samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第13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！


for　the　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　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。



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。
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。

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　Captain　Fizgig　got　an　appointment　in　the
colonies；　and　Miss　Brough　became　more　ill…humoured　than　ever。　　But
I　could　not　help　thinking　she　was　rid　of　a　bad　bargain；　and　pitying
poor　Tidd；　who　came　back　to　the　charge　again　more　love…sick　than
ever；　and　was　rebuffed　pitilessly　by　Miss　Belinda。　　Her　father
plainly　told　Tidd；　too；　that　his　visits　were　disagreeable　to
Belinda；　and　though　he　must　always　love　and　value　him；　he　begged
him　to　discontinue　his　calls　at　the　Rookery。　　Poor　fellow！　he　had
paid　his　20；000L。　away　for　nothing！　for　what　was　six　per　cent。　to
him　compared　to　six　per　cent。　and　the　hand　of　Miss　Belinda　Brough？

Well；　Mr。　Brough　pitied　the　poor　love…sick　swain；　as　he　called　me；
so　much；　and　felt　such　a　warm　sympathy　in　my　well…being；　that　he
insisted　on　my　going　down　to　Somersetshire　with　a　couple　of　months'
leave；　and　away　I　went；　as　happy　as　a　lark；　with　a　couple　of　brand…
new　suits　from　Von　Stiltz's　in　my　trunk　（I　had　them　made；　looking
forward　to　a　certain　event）；　and　inside　the　trunk　Lieutenant
Smith's　fleecy　hosiery；　wrapping　up　a　parcel　of　our　prospectuses
and　two　letters　from　John　Brough；　Esq。；　to　my　mother　our　worthy
annuitant；　and　to　Mrs。　Hoggarty　our　excellent　shareholder。　　Mr。
Brough　said　I　was　all　that　the　fondest　father　could　wish；　that　he
considered　me　as　his　own　boy；　and　that　he　earnestly　begged　Mrs。
Hoggarty　not　to　delay　the　sale　of　her　little　landed　property；　as
land　was　high　now　and　MUST　FALL；　whereas　the　West　Diddlesex
Association　shares　were　（comparatively）　low；　and　must　inevitably；
in　the　course　of　a　year　or　two；　double；　treble；　quadruple　their
present　value。

In　this　way　I　was　prepared；　and　in　this　way　I　took　leave　of　my　dear
Gus。　　As　we　parted　in　the　yard　of　the　〃Bolt…in…Tun；〃　Fleet　Street；
I　felt　that　I　never　should　go　back　to　Salisbury　Square　again；　and
had　made　my　little　present　to　the　landlady'