the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第29部分
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sitting hard by; 〃your story is not likely to get into the newspapers; for; as
you say; it is a private affair; which you had no need to speak of unless you
thought proper; and may be considered as a confidential conversation
between us and the other gentlemen here。 But if it COULD be made
public; it might do some good; and warn people; if they WILL be warned;
against the folly of such enterprises as that in which you have been
engaged。 It is quite clear from your story; that you have been deceived as
grossly as anyone of the persons present。 But look you; sir; if you had
not been so eager after gain; I think you would not have allowed yourself
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to be deceived; and would have kept your relative's money; and inherited it;
according to your story; one day or other。 Directly people expect to make a
large interest; their judgment seems to desert them; and because they wish
for profit; they think they are sure of it; and disregard all warnings and all
prudence。 Besides the hundreds of honest families who have been ruined
by merely placing confidence in this Association of yours; and who
deserve the heartiest pity; there are hundreds more who have embarked in
it; like yourself; not for investment; but for speculation; and these; upon
my word; deserve the fate they have met with。 As long as dividends are
paid; no questions are asked; and Mr。 Brough might have taken the money
for his shareholders on the high…road; and they would have pocketed it;
and not been too curious。 But what's the use of talking?〃 says Mr。
Commissioner; in a passion: 〃here is one rogue detected; and a thousand
dupes made; and if another swindler starts to…morrow; there will be a
thousand more of his victims round this table a year hence; and so; I
suppose; to the end。 And now let's go to business; gentlemen; and excuse
this sermon。〃
After giving an account of all I knew; which was very little; other
gents who were employed in the concern were examined; and I went back
to prison; with my poor little wife on my arm。 We had to pass through
the crowd in the rooms; and my heart bled as I saw; amongst a score of
others; poor Gates; Brough's porter; who had advanced every shilling to
his master; and was now; with ten children; houseless and penniless in his
old age。 Captain Sparr was in this neighbourhood; but by no means so
friendly disposed; for while Gates touched his hat; as if I had been a lord;
the little Captain came forward threatening with his bamboo…cane and
swearing with great oaths that I was an accomplice of Brough。 〃Curse
you for a smooth…faced scoundrel!〃 says he。 〃What business have you to
ruin an English gentleman; as you have me?〃 And again he advanced
with his stick。 But this time; officer as he was; Gus took him by the
collar; and shoved him back; and said; 〃Look at the lady; you brute; and
hold your tongue!〃 And when he looked at my wife's situation; Captain
Sparr became redder for shame than he had before been for anger。 〃I'm
sorry she's married to such a good…for… nothing;〃 muttered he; and fell
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back; and my poor wife and I walked out of the court; and back to our
dismal room in the prison。
It was a hard place for a gentle creature like her to be confined in; and
I longed to have some of my relatives with her when her time should come。
But her grandmother could not leave the old lieutenant; and my mother
had written to say that; as Mrs。 Hoggarty was with us; she was quite as
well at home with her children。 〃What a blessing it is for you; under your
misfortunes;〃 continued the good soul; 〃to have the generous purse of your
aunt for succour!〃 Generous purse of my aunt; indeed! Where could
Mrs。 Hoggarty be? It was evident that she had not written to any of her
friends in the country; nor gone thither; as she threatened。
But as my mother had already lost so much money through my
unfortunate luck; and as she had enough to do with her little pittance to
keep my sisters at home; and as; on hearing of my condition; she would
infallibly have sold her last gown to bring me aid; Mary and I agreed that
we would not let her know what our real condition wasbad enough!
Heaven knows; and sad and cheerless。 Old Lieutenant Smith had likewise
nothing but his half…pay and his rheumatism; so we were; in fact; quite
friendless。
That period of my life; and that horrible prison; seem to me like
recollections of some fever。 What an awful place!not for the sadness;
strangely enough; as I thought; but for the gaiety of it; for the long prison
galleries were; I remember; full of life and a sort of grave bustle。 All day
and all night doors were clapping to and fro; and you heard loud voices;
oaths; footsteps; and laughter。 Next door to our room was one where a man
sold gin; under the name of TAPE; and here; from morning till night; the
people kept up a horrible revelry;and sangsad songs some of them:
but my dear little girl was; thank God! unable to understand the most part
of their ribaldry。 She never used to go out till nightfall; and all day she
sat working at a little store of caps and dresses for the expected stranger
and not; she says to this day; unhappy。 But the confinement sickened her;
who had been used to happy country air; and she grew daily paler and
paler。
The Fives Court was opposite our window; and here I used; very
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unwillingly at first; but afterwards; I do confess; with much eagerness; to
take a couple of hours' daily sport。 Ah! it was a strange place。 There
was an aristocracy there as elsewhere; amongst other gents; a son of my
Lord Deuce…ace; and many of the men in the prison were as eager to walk
with him; and talked of his family as knowingly; as if they were Bond
Street bucks。 Poor Tidd; especially; was one of these。 Of all his fortune
he had nothing left but a dressing…case and a flowered dressing…gown; and
to these possessions he added a fine pair of moustaches; with which the
poor creature strutted about; and though cursing his ill fortune; was; I do
believe; as happy whenever his friends brought him a guinea; as he had
been during his brief career as a gentleman on town。 I have seen
sauntering dandies in watering…places ogling the women; watching eagerly
for steamboats and stage…coaches as if their lives depended upon them;
and strutting all day in jackets up and down the public walks。 Well; there
are such fellows in prison: quite as dandified and foolish; only a little
more shabbydandies with dirty beards and holes at their elbows。
I did not go near what is called the poor side of the prisonI DARED
not; that was the fact。 But our little stock of money was running low; and
my heart sickened to think what might be my dear wife's fate; and on what
sort of a couch our child might be born。 But Heaven spared me that pang;…
…Heaven; and my dear good friend; Gus Hoskins。
The attorneys to whom Mr。 Smithers recommended me; told me that I
could get leave to live in the rules of the Fleet; could I procure sureties to
the marshal of the prison for the amount of the detainer lodged against me;
but though I looked Mr。 Blatherwick hard in the face; he never offered to
give the bail for me; and I knew no housekeeper in London who would
procure it。 There was; however; one whom I did not know;and that was
old Mr。 Hoskins; the leatherseller of Skinner Street; a kind fat gentleman;
who brought his fat wife to see Mrs。 Titmarsh; and though the lady gave
herself rather patronising airs (her husband being free of the Skinners'
Company; and bidding fair to be Alderman; nay; Lord Mayor of the first
city in the world); she seemed heartily to sympathise with us; and her
husband stirred and bustled about until the requisite leave was obtained;
and I was allowed comparative liberty。
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As for lodgings; they were soon had。 My old landlady; Mrs。 Stokes;
sent her Jemima to say that her first floor was at our service; and when we
had taken possession of it; and I offered at the end of the week to pay her
bill; the good soul; with tears in her eyes; told me that she did not want for
money now; and that she knew I had enough to do with what I had。 I did
not refuse her kindness; for; indeed; I had but five guineas left; and ought
not by rights to have thought of such expensive apartments as hers; but my
wife's time was very near; and I could no