samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第23部分

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indebted　to　Mr。　Stiltz；　the　great　tailor；　in　a　handsome　sum；　to　Mr。
Polonius；　the　celebrated　jeweller；　likewise；　to　fashionable
milliners　and　dressmakers；　moreover；and　all　this　upon　a　salary　of
200L。　per　annum。　　For　so　young　a　gentleman　it　must　be　confessed　you
have　employed　your　time　well。〃

〃Has　this　anything　to　do　with　the　question；　sir？〃　says　I。　　〃Am　I
here　to　give　an　account　of　my　private　debts；　or　to　speak　as　to　what
I　know　regarding　the　affairs　of　the　Company？　　As　for　my　share　in
it；　I　have　a　mother；　sir；　and　many　sisters〃

〃The　d…d　scoundrel！〃　shouts　the　Captain。

〃Silence　that　there　fellow！〃　shouts　Gus；　as　bold　as　brass；　at　which
the　court　burst　out　laughing；　and　this　gave　me　courage　to　proceed。

〃My　mother；　sir；　four　years　since；　having　a　legacy　of　400L。　left　to
her；　advised　with　her　solicitor；　Mr。　Smithers；　how　she　should
dispose　of　this　sum；　and　as　the　Independent　West　Diddlesex　was　just
then　established；　the　money　was　placed　in　an　annuity　in　that
office；　where　I　procured　a　clerkship。　　You　may　suppose　me　a　very
hardened　criminal；　because　I　have　ordered　clothes　of　Mr。　Von
Stiltz；　but　you　will　hardly　fancy　that　I；　a　lad　of　nineteen；　knew
anything　of　the　concerns　of　the　Company　into　whose　service　I
entered　as　twentieth　clerk；　my　own　mother's　money　paying；　as　it
were；　for　my　place。　　Well；　sir；　the　interest　offered　by　the　Company
was　so　tempting；　that　a　rich　relative　of　mine　was　induced　to
purchase　a　number　of　shares。〃

〃Who　induced　your　relative；　if　I　may　make　so　bold　as　to　inquire？〃

〃I　can't　help　owning；　sir；〃　says　I；　blushing；　〃that　I　wrote　a
letter　myself。　　But　consider；　my　relative　was　sixty　years　old；　and
I　was　twenty…one。　　My　relative　took　several　months　to　consider；　and
had　the　advice　of　her　lawyers　before　she　acceded　to　my　request。
And　I　made　it　at　the　instigation　of　Mr。　Brough；　who　dictated　the
letter　which　I　wrote；　and　who　I　really　thought　then　was　as　rich　as
Mr。　Rothschild　himself。〃

〃Your　friend　placed　her　money　in　your　name；　and　you；　if　I　mistake
not；　Mr。　Titmarsh；　were　suddenly　placed　over　the　heads　of　twelve　of
your　fellow…clerks　as　a　reward　for　your　service　in　obtaining　it？〃

〃It　is　very　true；　sir；〃and；　as　I　confessed　it；　poor　Mary　began　to
wipe　her　eyes；　and　Gus's　ears　（I　could　not　see　his　face）　looked
like　two　red…hot　muffins〃it's　quite　true；　sir；　and；　as　matters
have　turned　out；　I　am　heartily　sorry　for　what　I　did。　　But　at　the
time　I　thought　I　could　serve　my　aunt　as　well　as　myself；　and　you
must　remember；　then；　how　high　our　shares　were。〃

〃Well；　sir；　having　procured　this　sum　of　money；　you　were　straightway
taken　into　Mr。　Brough's　confidence。　　You　were　received　into　his
house；　and　from　third　clerk　speedily　became　head　clerk；　in　which
post　you　were　found　at　the　disappearance　of　your　worthy　patron！〃

〃Sir；　you　have　no　right　to　question　me；　to　be　sure；　but　here　are　a
hundred　of　our　shareholders；　and　I'm　not　unwilling　to　make　a　clean
breast　of　it；〃　said　I；　pressing　Mary's　hand。　　〃I　certainly　was　the
head　clerk。　　And　why？　　Because　the　other　gents　left　the　office。　　I
certainly　was　received　into　Mr。　Brough's　house。　　And　why？　　Because；
sir；　my　aunt　HAD　MORE　MONEY　TO　LAY　OUT。　　I　see　it　all　clearly　now；
though　I　could　not　understand　it　then；　and　the　proof　that　Mr。
Brough　wanted　my　aunt's　money；　and　not　me；　is　that；　when　she　came
to　town；　our　Director　carried　her　by　force　out　of　my　house　to
Fulham；　and　never　so　much　as　thought　of　asking　me　or　my　wife
thither。　　Ay；　sir；　and　he　would　have　had　her　remaining　money；　had
not　her　lawyer　from　the　country　prevented　her　disposing　of　it。
Before　the　concern　finally　broke；　and　as　soon　as　she　heard　there
was　doubt　concerning　it；　she　took　back　her　sharesscrip　shares
they　were；　sir；　as　you　knowand　has　disposed　of　them　as　she
thought　fit。　　Here；　sir；　and　gents；〃　says　I；　〃you　have　the　whole　of
the　history　as　far　as　regards　me。　　In　order　to　get　her　only　son　a
means　of　livelihood；　my　mother　placed　her　little　money　with　the
Companyit　is　lost。　　My　aunt　invested　larger　sums　with　it；　which
were　to　have　been　mine　one　day；　and　they　are　lost　too；　and　here　am
I；　at　the　end　of　four　years；　a　disgraced　and　ruined　man。　　Is　there
anyone　present；　however　much　he　has　suffered　by　the　failure　of　the
Company；　that　has　had　worse　fortune　through　it　than　I？〃

〃Mr。　Titmarsh；〃　says　Mr。　Commissioner；　in　a　much　more　friendly　way；
and　at　the　same　time　casting　a　glance　at　a　newspaper　reporter　that
was　sitting　hard　by；　〃your　story　is　not　likely　to　get　into　the
newspapers；　for；　as　you　say；　it　is　a　private　affair；　which　you　had
no　need　to　speak　of　unless　you　thought　proper；　and　may　be
considered　as　a　confidential　conversation　between　us　and　the　other
gentlemen　here。　　But　if　it　COULD　be　made　public；　it　might　do　some
good；　and　warn　people；　if　they　WILL　be　warned；　against　the　folly　of
such　enterprises　as　that　in　which　you　have　been　engaged。　　It　is
quite　clear　from　your　story；　that　you　have　been　deceived　as　grossly
as　anyone　of　the　persons　present。　　But　look　you；　sir；　if　you　had
not　been　so　eager　after　gain；　I　think　you　would　not　have　allowed
yourself　to　be　deceived；　and　would　have　kept　your　relative's　money；
and　inherited　it；　according　to　your　story；　one　day　or　other。
Directly　people　expect　to　make　a　large　interest；　their　judgment
seems　to　desert　them；　and　because　they　wish　for　profit；　they　think
they　are　sure　of　it；　and　disregard　all　warnings　and　all　prudence。
Besides　the　hundreds　of　honest　families　who　have　been　ruined　by
merely　placing　confidence　in　this　Association　of　yours；　and　who
deserve　the　heartiest　pity；　there　are　hundreds　more　who　have
embarked　in　it；　like　yourself；　not　for　investment；　but　for
speculation；　and　these；　upon　my　word；　deserve　the　fate　they　have
met　with。　　As　long　as　dividends　are　paid；　no　questions　are　asked；
and　Mr。　Brough　might　have　taken　the　money　for　his　shareholders　on
the　high…road；　and　they　would　have　pocketed　it；　and　not　been　too
curious。　　But　what's　the　use　of　talking？〃　says　Mr。　Commissioner；　in
a　passion：　　〃here　is　one　rogue　detected；　and　a　thousand　dupes　made；
and　if　another　swindler　starts　to…morrow；　there　will　be　a　thousand
more　of　his　victims　round　this　table　a　year　hence；　and　so；　I
suppose；　to　the　end。　　And　now　let's　go　to　business；　gentlemen；　and
excuse　this　sermon。〃

After　giving　an　account　of　all　I　knew；　which　was　very　little；　other
gents　who　were　employed　in　the　concern　were　examined；　and　I　went
back　to　prison；　with　my　poor　little　wife　on　my　arm。　　We　had　to　pass
through　the　crowd　in　the　rooms；　and　my　heart　bled　as　I　saw；　amongst
a　score　of　others；　poor　Gates；　Brough's　porter；　who　had　advanced
every　shilling　to　his　master；　and　was　now；　with　ten　children；
houseless　and　penniless　in　his　old　age。　　Captain　Sparr　was　in　this
neighbourhood；　but　by　no　means　so　friendly　disposed；　for　while
Gates　touched　his　hat；　as　if　I　had　been　a　lord；　the　little　Captain
came　forward　threatening　with　his　bamboo…cane　and　swearing　with
great　oaths　that　I　was　an　accomplice　of　Brough。　　〃Curse　you　for　a
smooth…faced　scoundrel！〃　says　he。　　〃What　business　have　you　to　ruin
an　English　gentleman；　as　you　have　me？〃　　And　again　he　advanced　with
his　stick。　　But　this　time；　officer　as　he　was；　Gus　took　him　by　the
collar；　and　shoved　him　back；　and　said；　〃Look　at　the　lady；　you
brute；　and　hold　your　tongue！〃　　And　when　he　looked　at　my　wife's
situation；　Captain　Sparr　became　redder　for　shame　than　he　had　before
been　for　anger。　　〃I'm　sorry　she's　married　to　such　a　good…for…
nothing；〃　muttered　he；　and　fell　back；　and　my　poor　wife　and　I　walked
out　of　the　court；　and　back　to　our　dismal　room　in　the　prison。

It　was　a　hard　place　for　a　gentle　creature　like　her　to　be　confined
in；　and　I　longed　to　have　some　of　my　relatives　with　her　when　her
time　should　come。　　But　her　grandmother　could　not　leave　the　old
lieutenant；　and　my　mother　had　written　to　say　that；　as　Mrs。　Hoggarty
was　with　us；　she　was　quite　as　well　at　home　with　her　children。
〃What　a　blessing　it　is　for　you；　under　your　misfortunes；〃　continued
the　good　soul；　〃to　have　the　generous　purse　of　your　aunt　for
succour！〃　　Generous　purse　of　my　aunt；　indeed！　　Where　could　Mrs。
Hoggarty　be？　　It　was　evident　that　she　had　not　written　to　any　of　her
friends　in　the　country；　nor　gone　thither；　as　she　threatened。

But　as　my　mother　had　already　lost　so　much　money　through　my
unfortunate　luck；　and　as　she　had　enough　to　do　with　her　little
pittance　to　keep　my　sisters　at　home；　and　as；　on　hearing　of　my
condition；　she　would　infallibly　have　sold　her　last　gown　to　bring　me
aid；　Mary　and　I　agreed　that　we　would　not　let　her　know　what　our　real
condition　wasbad　enough！　Heaven　knows；　and　sad　and　cheerless。
Old　Lieutenant　Smith　had　likewise　nothing　but　his　half…pay　and　his
rheumatism；　so　we　were；　in　fact；　quite　friendless。

That　period　of　my　life；　and　that　horrible　prison；　seem　to　me　like
recollections　of　some　fever。　　What　an　awful　place！not　for　the
sadness；　strangely　enough；　as　I　thought；　but　for　the　gaiety　of　it；
for　the　long　prison　galleries　were；　I　remember；　full　of　life　and　a
sort　of　grave　bustle。　　All　day　and　all　night　doors　were　clapping　to
and　fro；　and　you　heard　loud　voices；　oaths；　footsteps；　and　laughter。
Next　door　to　our　room　was　one　where　a　man　sold　gin；　under　the　name
of　TAPE；　and　here；　from　morning　till　night；　the　people　kept　up　a
horrible　revelry；and　sangsad　songs　some　of　them：　　but　my　dear
little　girl　was；　thank　God！　unable　to　understand　the　most　part　of
their　ribaldry。　　She　never　used　to　go　out　till　nightfall；　and　all
day　she　sat　working　at　a　little　store　of　caps　and　dresses　for　the
expected　strangerand　not；　she　says　to　this　day；　unhappy。　　But　the
confinement　sickened　her；　who　had　been　used　to　happy　country　air；
and　she　grew　daily　paler　and　paler。

The　Fives　Court　was　opposite　our　window；　and　here　I　used；　very
unwillingly　at　first；　but　afterwards；　I　do　confess；　with　much
eagerness；　to　take　a　couple　of　hours'　daily　sport。　　Ah！　it　was　a
strange　place。　　There　was　an　aristocracy　there　as　elsewhere；
amongst　other　gents；　a　son　of　my　Lord　Deuce…ace；　and　many　of　the
men　in　the　prison　were　as　eager　to　walk　with　him；　and　talked　of　his
family　as　knowingly；　as　if　they　were　Bond　Street　bucks。　　Poor　Tidd；
especially；　was　one　of　these。　　Of　all　his　fortune　he　had　nothing