samuel titmarsh and the great hoggarty diamond-第7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！


young　ladies　wore；　and　if　they　had　those　odious　gigot　sleeves　which
were　just　coming　in　then；　and　here　Mrs。　R。　looked　at　a　pair　of
large　mottled　arms　that　she　was　very　proud　of。

〃I　say；　Sam　my　boy！〃　cried；　in　the　midst　of　our　talk；　Mr。
Roundhand；　who　had　been　passing　the　port…wine　round　pretty　freely；
〃I　hope　you　looked　to　the　main　chance；　and　put　in　a　few　shares　of
the　West　Diddlesex；hey？〃

〃Mr。　Roundhand；　have　you　put　up　the　decanters　downstairs？〃　cries
the　lady；　quite　angry；　and　wishing　to　stop　the　conversation。

〃No；　Milly；　I've　emptied　'em；〃　says　R。

〃Don't　Milly　me；　sir！　and　have　the　goodness　to　go　down　and　tell
Lancy　my　maid〃　（a　look　at　me）　〃to　make　the　tea　in　the　study。　　We
have　a　gentleman　here　who　is　not　USED　to　Pentonville　ways〃　（another
look）；　〃but　he　won't　mind　the　ways　of　FRIENDS。〃　　And　here　Mrs。
Roundhand　heaved　her　very　large　chest；　and　gave　me　a　third　look
that　was　so　severe；　that　I　declare　to　goodness　it　made　me　look
quite　foolish。　　As　to　Gus；　she　never　so　much　as　spoke　to　him　all
the　evening；　but　he　consoled　himself　with　a　great　lot　of　muffins；
and　sat　most　of　the　evening　（it　was　a　cruel　hot　summer）　whistling
and　talking　with　Roundhand　on　the　verandah。　　I　think　I　should　like
to　have　been　with　them；for　it　was　very　close　in　the　room　with
that　great　big　Mrs。　Roundhand　squeezing　close　up　to　one　on　the
sofa。

〃Do　you　recollect　what　a　jolly　night　we　had　here　last　summer？〃　I
heard　Hoskins　say；　who　was　leaning　over　the　balcony；　and　ogling　the
girls　coming　home　from　church。　　〃You　and　me　with　our　coats　off；
plenty　of　cold　rum…and…water；　Mrs。　Roundhand　at　Margate；　and　a
whole　box　of　Manillas？〃

〃Hush！〃　said　Roundhand；　quite　eagerly；　〃Milly　will　hear。〃

But　Milly　didn't　hear：　　for　she　was　occupied　in　telling　me　an
immense　long　story　about　her　waltzing　with　the　Count　de
Schloppenzollern　at　the　City　ball　to　the　Allied　Sovereigns；　and　how
the　Count　had　great　large　white　moustaches；　and　how　odd　she　thought
it　to　go　whirling　round　the　room　with　a　great　man's　arm　round　your
waist。　　〃Mr。　Roundhand　has　never　allowed　it　since　our　marriage
never；　but　in　the　year　'fourteen　it　was　considered　a　proper
compliment；　you　know；　to　pay　the　sovereigns。　　So　twenty…nine　young
ladies；　of　the　best　families　in　the　City　of　London；　I　assure　you；
Mr。　Titmarshthere　was　the　Lord　Mayor's　own　daughters；　Alderman
Dobbins's　gals；　Sir　Charles　Hopper's　three；　who　have　the　great
house　in　Baker　Street；　and　your　humble　servant；　who　was　rather
slimmer　in　those　daystwenty…nine　of　us　had　a　dancing…master　on
purpose；　and　practised　waltzing　in　a　room　over　the　Egyptian　Hall　at
the　Mansion　House。　　He　was　a　splendid　man；　that　Count
Schloppenzollern！〃

〃I　am　sure；　ma'am；〃　says　I；　〃he　had　a　splendid　partner！〃　and
blushed　up　to　my　eyes　when　I　said　it。

〃Get　away；　you　naughty　creature！〃　says　Mrs。　Roundhand；　giving　me　a
great　slap：　　〃you're　all　the　same；　you　men　in　the　West　Endall
deceivers。　　The　Count　was　just　like　you。　　Heigho！　　Before　you
marry；　it's　all　honey　and　compliments；　when　you　win　us；　it's　all
coldness　and　indifference。　　Look　at　Roundhand；　the　great　baby；
trying　to　beat　down　a　butterfly　with　his　yellow　bandanna！　　Can　a
man　like　THAT　comprehend　me？　can　he　fill　the　void　in　my　heart？〃
（She　pronounced　it　without　the　h；　but　that　there　should　be　no
mistake；　laid　her　hand　upon　the　place　meant。）　　〃Ah；　no！　　Will　YOU
be　so　neglectful　when　YOU　marry；　Mr。　Titmarsh？〃

As　she　spoke；　the　bells　were　just　tolling　the　people　out　of　church；
and　I　fell　a…thinking　of　my　dear　dear　Mary　Smith　in　the　country；
walking　home　to　her　grandmother's；　in　her　modest　grey　cloak；　as　the
bells　were　chiming　and　the　air　full　of　the　sweet　smell　of　the　hay；
and　the　river　shining　in　the　sun；　all　crimson；　purple；　gold；　and
silver。　　There　was　my　dear　Mary　a　hundred　and　twenty　miles　off；　in
Somersetshire；　walking　home　from　church　along　with　Mr。　Snorter's
family；　with　which　she　came　and　went；　and　I　was　listening　to　the
talk　of　this　great　leering　vulgar　woman。

I　could　not　help　feeling　for　a　certain　half　of　a　sixpence　that　you
have　heard　me　speak　of；　and　putting　my　hand　mechanically　upon　my
chest；　I　tore　my　fingers　with　the　point　of　my　new　DIAMOND…PIN。　　Mr。
Polonius　had　sent　it　home　the　night　before；　and　I　sported　it　for
the　first　time　at　Roundhand's　to　dinner。

〃It's　a　beautiful　diamond；〃　said　Mrs。　Roundhand。　　〃I　have　been
looking　at　it　all　dinner…time。　　How　rich　you　must　be　to　wear　such
splendid　things！　and　how　can　you　remain　in　a　vulgar　office　in　the
Cityyou　who　have　such　great　acquaintances　at　the　West　End？〃

The　woman　had　somehow　put　me　in　such　a　passion　that　I　bounced　off
the　sofa；　and　made　for　the　balcony　without　answering　a　word；ay；
and　half　broke　my　head　against　the　sash；　too；　as　I　went　out　to　the
gents　in　the　open　air。　　〃Gus；〃　says　I；　〃I　feel　very　unwell：　　I　wish
you'd　come　home　with　me。〃　　And　Gus　did　not　desire　anything　better；
for　he　had　ogled　the　last　girl　out　of　the　last　church；　and　the
night　was　beginning　to　fall。

〃What！　already？〃　said　Mrs。　Roundhand；　〃there　is　a　lobster　coming
up；a　trifling　refreshment；　not　what　he's　accustomed　to；　but〃

I　am　sorry　to　say　I　nearly　said；　〃D…　the　lobster！〃　as　Roundhand
went　and　whispered　to　her　that　I　was　ill。

〃Ay；〃　said　Gus；　looking　very　knowing。　　〃Recollect；　Mrs。　R。；　that　he
was　AT　THE　WEST　END　on　Thursday；　asked　to　dine；　ma'am；　with　the
tip…top　nobs。　　Chaps　don't　dine　at　the　West　End　for　nothing；　do
they；　R。？　　If　you　play　at　BOWLS；　you　know〃

〃You　must　look　out　for　RUBBERS；〃　said　Roundhand；　as　quick　as
thought。

〃Not　in　my　house　of　a　Sunday；〃　said　Mrs。　R。；　looking　very　fierce
and　angry。　　〃Not　a　card　shall　be　touched　here。　　Are　we　in　a
Protestant　land；　sir？　in　a　Christian　country？〃

〃My　dear；　you　don't　understand。　　We　were　not　talking　of　rubbers　of
whist。〃

〃There　shall　be　NO　game　at　all　in　the　house　of　a　Sabbath　eve；〃　said
Mrs。　Roundhand；　and　out　she　flounced　from　the　room；　without　ever　so
much　as　wishing　us　good…night。

〃Do　stay；〃　said　the　husband；　looking　very　much　frightened；〃do
stay。　　She　won't　come　back　while　you're　here；　and　I　do　wish　you'd
stay　so。〃

But　we　wouldn't：　　and　when　we　reached　Salisbury　Square；　I　gave　Gus
a　lecture　about　spending　his　Sundays　idly；　and　read　out　one　of
Blair's　sermons　before　we　went　to　bed。　　As　I　turned　over　in　bed；　I
could　not　help　thinking　about　the　luck　the　pin　had　brought　me；　and
it　was　not　over　yet；　as　you　will　see　in　the　next　chapter。



CHAPTER　V



HOW　THE　DIAMOND　INTRODUCES　HIM　TO　A　STILL　MORE　FASHIONABLE　PLACE

To　tell　the　truth；　though；　about　the　pin；　although　I　mentioned　it
almost　the　last　thing　in　the　previous　chapter；　I　assure　you　it　was
by　no　means　the　last　thing　in　my　thoughts。　　It　had　come　home　from
Mr。　Polonius's；　as　I　said；　on　Saturday　night；　and　Gus　and　I
happened　to　be　out　enjoying　ourselves；　half…price；　at　Sadler's
Wells；　and　perhaps　we　took　a　little　refreshment　on　our　way　back：
but　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　my　story。

On　the　table；　however；　was　the　little　box　from　the　jeweller's；　and
when　I　took　it　out；MY；　how　the　diamond　did　twinkle　and　glitter　by
the　light　of　our　one　candle！

〃I'm　sure　it　would　light　up　the　room　of　itself；〃　says　Gus。　　〃I've
read　they　do　inin　history。〃

It　was　in　the　history　of　Cogia　Hassan　Alhabbal；　in　the　〃Arabian
Nights；〃　as　I　knew　very　well。　　But　we　put　the　candle　out；
nevertheless；　to　try。

〃Well；　I　declare　to　goodness　it　does　illuminate　the　old　place！〃
says　Gus；　but　the　fact　was；　that　there　was　a　gas…lamp　opposite　our
window；　and　I　believe　that　was　the　reason　why　we　could　see　pretty
well。　　At　least　in　my　bedroom；　to　which　I　was　obliged　to　go　without
a　candle；　and　of　which　the　window　looked　out　on　a　dead　wall；　I
could　not　see　a　wink；　in　spite　of　the　Hoggarty　diamond；　and　was
obliged　to　grope　about　in　the　dark　for　a　pincushion　which　Somebody
gave　me　（I　don't　mind　owning　it　was　Mary　Smith）；　and　in　which　I
stuck　it　for　the　night。　　But；　somehow；　I　did　not　sleep　much　for
thinking　of　it；　and　woke　very　early　in　the　morning；　and；　if　the
truth　must　be　told；　stuck　it　in　my　night…gown；　like　a　fool；　and
admired　myself　very　much　in　the　glass。

Gus　admired　it　as　much　as　I　did；　for　since　my　return；　and
especially　since　my　venison　dinner　and　drive　with　Lady　Drum；　he
thought　I　was　the　finest　fellow　in　the　world；　and　boasted　about　his
〃West　End　friend〃　everywhere。

As　we　were　going　to　dine　at　Roundhand's；　and　I　had　no　black　satin
stock　to　set　it　off；　I　was　obliged　to　place　it　in　the　frill　of　my
best　shirt；　which　tore　the　muslin　sadly；　by　the　way。　　However；　the
diamond　had　its　effect　on　my　entertainers；　as　we　have　seen；　rather
too　much　perhaps　on　one　of　them；　and　next　day　I　wore　it　down　at　the
office；　as　Gus　would　make　me　do；　though　it　did　not　look　near　so
well　in　the　second　day's　shirt　as　on　the　first　day；　when　the　linen
was　quite　clear　and　bright　with　Somersetshire　washing。

The　chaps　at　the　West　Diddlesex　all　admired　it　hugely；　except　that
snarling　Scotchman　M'Whirter；　fourth　clerk；out　of　envy　because　I
did　not　think　much　of　a　great　yellow　stone；　named　a　carum…gorum；　or
some　such　thing；　which　he　had　in　a　snuff…mull；　as　he　called　it；
all　except　M'Whirter；　I　say；　were　delighted　with　it；　and　Abednego
himself；　who　ought　to　know；　as　his　father　was　in　the　line；　told　me
the　jewel　was　worth　at　least　ten　poundsh；　and　that　his　governor
would　give　me　as　much　for　it。

〃That's　a　proof；〃　says　Roundhand；　〃that　Tit's　diamond　is　worth　at
least　thirty。〃　　And　we　all　laughed；　and　agreed　it　was。

Now　I　must　confess　that　all　these　praises；　and　the　respect　that　wag
paid　me；　turned　my　head　a　little；　and　as　all　the　chaps　said　I　MUST
have　a　black　satin　stock　to　set　the　stone　off；　was　fool　enough　to
buy　a　stock　that　cost　me　five…and…twenty　shillings；　at　Ludlam's　in
Piccadilly：　　for　Gus　said　I　must　go　to　the　best　place；　to　be　sure；
and　have　none　of　our　cheap　and　common　East　End　stuff。　　I　might　have
had　one　for　sixteen　and　six　in　Cheapside；　every　whit　as　good；　but
when　a　young　lad　becomes　vain；　and　wants　to　be　fashionable；　you　see
he　can't　help　being　extravagant。

Our　director；　Mr。　Brough；　did　not　fail　to　hear　of　the　haunch　of
venison　business；　and　my　relationship　with　Lady　Drum　and　the　Right
Honourable　Edmund　Preston：　　only　A