hard cash-第49部分

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the　tin　minutes'　interval　to　five　minutes；　this　pashint　will　die；　and　if　I　can　get　the　tin　minutes　up　t'　half　hour；　this　pashint　will　live。　Any　way；　jintlemen；　we　won't　detain　y'　unreasonably：　the　case　shall　be　at　an　end　by　one　o'clock。〃

On　hearing　this　considerate　stipulation；　up　went　three　women's　aprons　to　their　eyes。

〃Alack！　poor　James　Maxley！　he　is　at　his　last　hour：　it　be　just　gone　twelve；　and　a　dies　at　one。〃

Sampson　turned　on　the　weepers。　〃Who　says　that；　y'　ijjits？　I　said　the　case　would　end　at　one：　a　case　ends　when　the　pashint　gets　well　or　dies。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　good　news　for　poor　Susan　Maxley；　her　man　is　to　be　well　by　one　o'clock；　Doctor　says。〃

Sampson　groaned；　and　gave　in。　he　was　strong；　but　not　strong　enough　to　make　the　populance　suspend　an　opinion。

Yet；　methinks　it　might　be　done：　by　chloroforming　them。

The　spasms　came　at　longer　intervals　and　less　violent；　and　Maxley　got　so　fond　of　the　essence　of　Insensibility；　that　he　asked　to　have　some　in　his　own　hand　to　apply　at　the　first　warning　of　the　horrible　pains。

Sampson　said；　〃Any　fool　can　complete　the　cure；　and；　by　way　of　practical　comment；　left　him　in　Mr。　Osmond's　charge；　but　with　an　understanding　that　the　treatment　should　not　be　varied；　that　no　laudanum　should　be　given；　but；　in　due　course；　a　stiff　tumbler　of　brandy　and　water；　or　two。　〃If　he　gets　drunk；　all　the　better；　a　little　intoxication　weakens　the　body's　memory　of　the　pain　it　has　endured；　and　so　expedites　the　cure。　Now　off　we　go　to　th'　other。〃

〃The　body's　memory！〃　said　Mr。　Osmond　to　himself：　〃what　on　earth　does　the　quack　mean？〃

The　driver　_de　jure_　of　the　fly　was　not　quite　drunk　enough　to　lose　his　horse　and　vehicle　without　missing　them。　He　was　on　the　look　out　for　the　robber；　and　as　Alfred　came　round　the　corner　full　pelt；　darted　at　the　reins　with　a　husky　remonstrance；　and　Alfred　cut　into　him　with　the　whip：　an　angry　explanationa　guineaand　behold　the　driver　sitting　behind　complacent　and　nodding。

Arrived　at　Albion　Villa；　Alfred　asked　Sampson　submissively　if　he　might　come　in　and　see　the　wife　cured。

〃Why；　of　course；〃　said　Sampson；　not　knowing　the　delicate　position。

〃Then　ask　me　in　before　Mrs。　Dodd；〃　murmured　Alfred　coaxingly。

〃Oo；　ay；〃　said　the　Doctor　knowingly：　〃I　see。〃

Mrs。　Maxley　was　in　the　dining…room：　she　had　got　well　of　herself；　but　was　crying　bitterly；　and　the　ladies　would　not　let　her　go　home　yet；　they　feared　the　worst　and　that　some　one　would　blurt　it　out　to　her。

To　this　anxious　trio　entered　Sampson　radiant。　〃There；　it's　all　right。　Come；　little　Maxley；　ye　needn't　cry；　he　has　got　lots　more　mischief　to　do　in　the　world　yet；　but；　O　wumman；　it　is　lucky　you　came　to　me　and　not　to　any　of　the　tinkering　dox。　No　more　cat　and　dog　for　you　and　him　but　for　the　Chronothairmal　Therey。　And　you　may　bless　my　puppy's　four　bones　too：　he　ran　and　stole　a　fly　like　a　man；　and　drove　hilter…skilter。　Now；　lf　I　had　got　to　your　house　two　minutes　later；　your　Jamie　would　have　lairned　the　great　secret　ere　this。〃　He　threw　up　the　window。　〃Haw　you！　come　away　and　receive　the　applause　due　from　beauty　t'　ajeelity。〃

Alfred　came　in　timidly；　and　was　received　with　perfect　benignity　and　self…possession　by　Mrs。　Dodd；　but　Julia's　face　was　dyed　with　blushes；　and　her　eyes　sparkled　the　eloquent　praise　she　was　ashamed　to　speak　before　them　all。　But　such　a　face　as　her　scarce　needed　the　help　of　a　voice　at　such　a　time。　And　indeed　both　the　lovers'　faces　were　a　pretty　sight　and　a　study。　How　they　stole　loving　glances；　but　tried　to　keep　within　bounds；　and　not　steal　more　than　three　per　minute！　and　how　unconscious　they　endeavoured　to　look　the　intervening　seconds！　and　what　windows　were　the　demure　complacent　visages　they　thought　they　were　making　shutters　of！　Innocent　love　has　at　least　this　advantage　over　melodramatic；　that　it　can　extract　exquisite　sweetness　out　of　so　small　a　thing。　These　sweethearts　were　not　alone；　could　not　open　their　hearts；　must　not　even　gaze　too　long；　yet　to　be　in　the　same　room　even　on　such　terms　was　a　taste　of　Heaven。

〃But；　dear　heart！〃　said　Mrs。　Maxley；　〃ye　don't　tell　me　what　he　ailed。　Ma'am；　if　you　had　seen　him　you　would　have　said　he　was　taken　for　death。〃

〃Pray　what　_is_　the　complaint？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Dodd。

〃Oh；　didn't　I　tell　ye？　Poisoned。〃

This　intelligence　was　conveyed　with　true　scientific　calmness；　and　received　with　feminine　ejaculations　of　horror。　Mrs。　Maxley　was　indignant　into　the　bargain：　〃Don't　ye　go　giving　my　house　an　ill　name！　We　keeps　no　poison。〃

Sampson　fixed　his　eyes　sternly　on　her：　〃Wumman；　ye　know　better：　ye　keep　strychnine；　for　th'　use　and　delectation　of　your　domestic　animal。〃

〃Strychnine！　I　never　heard　tell　of　it。　Is　that　Latin　for　arsenic？〃

〃Now　isn't　this　lamentable？　Why；　arsenic　is　a　mital；　strychnine　a　vigitable。　N'hist　me！　Your　man　was　here　seeking　strychnine　to　poison　his　mouse；　a　harmless；　domistic；　necessary　mouse。　I　told　him　mice　were　a　part　of　Nature　as　much　as　Maxleys；　and　life　as　sweet　tit　as　tim：　but　he　was　dif　to　scientific　and　chrisehin　preceps；　so　I　told　him　to　go　to　the　Deevil：　'I　will；'　sis　he；　and　went　t'　a　docker。　The　two　assassins　have　poisoned　the　poor　beastie　between　'em；　and　thin；　been　the　greatest　miser　in　the　world；　except　one；　he　will　have　roasted　his　victim；　and　ate　her　on　the　sly；　imprignated　with　strychnine。　'I'll　steal　a　march　on　t'other　miser；'　sis　he；　and　that's　you：　t'　his　brain　flew　the　strychnine：　his　brain　sint　it　to　his　spinal　marrow：　and　we　found　my　lorrd　bent　like　a　bow；　and　his　jaw　locked；　and　nearer　knowin　the　great　secret　than　any　man　in　England　will　be　this　year　to　live：　and　sairves　the　assassinating　old　vagabin　right。〃

〃Heaven　forgive　you；　Doctor；〃　said　Mrs。　Maxley；　half　mechanically。

〃For　curin　a　murrderer？　Not　likely。〃

Mrs。　Maxley；　who　had　shown　signs　of　singular　uneasiness　during　Sampson's　explanation；　now　rose；　and　said　in　a　very　peculiar　tone　she　must　go　home　directly。

Mrs。　Dodd　seemed　to　enter　into　her　feelings；　and　made　her　go　in　the　fly；　taking　care　to　pay　the　fare　and　the　driver　out　of　her　own　purse。　As　the　woman　got　into　the　fly；　Sampson　gave　her　a　piece　of　friendly　and　practical　advice。　〃Nixt　time　he　has　a　mind　to　breakfast　on　strychnine；　you　tell　me；　and　I'll　put　a　pinch　of　arsenic　in　the　salt…cellar；　and　cure　him　safe　as　the　bank。　But　this　time　he'd　have　been　did　and　stiff　long　before　such　a　slow　ajint　as　arsenic　could　get　a　hold　on　um。〃


They　sat　down　to　luncheon；　but　neither　Alfred　nor　Julia　fed　much；　except　upon　sweet　stolen　looks；　and　soon　the　active　Sampson　jumped　up；　and　invited　Alfred　to　go　round　his　patients。　Alfred　could　not　decline；　but　made　his　adieux　with　regret　so　tender　and　undisguised；　that　Julia's　sweet　eyes　filled；　and　her　soft　hand　instinctively　pressed　his　at　parting　to　console　him。　She　blushed　at　herself　afterwards；　but　at　the　time　she　was　thinking　only　of　him。

Maxley　and　his　wife　came　up　in　the　evening　with　a　fee。　They　had　put　their　heads　together；　and　proffered　one　guinea。　〃Man　and　wife　be　one　flesh；　you　know；　Doctor；〃　said　the　rustic　miser。

Sampson；　whose　natural　choler　was　constantly　checked　by　his　humour；　declined　this　profuse　proposal。　〃Here's　vanity！〃　said　he。　〃Now　do　you　really　think　your　two　lives　are　worth　a　guinea？　Why；　it's　252　pence！　1008　farthings！〃

The　pair　affected　disappointmentvilely。

At　all　events；　he　must　accept　this　basket　of　gudgeons　Maxley　had　brought　along。　Being　poisoned　was　quite　out　of　Maxley's　daily　routine；　and　had　so　unsettled　him；　that　he　had　got　up；　and　gone　fishingto　the　amazement　of　the　parish。

Sampson　inspected　the　basket。　〃Why；　they　are　only　fish；〃　said　he；　_〃I　was　in　hopes　they　were　pashints。_〃　He　accepted　the　gudgeons；　and　inquired　how　Maxley　got　poisoned。　It　came　out　that　Mrs。　Maxley；　seeing　her　husband　set　apart　a　portion　of　his　Welsh　rabbit；　had　〃grizzled；〃　and　asked　what　that　was　for；　and　being　told　〃for　the　mouse；〃　and　to　〃mind　her　own　business；〃　had　grizzled　still　more；　and　furtively　conveyed　a　portion　back　into　the　pan　for　her　master's　own　use。　She　had　been　quaking　dismally　all　the　afternoon　at　what　she　had　done；　but　finding　Maxleyhard　but　justdid　not　attack　her　for　an　involuntary　fault；　she　now　brazened　it　out；　and　said；　〃Men　didn't　ought　to　have　poison　in　the　house　unbeknown　to　their　wives。　Jem　had　got　no　more　than　he　worked　for；〃　&c。　But；　like　a　woman；　she　vowed　vengeance　on　the　mouse：　whereupon　Maxley　threatened　her　with　the　marital　correction　of　neck…twisting　if　she　laid　a　finger　on　it。

〃My　eyes　be　open　now　to　what　a　poor　creature　do　feel　as　dies　poisoned。　Let　her　a　be：　there's　room　in　our　place　for　her　and　we。〃

Next　day　he　met　Alfred；　and　thanked　him　with　warmth；　almost　with　emotion。　〃There　ain't　many　in　Barkington　as　ever　done　me　a　good　turn；　Master　Alfred；　you　be　one　on　'em：　you　comes　after　the　Captain　in　my　book　now。〃

Alfred　suggested　that　his　claims　were　humble　compared　with　Sampson's。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Maxley；　going　down　to　his　whisper；　and　looking；　monstrous　wise：　〃Doctor　didn't　go　out　of　his　business　for　me：　you　did。〃

The　sage　miser's　gratitude　had　not　time　to　die　a　natural　death　before　circumstances　occurred　to　test　it。　On　the　morning　of　that　eventful　day　which　concluded　my　last　chapter；　he　received　a　letter　from　Canada。　His　wife　was　out　with　eggs；　so　he　caught　little　Rose　Sutton；　that　had　more　than　once　spelled　an　epistle　for　him；　and　she　read　it　out　in　a　loud　and　reckless　whine：　〃'At　　noon　　this　　very　　daie　　Muster　　Hardie's　a…g…e…n…t；　aguent　　d…i…s　dis；　h…o…n　　honour_ed_　　dis…honour_ed_abill；　and　sayed。'〃　Here　she　made　a　full　stop。　Then　on　to　the　next　verse。

〃'There　　were　no　　more　　asses。'〃

〃Mercy　on　us！　but　it　can't　be　asses；　wench：　drive　your　spe…ad　into't　again。〃

〃'A…s…s…e…t…s。　Assets。'〃

〃Ah！　Go　an！　go　an！〃

〃'Now　　Fatther　　if　　you　　leave　　a　s…h…i…l…l…i…n…g；　shilling　　at　Hardie's　　after　　this　　b…l…a…m…e；　ble…am　　your　　self　　not　me　　for　　this　　is　　the　　waie　　the　r…o…g…u…e…s；　rogews　　all　bre…ak　　they　　go　　at　　a　d…i…s…t…a…n…c…e；　distance　　first　and　　then　　at　　h…o…m…e；　whuoame。　　Dear　　fatther'　　Lawk　o'　daisy；　what　ails　you；　Daddy　Maxley？　You　be　as　white　as　a　Sunday　smock。　Be　you　poisoned　again；　if　_you_　please？〃

〃Worse　than　thatworse！〃　groaned　Maxhey；　trembling　all　over。　〃Hush！hold　your　tongue！　Give　me　that　letter！　Don't　you　never　tell　nobody　nothing　of　what　you　have　been　a　reading　to　me；　and