hard cash-第3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！




David's　letter　was　of　unusual　length　for　him。　The　main　topics　were；　first；　the　date　and　manner　of　his　return　home。　His　ship；　a　very　old　one；　had　been　condemned　in　port：　and　he　was　to　sail　a　fine　new　teak…built　vessel；　the　_Agra；_　as　far　as　the　Cape；　where　her　captain；　just　recovered　from　a　severe　illness；　would　come　on　board；　and　convey　her　and　him　to　England。　In　future；　Dodd　was　to　command　one　of　the　Company's　large　steamers　to　Alexandria　and　back。

〃It　is　rather　a　come…down　for　a　sailor；　to　go　straight　ahead　like　a　wheelbarrow　in　all　weathers　with　a　steam…pot　and　a　crew　of　coalheavers　But　then　I　shall　not　be　parted　from　my　sweetheart　such　long　dreary　spells　as　I　have　been　thus　twenty　years；　my　dear　love：　so　is　it　for　me　to　complain？〃

The　second　topic　was　pecuniary；　the　transfer　of　their　savings　from　India；　where　interest　was　higher　than　at　home；　but　the　capital　not　so　secure。

And　the　third　was　ardent　and　tender　expressions　of　affection　for　the　wife　and　children　he　adored。　These　effusions　of　the　heart　had　no　separate　place；　except　in　my　somewhat　arbitrary　analysis　of　the　honest　sailor's　letter；　they　were　the　under　current。　Mrs。　Dodd　read　part　of　it　out　to　Julia；　in　fact　all　but　the　money　matter：　that　concerned　the　heads　of　the　family　more　immediately；　and　Cash　was　a　topic　her　daughter　did　not　understand；　nor　care　about。　And　when　Mrs。　Dodd　had　read　it　with　glistening　eyes；　she　kissed　it　tenderly；　and　read　it　all　over　again　to　herself；　and　then　put　it　into　her　bosom　as　naively　as　a　milkmaid　in　love。

Edward's　letter　was　short　enough；　and　Mrs。　Dodd　allowed　Julia　to　read　it　to　her；　which　she　did　with　panting　breath；　and　glowing　cheeks；　and　a　running　fire　of　comments。

〃'Dear　Mamma；　I　hope　you　and　Ju　are　quite　well'〃

〃Ju；〃　murmured　Mrs。　Dodd　plaintively。

〃'And　that　there　is　good　news　about　papa　coming　home。　As　for　me；　I　have　plenty　on　my　hands　just　now；　all　this　term　I　have　been　（'training'　scratched　out；　and　another　word　put　in：　C　　R　　oh；　I　know）　'cramming。'〃

〃'Cramming；'　love？〃

〃Yes；　that　is　the　Oxfordish　for　studying。〃

〃'For　smalls。'〃

Mrs。　Dodd　contrived　to　sigh　interrogatively。　Julia；　who　understood　her　every　accent；　reminded　her　that　〃smalls〃　was　the　new　word　for　〃little　go。〃

〃'Cramming　for　smalls；　and　now　I　am　in　two　races　at　Henley；　and　that　rather　puts　the　snaffie　on　reading　and　gooseberry　pie'　（Goodness　me）；　'and　adds　to　my　chance　of　being　ploughed　for　smalls。'〃

〃What　does　it　all　mean？〃　inquired　mamma；　〃'gooseberry　pie'？　and　'the　snaffle'？　and　'ploughed'　？〃

〃Well；　the　gooseberry　pie　is　really　too　deep　for　me：　but　'ploughed'　is　the　new　Oxfordish　for　'plucked。'　O　mamma；　have　you　forgotten　that？　'Plucked'　was　vulgar；　so　now　they　are　'ploughed。'　'For　smalls；　but　I　hope　I　shall　not　be；　to　vex　you　and　Puss。'〃

〃Heaven　forbid　he　should　be　so　disgraced！　But　what　has　the　cat　to　do　with　it？〃

〃Nothing　on　earth。　Puss？　that　is　me。　How　dare　he？　Did　I　not　forbid　all　these　nicknames　and　all　this　Oxfordish；　by　proclamation；　last　Long。〃

〃Last　Long？〃

〃Hem！　last　protracted　vacation。〃

〃'Dear　mamma；　sometimes　I　cannot　help　being　down　in　the　mouth；'　（why；　it　is　a　string　of　pearls）　'to　think　you　have　not　got　a　son　like　Hardie。'〃　At　this　unfortunate　reflection　it　was　Julia's　turn　to　suffer。　She　deposited　the　letter　in　her　lap；　and　fired　up。　〃Now；　have　not　I　cause　to　hate；　and　scorn；　and　despise　le　petit　Hardie？〃

〃Julia！〃

〃I　mean　to　dislike　with　propriety；　and　gently　to　abominate　Mr。　Hardie；　junior。〃

〃'Dear　mamma；　do　come　to　Henley　on　the　tenth；　you　and　Ju。　The　university　eights　will　not　be　there；　but　the　head　boats　of　the　Oxford　and　Cambridge　river　will；　and　the　Oxford　head　boat　is　Exeter；　you　know；　and　I　pull　Six。'〃

〃Then　I　am　truly　sorry　to　hear　it；　my　poor　boy　will　overtask　his　strength；　and　how　unfair　of　the　other　young　gentlemen；　it　seems　ungenerous；　unreasonable；　my　poor　child　against　so　many。〃

〃'And　I　am　entered　for　the　sculls　as　well；　and　if　you　and　〃the　Impetuosity〃'　（Vengeance！）　'were　looking　on　from　the　bank；　I　do　think　I　should　be　lucky　this　time。　Henley　is　a　long　way　from　Barkington；　but　it　is　a　pretty　place；　all　the　ladies　admire　it；　and　like　to　see　both　the　universities　out　and　a　stunning　race。'　Oh；　well；　there　_is_　an　epithet。　One　would　think　thunder　was　going　to　race　lightning；　instead　of　Oxford　Cambridge。〃

〃'If　you　can　come；　please　write；　and　I　will　get　you　nice　lodgings；　I　will　not　let　you　go　to　a　noisy　inn。　Love　to　Julia　and　no　end　of　kisses　to　my　pretty　mamma。　From　your　affectionate　Son；

〃'EDWARD　DODD。'〃


They　wrote　off　a　cordial　assent；　and　reached　Henley　in　time　to　see　the　dullest　town　in　Europe；　and　also　to　see　it　turn　one　of　the　gayest　in　an　hour　or　two；　so　impetuously　came　both　the　universities　pouring　into　itin　all　known　vehicles　that　could　go　_their_　paceby　land　and　water。


CHAPTER　I

IT　was　a　bright　hot　day　in　June。　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia　sat　half　reclining；　with　their　parasols　up；　in　an　open　carriage；　by　the　brink　of　the　Thames　at　one　of　its　loveliest　bends。

About　a　furlong　up　stream　a　silvery　stone　bridge；　just　mellowed　by　time；　spanned　the　river　with　many　fair　arches。　Through　these　the　coming　river　peeped　sparkling　a　long　way　above；　then　came　meandering　and　shining　down；　loitered　cool　and　sombre　under　the　dark　vaults；　then　glistened　on　again　crookedly　to　the　spot　where　sat　its　two　fairest　visitors　that　day；　but　at　that　very　point　flung　off　its　serpentine　habits；　and　shot　straight　away　in　a　broad　stream　of　scintillating　water　a　mile　long；　down　to　an　island　in　mid…stream：　a　little　fairy　island　with　old　trees；　and　a　white　temple。　To　curl　round　this　fairy　isle　the　broad　current　parted；　and　both　silver　streams　turned　purple　in　the　shade　of　the　grove；　then　winded　and　melted　from　the　sight。

This　noble　and　rare　passage　of　the　silvery　Thames　was　the　Henley　racecourse。　The　starting…place　was　down　at　the　island；　and　the　goal　was　up　at　a　point　in　the　river　below　the　bridge；　but　above　the　bend　where　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia　sat；　unruffled　by　the　racing；　and　enjoying　luxuriously　the　glorious　stream；　the　mellow　bridge　crowded　with　carriageswhose　fair　occupants　stretched　a　broad　band　of　bright　colour　above　the　dark　figures　clustering　on　the　battlementsand　the　green　meadows　opposite　with　the　motley　crowd　streaming　up　and　down。

Nor　was　that　sense；　which　seems　especially　keen　and　delicate　in　women；　left　unregaled　in　the　general　bounty　of　the　time。　The　green　meadows　on　the　opposite　bank；　and　the　gardens　at　the　back　of　our　fair　friends；　flung　their　sweet　fresh　odours　at　their　liquid　benefactor　gliding　by；　and　the　sun　himself　seemed　to　burn　perfumes；　and　the　air　to　scatter　them；　over　the　motley　merry　crowd；　that　bright；　hot；　smiling；　airy　day　in　June。

Thus　tuned　to　gentle　enjoyment；　the　fair　mother　and　her　lovely　daughter　leaned　back　in　a　delicious　languor　proper　to　their　sex；　and　eyed　with　unflagging　though　demure　interest；　and　furtive　curiosity；　the　wealth　of　youth；　beauty；　stature；　agility；　gaiety；　and　good　temper；　the　two　great　universities　had　poured　out　upon　those　obscure　banks；　all　dressed　in　neat　but　easy…fitting　clothes；　cut　in　the　height　of'　the　fashion；　or　else　in　jerseys　white　or　striped；　and　flannel　trousers；　and　straw　hats；　or　cloth　caps　of　bright　and　various　hues；　betting；　strolling；　laughing；　chaffing；　larking；　and　whirling　stunted　bludgeons　at　Aunt　Sally。

But　as　for　the　sport　itself　they　were　there　to　see；　the　center　of　all　these　bright　accessories；　〃The　Racing；〃　my　ladies　did　not　understand　it；　nor　try；　nor　care　a　hook…and…eye　about　it。　But　this　mild　dignified　indifference　to　the　main　event　received　a　shock　at　2　p。　m。：　for　then　the　first　heat　for　the　cup　came　on；　and　Edward　was　in　it。　So　then　Racing　became　all　in　a　moment　a　most　interesting　pastimean　appendage　to　Loving。　He　left　to　join　his　crew。　And；　soon　after；　the　Exeter　glided　down　the　river　before　their　eyes；　with　the　beloved　one　rowing　quietly　in　it：　his　jersey　revealed　not　only　the　working　power　of　his　arms；　as　sunburnt　below　the　elbow　as　a　gipsy's；　and　as　corded　above　as　a　blacksmith's；　but　also　the　play　of　the　great　muscles　across　his　broad　and　deeply　indented　chest：　his　oar　entered　the　water　smoothly；　gripped　it　severely；　then　came　out　clean；　and　feathered　clear　and　tunably　on　the　ringing　rowlock：　the　boat　jumped　and　then　glided；　at　each　neat；　easy；　powerful　stroke。　〃Oh；　how　beautiful　and　strong　he　is！〃　cried　Julia。　〃I　had　no　idea。

Presently　the　competitor　for　this　heat　came　down：　the　Cambridge　boat；　rowed　by　a　fine　crew　in　broad…striped　jerseys。　〃Oh；　dear　〃　said　Julia；　〃they　are　odious　and　strong　in　this　boat　too。　I　wish　I　was　in　itwith　a　gimlet；　he　_should_　win；　poor　boy。〃

Which　corkscrew　staircase　to　Honour　being　inaccessible；　the　race　had　to　be　decided　by　two　unfeminine　trifles　called　〃Speed〃　and　〃Bottom。〃


Few　things　in　this　vale　of　tears　are　more　worthy　a　pen　of　fire　than　an　English　boat…race　is；　as　seen　by　the　runners；　of　whom　I　have　often　been　one。　But　this　race　I　am　bound　to　indicate；　not　describe；　I　mean；　to　show　how　it　appeared　to　two　ladies　seated　on　the　Henley　side　of　the　Thames；　nearly　opposite　the　winning…post。　These　fair　novices　then　looked　all　down　the　river；　and　could　just　discern　two　whitish　streaks　on　the　water；　one　on　each　side　the　little　fairy　isle；　and　a　great　black　patch　on　the　Berkshire　bank。　The　threatening　streaks　were　the　two　racing　boats：　the　black　patch　was　about　a　hundred　Cambridge　and　Oxford　men；　ready　to　run　and　hallo　with　the　boats　all　the　way；　or　at　least　till　the　last　puff　of　wind　should　be　run　plus　halloed　out　of　their　young　bodies。　Others　less　fleet　and　enduring；　but　equally　clamorous；　stood　in　knots　at　various　distances；　ripe　for　a　shorter　yell　and　run　when　the　boats　should　come　up　to　them。　Of　the　natives　and　country　visitors；　those　who　were　not　nailed　down　by　bounteous　Fate　ebbed　and　flowed　up　and　down　the　bank；　with　no　settled　idea　but　of　getting　in　the　way　as　much　as　possible；　and　of　getting　knocked　into　the　Thames　as　little　as　might　be。

There　was　a　long　uneasy　suspense。

At　last　a　puff　of　smoke　issued　from　a　pistol　down　at　the　island；　two　oars　seemed　to　splash　into　the　water　from　each　white　streak；　and　the　black　patch　was　moving；　so　were　the　threatening　streaks。　Presently　was　heard　a　faint；　continuous；　distant　murmur；　and　th