the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第24部分
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with an imploring look； and crying out； 〃Stop till Saturday！〃 at length got
him into the street。
On Saturday Abednego junior left the office for ever； and I became
head clerk with 400L。 a year salary。 It was a fatal week for the office； too。
On Monday； when I arrived and took my seat at the head desk； and my
first read of the newspaper； as was my right； the first thing I read was；
〃Frightful fire in Houndsditch！ Total destruction of Mr。 Meshach's
sealing…wax manufactory and of Mr。 Shadrach's clothing depot； adjoining。
In the former was 20；000L。 worth of the finest Dutch wax； which the
voracious element attacked and devoured in a twinkling。 The latter
estimable gentleman had just completed forty thousand suits of clothes for
the cavalry of H。H。 the Cacique of Poyais。〃
Both of these Jewish gents； who were connections of Mr。 Abednego；
were insured in our office to the full amount of their loss。 The calamity
was attributed to the drunkenness of a scoundrelly Irish watchman； who
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was employed on the premises； and who upset a bottle of whisky in the
warehouse of Messrs。 Shadrach； and incautiously looked for the liquor
with a lighted candle。 The man was brought to our office by his
employers； and certainly； as we all could testify； was EVEN THEN in a
state of frightful intoxication。
As if this were not sufficient； in the obituary was announced the
demise of Alderman PashAlderman Cally…Pash we used to call him in
our lighter hours； knowing his propensity to green fat： but such a
moment as this was no time for joking！ He was insured by our house for
5；000L。 And now I saw very well the truth of a remark of Gus'sviz。；
that life…assurance companies go on excellently for a year or two after
their establishment； but that it is much more difficult to make them
profitable when the assured parties begin to die。
The Jewish fires were the heaviest blows we had had； for though the
Waddingley Cotton…mills had been burnt in 1822； at a loss to the Company
of 80；000L。； and though the Patent Erostratus Match Manufactory had
exploded in the same year at a charge of 14；000L。； there were those who
said that the loss had not been near so heavy as was supposednay； that
the Company had burnt the above…named establishments as advertisements
for themselves。 Of these facts I can't be positive； having never seen the
early accounts of the concern。
Contrary to the expectation of all us gents； who were ourselves as
dismal as mutes； Mr。 Brough came to the office in his coach…and… four；
laughing and joking with a friend as he stepped out at the door。
〃Gentlemen！〃 said he； 〃you have read the papers； they announce an
event which I most deeply deplore。 I mean the demise of the excellent
Alderman Pash； one of our constituents。 But if anything can console me
for the loss of that worthy man； it is to think that his children and widow
will receive； at eleven o'clock next Saturday； 5；000L。 from my friend Mr。
Titmarsh； who is now head clerk here。 As for the accident which has
happened to Messrs。 Shadrach and Meshach；in THAT； at least； there is
nothing that can occasion any person sorrow。 On Saturday next； or as
soon as the particulars of their loss can be satisfactorily ascertained； my
friend Mr。 Titmarsh will pay to them across the counter a sum of forty；
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fifty； eighty； one hundred thousand poundsaccording to the amount of
their loss。 THEY； at least； will be remunerated； and though to our
proprietors the outlay will no doubt be considerable； yet we can afford it；
gentlemen。 John Brough can afford it himself； for the matter of that； and
not be very much embarrassed； and we must learn to bear ill…fortune as we
have hitherto borne good； and show ourselves to be men always！〃
Mr。 B。 concluded with some allusions； which I confess I don't like to
give here； for to speak of Heaven in connection with common worldly
matters； has always appeared to me irreverent； and to bring it to bear
witness to the lie in his mouth； as a religious hypocrite does； is such a
frightful crime； that one should be careful even in alluding to it。
Mr。 Brough's speech somehow found its way into the newspapers of
that very evening； nor can I think who gave a report of it； for none of our
gents left the office that day until the evening papers had appeared。 But
there was the speechay； and at the week's end； although Roundhand was
heard on 'Change that day declaring he would bet five to one that
Alderman Pash's money would never be paid；at the week's end the
money was paid by me to Mrs。 Pash's solicitor across the counter； and no
doubt Roundhand lost his money。
Shall I tell how the money was procured？ There can be no harm in
mentioning the matter now after twenty years' lapse of time； and moreover；
it is greatly to the credit of two individuals now dead。
As I was head clerk； I had occasion to be frequently in Brough's room；
and he now seemed once more disposed to take me into his confidence。
〃Titmarsh my boy；〃 said he one day to me； after looking me hard in the
face； 〃did you ever hear of the fate of the great Mr。 Silberschmidt of
London？〃 Of course I had。 Mr。 Silberschmidt； the Rothschild of his
day （indeed I have heard the latter famous gent was originally a clerk in
Silberschmidt's house）Silberschmidt； fancying he could not meet his
engagements； committed suicide； and had he lived till four o'clock that
day； would have known that he was worth 400；000L。 To tell you frankly
the truth；〃 says Mr。 B。； 〃I am in Silberschmidt's case。 My late partner；
Hoff； has given bills in the name of the firm to an enormous amount； and I
have been obliged to meet them。 I have been cast in fourteen actions；
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brought by creditors of that infernal Ginger Beer Company； and all the
debts are put upon my shoulders； on account of my known wealth。 Now；
unless I have time； I cannot pay； and the long and short of the matter is
that if I cannot procure 5；000L。 before Saturday； OUR CONCERN IS
RUINED！〃
〃What！ the West Diddlesex ruined？〃 says I； thinking of my poor
mother's annuity。 〃Impossible！ our business is splendid！〃
〃We must have 5；000L。 on Saturday； and we are saved； and if you will；
as you can； get it for me； I will give you 10；000L。 for the money！〃
B。 then showed me to a fraction the accounts of the concern； and his
own private account； proving beyond the possibility of a doubt； that with
the 5；000L。 our office must be set a…going； and without it； that the concern
must stop。 No matter how he proved the thing； but there is； you know； a
dictum of a statesman that； give him but leave to use figures； and he will
prove anything。
I promised to ask Mrs。 Hoggarty once more for the money； and she
seemed not to be disinclined。 I told him so； and that day he called upon
her； his wife called upon her； his daughter called upon her； and once more
the Brough carriage…and…four was seen at our house。
But Mrs。 Brough was a bad manager； and； instead of carrying matters
with a high hand； fairly burst into tears before Mrs。 Hoggarty； and went
down on her knees and besought her to save dear John。 This at once
aroused my aunt's suspicions； and instead of lending the money； she wrote
off to Mr。 Smithers instantly to come up to her； desired me to give her up
the 3；000L。 scrip shares that I possessed； called me an atrocious cheat and
heartless swindler； and vowed I had been the cause of her ruin。
How was Mr。 Brough to get the money？ I will tell you。 Being in
his room one day； old Gates the Fulham porter came and brought him from
Mr。 Balls； the pawnbroker； a sum of 1；200L。 Missus told him； he said； to
carry the plate to Mr。 Balls； and having paid the money； old Gates fumbled
a great deal in his pockets； and at last pulled out a 5L。 note； which he said
his daughter Jane had just sent him from service； and begged Mr。 B。 would
let him have another share in the Company。 〃He was mortal sure it
would go right yet。 And when he heard master crying and cursing as he
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and missus were walking in the shrubbery； and saying that for the want of
a few poundsa few shillingsthe finest fortune in Europe was to be
overthrown； why Gates and his woman thought that
