samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第3部分

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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。　Roundhand；　for　the　three　months'　salary　of
this　perverted　young　man。〃

〃Twenty…one　pun'　five；　Roundhand；　and　nothing　for　the　stamp！〃　cried
out　that　audacious　Swinney。　　〃There　it　is；　sir；　RE…ceipted。　　You
needn't　cross　it　to　my　banker's。　　And　if　any　of　you　gents　like　a
glass　of　punch　this　evening　at　eight　o'clock；　Bob　Swinney's　your
man；　and　nothing　to　pay。　　If　Mr。　Brough　WOULD　do　me　the　honour　to
come　in　and　take　a　whack？　　Come；　don't　say　no；　if　you'd　rather
not！〃

We　couldn't　stand　this　impudence；　and　all　burst　out　laughing　like
mad。

〃Leave　the　room！〃　yelled　Mr。　Brough；　whose　face　had　turned　quite
blue；　and　so　Bob　took　his　white　hat　off　the　peg；　and　strolled　away
with　his　〃tile；〃　as　he　called　it；　very　much　on　one　side。　　When　he
was　gone；　Mr。　Brough　gave　us　another　lecture；　by　which　we　all
determined　to　profit；　and　going　up　to　Roundhand's　desk　put　his　arm
round　his　neck；　and　looked　over　the　ledger。

〃What　money　has　been　paid　in　to…day；　Roundhand？〃　he　said；　in　a　very
kind　way。

〃The　widow；　sir；　came　with　her　money；　nine　hundred　and　four　ten　and
sixsay　904L。　10S。　6D。　　Captain　Sparr；　sir；　paid　his　shares　up；
grumbles；　though；　and　says　he's　no　more：　　fifty　shares；　two
instalmentsthree　fifties；　sir。〃

〃He's　always　grumbling！〃

〃He　says　he　has　not　a　shilling　to　bless　himself　with　until　our
dividend　day。〃

〃Any　more？〃

Mr。　Roundhand　went　through　the　book；　and　made　it　up　nineteen
hundred　pounds　in　all。　　We　were　doing　a　famous　business　now；　though
when　I　came　into　the　office；　we　used　to　sit；　and　laugh；　and　joke；
and　read　the　newspapers　all　day；　bustling　into　our　seats　whenever　a
stray　customer　came。　　Brough　never　cared　about　our　laughing　and
singing　THEN；　and　was　hand　and　glove　with　Bob　Swinney；　but　that　was
in　early　times；　before　we　were　well　in　harness。

〃Nineteen　hundred　pounds；　and　a　thousand　pounds　in　shares。　　Bravo；
Roundhandbravo；　gentlemen！　　Remember；　every　share　you　bring　in
brings　you　five　per　cent。　down　on　the　nail！　　Look　to　your　friends
stick　to　your　desksbe　regularI　hope　none　of　you　forget　church。
Who　takes　Mr。　Swinney's　place？〃

〃Mr。　Samuel　Titmarsh；　sir。〃

〃Mr。　Titmarsh；　I　congratulate　you。　　Give　me　your　hand；　sir：　　you
are　now　twelfth　clerk　of　this　Association；　and　your　salary　is
consequently　increased　five　pounds　a　year。　　How　is　your　worthy
mother；　siryour　dear　and　excellent　parent？　　In　good　health　I
trust？　　And　longlong；　I　fervently　pray；　may　this　office　continue
to　pay　her　annuity！　　Remember；　if　she　has　more　money　to　lay　out；
there　is　higher　interest　than　the　last　for　her；　for　she　is　a　year
older；　and　five　per　cent。　for　you；　my　boy！　　Why　not　you　as　well　as
another？　　Young　men　will　be　young　men；　and　a　ten…pound　note　does　no
harm。　　Does　it；　Mr。　Abednego？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃　says　Abednego；　who　was　third　clerk；　and　who　was　the　chap
that　informed　against　Swinney；　and　he　began　to　laugh；　as　indeed　we
all　did　whenever　Mr。　Brough　made　anything　like　a　joke：　　not　that
they　WERE　jokes；　only　we　used　to　know　it　by　his　face。

〃Oh；　by…the…bye；　Roundhand；〃　says　he；　〃a　word　with　you　on　business。
Mrs。　Brough　wants　to　know　why　the　deuce　you　never　come　down　to
Fulham。〃

〃Law；　that's　very　polite！〃　said　Mr。　Roundhand；　quite　pleased。

〃Name　your　day；　my　boy！　　Say　Saturday；　and　bring　your　night…cap
with　you。〃

〃You're　very　polite；　I'm　sure。　　I　should　be　delighted　beyond
anything；　but〃

〃Butno　buts；　my　boy！　　Hark　ye！　the　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer
does　me　the　honour　to　dine　with　us；　and　I　want　you　to　see　him；　for
the　truth　is；　I　have　bragged　about　you　to　his　Lordship　as　the　best
actuary　in　the　three　kingdoms。〃

Roundhand　could　not　refuse　such　an　invitation　as　THAT；　though　he
had　told　us　how　Mrs。　R。　and　he　were　going　to　pass　Saturday　and
Sunday　at　Putney；　and　we　who　knew　what　a　life　the　poor　fellow　led；
were　sure　that　the　head　clerk　would　be　prettily　scolded　by　his　lady
when　she　heard　what　was　going　on。　　She　disliked　Mrs。　Brough　very
much；　that　was　the　fact；　because　Mrs。　B。　kept　a　carriage；　and　said
she　didn't　know　where　Pentonville　was；　and　couldn't　call　on　Mrs。
Roundhand。　　Though；　to　be　sure；　her　coachman　might　have　found　out
the　way。

〃And　oh；　Roundhand！〃　continued　our　governor；　〃draw　a　cheque　for
seven　hundred；　will　you！　　Come；　don't　stare；　man；　I'm　not　going　to
run　away！　　That's　right；seven　hundredand　ninety；　say；　while
you're　about　it！　　Our　board　meets　on　Saturday；　and　never　fear　I'll
account　for　it　to　them　before　I　drive　you　down。　　We　shall　take　up
the　Chancellor　at　Whitehall。〃

So　saying；　Mr。　Brough　folded　up　the　cheque；　and　shaking　hands　with
Mr。　Roundhand　very　cordially；　got　into　his　carriage…and…four　（he
always　drove　four　horses　even　in　the　City；　where　it's　so
difficult）；　which　was　waiting　at　the　office…door　for　him。

Bob　Swinney　used　to　say　that　he　charged　two　of　the　horses　to　the
Company；　but　there　was　never　believing　half　of　what　that　Bob　said；
he　used　to　laugh　and　joke　so。　　I　don't　know　how　it　was；　but　I　and　a
gent　by　the　name　of　Hoskins　（eleventh　clerk）；　who　lived　together
with　me　in　Salisbury　Square；　Fleet　Streetwhere　we　occupied　a　very
genteel　two…pairfound　our　flute　duet　rather　tiresome　that
evening；　and　as　it　was　a　very　fine　night；　strolled　out　for　a　walk
West　End　way。　　When　we　arrived　opposite　Covent　Garden　Theatre　we
found　ourselves　close　to　the　〃Globe　Tavern；〃　and　recollected　Bob
Swinney's　hospitable　invitation。　　We　never　fancied　that　he　had
meant　the　invitation　in　earnest；　but　thought　we　might　as　well　look
in：　　at　any　rate　there　could　be　no　harm　in　doing　so。

There；　to　be　sure；　in　the　back　drawing…room；　where　he　said　he　would
be；　we　found　Bob　at　the　head　of　a　table；　and　in　the　midst　of　a
great　smoke　of　cigars；　and　eighteen　of　our　gents　rattling　and
banging　away　at　the　table　with　the　bottoms　of　their　glasses。

What　a　shout　they　made　as　we　came　in！　　〃Hurray！〃　says　Bob；　〃here's
two　more！　　Two　more　chairs；　Mary；　two　more　tumblers；　two　more　hot
waters；　and　two　more　goes　of　gin！　　Who　would　have　thought　of　seeing
Tit；　in　the　name　of　goodness？〃

〃Why；〃　said　I；　〃we　only　came　in　by　the　merest　chance。〃

At　this　word　there　was　another　tremendous　roar：　　and　it　is　a
positive　fact；　that　every　man　of　the　eighteen　had　said　he　came　by
chance！　　However；　chance　gave　us　a　very　jovial　night；　and　that
hospitable　Bob　Swinney　paid　every　shilling　of　the　score。

〃Gentlemen！〃　says　he；　as　he　paid　the　bill；　〃I'll　give　you　the
health　of　John　Brough；　Esquire；　and　thanks　to　him　for　the　present
of　21L。　5s。　which　he　made　me　this　morning。　　What　do　I　say21L。
5S。？　　That　and　a　month's　salary　that　I　should　have　had　to　pay
forfeitdown　on　the　nail；　by　Jingo！　for　leaving　the　shop；　as　I
intended　to　do　to…morrow　morning。　　I've　got　a　placea　tip…top
place；　I　tell　you。　　Five　guineas　a　week；　six　journeys　a　year；　my
own　horse　and　gig；　and　to　travel　in　the　West　of　England　in　oil　and
spermaceti。　　Here's　confusion　to　gas；　and　the　health　of　Messrs。
Gann　and　Co。；　of　Thames　Street；　in　the　City　of　London！〃

I　have　been　thus　particular　in　my　account　of　the　West　Diddlesex
Insurance　Office；　and　of　Mr。　Brough；　the　managing　director　（though
the　real　names　are　neither　given　to　the　office　nor　to　the　chairman；
as　you　may　be　sure）；　because　the　fate　of　me　and　my　diamond　pin　was
mysteriously　bound　up　with　both：　　as　I　am　about　to　show。

You　must　know　that　I　was　rather　respected　among　our　gents　at　the
West　Diddlesex；　because　I　came　of　a　better　family　than　most　of
them；　had　received　a　classical　education；　and　especially　because　I
had　a　rich　aunt；　Mrs。　Hoggarty；　about　whom；　as　must　be　confessed；　I
used　to　boast　a　good　deal。　　There　is　no　harm　in　being　respected　in
this　world；　as　I　have　found　out；　and　if　you　don't　brag　a　little　for
yourself；　depend　on　it　there　is　no　person　of　your　acquaintance　who
will　tell　the　world　of　your　merits；　and　take　the　trouble　off　your
hands。

So　that　when　I　came　back　to　the　office　after　my　visit　at　home；　and
took　my　seat　at　the　old　day…book　opposite　the　dingy　window　that
looks　into　Birchin　Lane；　I　pretty　soon　let　the　fellows　know　that
Mrs。　Hoggarty；　though　she　had　not　given　me　a　large　sum　of　money；　as
I　expectedindeed；　I　had　promised　a　dozen　of　them　a　treat　down　the
river；　should　the　promised　riches　have　come　to　meI　let　them　know；
I　say；　that　though　my　aunt　had　not　given　me　any　money；　she　had
given　me　a　splendid　diamond；　worth　at　least　thirty　guineas；　and
that　some　day　I　would　sport　it　at　the　shop。

〃Oh；　let's　see　it！〃　says　Abednego；　whose　father　was　a　mock…jewel
and　gold…lace　merchant　in　Hanway　Yard；　and　I　promised　that　he
should　have　a　sight　of　it　as　soon　as　it　was　set。　　As　my　pocket…
money　was　run　out　too　（by　coach…hire　to　and　from　home；　five
shillings　to　our　maid　at　home；　ten　to　my　aunt's　maid　and　man；　five…
and…twenty　shillings　lost　at　whist；　as　I　said；　and　fifteen…and…six
paid　for　a　silver　scissors　for　the　dear　little　fingers　of
Somebody）；　Roundhand；　who　was　very　good…natured；　asked　me　to　dine；
and　advanced　me　7L。　1S。　8D。；　a　month's　salary。　　It　was　at
Roundhand's　house；　Myddelton　Square；　Pentonville；　over　a　fillet　of
veal　and　bacon　and　a　glass　of　port；　that　I　learned　and　saw　how　his
wife　ill…treated　him；　as　I　have　told　before。　　Poor　fellow！we
under…clerks　all　thought　it　was　a　fine　thing　to　sit　at　a　desk　by
oneself；　and　have　50L。　per　month；　as　Roundhand　had；　but　I've　a
notion　that　Hoskins　and　I；　blowing　duets　on　the　flute　together　in
our　second　floor　in　Salisbury　Square；　were　a　great　deal　more　at
ease　than　our　headand　more　IN　HARMONY；　too；　though　we　made　sad
work　of　the　music；　certainly。

One　day　Gus　Hoskins　and　I　asked　leave　from　Roundhand　to　be　off　at
three　o'clock；　as　we　had　PARTICULAR　BUSINESS　at　the　West　End。　　He
knew　it　was　about　the　great　Hoggarty　diamond；　and　gave　us
permission；　so　off　we　set。　　When　we　reached　St。　Martin's　Lane；　Gus
got　a　cigar；　to　give　himself　as　it　were　a　distingue　air；　and　pulled
at　it　all　the　way　up　the　Lane；　and　through　the　alleys　into　Coventry
Street；　where　Mr。　Polonius's　shop　is；　as　everybody　knows。

The　door　was　open；　and　a　number　of　carriages　full　of　ladies　were
drawing　up　and　setting　down。　　Gus　kept　his　hand