the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第16部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
young lady； and I need not say was rejected。 Presently the Captain's
engagement began to be whispered about： all his great relations； the
Duke of Doncaster； the Earl of Cinqbars； the Earl of Crabs； &c。 came and
visited the Brough family； the Hon。 Henry Ringwood became a
shareholder in our Company； and the Earl of Crabs offered to be。 Our
shares rose to a premium； our Director； his lady； and daughter were
presented at Court； and the great West Diddlesex Association bid fair to be
the first Assurance Office in the kingdom。
A very short time after my visit to Fulham； my dear aunt wrote to me
to say that she had consulted with her attorneys； Messrs。 Hodge and
Smithers； who strongly recommended that she should invest the sum as I
advised。 She had the sum invested； too； in my name； paying me many
compliments upon my honesty and talent； of which； she said； Mr。 Brough
had given her the most flattering account。 And at the same time my aunt
informed me that at her death the shares should be my own。 This gave
me a great weight in the Company； as you may imagine。 At our next
annual meeting； I attended in my capacity as a shareholder； and had great
pleasure in hearing Mr。 Brough； in a magnificent speech； declare a
dividend of six per cent。； that we all received over the counter。
〃You lucky young scoundrel！〃 said Brough to me； 〃do you know what
made me give you your place？〃
〃Why； my aunt's money； to be sure； sir；〃 said I。
〃No such thing。 Do you fancy I cared for those paltry three thousand
pounds？ I was told you were nephew of Lady Drum； and Lady Drum is
grandmother of Lady Jane Preston； and Mr。 Preston is a man who can do
us a world of good。 I knew that they had sent you venison； and the deuce
knows what； and when I saw Lady Jane at my party shake you by the hand；
and speak to you so kindly； I took all Abednego's tales for gospel。 THAT
was the reason you got the place； mark you； and not on account of your
miserable three thousand pounds。 Well； sir； a fortnight after you were
60
… Page 61…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
with us at Fulham； I met Preston in the House； and made a merit of having
given the place to his cousin。 'Confound the insolent scoundrel！' said he；
'HE my cousin！ I suppose you take all old Drum's stories for true？
Why； man； it's her mania： she never is introduced to a man but she finds
out a cousinship； and would not fail of course with that cur of a Titmarsh！'
'Well；' said I； laughing； 'that cur has got a good place in consequence； and
the matter can't be mended。' So you see；〃 continued our Director； 〃that
you were indebted for your place； not to your aunt's money； but〃
〃But to MY AUNT'S DIAMOND PIN！〃
〃Lucky rascal！〃 said Brough； poking me in the side and going out of
the way。 And lucky； in faith； I thought I was。
61
… Page 62…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
CHAPTER VIII
RELATES THE HAPPIEST DAY OF SAMUEL TITMARSH'S
LIFE
I don't know how it was that in the course of the next six months Mr。
Roundhand； the actuary； who had been such a profound admirer of Mr。
Brough and the West Diddlesex Association； suddenly quarrelled with
both； and taking his money out of the concern； he disposed of his 5；000L。
worth of shares to a pretty good profit； and went away； speaking
everything that was evil both of the Company and the Director。
Mr。 Highmore now became secretary and actuary； Mr。 Abednego was
first clerk； and your humble servant was second in the office at a salary of
250L。 a year。 How unfounded were Mr。 Roundhand's aspersions of the
West Diddlesex appeared quite clearly at our meeting in January； 1823；
when our Chief Director； in one of the most brilliant speeches ever heard；
declared that the half…yearly dividend was 4L。 per cent。； at the rate of 8L。
per cent。 per annum； and I sent to my aunt 120L。 sterling as the amount of
the interest of the stock in my name。
My excellent aunt； Mrs。 Hoggarty； delighted beyond measure； sent me
back 10L。 for my own pocket； and asked me if she had not better sell
Slopperton and Squashtail； and invest all her money in this admirable
concern。
On this point I could not surely do better than ask the opinion of Mr。
Brough。 Mr。 B。 told me that shares could not be had but at a premium；
but on my representing that I knew of 5；000L。 worth in the market at par；
he said〃Well； if so； he would like a fair price for his； and would not mind
disposing of 5；000L。 worth； as he had rather a glut of West Diddlesex
shares； and his other concerns wanted feeding with ready money。〃 At the
end of our conversation； of which I promised to report the purport to Mrs。
Hoggarty； the Director was so kind as to say that he had determined on
creating a place of private secretary to the Managing Director； and that I
should hold that office with an additional salary of 150L。
I had 250L。 a year； Miss Smith had 70L。 per annum to her fortune。
62
… Page 63…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
What had I said should be my line of conduct whenever I could realise
300L。 a year？
Gus of course； and all the gents in our office through him； knew of my
engagement with Mary Smith。 Her father had been a commander in the
navy and a very distinguished officer； and though Mary； as I have said；
only brought me a fortune of 70L。 a year； and I； as everybody said； in my
present position in the office and the City of London； might have
reasonably looked out for a lady with much more money； yet my friends
agreed that the connection was very respectable； and I was content： as
who would not have been with such a darling as Mary？ I am sure； for
my part； I would not have taken the Lord Mayor's own daughter in place
of Mary； even with a plum to her fortune。
Mr。 Brough of course was made aware of my approaching marriage； as
of everything else relating to every clerk in the office； and I do believe
Abednego told him what we had for dinner every day。 Indeed； his
knowledge of our affairs was wonderful。
He asked me how Mary's money was invested。 It was in the three per
cent。 consols2；333L。 6S。 8D。
〃Remember；〃 says he； 〃my lad； Mrs。 Sam Titmarsh that is to be may
have seven per cent。 for her money at the very least； and on better security
than the Bank of England； for is not a Company of which John Brough is
the head better than any other company in England？〃 and to be sure I
thought he was not far wrong； and promised to speak to Mary's guardians
on the subject before our marriage。 Lieutenant Smith； her grandfather； had
been at the first very much averse to our union。 （I must confess that； one
day finding me alone with her； and kissing； I believe； the tips of her little
fingers； he had taken me by the collar and turned me out of doors。） But
Sam Titmarsh； with a salary of 250L。 a year； a promised fortune of 150L。
more； and the right…hand man of Mr。 John Brough of London； was a very
different man from Sam the poor clerk； and the poor clergyman's widow's
son； and the old gentleman wrote me a kind letter enough； and begged me
to get him six pairs of lamb's…wool stockings and four ditto waistcoats
from Romanis'； and accepted them too as a present from me when I went
down in Junein happy June of 1823to fetch my dear Mary away。
63
… Page 64…
THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
Mr。 Brough was likewise kindly anxious about my aunt's Slopperton
and Squashtail property； which she had not as yet sold； as she talked of
doing； and； as Mr。 B。 represented； it was a sin and a shame that any person
in whom he took such interest； as he did in all the relatives of his dear
young friend； should only have three per cent。 for her money； when she
could have eight elsewhere。 He always called me Sam now； praised me
to the other young men （who brought the praises regularly to me）； said
there was a cover always laid for me at Fulham； and repeatedly took me
thither。 There was but little company when I went； and M'Whirter used
to say he only asked me on days when he had his vulgar acquaintances。
But I did not care for the great people； not being born in their sphere； and
indeed did not much care for going to the house at all。 Miss Belinda was
not at all to my liking。 After her engagement with Captain Fizgig； and
after Mr。 Tidd had paid his 20；000L。 and Fizgig's great relations had joined
in some of our Director's companies； Mr。 Brough declared he believed that
Captain Fizgig's views were mercenary； and put him to the proof at once；
by saying that he must take Miss Brough without a farthing； or not have
her at all。 Whereupon Capta
