samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第20部分

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been　obliged　to　meet　them。　　I　have　been　cast　in　fourteen　actions；
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　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　they　should　come
for'ard；　to　be　sure；　with　all　they　could；　to　help　the　kindest
master　and　missus　ever　was。〃

This　was　the　substance　of　Gates's　speech；　and　Mr。　Brough　shook　his
hand　andtook　the　5L。　　〃Gates；〃　said　he；　〃that　5L。　note　shall　be
the　best　outlay　you　ever　made　in　your　life！〃　and　I　have　no　doubt　it
was；but　it　was　in　heaven　that　poor　old　Gates　was　to　get　the
interest　of　his　little　mite。

Nor　was　this　the　only　instance。　　Mrs。　Brough's　sister；　Miss　Dough；
who　had　been　on　bad　terms　with　the　Director　almost　ever　since　he
had　risen　to　be　a　great　man；　came　to　the　office　with　a　power　of
attorney；　and　said；　〃John；　Isabella　has　been　with　me　this　morning；
and　says　you　want　money；　and　I　have　brought　you　my　4；000L。；　it　is
all　I　have；　John；　and　pray　God　it　may　do　you　goodyou　and　my　dear
sister；　who　was　the　best　sister　in　the　world　to　metilltill　a
little　time　ago。〃

And　she　laid　down　the　paper：　　I　was　called　up　to　witness　it；　and
Brough；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　told　me　her　words；　for　he　could
trust　me；　he　said。　　And　thus　it　was　that　I　came　to　be　present　at
Gates's　interview　with　his　master；　which　took　place　only　an　hour
afterwards。　　Brave　Mrs。　Brough！　how　she　was　working　for　her
husband！　　Good　woman；　and　kind！　but　YOU　had　a　true　heart；　and
merited　a　better　fate！　　Though　wherefore　say　so？　　The　woman；　to
this　day；　thinks　her　husband　an　angel；　and　loves　him　a　thousand
times　better　for　his　misfortunes。

On　Saturday；　Alderman　Pash's　solicitor　was　paid　by　me　across　the
counter；　as　I　said。　　〃Never　mind　your　aunt's　money；　Titmarsh　my
boy；〃　said　Brough：　　〃never　mind　her　having　resumed　her　shares。　　You
are　a　true　honest　fellow；　you　have　never　abused　me　like　that　pack
of　curs　downstairs；　and　I'll　make　your　fortune　yet！〃

*　*　*

The　next　week；　as　I　was　sitting　with　my　wife；　with　Mr。　Smithers；
and　with　Mrs。　Hoggarty；　taking　our　tea　comfortably；　a　knock　was
heard　at　the　door；　and　a　gentleman　desired　to　speak　to　me　in　the
parlour。　　It　was　Mr。　Aminadab　of　Chancery　Lane；　who　arrested　me　as
a　shareholder　of　the　Independent　West　Diddlesex　Association；　at　the
suit　of　Von　Stiltz　of　Clifford　Street；　tailor　and　draper。

I　called　down　Smithers；　and　told　him　for　Heaven's　sake　not　to　tell
Mary。

〃Where　is　Brough？〃　says　Mr。　Smithers。

〃Why；〃　says　Mr。　Aminadab；　〃he's　once　more　of　the　firm　of　Brough　and
Off；　sirhe　breakfasted　at　Calais　this　morning！〃



CHAPTER　XI



IN　WHICH　IT　APPEARS　THAT　A　MAN　MAY　POSSESS　A　DIAMOND　AND　YET　BE
VERY　HARD　PRESSED　FOR　A　DINNER

On　that　fatal　Saturday　evening；　in　a　hackney…coach；　fetched　from
the　Foundling；　was　I　taken　from　my　comfortable　house　and　my　dear
little　wife；　whom　Mr。　Smithers　was　left　to　console　as　he　might。　　He
said　that　I　was　compelled　to　take　a　journey　upon　business　connected
with　the　office；　and　my　poor　Mary　made　up　a　little　portmanteau　of
clothes；　and　tied　a　comforter　round　my　neck；　and　bade　my　companion
particularly　to　keep　the　coach　windows　shut：　　which　injunction　the
grinning　wretch　promised　to　obey。　　Our　journey　was　not　long：　　it
was　only　a　shilling　fare　to　Cursitor　Street；　Chancery　Lane；　and
there　I　was　set　down。

The　house　before　which　the　coach　stopped　seemed　to　be　only　one　of
half…a…dozen　in　that　street　which　were　used　for　the　same　purpose。
No　man；　be　he　ever　so　rich；　can　pass　by　those　dismal　houses；　I
think；　without　a　shudder。　　The　front　windows　are　barred；　and　on　the
dingy　pillar　of　the　door　was　a　shining　brass…plate；　setting　forth
that　〃Aminadab；　Officer　to　the　Sheriff　of　Middlesex；〃　lived
therein。　　A　little　red…haired　Israelite　opened　the　first　door　as
our　coach　drove　up；　and　received　me　and　my　baggage。

As　soon　as　we　entered　the　door；　he　barred　it；　and　I　found　myself　in
the　face　of　another　huge　door；　which　was　strongly　locked；　and；　at
last；　passing　through　that；　we　entered　the　lobby　of　the　house。

There　is　no　need　to　describe　it。　　It　is　very　like　ten　thousand
other　houses　in　our　dark　City　of　London。　　There　was　a　dirty　passage
and　a　dirty　stair；　and　from　the　passage　two　dirty　doors　let　into
two　filthy　rooms；　which　had　strong　bars　at　the　windows；　and　yet
withal　an　air　of　horrible　finery　that　makes　me　uncomfortable　to
think　of　even　yet。　　On　the　walls　hung　all　sorts　of　trumpery
pictures　in　tawdry　frames　（how　different　from　those　capital
performances　of　my　cousin　Michael　Angelo！）；　on　the　mantelpiece　huge
French　clocks；　vases；　and　candlesticks；　on　the　sideboards；　enormous
trays　of　Birmingham　plated　ware：　　for　Mr。　Aminadab　not　only
arrested　those　who　could　not　pay　money；　but　lent　it　to　those　who
could；　and　had　already；　in　the　way　of　trade；　sold　and　bought　these
articles　many　times　over。

I　agreed　to　take　the　back…parlour　for　the　night；　and　while　a　Hebrew
damsel　was　arranging　a　little　dusky　sofa…bedstead　（woe　betide　him
who　has　to　sleep　on　it！）　I　was　invited　into　the　front　parlour；
where　Mr。　Aminadab；　bidding　me　take　heart；　told　me　I　should　have　a
dinner　for　nothing　with　a　party　who　had　just　arrived。　　I　did　not
want　for　dinner；　but　I　was　glad　not　to　be　alonenot　alone；　even
till　Gus　came；　for　whom　I　despatched　a　messenger　to　his　lodgings
hard　by。

I　found　there；　in　the　front　parlour；　at　eight　o'clock　in　the
evening；　four　gentlemen；　just　about　to　sit　down　to　dinner。
Surprising！　there　was　Mr。　B。；　a　gentleman　of　fashion；　who　had　only
within　half…an…hour　arrived　in　a　post…chaise　with　his　companion；
Mr。　Lock；　an　officer　of　Horsham　gaol。　　Mr。　B。　was　arrested　in　this
wise：…　He　was　a　careless　good…humoured　gentleman；　and　had　indorsed
bills　to　a　large　amount　for　a　friend；　who；　a　man　of　high　family　and
unquestionable　honour；　had　pledged　the　latter；　along　with　a　number
of　the　most　solemn　oaths；　for　the　payment　of　the　bills　in　question。
Having　indorsed　the　notes；　young　Mr。　B。；　with　a　proper
thoughtlessness；　forgot　all　about　them；　and　so；　by　some　chance；　did
the　friend　whom　he　obliged；　for；　instead　of　being　in　London　with
the　money　for　the　payment　of　his　obligations；　this　latter　gentleman
was　travelling　abroad；　and　never　hinted　one　word　to　Mr。　B。　that　the
notes　would　fall　upon　him。　　The　young　gentleman　was　at　Brighton
lying　sick　of　a　fever；　was　taken　from　his　bed　by　a　bailiff；　and
carried；　on　a　rainy　day；　to　Horsham　gaol；　had　a　relapse　of　his
complaint；　and　when　sufficiently　recovered；　was　brought　up　to
London　to　the　house　of　Mr。　Aminadab；　where　I　found　hima　pale；
thin；　good…humoured；　LOST　young　man：　　he　was　lying　on　a　sofa；　and
had　given　orders　for　the　dinner　to　which　I　was　invited。　　The　lad's
face　gave　one　pain　to　look　at；　it　was　impossible　not　to　see　that
his　hours　were　numbered。

Now　Mr。　B。　has　not　anything　to　do　with　my　humble　story；　but　I　can't
help　mentioning　him；　as　I　saw　him。　　He　sent　for　his　lawyer　and　his
doctor；　the　former　settled　speedily　his　accounts　with　the　bailiff；
and　the　latter　arranged　all　his　earthly　accounts：　　for　after　he
went　from　the　spunging…house　he　never　recovered　from　the　shock　of
the　arrest；　and　in　a　few　weeks　he　DIED。　　And　though　this
circumstance　took　place　many　years　ago；　I　can't　forget　it　to　my
dying　day；　and　often　see　the　author　of　Mr。　B。's　death；a
prosperous　gentleman；　riding　a　fine　horse　in　the　Park；　lounging　at
the　window　of　a　club；　with　many　friends；　no　doubt；　and　a　good
reputation。　　I　wonder　whether　the　man　sleeps　easily　and　eats　with　a
good　appetite？　　I　wonder　whether　he　has　paid　Mr。　B。's　heirs　the　sum
which　that　gentleman　paid；　and　DIED　FOR？

If　Mr。　B。's　history　has　nothing　to　do　with　mine；　and　is　only
inserted　here　for　the　sake　of　a　moral；　what　business　have　I　to
mention　particulars　of　the　dinner　to　which　I　was　treated　by　that
gentleman；　in　the　spunging…house　in　Cursitor　Street？　　Why；　for　the
moral　too；　and　therefore　the