samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第5部分

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dying　to　know　everything　about　his　uncle　and　thirteen　aunts？　and
you're　all　chattering　so；　you　young　women；　that　not　a　blessed
syllable　will　you　allow　me　or　my　young　friend　here　to　speak。〃

Lady　Jane　gave　a　shrug　with　her　shoulders；　and　did　not　say　a　single
word　more。　　Lady　Fanny；　who　was　as　gay　as　a　young　kitten　（if　I　may
be　allowed　so　to　speak　of　the　aristocracy）；　laughed；　and　blushed；
and　giggled；　and　seemed　quite　to　enjoy　her　sister's　ill…humour。
And　the　Countess　began　at　once；　and　entered　into　the　history　of　the
thirteen　Misses　Hoggarty；　which　was　not　near　finished　when　we
entered　the　Park。

When　there；　you　can't　think　what　hundreds　of　gents　on　horseback
came　to　the　carriage　and　talked　to　the　ladies。　　They　had　their　joke
for　Lady　Drum；　who　seemed　to　be　a　character　in　her　way；　their　bow
for　Lady　Jane；　and；　the　young　ones　especially；　their　compliment　for
Lady　Fanny。

Though　she　bowed　and　blushed；　as　a　young　lady　should；　Lady　Fanny
seemed　to　be　thinking　of　something　else；　for　she　kept　her　head　out
of　the　carriage；　looking　eagerly　among　the　horsemen；　as　if　she
expected　to　see　somebody。　　Aha！　my　Lady　Fanny；　I　knew　what　it　meant
when　a　young　pretty　lady　like　you　was　absent；　and　on　the　look…out；
and　only　half　answered　the　questions　put　to　her。　　Let　alone　Sam
Titmarshhe　knows　what　Somebody　means　as　well　as　another；　I
warrant。　　As　I　saw　these　manoeuvres　going　on；　I　could　not　help　just
giving　a　wink　to　Lady　Jane；　as　much　as　to　say　I　knew　what　was　what。
〃I　guess　the　young　lady　is　looking　for　Somebody；〃　says　I。　　It　was
then　her　turn　to　look　queer；　I　assure　you；　and　she　blushed　as　red
as　scarlet；　but；　after　a　minute；　the　good…natured　little　thing
looked　at　her　sister；　and　both　the　young　ladies　put　their
handkerchiefs　up　to　their　faces；　and　began　laughinglaughing　as　if
I　had　said　the　funniest　thing　in　the　world。

〃Il　est　charmant；　votre　monsieur；〃　said　Lady　Jane　to　her
grandmamma；　and　on　which　I　bowed；　and　said；　〃Madame；　vous　me　faites
beaucoup　d'honneur：〃　for　I　know　the　French　language；　and　was
pleased　to　find　that　these　good　ladies　had　taken　a　liking　to　me。
〃I'm　a　poor　humble　lad；　ma'am；　not　used　to　London　society；　and　do
really　feel　it　quite　kind　of　you　to　take　me　by　the　hand　so；　and
give　me　a　drive　in　your　fine　carriage。〃

At　this　minute　a　gentleman　on　a　black　horse；　with　a　pale　face　and　a
tuft　to　his　chin；　came　riding　up　to　the　carriage；　and　I　knew　by　a
little　start　that　Lady　Fanny　gave；　and　by　her　instantly　looking
round　the　other　way；　that　SOMEBODY　was　come　at　last。

〃Lady　Drum；〃　said　he；　〃your　most　devoted　servant！　　I　have　just　been
riding　with　a　gentleman　who　almost　shot　himself　for　love　of　the
beautiful　Countess　of　Drum　in　the　yearnever　mind　the　year。〃

〃Was　it　Killblazes？〃　said　the　lady：　　〃he's　a　dear　old　man；　and　I'm
quite　ready　to　go　off　with　him　this　minute。　　Or　was　it　that　delight
of　an　old　bishop？　　He's　got　a　lock　of　my　hair　nowI　gave　it　him
when　he　was　Papa's　chaplain；　and　let　me　tell　you　it　would　be　a　hard
matter　to　find　another　now　in　the　same　place。〃

〃Law；　my　Lady！〃　says　I；　〃you　don't　say　so？〃

〃But　indeed　I　do；　my　good　sir；〃　says　she；　〃for　between　ourselves；
my　head's　as　bare　as　a　cannon…ballask　Fanny　if　it　isn't。　　Such　a
fright　as　the　poor　thing　got　when　she　was　a　babby；　and　came　upon　me
suddenly　in　my　dressing…room　without　my　wig！〃

〃I　hope　Lady　Fanny　has　recovered　from　the　shock；〃　said　〃Somebody；〃
looking　first　at　her；　and　then　at　me　as　if　he　had　a　mind　to　swallow
me。　　And　would　you　believe　it？　all　that　Lady　Fanny　could　say　was；
〃Pretty　well；　I　thank　you；　my　Lord；〃　and　she　said　this　with　as　much
fluttering　and　blushing　as　we　used　to　say　our　Virgil　at　school
when　we　hadn't　learned　it。

My　Lord　still　kept　on　looking　very　fiercely　at　me；　and　muttered
something　about　having　hoped　to　find　a　seat　in　Lady　Drum's
carriage；　as　he　was　tired　of　riding；　on　which　Lady　Fanny　muttered
something；　too；　about　〃a　friend　of　Grandmamma's。〃

〃You　should　say　a　friend　of　yours；　Fanny；〃　says　Lady　Jane：　　〃I　am
sure　we　should　never　have　come　to　the　Park　if　Fanny　had　not
insisted　upon　bringing　Mr。　Titmarsh　hither。　　Let　me　introduce　the
Earl　of　Tiptoff　to　Mr。　Titmarsh。〃　　But；　instead　of　taking　off　his
hat；　as　I　did　mine；　his　Lordship　growled　out　that　he　hoped　for
another　opportunity；　and　galloped　off　again　on　his　black　horse。
Why　the　deuce　I　should　have　offended　him　I　never　could　understand。

But　it　seemed　as　if　I　was　destined　to　offend　all　the　men　that　day；
for　who　should　presently　come　up　but　the　Right　Honourable　Edmund
Preston；　one　of　His　Majesty's　Secretaries　of　State　（as　I　know　very
well　by　the　almanac　in　our　office）　and　the　husband　of　Lady　Jane。

The　Right　Honourable　Edmund　was　riding　a　grey　cob；　and　was　a　fat
pale…faced　man；　who　looked　as　if　he　never　went　into　the　open　air。
〃Who　the　devil's　that？〃　said　he　to　his　wife；　looking　surlily　both
at　me　and　her。

〃Oh；　it's　a　friend　of　Grandmamma's　and　Jane's；〃　said　Lady　Fanny　at
once；　looking；　like　a　sly　rogue　as　she　was；　quite　archly　at　her
sisterwho　in　her　turn　appeared　quite　frightened；　and　looked
imploringly　at　her　sister；　and　never　dared　to　breathe　a　syllable。
〃Yes；　indeed；〃　continued　Lady　Fanny；　〃Mr。　Titmarsh　is　a　cousin　of
Grandmamma's　by　the　mother's　side：　　by　the　Hoggarty　side。　　Didn't
you　know　the　Hoggarties　when　you　were　in　Ireland；　Edmund；　with　Lord
Bagwig？　　Let　me　introduce　you　to　Grandmamma's　cousin；　Mr。　Titmarsh：
Mr。　Titmarsh；　my　brother；　Mr。　Edmund　Preston。〃

There　was　Lady　Jane　all　the　time　treading　upon　her　sister's　foot　as
hard　as　possible；　and　the　little　wicked　thing　would　take　no　notice；
and　I；　who　had　never　heard　of　the　cousinship；　feeling　as　confounded
as　could　be。　　But　I　did　not　know　the　Countess　of　Drum　near　so　well
as　that　sly　minx　her　grand…daughter　did；　for　the　old　lady；　who　had
just　before　called　poor　Gus　Hoskins　her　cousin；　had；　it　appeared；
the　mania　of　fancying　all　the　world　related　to　her；　and　said　…

〃Yes；　we're　cousins；　and　not　very　far　removed。　　Mick　Hoggarty's
grandmother　was　Millicent　Brady；　and　she　and　my　Aunt　Towzer　were
related；　as　all　the　world　knows；　for　Decimus　Brady；　of　Ballybrady；
married　an　own　cousin　of　Aunt　Towzer's　mother；　Bell　Swiftthat　was
no　relation　of　the　Dean's；　my　love；　who　came　but　of　a　so…so　family…
…and　isn't　THAT　clear？〃

〃Oh；　perfectly；　Grandmamma；〃　said　Lady　Jane；　laughing；　while　the
right　honourable　gent　still　rode　by　us；　looking　sour　and　surly。

〃And　sure　you　knew　the　Hoggarties；　Edmund？the　thirteen　red…haired
girlsthe　nine　graces；　and　four　over；　as　poor　Clanboy　used　to　call
them。　　Poor　Clan！a　cousin　of　yours　and　mine；　Mr。　Titmarsh；　and
sadly　in　love　with　me　he　was　too。　　Not　remember　them　ALL　now；
Edmund？not　remember？not　remember　Biddy　and　Minny；　and　Thedy　and
Widdy；　and　Mysie　and　Grizzy；　and　Polly　and　Dolly　and　the　rest？〃

〃D…　the　Miss　Hoggarties；　ma'am；〃　said　the　right　honourable　gent；
and　he　said　it　with　such　energy；　that　his　grey　horse　gave　a　sudden
lash　out　that　well　nigh　sent　him　over　his　head。　　Lady　Jane
screamed；　Lady　Fanny　laughed；　old　Lady　Drum　looked　as　if　she　did
not　care　twopence；　and　said　〃Serve　you　right　for　swearing；　you
ojous　man　you！〃

〃Hadn't　you　better　come　into　the　carriage；　EdmundMr。　Preston？〃
cried　out　the　lady；　anxiously。

〃Oh；　I'm　sure　I'll　slip　out；　ma'am；〃　says　I。

〃Poohpooh！　don't　stir；〃　said　Lady　Drum：　　〃it's　my　carriage；　and
if　Mr。　Preston　chooses　to　swear　at　a　lady　of　my　years　in　that　ojous
vulgar　wayin　that　ojous　vulgar　way　I　repeatI　don't　see　why　my
friends　should　be　inconvenienced　for　him。　　Let　him　sit　on　the　dicky
if　he　likes；　or　come　in　and　ride　bodkin。〃　　It　was　quite　clear　that
my　Lady　Drum　hated　her　grandson…in…law　heartily；　and　I've　remarked
somehow　in　families　that　this　kind　of　hatred　is　by　no　means
uncommon。

Mr。　Preston；　one　of　His　Majesty's　Secretaries　of　State；　was；　to
tell　the　truth；　in　a　great　fright　upon　his　horse；　and　was　glad　to
get　away　from　the　kicking　plunging　brute。　　His　pale　face　looked
still　paler　than　before；　and　his　hands　and　legs　trembled；　as　he
dismounted　from　the　cob　and　gave　the　reins　to　his　servant。　　I
disliked　the　looks　of　the　chapof　the　master；　I　meanat　the　first
moment　he　came　up；　when　he　spoke　rudely　to　that　nice　gentle　wife　of
his；　and　I　thought　he　was　a　cowardly　fellow；　as　the　adventure　of
the　cob　showed　him　to　be。　　Heaven　bless　you！　a　baby　could　have
ridden　it；　and　here　was　the　man　with　his　soul　in　his　mouth　at　the
very　first　kick。

〃Oh；　quick！　DO　come　in；　Edmund；〃　said　Lady　Fanny；　laughing；　and　the
carriage　steps　being　let　down；　and　giving　me　a　great　scowl　as　he
came　in；　he　was　going　to　place　himself　in　Lady　Fanny's　corner　（I
warrant　you　I　wouldn't　budge　from　mine）；　when　the　little　rogue
cried　out；　〃Oh；　no！　by　no　means；　Mr。　Preston。　　Shut　the　door；
Thomas。　　And　oh！　what　fun　it　will　be　to　show　all　the　world　a
Secretary　of　State　riding　bodkin！〃

And　pretty　glum　the　Secretary　of　State　looked；　I　assure　you！

〃Take　my　place；　Edmund；　and　don't　mind　Fanny's　folly；〃　said　Lady
Jane；　timidly。

〃Oh　no！　　Pray；　madam；　don't　stir！　　I'm　comfortable；　very
comfortable；　and　so　I　hope　is　this　Mr。this　gentleman。〃

〃Perfectly；　I　assure　you；〃　says　I。　　〃I　was　going　to　offer　to　ride
your　horse　home　for　you；　as　you　seemed　to　be　rather　frightened　at
it；　but　the　fact　was；　I　was　so　comfortable　here　that　really　I
COULDN'T　move。〃

Such　a　grin　as　old　Lady　Drum　gave　when　I　said　that！how　her　little
eyes　twinkled；　and　her　little　sly　mouth　puckered　up！　　I　couldn't
help　speaking；　for；　look　you；　my　blood　was　up。

〃We　shall　always　be　happy　of　your　company；　Cousin　Titmarsh；〃　says
she；　and　handed　me　a　gold　snuff…box；　out　of　which　I　took　a　pinch；
and　sneezed　with　the　air　of　a　lord。

〃As　you　have　invited　this　gentleman　into　your　carriage；　Lady　Jane
Preston；　hadn't　you　better　invite　him　home　to　dinner？〃　says　Mr。
Preston；　quite　blue　with　rage。

〃I　invited　him　into　my　carriage；〃　says　the　old　lady；　〃and　as　we　are
going　to　dine　at　your　house；　and　you　press　it；　I'm　sure　I　shall　be
very　happy　to　see　him　there。〃

〃I'm　very　sorry　I'm　engaged；〃　said　I。

〃Oh；　indeed；　what　a　pity！〃　says　Right　Honourable　Ned；　still
glowering　at　his　wife。　　〃What　a　pity　that　this　gentlemanI　forget
his　namethat　your　friend；　Lady　Jane；　is　engaged！　　I