the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第33部分
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month of June。 A duke was one godfather； and Mr。 Edmund Preston； the
State Secretary； another； and that kind Lady Jane Preston； whom I have
before spoken of； was the godmother to her nephew。 She had not long
been made acquainted with my wife's history； and both she and her sister
loved her heartily and were very kind to her。 Indeed； there was not a
single soul in the house； high or low； but was fond of that good sweet
creature； and the very footmen were as ready to serve her as they were
their own mistress。
〃I tell you what； sir；〃 says one of them。 〃You see； Tit my boy； I'm a
connyshure； and up to snough； and if ever I see a lady in my life； Mrs。
Titmarsh is one。 I can't be fimiliar with herI've tried〃
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〃Have you； sir？〃 said I。
〃Don't look so indignant！ I can't； I say； be fimiliar with her as I am
with you。 There's a somethink in her； a jenny…squaw； that haws me； sir！
and even my Lord's own man； that 'as 'ad as much success as any
gentleman in Europehe says that； cuss him〃
〃Mr。 Charles；〃 says I； 〃tell my Lord's own man that； if he wants to
keep his place and his whole skin； he will never address a single word to
that lady but such as a servant should utter in the presence of his mistress；
and take notice that I am a gentleman； though a poor one； and will murder
the first man who does her wrong！〃
Mr。 Charles only said 〃Gammin！〃 to this： but psha！ in bragging
about my own spirit； I forgot to say what great good fortune my dear
wife's conduct procured for me。
On the christening…day； Mr。 Preston offered her first a five； and then a
twenty…pound note； but she declined either； but she did not decline a
present that the two ladies made her together； and this was no other than
MY RELEASE FROM THE FLEET。 Lord Tiptoff's lawyer paid every
one of the bills against me； and that happy christening… day made me a
free man。 Ah！ who shall tell the pleasure of that day； or the merry dinner
we had in Mary's room at Lord Tiptoff's house； when my Lord and my
Lady came upstairs to shake hands with me！
〃I have been speaking to Mr。 Preston；〃 says my Lord； 〃the gentleman
with whom you had the memorable quarrel； and he has forgiven it；
although he was in the wrong； and promises to do something for you。 We
are going down； meanwhile； to his house at Richmond； and be sure； Mr。
Titmarsh； I will not fail to keep you in his mind。〃
〃MRS。 Titmarsh will do that；〃 says my Lady； 〃for Edmund is woefully
smitten with her！〃 And Mary blushed； and I laughed； and we were all
very happy： and sure enough there came from Richmond a letter to me；
stating that I was appointed fourth clerk in the Tape and Sealing…wax
Office； with a salary of 80L。 per annum。
Here perhaps my story ought to stop； for I was happy at last； and have
never since； thank Heaven！ known want： but Gus insists that I should
add how I gave up the place in the Tape and Sealing…wax Office； and for
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what reason。 That excellent Lady Jane Preston is long gone； and so is Mr。
P… off in an apoplexy； and there is no harm now in telling the story。
The fact was； that Mr。 Preston had fallen in love with Mary in a much
more serious way than any of us imagined； for I do believe he invited his
brother…in…law to Richmond for no other purpose than to pay court to his
son's nurse。 And one day； as I was coming post… haste to thank him for
the place he had procured for me； being directed by Mr。 Charles to the
〃scrubbery；〃 as he called it； which led down to the riverthere； sure
enough； I found Mr。 Preston； on his knees too； on the gravel…walk； and
before him Mary； holding the little lord。
〃Dearest creature！〃 says Mr。 Preston； 〃do but listen to me； and I'll
make your husband consul at Timbuctoo！ He shall never know of it； I
tell you： he CAN never know of it。 I pledge you my word as a Cabinet
Minister！ Oh； don't look at me in that arch way： by heavens； your eyes
kill me！〃
Mary； when she saw me； burst out laughing； and ran down the lawn；
my Lord making a huge crowing； too； and holding out his little fat hands。
Mr。 Preston； who was a heavy man； was slowly getting up； when； catching
a sight of me looking as fierce as the crater of Mount Etna；he gave a start
back and lost his footing； and rolled over and over； walloping into the
water at the garden's edge。 It was not deep； and he came bubbling and
snorting out again in as much fright as fury。
〃You d…d ungrateful villain！〃 says he； 〃what do you stand there
laughing for？〃
〃I'm waiting your orders for Timbuctoo； sir；〃 says I； and laughed fit to
die； and so did my Lord Tiptoff and his party； who joined us on the lawn：
and Jeames the footman came forward and helped Mr。 Preston out of the
water。
〃Oh； you old sinner！〃 says my Lord； as his brother…in…law came up the
slope。 〃Will that heart of yours be always so susceptible； you romantic；
apoplectic； immoral man？〃
Mr。 Preston went away； looking blue with rage； and ill…treated his wife
for a whole month afterwards。
〃At any rate；〃 says my Lord； 〃Titmarsh here has got a place through
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our friend's unhappy attachment； and Mrs。 Titmarsh has only laughed at
him； so there is no harm there。 It's an ill wind that blows nobody good；
you know。〃
〃Such a wind as that； my Lord； with due respect to you； shall never do
good to me。 I have learned in the past few years what it is to make
friends with the mammon of unrighteousness； and that out of such
friendship no good comes in the end to honest men。 It shall never be said
that Sam Titmarsh got a place because a great man was in love with his
wife； and were the situation ten times as valuable； I should blush every
day I entered the office…doors in thinking of the base means by which my
fortune was made。 You have made me free； my Lord； and； thank God！ I
am willing to work。 I can easily get a clerkship with the assistance of my
friends； and with that and my wife's income； we can manage honestly to
face the world。〃
This rather long speech I made with some animation； for； look you； I
was not over well pleased that his Lordship should think me capable of
speculating in any way on my wife's beauty。
My Lord at first turned red； and looked rather angry； but at last he held
out his hand and said； 〃You are right； Titmarsh； and I am wrong； and let
me tell you in confidence； that I think you are a very honest fellow。 You
shan't lose by your honesty； I promise you。〃
Nor did I： for I am at this present moment Lord Tiptoff's steward and
right…hand man： and am I not a happy father？ and is not my wife loved
and respected by all the country？ and is not Gus Hoskins my brother…in…
law； partner with his excellent father in the leather way； and the delight of
all his nephews and nieces for his tricks and fun？
As for Mr。 Brough； that gentleman's history would fill a volume of
itself。 Since he vanished from the London world； he has become
celebrated on the Continent； where he has acted a thousand parts； and met
all sorts of changes of high and low fortune。 One thing we may at least
admire in the man； and that is； his undaunted courage； and I can't help
thinking； as I have said before； that there must be some good in him；
seeing the way in which his family are faithful to him。 With respect to
Roundhand； I had best also speak tenderly。 The case of Roundhand v。
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Tidd is still in the memory of the public； nor can I ever understand how
Bill Tidd； so poetic as he was； could ever take on with such a fat； odious；
vulgar woman as Mrs。 R。； who was old enough to be his mother。
As soon as we were in prosperity； Mr。 and Mrs。 Grimes Wapshot made
overtures to be reconciled to us； and Mr。 Wapshot laid bare to me all the
baseness of Mr。 Smithers's conduct in the Brough transaction。 Smithers
had also endeavoured to pay his court to me； once when I went down to
Somersetshire； but I cut his pretensions short； as I have shown。 〃He it
was；〃 said Mr。 Wapshot； 〃who induced Mrs。 Grimes （Mrs。 Hoggarty she
was then） to purchase the West Diddlesex shares： receiving； of course； a
large bonus for himself。 But directly he found that Mrs。 Hoggarty had
fallen into the hands of Mr。 Brough； and that he should lose the income he
made
