samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第11部分

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〃The　capital　of　the　Company；　as　you　know；　is　five　millions　sterling
（say　5；000；000L。）；　and　we　are　in　a　situation　to　offer　more　than　the
usual　commission　to　our　agents　of　the　legal　profession。　　We　shall
be　happy　to　give　a　premium　of　6　per　cent。　for　shares　to　the　amount
of　1；000L。；　6。5　per　cent。　above　a　thousand；　to　be　paid　immediately
upon　the　taking　of　the　shares。

〃I　am；　dear　Sirs；　for　self　and　partners；
〃Yours　most　faithfully；
〃SAMUEL　JACKSON。〃


This　letter；　as　I　have　said；　came　into　my　hands　some　time
afterwards。　　I　knew　nothing　of　it　in　the　year　1822；　when；　in　my　new
suit　of　clothes；　I　went　down　to　pass　a　week　at　the　Rookery；　Fulham；
residence　of　John　Brough；　Esquire；　M。P。



CHAPTER　VII



HOW　SAMUEL　TITMARSH　REACHED　THE　HIGHEST　POINT　OF　PROSPERITY

If　I　had　the　pen　of　a　George　Robins；　I　might　describe　the　Rookery
properly：　　suffice　it；　however；　to　say　it　is　a　very　handsome
country　place；　with　handsome　lawns　sloping　down　to　the　river；
handsome　shrubberies　and　conservatories；　fine　stables；　outhouses；
kitchen…gardens；　and　everything　belonging　to　a　first…rate　rus　in
urbe；　as　the　great　auctioneer　called　it　when　he　hammered　it　down
some　years　after。

I　arrived　on　a　Saturday　at　half…an…hour　before　dinner：　　a　grave
gentleman　out　of　livery　showed　me　to　my　room；　a　man　in　a　chocolate
coat　and　gold　lace；　with　Brough's　crest　on　the　buttons；　brought　me
a　silver　shaving…pot　of　hot　water　on　a　silver　tray；　and　a　grand
dinner　was　ready　at　six；　at　which　I　had　the　honour　of　appearing　in
Von　Stiltz's　dress…coat　and　my　new　silk　stockings　and　pumps。

Brough　took　me　by　the　hand　as　I　came　in；　and　presented　me　to　his
lady；　a　stout　fair…haired　woman；　in　light　blue　satin；　then　to　his
daughter；　a　tall；　thin；　dark…eyed　girl；　with　beetle…brows；　looking
very　ill…natured；　and　about　eighteen。

〃Belinda　my　love；〃　said　her　papa；　〃this　young　gentleman　is　one　of
my　clerks；　who　was　at　our　ball。〃

〃Oh；　indeed！〃　says　Belinda；　tossing　up　her　head。

〃But　not　a　common　clerk；　Miss　Belinda；so；　if　you　please；　we　will
have　none　of　your　aristocratic　airs　with　him。　　He　is　a　nephew　of
the　Countess　of　Drum；　and　I　hope　he　will　soon　be　very　high　in　our
establishment；　and　in　the　city　of　London。〃

At　the　name　of　Countess　（I　had　a　dozen　times　rectified　the　error
about　our　relationship）；　Miss　Belinda　made　a　low　curtsey；　and
stared　at　me　very　hard；　and　said　she　would　try　and　make　the　Rookery
pleasant　to　any　friend　of　Papa's。　　〃We　have　not　much　MONDE　to…day；〃
continued　Miss　Brough；　〃and　are　only　in　petit　comite；　but　I　hope
before　you　leave　us　you　will　see　some　societe　that　will　make　your
sejour　agreeable。〃

I　saw　at　once　that　she　was　a　fashionable　girl；　from　her　using　the
French　language　in　this　way。

〃Isn't　she　a　fine　girl？〃　said　Brough；　whispering　to　me；　and
evidently　as　proud　of　her　as　a　man　could　be。　　〃Isn't　she　a　fine
girleh；　you　dog？　　Do　you　see　breeding　like　that　in
Somersetshire？〃

〃No；　sir；　upon　my　word！〃　answered　I；　rather　slily；　for　I　was
thinking　all　the　while　how　〃Somebody〃　was　a　thousand　times　more
beautiful；　simple；　and　ladylike。

〃And　what　has　my　dearest　love　been　doing　all　day？〃　said　her　papa。

〃Oh；　Pa！　　I　have　PINCED　the　harp　a　little　to　Captain　Fizgig's
flute。　　Didn't　I；　Captain　Fizgig？〃

Captain　the　Honourable　Francis　Fizgig　said；　〃Yes；　Brough；　your　fair
daughter　PINCED　the　harp；　and　TOUCHED　the　piano；　and　EGRATIGNED　the
guitar；　and　ECORCHED　a　song　or　two；　and　we　had　the　pleasure　of　a
PROMENADE　A　L'EAU；of　a　walk　upon　the　water。〃

〃Law；　Captain！〃　cries　Mrs。　Brough；　〃walk　on　the　water？〃

〃Hush；　Mamma；　you　don't　understand　French！〃　says　Miss　Belinda；　with
a　sneer。

〃It's　a　sad　disadvantage；　madam；〃　says　Fizgig；　gravely；　〃and　I
recommend　you　and　Brough　here；　who　are　coming　out　in　the　great
world；　to　have　some　lessons；　or　at　least　get　up　a　couple　of　dozen
phrases；　and　introduce　them　into　your　conversation　here　and　there。
I　suppose；　sir；　you　speak　it　commonly　at　the　office；　Mr。　What　you
call　it？〃　　And　Mr。　Fizgig　put　his　glass　into　his　eye　and　looked　at
me。

〃We　speak　English；　sir；〃　says　I；　〃knowing　it　better　than　French。〃

〃Everybody　has　not　had　your　opportunities；〃　Miss　Brough；　continued
the　gentleman。　　〃Everybody　has　not　VOYAGE　like　NOUS　AUTRES；　hey？
Mais　que　voulez…vous；　my　good　sir？　you　must　stick　to　your　cursed
ledgers　and　things。　　What's　the　French　for　ledger；　Miss　Belinda？〃

〃How　can　you　ask？　　Je　n'en　scais　rien；　I'm　sure。〃

〃You　should　learn；　Miss　Brough；〃　said　her　father。　　〃The　daughter　of
a　British　merchant　need　not　be　ashamed　of　the　means　by　which　her
father　gets　his　bread。　　I'M　not　ashamedI'm　not　proud。　　Those　who
know　John　Brough；　know　that　ten　years　ago　he　was　a　poor　clerk　like
my　friend　Titmarsh　here；　and　is　now　worth　half…a…million。　　Is　there
any　man　in　the　House　better　listened　to　than　John　Brough？　　Is　there
any　duke　in　the　land　that　can　give　a　better　dinner　than　John
Brough；　or　a　larger　fortune　to　his　daughter　than　John　Brough？　　Why；
sir；　the　humble　person　now　speaking　to　you　could　buy　out　many　a
German　duke！　　But　I'm　not　proudno；　no；　not　proud。　　There's　my
daughterlook　at　herwhen　I　die；　she　will　be　mistress　of　my
fortune；　but　am　I　proud？　　No！　　Let　him　who　can　win　her；　marry　her；
that's　what　I　say。　　Be　it　you；　Mr。　Fizgig；　son　of　a　peer　of　the
realm；　or　you；　Bill　Tidd。　　Be　it　a　duke　or　a　shoeblack；　what　do　I
care；　hey？what　do　I　care？〃

〃O…o…oh！〃　sighed　the　gent　who　went　by　the　name　of　Bill　Tidd：　　a
very　pale　young　man；　with　a　black　riband　round　his　neck　instead　of
a　handkerchief；　and　his　collars　turned　down　like　Lord　Byron。　　He
was　leaning　against　the　mantelpiece；　and　with　a　pair　of　great　green
eyes　ogling　Miss　Brough　with　all　his　might。

〃Oh；　Johnmy　dear　John！〃　cried　Mrs。　Brough；　seizing　her　husband's
hand　and　kissing　it；　〃you　are　an　angel；　that　you　are！〃

〃Isabella；　don't　flatter　me；　I'm　a　MAN；a　plain　downright　citizen
of　London；　without　a　particle　of　pride；　except　in　you　and　my
daughter　heremy　two　Bells；　as　I　call　them！　　This　is　the　way　that
we　live；　Titmarsh　my　boy：　　ours　is　a　happy；　humble；　Christian　home；
and　that's　all。　　Isabella；　leave　go　my　hand！〃

〃Mamma；　you　mustn't　do　so　before　company；　it's　odious！〃　shrieked
Miss　B。；　and　Mamma　quietly　let　the　hand　fall；　and　heaved　from　her
ample　bosom　a　great　large　sigh。　　I　felt　a　liking　for　that　simple
woman；　and　a　respect　for　Brough　too。　　He　couldn't　be　a　bad　man；
whose　wife　loved　him　so。

Dinner　was　soon　announced；　and　I　had　the　honour　of　leading　in　Miss
B。；　who　looked　back　rather　angrily；　I　thought；　at　Captain　Fizgig；
because　that　gentleman　had　offered　his　arm　to　Mrs。　Brough。　　He　sat
on　the　right　of　Mrs。　Brough；　and　Miss　flounced　down　on　the　seat
next　to　him；　leaving　me　and　Mr。　Tidd　to　take　our　places　at　the
opposite　side　of　the　table。

At　dinner　there　was　turbot　and　soup　first；　and　boiled　turkey
afterwards　of　course。　　How　is　it　that　at　all　the　great　dinners　they
have　this　perpetual　boiled　turkey？　　It　was　real　turtle…soup：　　the
first　time　I　had　ever　tasted　it；　and　I　remarked　how　Mrs。　B。；　who
insisted　on　helping　it；　gave　all　the　green　lumps　of　fat　to　her
husband；　and　put　several　slices　of　the　breast　of　the　bird　under　the
body；　until　it　came　to　his　turn　to　be　helped。

〃I'm　a　plain　man；〃　says　John；　〃and　eat　a　plain　dinner。　　I　hate　your
kickshaws；　though　I　keep　a　French　cook　for　those　who　are　not　of　my
way　of　thinking。　　I'm　no　egotist；　look　you；　I've　no　prejudices；　and
Miss　there　has　her　bechamels　and　fallals　according　to　her　taste。
Captain；　try　the　volly…vong。〃

We　had　plenty　of　champagne　and　old　madeira　with　dinner；　and　great
silver　tankards　of　porter；　which　those　might　take　who　chose。
Brough　made　especially　a　boast　of　drinking　beer；　and；　when　the
ladies　retired；　said；　〃Gentlemen；　Tiggins　will　give　you　an
unlimited　supply　of　wine：　　there's　no　stinting　here；〃　and　then　laid
himself　down　in　his　easy…chair　and　fell　asleep。

〃He　always　does　so；〃　whispered　Mr。　Tidd　to　me。

〃Get　some　of　that　yellow…sealed　wine；　Tiggins；〃　says　the　Captain。
〃That　other　claret　we　had　yesterday　is　loaded；　and　disagrees　with
me　infernally！〃

I　must　say　I　liked　the　yellow　seal　much　better　than　Aunt　Hoggarty's
Rosolio。

I　soon　found　out　what　Mr。　Tidd　was；　and　what　he　was　longing　for。

〃Isn't　she　a　glorious　creature？〃　says　he　to　me。

〃Who；　sir？〃　says　I。

〃Miss　Belinda；　to　be　sure！〃　cried　Tidd。　　〃Did　mortal　ever　look　upon
eyes　like　hers；　or　view　a　more　sylph…like　figure？〃

〃She　might　have　a　little　more　flesh；　Mr。　Tidd；〃　says　the　Captain；
〃and　a　little　less　eyebrow。　　They　look　vicious；　those　scowling
eyebrows；　in　a　girl。　　Qu'en　dites…vous；　Mr。　Titmarsh；　as　Miss
Brough　would　say？〃

〃I　think　it　remarkably　good　claret；　sir；〃　says　I。

〃Egad；　you're　the　right　sort　of　fellow！〃　says　the　Captain。　　〃Volto
sciolto；　eh？　　You　respect　our　sleeping　host　yonder？〃

〃That　I　do；　sir；　as　the　first　man　in　the　city　of　London；　and　my
managing　director。〃

〃And　so　do　I；〃　says　Tidd；　〃and　this　day　fortnight；　when　I'm　of　age；
I'll　prove　my　confidence　too。〃

〃As　how？〃　says　I。

〃Why；　sir；　you　must　know　that　I　come　intoahema　considerable
property；　sir；　on　the　14th　of　July；　which　my　father　madein
business。〃

〃Say　at　once　he　was　a　tailor；　Tidd。〃

〃He　WAS　a　tailor；　sir；but　what　of　that？　　I've　had　a　University
education；　and　have　the　feelings　of　a　gentleman；　as　muchay；
perhaps；　and　more；　than　some　members　of　an　effete　aristocracy。〃

〃Tidd；　don't　be　severe！〃　says　the　Captain；　drinking　a　tenth　glass。

〃Well；　Mr。　Titmarsh；　when　of　age　I　come　into　a　considerable
property；　and　Mr。　Brough　has　been　so　good　as　to　say　he　can　get　me
twelve　hundred　a　year　for　my　twenty　thousand　pounds；　and　I　have
promised　to　invest　them。〃

〃In　the　West　Diddlesex；　sir？〃　says　I〃in　our　office？〃

〃No；　in　another　company；　of　which　Mr。　Brough　is　director；　and　quite
as　good　a　thing。　　Mr。　Brough　is　a　very　old　friend　of　my　family；
sir；　and　he　has　taken　a　great　liking　to　me；　and　he　says　that　with
my　talents　I　ought　to　get　into　Parliament；　and　thenand　then！
after　I　have　laid　out　my　patrimony；　I　may　look　to　MATRIMONY；　you
see！〃

〃Oh；　you　designing　dog！〃　said　the　Captain。　　〃When　I　used　to　lick
you　at　school；　who　ever　would　have　thought　that　I　was　thrashing　a
sucking　statesman？〃

〃Talk　aw