samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第26部分

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which；　to　be　sure；　I　thought　was　ill　manners；　as　this　gentleman　was
evidently　the　apothecary。　　He　looked　hard　at　her　and　said；　'Well；
my　good　woman；　and　are　you　come　about　the　place　too？'

〃'Yes；　sir；'　says　she；　blushing。

〃'You　seem　very　delicate。　　How　old　is　your　child？　　How　many　have
you　had？　　What　character　have　you？'

〃Your　wife　didn't　answer　a　word；　so　I　stepped　up；　and　said；　'Sir；'
says　I；　'this　lady　has　just　lost　her　first　child；　and　isn't　used　to
look　for　places；　being　the　daughter　of　a　captain　in　the　navy；　so
you'll　excuse　her　want　of　manners　in　not　getting　up　when　you　came
in。'

〃The　doctor　at　this　sat　down　and　began　talking　very　kindly　to　her；
he　said　he　was　afraid　that　her　application　would　be　unsuccessful；
as　Mrs。　Horner　came　very　strongly　recommended　from　the　Duchess　of
Doncaster；　whose　relative　Lady　Tiptoff　was；　and　presently　my　Lady
appeared；　looking　very　pretty；　ma'am；　in　an　elegant　lace…cap　and　a
sweet　muslin　robe…de…sham。

〃A　nurse　came　out　of　her　Ladyship's　room　with　her；　and　while　my
Lady　was　talking　to　us；　walked　up　and　down　in　the　next　room　with
something　in　her　arms。

〃First；　my　Lady　spoke　to　Mrs。　Horner；　and　then　to　Mrs。　T。；　but　all
the　while　she　was　talking；　Mrs。　Titmarsh；　rather　rudely；　as　I
thought；　ma'am；　was　looking　into　the　next　room：　　lookinglooking
at　the　baby　there　with　all　her　might。　　My　Lady　asked　her　her　name；
and　if　she　had　any　character；　and　as　she　did　not　speak；　I　spoke　up
for　her；　and　said　she　was　the　wife　of　one　of　the　best　men　in　the
world；　that　her　Ladyship　knew　the　gentleman；　too；　and　had　brought
him　a　haunch　of　venison。　　Then　Lady　Tiptoff　looked　up　quite
astonished；　and　I　told　the　whole　story：　　how　you　had　been　head
clerk；　and　that　rascal；　Brough；　had　brought　you　to　ruin。　　'Poor
thing！'　said　my　Lady：　　Mrs。　Titmarsh　did　not　speak；　but　still　kept
looking　at　the　baby；　and　the　great　big　grenadier　of　a　Mrs。　Horner
looked　angrily　at　her。

〃'Poor　thing！'　says　my　Lady；　taking　Mrs。　T。's　hand　very　kind；　'she
seems　very　young。　　How　old　are　you；　my　dear？'

〃'Five　weeks　and　two　days！'　says　your　wife；　sobbing。

〃Mrs。　Horner　burst　into　a　laugh；　but　there　was　a　tear　in　my　Lady's
eyes；　for　she　knew　what　the　poor　thing　was　a…thinking　of。

〃'Silence；　woman！'　says　she　angrily　to　the　great　grenadier　woman；
and　at　this　moment　the　child　in　the　next　room　began　crying。

〃As　soon　as　your　wife　heard　the　noise；　she　sprung　from　her　chair
and　made　a　stop　forward；　and　put　both　her　hands　to　her　breast　and
said；　'The　childthe　childgive　it　me！'　and　then　began　to　cry
again。

〃My　Lady　looked　at　her　for　a　moment；　and　then　ran　into　the　next
room　and　brought　her　the　baby；　and　the　baby　clung　to　her　as　if　he
knew　her：　　and　a　pretty　sight　it　was　to　see　that　dear　woman　with
the　child　at　her　bosom。

〃When　my　Lady　saw　it；　what　do　you　think　she　did？　　After　looking　on
it　for　a　bit；　she　put　her　arms　round　your　wife's　neck　and　kissed
her。

〃'My　dear；'　said　she；　'I　am　sure　you　are　as　good　as　you　are　pretty；
and　you　shall　keep　the　child：　　and　I　thank　God　for　sending　you　to
me！'

〃These　were　her　very　words；　and　Dr。　Bland；　who　was　standing　by；
says；　'It's　a　second　judgment　of　Solomon！'

〃'I　suppose；　my　Lady；　you　don't　want　ME？'　says　the　big　woman；　with
another　curtsey。

〃'Not　in　the　least！'　answers　my　Lady；　haughtily；　and　the　grenadier
left　the　room：　　and　then　I　told　all　your　story　at　full　length；　and
Mrs。　Blenkinsop　kept　me　to　tea；　and　I　saw　the　beautiful　room　that
Mrs。　Titmarsh　is　to　have　next　to　Lady　Tiptoff's；　and　when　my　Lord
came　home；　what　does　he　do　but　insist　upon　coming　back　with　me　here
in　a　hackney…coach；　as　he　said　he　must　apologise　to　you　for　keeping
your　wife　away。〃

I　could　not　help；　in　my　own　mind；　connecting　this　strange　event
which；　in　the　midst　of　our　sorrow；　came　to　console　us；　and　in　our
poverty　to　give　us　bread；I　could　not　help　connecting　it　with　the
DIAMOND　PIN；　and　fancying　that　the　disappearance　of　that　ornament
had　somehow　brought　a　different　and　a　better　sort　of　luck　into　my
family。　　And　though　some　gents　who　read　this；　may　call　me　a　poor…
spirited　fellow　for　allowing　my　wife　to　go　out　to　service；　who　was
bred　a　lady　and　ought　to　have　servants　herself：　　yet；　for　my　part；
I　confess　I　did　not　feel　one　minute's　scruple　or　mortification　on
the　subject。　　If　you　love　a　person；　is　it　not　a　pleasure　to　feel
obliged　to　him？　　And　this；　in　consequence；　I　felt。　　I　was　proud　and
happy　at　being　able　to　think　that　my　dear　wife　should　be　able　to
labour　and　earn　bread　for　me；　now　misfortune　had　put　it　out　of　my
power　to　support　me　and　her。　　And　now；　instead　of　making　any
reflections　of　my　own　upon　prison　discipline；　I　will　recommend　the
reader　to　consult　that　admirable　chapter　in　the　Life　of　Mr。
Pickwick　in　which　the　same　theme　is　handled；　and　which　shows　how
silly　it　is　to　deprive　honest　men　of　the　means　of　labour　just　at
the　moment　when　they　most　want　it。　　What　could　I　do？　　There　were
one　or　two　gents　in　the　prison　who　could　work　（literary　gents；one
wrote　his　〃Travels　in　Mesopotamia；〃　and　the　other　his　〃Sketches　at
Almack's；〃　in　the　place）；　but　all　the　occupation　I　could　find　was
walking　down　Bridge　Street；　and　then　up　Bridge　Street；　and　staring
at　Alderman　Waithman's　windows；　and　then　at　the　black　man　who　swept
the　crossing。　　I　never　gave　him　anything；　but　I　envied　him　his
trade　and　his　broom；　and　the　money　that　continually　fell　into　his
old　hat。　　But　I　was　not　allowed　even　to　carry　a　broom。

Twice　or　thricefor　Lady　Tiptoff　did　not　wish　her　little　boy　often
to　breathe　the　air　of　such　a　close　place　as　Salisbury　Squaremy
dear　Mary　came　in　the　thundering　carriage　to　see　me。　　They　were
merry　meetings；　andif　the　truth　must　be　toldtwice；　when　nobody
was　by；　I　jumped　into　the　carriage　and　had　a　drive　with　her；　and
when　I　had　seen　her　home；　jumped　into　another　hackney…coach　and
drove　back。　　But　this　was　only　twice；　for　the　system　was　dangerous；
and　it　might　bring　me　into　trouble；　and　it　cost　three　shillings
from　Grosvenor　Square　to　Ludgate　Hill。

Here；　meanwhile；　my　good　mother　kept　me　company；　and　what　should　we
read　of　one　day　but　the　marriage　of　Mrs。　Hoggarty　and　the　Rev。
Grimes　Wapshot！　　My　mother；　who　never　loved　Mrs。　H。；　now　said　that
she　should　repent　all　her　life　having　allowed　me　to　spend　so　much
of　my　time　with　that　odious　ungrateful　woman；　and　added　that　she
and　I　too　were　justly　punished　for　worshipping　the　mammon　of
unrighteousness　and　forgetting　our　natural　feelings　for　the　sake　of
my　aunt's　paltry　lucre。　　〃Well；　Amen！〃　said　I。　　〃This　is　the　end　of
all　our　fine　schemes！　　My　aunt's　money　and　my　aunt's　diamond　were
the　causes　of　my　ruin；　and　now　they　are　clear　gone；　thank　Heaven！
and　I　hope　the　old　lady　will　be　happy；　and　I　must　say　I　don't　envy
the　Rev。　Grimes　Wapshot。〃　　So　we　put　Mrs。　Hoggarty　out　of　our
thoughts；　and　made　ourselves　as　comfortable　as　might　be。

Rich　and　great　people　are　slower　in　making　Christians　of　their
children　than　we　poor　ones；　and　little　Lord　Poynings　was　not
christened　until　the　month　of　June。　　A　duke　was　one　godfather；　and
Mr。　Edmund　Preston；　the　State　Secretary；　another；　and　that　kind
Lady　Jane　Preston；　whom　I　have　before　spoken　of；　was　the　godmother
to　her　nephew。　　She　had　not　long　been　made　acquainted　with　my
wife's　history；　and　both　she　and　her　sister　loved　her　heartily　and
were　very　kind　to　her。　　Indeed；　there　was　not　a　single　soul　in　the
house；　high　or　low；　but　was　fond　of　that　good　sweet　creature；　and
the　very　footmen　were　as　ready　to　serve　her　as　they　were　their　own
mistress。

〃I　tell　you　what；　sir；〃　says　one　of　them。　　〃You　see；　Tit　my　boy；
I'm　a　connyshure；　and　up　to　snough；　and　if　ever　I　see　a　lady　in　my
life；　Mrs。　Titmarsh　is　one。　　I　can't　be　fimiliar　with　herI've
tried〃

〃Have　you；　sir？〃　said　I。

〃Don't　look　so　indignant！　　I　can't；　I　say；　be　fimiliar　with　her　as
I　am　with　you。　　There's　a　somethink　in　her；　a　jenny…squaw；　that
haws　me；　sir！　and　even　my　Lord's　own　man；　that　'as　'ad　as　much
success　as　any　gentleman　in　Europehe　says　that；　cuss　him〃

〃Mr。　Charles；〃　says　I；　〃tell　my　Lord's　own　man　that；　if　he　wants　to
keep　his　place　and　his　whole　skin；　he　will　never　address　a　single
word　to　that　lady　but　such　as　a　servant　should　utter　in　the
presence　of　his　mistress；　and　take　notice　that　I　am　a　gentleman；
though　a　poor　one；　and　will　murder　the　first　man　who　does　her
wrong！〃

Mr。　Charles　only　said　〃Gammin！〃　to　this：　　but　psha！　in　bragging
about　my　own　spirit；　I　forgot　to　say　what　great　good　fortune　my
dear　wife's　conduct　procured　for　me。

On　the　christening…day；　Mr。　Preston　offered　her　first　a　five；　and
then　a　twenty…pound　note；　but　she　declined　either；　but　she　did　not
decline　a　present　that　the　two　ladies　made　her　together；　and　this
was　no　other　than　MY　RELEASE　FROM　THE　FLEET。　　Lord　Tiptoff's　lawyer
paid　every　one　of　the　bills　against　me；　and　that　happy　christening…
day　made　me　a　free　man。　　Ah！　who　shall　tell　the　pleasure　of　that
day；　or　the　merry　dinner　we　had　in　Mary's　room　at　Lord　Tiptoff's
house；　when　my　Lord　and　my　Lady　came　upstairs　to　shake　hands　with
me！

〃I　have　been　speaking　to　Mr。　Preston；〃　says　my　Lord；　〃the　gentleman
with　whom　you　had　the　memorable　quarrel；　and　he　has　forgiven　it；
although　he　was　in　the　wrong；　and　promises　to　do　something　for　you。
We　are　going　down；　meanwhile；　to　his　house　at　Richmond；　and　be
sure；　Mr。　Titmarsh；　I　will　not　fail　to　keep　you　in　his　mind。〃

〃MRS。　Titmarsh　will　do　that；〃　says　my　Lady；　〃for　Edmund　is　woefully
smitten　with　her！〃　　And　Mary　blushed；　and　I　laughed；　and　we　were
all　very　happy：　　and　sure　enough　there　came　from　Richmond　a　letter
to　me；　stating　that　I　was　appointed　fourth　clerk　in　the　Tape　and
Sealing…wax　Office；　with　a　salary　of　80L。　per　annum。

Here　perhaps　my　story　ought　to　stop；　for　I　was　happy　at　last；　and
have　never　since；　thank　Heaven！　known　want：　　but　Gus　insists　that　I
should　add　how　I　gave　up　the　place　in　the　Tape　and　Sealing…wax
Office；　and　for　what　reason。　　That　excellent　Lady　Jane　Preston　is
long　gone；　and　so　is　Mr。　P…　off　in　an　apoplexy；　and　there　is　no
harm　now　in　telling　the　story。

The　fact　was；　that　Mr。　Preston　had　fallen　in　love　with　Mary　in　a
much　more　serious　way　than　any　of　us　imagined；　for　I　do　believe　he
invited　his　brother…in…