samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第4部分

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drawing　up　and　setting　down。　　Gus　kept　his　hands　in　his　pockets
trousers　were　worn　very　full　then；　with　large　tucks；　and　pigeon…
holes　for　your　boots；　or　Bluchers；　to　come　through　（the
fashionables　wore　boots；　but　we　chaps　in　the　City；　on　80L。　a　year；
contented　ourselves　with　Bluchers）；　and　as　Gus　stretched　out　his
pantaloons　as　wide　as　he　could　from　his　hips；　and　kept　blowing　away
at　his　cheroot；　and　clamping　with　the　iron　heels　of　his　boots；　and
had　very　large　whiskers　for　so　young　a　man；　he　really　looked　quite
the　genteel　thing；　and　was　taken　by　everybody　to　be　a　person　of
consideration。

He　would　not　come　into　the　shop　though；　but　stood　staring　at　the
gold　pots　and　kettles　in　the　window　outside。　　I　went　in；　and　after
a　little　hemming　and　hawingfor　I　had　never　been　at　such　a
fashionable　place　beforeasked　one　of　the　gentlemen　to　let　me
speak　to　Mr。　Polonius。

〃What　can　I　do　for　you；　sir？〃　says　Mr。　Polonius；　who　was　standing
close　by；　as　it　happened；　serving　three　ladies；a　very　old　one　and
two　young　ones；　who　were　examining　pearl　necklaces　very
attentively。

〃Sir；〃　said　I；　producing　my　jewel　out　of　my　coat…pocket；　〃this
jewel　has；　I　believe；　been　in　your　house　before：　　it　belonged　to　my
aunt；　Mrs。　Hoggarty；　of　Castle　Hoggarty。〃　　The　old　lady　standing
near　looked　round　as　I　spoke。

〃I　sold　her　a　gold　neck…chain　and　repeating　watch　in　the　year
1795；〃　said　Mr。　Polonius；　who　made　it　a　point　to　recollect
everything；　〃and　a　silver　punch…ladle　to　the　Captain。　　How　is　the
MajorColonelGeneraleh；　sir？〃

〃The　General；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　sorry　to　say〃though　I　was　quite
proud　that　this　man　of　fashion　should　address　me　so。〃Mr。　Hoggarty
isno　more。　　My　aunt　has　made　me　a　present；　however；　of　thisthis
trinketwhich；　as　you　see；　contains　her　husband's　portrait；　that　I
will　thank　you；　sir；　to　preserve　for　me　very　carefully；　and　she
wishes　that　you　would　set　this　diamond　neatly。〃

〃Neatly　and　handsomely；　of　course；　sir。〃

〃Neatly；　in　the　present　fashion；　and　send　down　the　account　to　her。
There　is　a　great　deal　of　gold　about　the　trinket；　for　which；　of
course；　you　will　make　an　allowance。〃

〃To　the　last　fraction　of　a　sixpence；〃　says　Mr。　Polonius；　bowing；
and　looking　at　the　jewel。　　〃It's　a　wonderful　piece　of　goods；
certainly；〃　said　he；　〃though　the　diamond's　a　neat　little　bit；
certainly。　　Do；　my　Lady；　look　at　it。　　The　thing　is　of　Irish
manufacture；　bears　the　stamp　of　'95；　and　will　recall　perhaps　the
times　of　your　Ladyship's　earliest　youth。〃

〃Get　ye　out；　Mr。　Polonius！〃　said　the　old　lady；　a　little　wizen…faced
old　lady；　with　her　face　puckered　up　in　a　million　of　wrinkles。　　〃How
DAR　you；　sir；　to　talk　such　nonsense　to　an　old　woman　like　me？
Wasn't　I　fifty　years　old　in　'95；　and　a　grandmother　in　'96？〃　　She
put　out　a　pair　of　withered　trembling　hands；　took　up　the　locket；
examined　it　for　a　minute；　and　then　burst　out　laughing：　　〃As　I　live；
it's　the　great　Hoggarty　diamond！〃

Good　heavens！　what　was　this　talisman　that　had　come　into　my
possession？

〃Look；　girls；〃　continued　the　old　lady：　　〃this　is　the　great　jew'l　of
all　Ireland。　　This　red…faced　man　in　the　middle　is　poor　Mick
Hoggarty；　a　cousin　of　mine；　who　was　in　love　with　me　in　the　year
'84；　when　I　had　just　lost　your　poor　dear　grandpapa。　　These　thirteen
sthreamers　of　red　hair　represent　his　thirteen　celebrated　sisters；
Biddy；　Minny；　Thedy；　Widdy　（short　for　Williamina）；　Freddy；　Izzy；
Tizzy；　Mysie；　Grizzy；　Polly；　Dolly；　Nell；　and　Bellall　married；
all　ugly；　and　all　carr'ty　hair。　　And　of　which　are　you　the　son；
young　man？though；　to　do　you　justice；　you're　not　like　the　family。〃

Two　pretty　young　ladies　turned　two　pretty　pairs　of　black　eyes　at
me；　and　waited　for　an　answer：　　which　they　would　have　had；　only　the
old　lady　began　rattling　on　a　hundred　stories　about　the　thirteen
ladies　above　named；　and　all　their　lovers；　all　their
disappointments；　and　all　the　duels　of　Mick　Hoggarty。　　She　was　a
chronicle　of　fifty…years…old　scandal。　　At　last　she　was　interrupted
by　a　violent　fit　of　coughing；　at　the　conclusion　of　which　Mr。
Polonius　very　respectfully　asked　me　where　he　should　send　the　pin；
and　whether　I　would　like　the　hair　kept。

〃No；〃　says　I；　〃never　mind　the　hair。〃

〃And　the　pin；　sir？〃

I　had　felt　ashamed　about　telling　my　address：　　〃But；　bang　it！〃
thought　I；　〃why　SHOULD　I？　…


'A　king　can　make　a　belted　knight；
A　marquess；　duke；　and　a'　that；
An　honest　man's　abune　his　might　…
Gude　faith；　he　canna　fa'　that。'


Why　need　I　care　about　telling　these　ladies　where　I　live？〃

〃Sir；〃　says　I；　〃have　the　goodness　to　send　the　parcel；　when　done；　to
Mr。　Titmarsh；　No。　3　Bell　Lane；　Salisbury　Square；　near　St。　Bride's
Church；　Fleet　Street。　　Ring；　if　you　please；　the　two…pair　bell。〃

〃WHAT；　sir？〃　said　Mr。　Polonius。

〃HWAT！〃　shrieked　the　old　lady。　　〃Mr。　Hwat？　　Mais；　ma　chere；　c'est
impayable。　　Come　alonghere's　the　carr'age！　　Give　me　your　arm；　Mr。
Hwat；　and　get　inside；　and　tell　me　all　about　your　thirteen　aunts。〃

She　seized　on　my　elbow　and　hobbled　through　the　shop　as　fast　as
possible；　the　young　ladies　following　her；　laughing。

〃Now；　jump　in；　do　you　hear？〃　said　she；　poking　her　sharp　nose　out　of
the　window。

〃I　can't；　ma'am；〃　says　I；　〃I　have　a　friend。〃

〃Pooh；　pooh！　send　'um　to　the　juice；　and　jump　in！〃　　And　before
almost　I　could　say　a　word；　a　great　powdered　fellow　in　yellow…plush
breeches　pushed　me　up　the　steps　and　banged　the　door　to。

I　looked　just　for　one　minute　as　the　barouche　drove　away　at　Hoskins；
and　never　shall　forget　his　figure。　　There　stood　Gus；　his　mouth　wide
open；　his　eyes　staring；　a　smoking　cheroot　in　his　hand；　wondering
with　all　his　might　at　the　strange　thing　that　had　just　happened　to
me。

〃Who　IS　that　Titmarsh？〃　says　Gus：　　〃there's　a　coronet　on　the
carriage；　by　Jingo！〃



CHAPTER　III



HOW　THE　POSSESSOR　OF　THE　DIAMOND　IS　WHISKED　INTO　A　MAGNIFICENT
CHARIOT；　AND　HAS　YET　FURTHER　GOOD　LUCK

I　sat　on　the　back　seat　of　the　carriage；　near　a　very　nice　young
lady；　about　my　dear　Mary's　agethat　is　to　say；　seventeen　and
three…quarters；　and　opposite　us　sat　the　old　Countess　and　her　other
grand…daughterhandsome　too；　but　ten　years　older。　　I　recollect　I
had　on　that　day　my　blue　coat　and　brass　buttons；　nankeen　trousers；　a
white　sprig　waist…coat；　and　one　of　Dando's　silk　hats；　that　had　just
come　in　in　the　year　'22；　and　looked　a　great　deal　more　glossy　than
the　best　beaver。

〃And　who　was　that　hidjus　manster〃that　was　the　way　her　Ladyship
pronounced；〃that　ojous　vulgar　wretch；　with　the　iron　heels　to　his
boots；　and　the　big　mouth；　and　the　imitation　goold　neck…chain；　who
STEERED　at　us　so　as　we　got　into　the　carriage？〃

How　she　should　have　known　that　Gus's　chain　was　mosaic　I　can't　tell；
but　so　it　was；　and　we　had　bought　it　for　five…and…twenty　and
sixpence　only　the　week　before　at　M'Phail's；　in　St。　Paul's
Churchyard。　　But　I　did　not　like　to　hear　my　friend　abused；　and　so
spoke　out　for　him　…

〃Ma'am；〃　says　I；　〃that　young　gentleman's　name　is　Augustus　Hoskins。
We　live　together；　and　a　better　or　more　kind…hearted　fellow　does　not
exist。〃

〃You　are　quite　right　to　stand　up　for　your　friends；　sir；〃　said　the
second　lady；　whose　name；　it　appears；　was　Lady　Jane；　but　whom　the
grandmamma　called　Lady　Jene。

〃Well；　upon　me　conscience；　so　he　is　now；　Lady　Jene；　and　I　like
sper't　in　a　young　man。　　So　his　name　is　Hoskins；　is　it？　　I　know；　my
dears；　all　the　Hoskinses　in　England。　　There　are　the　Lincolnshire
Hoskinses；　the　Shropshire　Hoskinses：　　they　say　the　Admiral's
daughter；　Bell；　was　in　love　with　a　black　footman；　or　boatswain；　or
some　such　thing；　but　the　world's　so　censorious。　　There's　old　Doctor
Hoskins　of　Bath；　who　attended　poor　dear　Drum　in　the　quinsy；　and
poor　dear　old　Fred　Hoskins；　the　gouty　General：　　I　remember　him　as
thin　as　a　lath　in　the　year　'84；　and　as　active　as　a　harlequin；　and
in　love　with　meoh；　how　he　was　in　love　with　me！〃

〃You　seem　to　have　had　a　host　of　admirers　in　those　days；
Grandmamma？〃　said　Lady　Jane。

〃Hundreds；　my　dear；hundreds　of　thousands。　　I　was　the　toast　of
Bath；　and　a　great　beauty；　too：　　would　you　ever　have　thought　it　now；
upon　your　conscience　and　without　flattery；　Mr。…a…What…d'ye…call…
'im？〃

〃Indeed；　ma'am；　I　never　should；〃　I　answered；　for　the　old　lady　was
as　ugly　as　possible；　and　at　my　saying　this　the　two　young　ladies
began　screaming　with　laughter；　and　I　saw　the　two　great…whiskered
footmen　grinning　over　the　back　of　the　carriage。

〃Upon　my　word；　you're　mighty　candid；　Mr。　What's…your…namemighty
candid　indeed；　but　I　like　candour　in　young　people。　　But　a　beauty　I
was。　　Just　ask　your　friend's　uncle　the　General。　　He's　one　of　the
Lincolnshire　HoskinsesI　knew　he　was　by　the　strong　family
likeness。　　Is　he　the　eldest　son？　　It's　a　pretty　property；　though
sadly　encumbered；　for　old　Sir　George　was　the　divvle　of　a　mana
friend　of　Hanbury　Williams；　and　Lyttleton；　and　those　horrid；
monstrous；　ojous　people！　　How　much　will　he　have　now；　mister；　when
the　Admiral　dies？〃

〃Why；　ma'am；　I　can't　say；　but　the　Admiral　is　not　my　friend's
father。〃

〃Not　his　father？but　he　IS；　I　tell　you；　and　I'm　never　wrong。　　Who
is　his　father；　then？〃

〃Ma'am；　Gus's　father's　a　leatherseller　in　Skinner　Street；　Snow
Hill；a　very　respectable　house；　ma'am。　　But　Gus　is　only　third　son；
and　so　can't　expect　a　great　share　in　the　property。〃

The　two　young　ladies　smiled　at　thisthe　old　lady　said；　〃Hwat？〃

〃I　like　you；　sir；〃　Lady　Jane　said；　〃for　not　being　ashamed　of　your
friends；　whatever　their　rank　of　life　may　be。　　Shall　we　have　the
pleasure　of　setting　you　down　anywhere；　Mr。　Titmarsh？〃

〃Noways　particular；　my　Lady；〃　says　I。　　〃We　have　a　holiday　at　our
office　to…dayat　least　Roundhand　gave　me　and　Gus　leave；　and　I
shall　be　very　happy；　indeed；　to　take　a　drive　in　the　Park；　if　it's
no　offence。〃

〃I'm　sure　it　will　give　usinfinite　pleasure；〃　said　Lady　Jane；
though　rather　in　a　grave　way。

〃Oh；　that　it　will！〃　says　Lady　Fanny；　clapping　her　hands：　　〃won't
it；　Grandmamma？　　And　after　we　have　been　in　the　Park；　we　can　walk　in
Kensington　Gardens；　if　Mr。　Titmarsh　will　be　good　enough　to
accompany　us。〃

〃Indeed；　Fanny；　we　will　do　no　such　thing；〃　says　Lady　Jane。

〃Indeed；　but　we　will　though！〃　shrieked　out　Lady　Drum。　　〃Ain't　I
dying　to　know　everything　about　his　uncle　and　thirteen　aunts？　and
you're　all　chattering　so；　you　young　women；　that　not　a　blessed
sylla