　any　of　the　party；　took　me　by　the　arm；
and　led　me　downstairs；　and　we　quite　forgot　all　about　the　prison　and
the　rules；　and　walked　a　long　long　way　across　Blackfriars　Bridge；
the　kind　fellow　striving　as　much　as　possible　to　console　me。

When　we　came　back；　it　was　in　the　evening。　　The　first　person　who　met
me　in　the　house　was　my　kind　mother；　who　fell　into　my　arms　with　many
tears；　and　who　rebuked　me　tenderly　for　not　having　told　her　of　my
necessities。　　She　never　should　have　known　of　them；　she　said；　but
she　had　not　heard　from　me　since　I　wrote　announcing　the　birth　of　the
child；　and　she　felt　uneasy　about　my　silence；　and　meeting　Mr。
Smithers　in　the　street；　asked　from　him　news　concerning　me：
whereupon　that　gentleman；　with　some　little　show　of　alarm；　told　her
that　he　thought　her　daughter…in…law　was　confined　in　an
uncomfortable　place；　that　Mrs。　Hoggarty　had　left　us；　finally；　that
I　was　in　prison。　　This　news　at　once　despatched　my　poor　mother　on
her　travels；　and　she　had　only　just　come　from　the　prison；　where　she
learned　my　address。

I　asked　her　whether　she　had　seen　my　wife；　and　how　she　found　her。
Rather　to　my　amaze　she　said　that　Mary　was　out　with　the　landlady
when　she　arrived；　and　eightnine　o'clock　came；　and　she　was　absent
still。

At　ten　o'clock　returnednot　my　wife；　but　Mrs。　Stokes；　and　with　her
a　gentleman；　who　shook　hands　with　me　on　coming　into　the　room；　and
said；　〃Mr。　Titmarsh！　　I　don't　know　whether　you　will　remember　me：
my　name　is　Tiptoff。　　I　have　brought　you　a　note　from　Mrs。　Titmarsh；
and　a　message　from　my　wife；　who　sincerely　commiserates　your　loss；
and　begs　you　will　not　be　uneasy　at　Mrs。　Titmarsh's　absence。　　She
has　been　good　enough　to　promise　to　pass　the　night　with　Lady
Tiptoff；　and　I　am　sure　you　will　not　object　to　her　being　away　from
you；　while　she　is　giving　happiness　to　a　sick　mother　and　a　sick
child。〃　　After　a　few　more　words；　my　Lord　left　us。　　My　wife's　note
only　said　that　Mrs。　Stokes　would　tell　me　all。



CHAPTER　XIII



IN　WHICH　IT　IS　SHOWN　THAT　A　GOOD　WIFE　IS　THE　BEST　DIAMOND　A　MAN　CAN
WEAR　IN　HIS　BOSOM

〃Mrs。　Titmarsh；　ma'am；〃　says　Mrs。　Stokes；　〃before　I　gratify　your
curiosity；　ma'am；　permit　me　to　observe　that　angels　is　scarce；　and
it's　rare　to　have　one；　much　more　two；　in　a　family。　　Both　your　son
and　your　daughter…in…law；　ma'am；　are　of　that　uncommon　sort；　they
are；　now；　reely；　ma'am。〃

My　mother　said　she　thanked　God　for　both　of　us；　and　Mrs。　Stokes
proceeded：…

〃When　the　fu…　when　the　seminary；　ma'am；　was　concluded　this　morning；
your　poor　daughter…in…law　was　glad　to　take　shelter　in　my　humble
parlour；　ma'am；　where　she　wept；　and　told　a　thousand　stories　of　the
little　cherub　that's　gone。　　Heaven　bless　us！　it　was　here　but　a
month；　and　no　one　could　have　thought　it　could　have　done　such　a　many
things　in　that　time。　　But　a　mother's　eyes　are　clear；　ma'am；　and　I
had　just　such　another　angel；　my　dear　little　Antony；　that　was　born
before　Jemima；　and　would　have　been　twenty…three　now　were　he　in　this
wicked　world；　ma'am。　　However；　I　won't　speak　of　him；　ma'am；　but　of
what　took　place。

〃You　must　know；　ma'am；　that　Mrs。　Titmarsh　remained　downstairs　while
Mr。　Samuel　was　talking　with　his　friend　Mr。　Hoskins；　and　the　poor
thing　would　not　touch　a　bit　of　dinner；　though　we　had　it　made
comfortable；　and　after　dinner；　it　was　with　difficulty　I　could　get
her　to　sup　a　little　drop　of　wine…and…water；　and　dip　a　toast　in　it。
It　was　the　first　morsel　that　had　passed　her　lips　for　many　a　long
hour；　ma'am。

〃Well；　she　would　not　speak；　and　I　thought　it　best　not　to　interrupt
her；　but　she　sat　and　looked　at　my　two　youngest　that　were　playing　on
the　rug；　and　just　as　Mr。　Titmarsh　and　his　friend　Gus　went　out；　the
boy　brought　the　newspaper；　ma'am；　…it　always　comes　from　three　to
four；　and　I　began　a…reading　of　it。　　But　I　couldn't　read　much；　for
thinking　of　poor　Mr。　Sam's　sad　face　as　he　went　out；　and　the　sad
story　he　told　me　about　his　money　being　so　low；　and　every　now　and
then　I　stopped　reading；　and　bade　Mrs。　T。　not　to　take　on　so；　and
told　her　some　stories　about　my　dear　little　Antony。

〃'Ah！'　says　she；　sobbing；　and　looking　at　the　young　ones；　'you　have
other　children；　Mrs。　Stokes；　but　thatthat　was　my　only　one；'　and
she　flung　back　in　her　chair；　and　cried　fit　to　break　her　heart：　　and
I　knew　that　the　cry　would　do　her　good；　and　so　went　back　to　my
paperthe　Morning　Post；　ma'am；　I　always　read　it；　for　I　like　to
know　what's　a…going　on　in　the　West　End。

〃The　very　first　thing　that　my　eyes　lighted　upon　was　this：…　'Wanted；
immediately；　a　respectable　person　as　wet…nurse。　　Apply　at　No。　…；
Grosvenor　Square。'　　'Bless　us　and　save　us！'　says　I；　'here's　poor
Lady　Tiptoff　ill；'　for　I　knew　her　Ladyship's　address；　and　how　she
was　confined　on　the　very　same　day　with　Mrs。　T。：　　and；　for　the
matter　of　that；　her　Ladyship　knows　my　address；　having　visited　here。

〃A　sudden　thought　came　over　me。　　'My　dear　Mrs。　Titmarsh；'　said　I；
'you　know　how　poor　and　how　good　your　husband　is？'

〃'Yes；'　says　she；　rather　surprised。

〃'Well；　my　dear；'　says　I；　looking　her　hard　in　the　face；　'Lady
Tiptoff；　who　knows　him；　wants　a　nurse　for　her　son；　Lord　Poynings。
Will　you　be　a　brave　woman；　and　look　for　the　place；　and　mayhap
replace　the　little　one　that　God　has　taken　from　you？'

〃She　began　to　tremble　and　blush；　and　then　I　told　her　what　you；　Mr。
Sam；　had　told　me　the　other　day　about　your　money　matters；　and　no
sooner　did　she　hear　it　than　she　sprung　to　her　bonnet；　and　said；
'Come；　come：'　and　in　five　minutes　she　had　me　by　the　arm；　and　we
walked　together　to　Grosvenor　Square。　　The　air　did　her　no　harm；　Mr。
Sam；　and　during　the　whole　of　the　walk　she　never　cried　but　once；　and
then　it　was　at　seeing　a　nursery…maid　in　the　Square。

〃A　great　fellow　in　livery　opens　the　door；　and　says；　'You're　the
forty…fifth　as　come　about　this　'ere　place；　but；　fust；　let　me　ask
you　a　preliminary　question。　　Are　you　a　Hirishwoman？'

〃'No；　sir；'　says　Mrs。　T。

〃'That　suffishnt；　mem；'　says　the　gentleman　in　plush；　'I　see　you're
not　by　your　axnt。　　Step　this　way；　ladies；　if　you　please。　　You'll
find　some　more　candidix　for　the　place　upstairs；　but　I　sent　away
forty…four　happlicants；　because　they　WAS　Hirish。'

〃We　were　taken　upstairs　over　very　soft　carpets；　and　brought　into　a
room；　and　told　by　an　old　lady　who　was　there　to　speak　very　softly；
for　my　Lady　was　only　two　rooms　off。　　And　when　I　asked　how　the　baby
and　her　Ladyship　were；　the　old　lady　told　me　both　were　pretty　well：
only　the　doctor　said　Lady　Tiptoff　was　too　delicate　to　nurse　any
longer；　and　so　it　was　considered　necessary　to　have　a　wet…nurse。

〃There　was　another　young　woman　in　the　rooma　tall　fine　woman　as
ever　you　sawthat　looked　very　angry　and　contempshious　at　Mrs。　T。
and　me；　and　said；　'I've　brought　a　letter　from　the　duchess　whose
daughter　I　nust；　and　I　think；　Mrs。　Blenkinsop；　mem；　my　Lady　Tiptoff
may　look　far　before　she　finds　such　another　nuss　as　me。　　Five　feet
six　high；　had　the　small…pox；　married　to　a　corporal　in　the
Lifeguards；　perfectly　healthy；　best　of　charactiers；　only　drink
water；　and　as　for　the　child；　ma'am；　if　her　Ladyship　had　six；　I've　a
plenty　for　them　all。'

〃As　the　woman　was　making　this　speech；　a　little　gentleman　in　black
came　in　from　the　next　room；　treading　as　if　on　velvet。　　The　woman
got　up；　and　made　him　a　low　curtsey；　and　folding　her　arms　on　her
great　broad　chest；　repeated　the　speech　she　had　made　before。　　Mrs。
T。　did　not　get　up　from　her　chair；　but　only　made　a　sort　of　a　bow；
which；　to　be　sure；　I　thought　was　ill　manners；　as　this　gentleman　was
evi