samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第9部分

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〃And　then　she　orders　us　to　proceed　to　Mr。　Titmarsh's　house　in　the
City；　where　the　venison　was　left；　in　company　with　a　couple　of
baskets　of　fruit　bought　at　Grange's　by　Lady　Fanny　herself。〃

〃And　what　was　more；〃　said　Lady　Fanny；　〃I　made　Grandmamma　go　into
Frinto　Lord　Tiptoff's　rooms；　and　dictated　out　of　my　own　mouth　the
letter　which　he　wrote；　and　pinned　up　the　haunch　of　venison　that　his
hideous　old　housekeeper　brought　usI　am　quite　jealous　of　herI
pinned　up　the　haunch　of　venison　in　a　copy　of　the　John　Bull
newspaper。〃

It　had　one　of　the　Ramsbottom　letters　in　it；　I　remember；　which　Gus
and　I　read　on　Sunday　at　breakfast；　and　we　nearly　killed　ourselves
with　laughing。　　The　ladies　laughed　too　when　I　told　them　this；　and
good…natured　Lady　Jane　said　she　would　forgive　her　sister；　and　hoped
I　would　too：　　which　I　promised　to　do　as　often　as　her　Ladyship　chose
to　repeat　the　offence。

I　never　had　any　more　venison　from　the　family；　but　I'll　tell　you
WHAT　I　had。　　About　a　month　after　came　a　card　of　〃Lord　and　Lady
Tiptoff；〃　and　a　great　piece　of　plum…cake；　of　which；　I　am　sorry　to
say；　Gus　ate　a　great　deal　too　much。



CHAPTER　VI



OF　THE　WEST　DIDDLESEX　ASSOCIATION；　AND　OF　THE　EFFECT　THE　DIAMOND
HAD　THERE

Well；　the　magic　of　the　pin　was　not　over　yet。　　Very　soon　after　Mrs。
Brough's　grand　party；　our　director　called　me　up　to　his　room　at　the
West　Diddlesex；　and　after　examining　my　accounts；　and　speaking
awhile　about　business；　said；　〃That's　a　very　fine　diamond…pin；
Master　Titmarsh〃　（he　spoke　in　a　grave　patronising　way）；　〃and　I
called　you　on　purpose　to　speak　to　you　upon　the　subject。　　I　do　not
object　to　seeing　the　young　men　of　this　establishment　well　and
handsomely　dressed；　but　I　know　that　their　salaries　cannot　afford
ornaments　like　those；　and　I　grieve　to　see　you　with　a　thing　of　such
value。　　You　have　paid　for　it；　sir；　I　trust　you　have　paid　for　it；
for；　of　all　things；　my　deardear　young　friend；　beware　of　debt。〃

I　could　not　conceive　why　Brough　was　reading　me　this　lecture　about
debt　and　my　having　bought　the　diamond…pin；　as　I　knew　that　he　had
been　asking　about　it　already；　and　how　I　came　by　itAbednego　told
me　so。　　〃Why；　sir；〃　says　I；　〃Mr。　Abednego　told　me　that　he　had　told
you　that　I　had　told　him〃

〃Oh；　ay…by…the…bye；　now　I　recollect；　Mr。　TitmarshI　do　recollect
yes；　though　I　suppose；　sir；　you　will　imagine　that　I　have　other　more
important　things　to　remember。〃

〃Oh；　sir；　in　course；〃　says　I。

〃That　one　of　the　clerks　DID　say　something　about　a　pinthat　one　of
the　other　gentlemen　had　it。　　And　so　your　pin　was　given　you；　was
it？〃

〃It　was　given　me；　sir；　by　my　aunt；　Mrs。　Hoggarty　of　Castle
Hoggarty；〃　said　I；　raising　my　voice；　for　I　was　a　little　proud　of
Castle　Hoggarty。

〃She　must　be　very　rich　to　make　such　presents；　Titmarsh？〃

〃Why；　thank　you；　sir；〃　says　I；　〃she　is　pretty　well　off。　　Four
hundred　a　year　jointure；　a　farm　at　Slopperton；　sir；　three　houses　at
Squashtail；　and　three　thousand　two　hundred　loose　cash　at　the
banker's；　as　I　happen　to　know；　sir；THAT'S　ALL。〃

I　did　happen　to　know　this；　you　see；　because；　while　I　was　down　in
Somersetshire；　Mr。　MacManus；　my　aunt's　agent　in　Ireland；　wrote　to
say　that　a　mortgage　she　had　on　Lord　Brallaghan's　property　had　just
been　paid　off；　and　that　the　money　was　lodged　at　Coutts's。　　Ireland
was　in　a　very　disturbed　state　in　those　days；　and　my　aunt　wisely
determined　not　to　invest　her　money　in　that　country　any　more；　but　to
look　out　for　some　good　security　in　England。　　However；　as　she　had
always　received　six　per　cent。　in　Ireland；　she　would　not　hear　of　a
smaller　interest；　and　had　warned　me；　as　I　was　a　commercial　man；　on
coming　to　town；　to　look　out　for　some　means　by　which　she　could
invest　her　money　at　that　rate　at　least。

〃And　how　do　you　come　to　know　Mrs。　Hoggarty's　property　so
accurately？〃　said　Mr。　Brough；　upon　which　I　told　him。

〃Good　heavens；　sir！　and　do　you　mean　that　you；　a　clerk　in　the　West
Diddlesex　Insurance　Office；　applied　to　by　a　respectable　lady　as　to
the　manner　in　which　she　should　invest　property；　never　spoke　to　her
about　the　Company　which　you　have　the　honour　to　serve？　　Do　you　mean；
sir；　that　you；　knowing　there　was　a　bonus　of　five　per　cent。　for
yourself　upon　shares　taken；　did　not　press　Mrs。　Hoggarty　to　join
us？〃

〃Sir；〃　says　I；　〃I'm　an　honest　man；　and　would　not　take　a　bonus　from
my　own　relation。〃

〃Honest　I　know　you　are；　my　boygive　me　your　hand！　　So　am　I　honest…
…so　is　every　man　in　this　Company　honest；　but　we　must　be　prudent　as
well。　　We　have　five　millions　of　capital　on　our　books；　as　you　see
five　bona　fide　millions　of　bona　fide　sovereigns　paid　up；　sir；
there　is　no　dishonesty　there。　　But　why　should　we　not　have　twenty
millionsa　hundred　millions？　　Why　should　not　this　be　the　greatest
commercial　Association　in　the　world？as　it　shall　be；　sir；it
shall；　as　sure　as　my　name　is　John　Brough；　if　Heaven　bless　my　honest
endeavours　to　establish　it！　　But　do　you　suppose　that　it　can　be　so；
unless　every　man　among　us　use　his　utmost　exertions　to　forward　the
success　of　the　enterprise？　　Never；　sir；never；　and；　for　me；　I　say
so　everywhere。　　I　glory　in　what　I　do。　　There　is　not　a　house　in
which　I　enter；　but　I　leave　a　prospectus　of　the　West　Diddlesex。
There　is　not　a　single　tradesman　I　employ；　but　has　shares　in　it　to
some　amount。　　My　servants；　sir；my　very　servants　and　grooms；　are
bound　up　with　it。　　And　the　first　question　I　ask　of　anyone　who
applies　to　me　for　a　place　is；　Are　you　insured　or　a　shareholder　in
the　West　Diddlesex？　the　second；　Have　you　a　good　character？　　And　if
the　first　question　is　answered　in　the　negative；　I　say　to　the　party
coming　to　me；　Then　be　a　shareholder　before　you　ask　for　a　place　in
my　household。　　Did　you　not　see　meme；　John　Brough；　whose　name　is
good　for　millionsstep　out　of　my　coach…and…four　into　this　office；
with　four　pounds　nineteen；　which　I　paid　in　to　Mr。　Roundhand　as　the
price　of　half　a　share　for　the　porter　at　my　lodge…gate？　　Did　you
remark　that　I　deducted　a　shilling　from　the　five　pound？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　it　was　the　day　you　drew　out　eight　hundred　and　seventy…
three　ten　and　sixThursday　week；〃　says　I。

〃And　why　did　I　deduct　that　shilling；　sir？　　Because　it　was　MY
COMMISSIONJohn　Brough's　commission；　honestly　earned　by　him；　and
openly　taken。　　Was　there　any　disguise　about　it？　　No。　　Did　I　do　it
for　the　love　of　a　shilling？　　No；〃　says　Brough；　laying　his　hand　on
his　heart；　〃I　did　it　from　PRINCIPLE；from　that　motive　which　guides
every　one　of　my　actions；　as　I　can　look　up　to　Heaven　and　say。　　I
wish　all　my　young　men　to　see　my　example；　and　follow　it：　　I　wishI
pray　that　they　may。　　Think　of　that　example；　sir。　　That　porter　of
mine　has　a　sick　wife　and　nine　young　children：　　he　is　himself　a　sick
man；　and　his　tenure　of　life　is　feeble；　he　has　earned　money；　sir；　in
my　servicesixty　pounds　and　moreit　is　all　his　children　have　to
look　toall：　　but　for　that；　in　the　event　of　his　death；　they　would
be　houseless　beggars　in　the　street。　　And　what　have　I　done　for　that
family；　sir？　　I　have　put　that　money　out　of　the　reach　of　Robert
Gates；　and　placed　it　so　that　it　shall　be　a　blessing　to　his　family
at　his　death。　　Every　farthing　is　invested　in　shares　in　this　office；
and　Robert　Gates；　my　lodge…porter；　is　a　holder　of　three　shares　in
the　West　Diddlesex　Association；　and；　in　that　capacity；　your　master
and　mine。　　Do　you　think　I　want　to　CHEAT　Gates？〃

〃Oh；　sir！〃　says　I。

〃To　cheat　that　poor　helpless　man；　and　those　tender　innocent
children！you　can't　think　so；　sir；　I　should　be　a　disgrace　to　human
nature　if　I　did。　　But　what　boots　all　my　energy　and　perseverance？
What　though　I　place　my　friends'　money；　my　family's　money；　my　own
moneymy　hopes；　wishes；　desires；　ambitionsall　upon　this
enterprise？　　You　young　men　will　not　do　so。　　You；　whom　I　treat　with
love　and　confidence　as　my　children；　make　no　return　to　me。　　When　I
toil；　you　remain　still；　when　I　struggle；　you　look　on。　　Say　the　word
at　once；you　doubt　me！　　O　heavens；　that　this　should　be　the　reward
of　all　my　care　and　love　for　you！〃

Here　Mr。　Brough　was　so　affected　that　he　actually　burst　into　tears；
and　I　confess　I　saw　in　its　true　light　the　negligence　of　which　I　had
been　guilty。

〃Sir；〃　says　I；　〃I　am　veryvery　sorry：　　it　was　a　matter　of
delicacy；　rather　than　otherwise；　which　induced　me　not　to　speak　to
my　aunt　about　the　West　Diddlesex。〃

〃Delicacy；　my　dear　dear　boyas　if　there　can　be　any　delicacy　about
making　your　aunt's　fortune！　　Say　indifference　to　me；　say
ingratitude；　say　folly；but　don't　say　delicacyno；　no；　not
delicacy。　　Be　honest；　my　boy；　and　call　things　by　their　right　names…
…always　do。〃

〃It　WAS　folly　and　ingratitude；　Mr。　Brough；〃　says　I：　　〃I　see　it　all
now；　and　I'll　write　to　my　aunt　this　very　post。〃

〃You　had　better　do　no　such　thing；〃　says　Brough；　bitterly：　　〃the
stocks　are　at　ninety；　and　Mrs。　Hoggarty　can　get　three　per　cent。　for
her　money。〃

〃I　WILL　write；　sir；upon　my　word　and　honour；　I　will　write。〃

〃Well；　as　your　honour　is　passed；　you　must；　I　suppose；　for　never
break　your　wordno；　not　in　a　trifle；　Titmarsh。　　Send　me　up　the
letter　when　you　have　done；　and　I'll　frank　itupon　my　word　and
honour　I　will；〃　says　Mr。　Brough；　laughing；　and　holding　out　his　hand
to　me。

I　took　it；　and　he　pressed　mine　very　kindly〃You　may　as　well　sit
down　here；〃　says　he；　as　he　kept　hold　of　it；　〃there　is　plenty　of
paper。〃

And　so　I　sat　down　and　mended　a　beautiful　pen；　and　began　and　wrote；
〃Independent　West　Diddlesex　Association；　June　1822；〃　and　〃My　dear
Aunt；〃　in　the　best　manner　possible。　　Then　I　paused　a　little；
thinking　what　I　should　next　say；　for　I　have　always　found　that
difficulty　about　letters。　　The　date　and　My　dear　So…and…so　one
writes　off　immediatelyit　is　the　next　part　which　is　hard；　and　I
put　my　pen　in　my　mouth；　flung　myself　back　in　my　chair；　and　began　to
think　about　it。

〃Bah！〃　said　Brough；　〃are　you　going　to　be　about　this　letter　all　day；
my　good　fellow？　　Listen　to　me；　and　I'll　dictate　to　you　in　a
moment。〃　　So　he　began：…


〃My　Dear　Aunt；Since　my　return　from　Somersetshire；　I　am　very　happy
indeed　to　tell　you　that　I　have　so　pleased　the　managing　director　of
our　Association　and　the　Board；　that　they　have　been　good　enough　to
appoint　me　third　clerk〃


〃Sir！〃　says　I。

〃Write　what　I　say。　　Mr。　Roundhand；　as　has　been　agreed　by　the　board
yesterday；　quits　the　clerk's　desk　and　takes　the　title　of　se