samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第21部分

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gentleman；　in　the　spunging…house　in　Cursitor　Street？　　Why；　for　the
moral　too；　and　therefore　the　public　must　be　told　of　what　really　and
truly　that　dinner　consisted。

There　were　five　guests；　and　three　silver　tureens　of　soup：　　viz。；
mock…turtle　soup；　ox…tail　soup；　and　giblet　soup。　　Next　came　a　great
piece　of　salmon；　likewise　on　a　silver　dish；　a　roast　goose；　a　roast
saddle　of　mutton；　roast　game；　and　all　sorts　of　adjuncts。　　In　this
way　can　a　gentleman　live　in　a　spunging…house　if　he　be　inclined；　and
over　this　repast　（which；　in　truth；　I　could　not　touch；　for；　let
alone　having　dined；　my　heart　was　full　of　care）over　this　meal　my
friend　Gus　Hoskins　found　me；　when　he　received　the　letter　that　I　had
despatched　to　him。

Gus；　who　had　never　been　in　a　prison　before；　and　whose　heart　failed
him　as　the　red…headed　young　Moses　opened　and　shut　for　him　the
numerous　iron　outer　doors；　was　struck　dumb　to　see　me　behind　a
bottle　of　claret；　in　a　room　blazing　with　gilt　lamps；　the　curtains
were　down　too；　and　you　could　not　see　the　bars　at　the　windows；　and
Mr。　B。；　Mr。　Lock　the　Brighton　officer；　Mr。　Aminadab；　and　another
rich　gentleman　of　his　trade　and　religious　persuasion；　were　chirping
as　merrily；　and　looked　as　respectably；　as　any　noblemen　in　the　land。

〃Have　him　in；〃　said　Mr。　B。；　〃if　he's　a　friend　of　Mr。　Titmarsh's；
for；　cuss　me；　I　like　to　see　a　rogue：　　and　run　me　through；　Titmarsh；
but　I　think　you　are　one　of　the　best　in　London。　　You　beat　Brough；
you　do；　by　Jove！　for　he　looks　like　a　rogueanybody　would　swear　to
him；　but　you！　by　Jove；　you　look　the　very　picture　of　honesty！〃

〃A　deep　file；〃　said　Aminadab；　winking　and　pointing　me　out　to　his
friend　Mr。　Jehoshaphat。

〃A　good　one；〃　says　Jehoshaphat。

〃In　for　three　hundred　thousand　pound；〃　says　Aminadab：　　〃Brough's
right…hand　man；　and　only　three…and…twenty。〃

〃Mr。　Titmarsh；　sir；　your　'ealth；　sir；〃　says　Mr。　Lock；　in　an　ecstasy
of　admiration。　　〃Your　very　good　'earth；　sir；　and　better　luck　to　you
next　time。〃

〃Pooh；　pooh！　HE'S　all　right；〃　says　Aminadab；　〃let　HIM　alone。〃

〃In　for　WHAT？〃　shouted　I；　quite　amazed。　　〃Why；　sir；　you　arrested　me
for　90L。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　are　in　for　half　a　million；you　know　you　are。　　THEM
debts　I　don't　countthem　paltry　tradesmen's　accounts。　　I　mean
Brough's　business。　　It's　an　ugly　one；　but　you'll　get　through　it。
We　all　know　you；　and　I　lay　my　life　that　when　you　come　through　the
court；　Mrs。　Titmarsh　has　got　a　handsome　thing　laid　by。〃

〃Mrs。　Titmarsh　has　a　small　property；〃　says　I。　　〃What　then？〃

The　three　gentlemen　burst　into　a　loud　laugh；　said　I　was　a　〃rum
chap〃a　〃downy　cove；〃　and　made　other　remarks　which　I　could　not
understand　then；　but　the　meaning　of　which　I　have　since
comprehended；　for　they　took　me　to　be　a　great　rascal；　I　am　sorry　to
say；　and　supposed　that　I　had　robbed　the　I。　W。　D。　Association；　and；
in　order　to　make　my　money　secure；　settled　it　on　my　wife。

It　was　in　the　midst　of　this　conversation　that；　as　I　said；　Gus　came
in；　and　whew！　when　he　saw　what　was　going　on；　he　gave　SUCH　a
whistle！

〃Herr　von　Joel；　by　Jove！〃　says　Aminadab。　　At　which　all　laughed。

〃Sit　down；〃　says　Mr。　B。；〃sit　down；　and　wet　your　whistle；　my
piper！　　I　say；　egad！　you're　the　piper　that　played　before　Moses！
Had　you　there；　Dab。　　Dab；　get　a　fresh　bottle　of　Burgundy　for　Mr。
Hoskins。〃　　And　before　he　knew　where　he　was；　there　was　Gus　for　the
first　time　in　his　life　drinking　Clos…Vougeot。　　Gus　said　he　had
never　tasted　Bergamy　before；　at　which　the　bailiff　sneered；　and　told
him　the　name　of　the　wine。

〃OLD　CLO！　　What？〃　says　Gus；　and　we　laughed：　　but　the　Hebrew　gents
did　not　this　time。

〃Come；　come；　sir！〃　says　Mr。　Aminadab's　friend；　〃ve're　all
shentlemen　here；　and　shentlemen　never　makish　reflexunsh　upon　other
gentlemen'sh　pershuashunsh。〃

After　this　feast　was　concluded；　Gus　and　I　retired　to　my　room　to
consult　about　my　affairs。　　With　regard　to　the　responsibility
incurred　as　a　shareholder　in　the　West　Diddlesex；　I　was　not　uneasy；
for　though　the　matter　might　cause　me　a　little　trouble　at　first；　I
knew　I　was　not　a　shareholder；　that　the　shares　were　scrip　shares；
making　the　dividend　payable　to　the　bearer；　and　my　aunt　had　called
back　her　shares；　and　consequently　I　was　free。　　But　it　was　very
unpleasant　to　me　to　consider　that　I　was　in　debt　nearly　a　hundred
pounds　to　tradesmen；　chiefly　of　Mrs。　Hoggarty's　recommendation；　and
as　she　had　promised　to　be　answerable　for　their　bills；　I　determined
to　send　her　a　letter　reminding　her　of　her　promise；　and　begging　her
at　the　same　time　to　relieve　me　from　Mr。　Von　Stiltz's　debt；　for
which　I　was　arrested：　　and　which　was　incurred　not　certainly　at　her
desire；　but　at　Mr。　Brough's；　and　would　never　have　been　incurred　by
me　but　at　the　absolute　demand　of　that　gentleman。

I　wrote　to　her；　therefore；　begging　her　to　pay　all　these　debts；　and
promised　myself　on　Monday　morning　again　to　be　with　my　dear　wife。
Gus　carried　off　the　letter；　and　promised　to　deliver　it　in　Bernhard
Street　after　church…time；　taking　care　that　Mary　should　know　nothing
at　all　of　the　painful　situation　in　which　I　was　placed。　　It　was　near
midnight　when　we　parted；　and　I　tried　to　sleep　as　well　as　I　could　in
the　dirty　little　sofa…bedstead　of　Mr。　Aminadab's　back…parlour。

That　morning　was　fine　and　sunshiny；　and　I　heard　all　the　bells
ringing　cheerfully　for　church；　and　longed　to　be　walking　to　the
Foundling　with　my　wife：　　but　there　were　the　three　iron　doors
between　me　and　liberty；　and　I　had　nothing　for　it　but　to　read　my
prayers　in　my　own　room；　and　walk　up　and　down　afterwards　in　the
court　at　the　back　of　the　house。　　Would　you　believe　it？　　This　very
court　was　like　a　cage！　Great　iron　bars　covered　it　in　from　one　end
to　another；　and　here　it　was　that　Mr。　Aminadab's　gaol…birds　took　the
air。

They　had　seen　me　reading　out　of　the　prayer…book　at　the　back…parlour
window；　and　all　burst　into　a　yell　of　laughter　when　I　came　to　walk
in　the　cage。　　One　of　them　shouted　out　〃Amen！〃　when　I　appeared；
another　called　me　a　muff　（which　means；　in　the　slang　language；　a
very　silly　fellow）；　a　third　wondered　that　I　took　to　my　prayer…book
YET。

〃When　do　you　mean；　sir？〃　says　I　to　the　fellowa　rough　man；　a
horse…dealer。

〃Why；　when　you　are　going　TO　BE　HANGED；　you　young　hypocrite！〃　says
the　man。　　〃But　that　is　always　the　way　with　Brough's　people；〃
continued　he。　　〃I　had　four　greys　once　for　hima　great　bargain；　but
he　would　not　go　to　look　at　them　at　Tattersall's；　nor　speak　a　word
of　business　about　them；　because　it　was　a　Sunday。〃

〃Because　there　are　hypocrites；〃　sir；　says　I；　〃religion　is　not　to　be
considered　a　bad　thing；　and　if　Mr。　Brough　would　not　deal　with　you
on　a　Sunday；　he　certainly　did　his　duty。〃

The　men　only　laughed　the　more　at　this　rebuke；　and　evidently
considered　me　a　great　criminal。　　I　was　glad　to　be　released　from
their　society　by　the　appearance　of　Gus　and　Mr。　Smithers。　　Both　wore
very　long　faces。　　They　were　ushered　into　my　room；　and；　without　any
orders　of　mine；　a　bottle　of　wine　and　biscuits　were　brought　in　by
Mr。　Aminadab；　which　I　really　thought　was　very　kind　of　him。

〃Drink　a　glass　of　wine；　Mr。　Titmarsh；〃　says　Smithers；　〃and　read
this　letter。　　A　pretty　note　was　that　which　you　sent　to　your　aunt
this　morning；　and　here　you　have　an　answer　to　it。〃

I　drank　the　wine；　and　trembled　rather　as　I　read　as　follows：…


〃Sir；If；　because　you　knew　I　had　desined　to　leave　you　my　proparty；
you　wished　to　murdar　me；　and　so　stepp　into　it；　you　are
dissapointed。　　Your　VILLIANY　and　INGRATITUDE　WOULD　have　murdard　me；
had　I　not；　by　Heaven's　grace；　been　inabled　to　look　for　consalation
ELSEWHERE。

〃For　nearly　a　year　I　have　been　a　MARTAR　to　you。　　I　gave　up
everything；my　happy　home　in　the　country；　where　all　respected　the
name　of　Hoggarty；　my　valuble　furnitur　and　wines；　my　plate；　glass；
and　crockry；　I　brought　allall　to　make　your　home　happy　and
rispectable。　　I　put　up　with　the　AIRS　AND　IMPERTANENCIES　of　Mrs。
Titmarsh；　I　loaded　her　and　you　with　presents　and　bennafits。　　I
sacrafised　myself；　I　gave　up　the　best　sociaty　in　the　land；　to　witch
I　have　been　accustomed；　in　order　to　be　a　gardian　and　compannion　to
you；　and　prevent；　if　possible；　that　WAIST　AND　IXTRAVYGANCE　which　I
PROPHYCIED　would　be　your　ruin。　　Such　waist　and　ixtravygance　never；
never；　never　did　I　see。　　Buttar　waisted　as　if　it　had　been　dirt；
coles　flung　away；　candles　burnt　AT　BOTH　ENDS；　tea　and　meat　the
same。　　The　butcher's　bill　in　this　house　was　enough　to　support　six
famalies。

〃And　now　you　have　the　audassaty；　being　placed　in　prison　justly　for
your　crimes；for　cheating　me　of　3；000L。；　for　robbing　your　mother
of　an　insignificient　summ；　which　to　her；　poor　thing；　was　everything
（though　she　will　not　feel　her　loss　as　I　do；　being　all　her　life　next
door　to　a　beggar）；　for　incurring　detts　which　you　cannot　pay；
wherein　you　knew　that　your　miserable　income　was　quite　unable　to
support　your　ixtravyganceyou　come　upon　me　to　pay　your　detts！　　No；
sir；　it　is　quite　enough　that　your　mother　should　go　on　the　parish；
and　that　your　wife　should　sweep　the　streets；　to　which　you　have
indeed　brought　them；　I；　at　least；　though　cheated　by　you　of　a　large
summ；　and　obliged　to　pass　my　days　in　comparative　ruin；　can　retire；
and　have　some　of　the　comforts　to　which　my　rank　entitles　me。　　The
furnitur　in　this　house　is　mine；　and　as　I　presume　you　intend　YOUR
LADY　to　sleep　in　the　streets；　I　give　you　warning　that　I　shall
remove　it　all　tomorrow。

〃Mr。　Smithers　will　tell　you　that　I　had　intended　to　leave　you　my
intire　fortune。　　I　have　this　morning；　in　his　presents；　solamly　toar
up　my　will；　and　hereby　renounce　all　connection　with　you　and　your
beggarly　family。

〃SUSAN　HOGGARTY。

〃P。S。I　took　a　viper　into　my　bosom；　AND　IT　STUNG　ME。〃


I　confess　that；　on　the　first　reading　of　this　letter；　I　was　in　such
a　fury　that　I　forgot　almost　the　painful　situation　in　which　it
plunged　me；　and　the　ruin　hanging　over　me。

〃What　a　fool　you　were；　Titmarsh；　to　write　that　letter！〃　said　Mr。
Smithers。　　〃You　have　cut　your　own　throat；　sir；lost　a　fine
property；written　yourself　out　of　five　hundred　a　year。　　Mrs。
Hoggarty；　my　client；　brought　the　will；　as　she　says；　downstairs；　and
flung　it　into　the　fire　before　our　faces。〃

〃It's　a　blessing　that　your　wife　was　from　home；〃　added　Gus。　　〃She
went　to　church　this　morning　with　Dr。　Salt's　family；　and　sent　word
that　she　would　spend　the　da