hard cash-第123章

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tern。　It　is　new。〃

〃I　will；　sir。　Am　I　to　trouble　you　with　any　moneyby　way　of　deposit；　sir？〃

〃No　orders　about　it；　ma'am。　Ladies；　your　most　obedient。　Good　morning；　sir。〃

And　he　was　away。

All　this　seemed　like　a　click　or　two　of　City　clock…work：　followed　by　rural　silence。　Yet　in　that　minute　Commerce　had　walked　in　upon　genteel　poverty；　and　left　honest　labour　and　modest　income　behind　her。

Great　was　the　thankfulness；　strange　and　new　the　excitement。　Edward　was　employed　to　set　up　a　very　long　deal　table　for　his　mother　to　work　on；　Julia　to　go　and　buy　tailors'　scissors。　Calculations　were　made　how　to　cut　the　stuff　to　advantage；　and　in　due　course　the　heavy　scissors　were　heard　snick；　snick；　snicking　all　day　long。


Julia　painted　zealously；　and　Edward；　without　saying　a　word　to　them；　walked　twenty　miles　a　day　hunting　for　a　guinea　a　week；　and　finding　it　not。　Not　but　what　employment　was　often　bobbed　before　his　eyes：　but　there　was　no　grasping　it。　At　last　he　heard　of　a　place　peculiarly　suited　to　him；　a　packing　foreman's　in　a　warehouse　at　Southwark；　he　went　there；　and　was　referred　to　Mr。　A。's　private　house。　Mr。　A。　was　in　the　country　for　a　day。　Try　Mr。　B。　Mr。　B。　was　dining　with　the　Lord　Mayor。　Returning　belated；　he　fell　in　with　a　fire；　and；　sad　to　say；　life　was　in　jeopardy：　a　little　old　man　had　run　out　at　the　first　alarm；　when　there　was　no　danger；　and；　as　soon　as　the　fire　was　hot；　had　run　in　again　for　his　stockings；　or　some　such　treasure。　Fire　does　put　out　some　people's　reason；　clean。　While　he　was　rummaging　madly；　the　staircase　caught；　and　the　smoke　cut　off　his　second　exit；　and　drove　him　up　to　a　little　staircase　window　at　the　side　of　the　house。　Here　he　stood；　hose　in　hand；　scorching　behind　and　screeching　in　front。　A　ladder　had　been　brought：　but　it　was　a　yard　short：　and　the　poor　old　man　danced　on　the　window…ledge　and　dare　not　come　down　to　a　gallant　fireman　who　stood　ready　to　receive　him　at　great　personal　peril。　In　the　midst　of　shrieks　and　cries　and　shouts　of　encouragement；　Edward；　a　practised　gymnast；　saw　a　chance。　He　ran　up　the　ladder　like　a　cat；　begged　the　fireman　to　clasp　it　tight；　then　got　on　his　shoulders　and　managed　to　grasp　the　window…sill。　He　could　always　draw　his　own　weight　up　by　his　hands：　so　he　soon　had　his　knee　on　the　sill；　and　presently　stood　erect。　He　then　put　his　left　arm　inside　the　window；　collared　the　old　fellow　with　his　right；　and；　half　persuasion；　half　force；　actually　lowered　him　to　the　ladder　with　one　Herculean　arm　amidst　a　roar　that　made　the　Borough　ring。　Such　a　strain　could　not　long　be　endured；　but　the　fireman　speedily　relieved　him　by　seizing　the　old　fellow's　feet　and　directing　them　on　to　the　ladder；　and　so；　propping　him　by　the　waist；　went　down　before　him；　and　landed　him　safe。　Edward　waited　till　they　were　down：　then　begged　them　to　hold　the　ladder　tight　below；　he　hung　from　the　ledge；　got　his　eye　well　on　the　ladder　below　him；　let　himself　quietly　drop；　and　caught　hold　of　it　with　hands　of　iron；　and　twisting　round；　came　down　the　ladder　on　the　inside　hand　over　head　without　using　his　feet；　a　favourite　gymnastic　exercise　of　his　learnt　at　the　Modern　Athens。　He　was　warmly　received　by　the　crowd　and　by　the　firemen。　〃You　should　be　one　of　us；　sir；〃　said　a　fine　young　fellow　who　had　cheered　him　and　advised　him　all　through。　〃I　wish　to　Heaven　I　was；〃　said　Edward。　The　other　thought　he　was　joking；　but　laughed　and　said；　〃Then　you　should　talk　to　our　head　man　after　the　business；　there　is　a　vacancy；　you　know。〃

Edward　saw　the　fire　out；　and　rode　home　on　the　engine。　There　he　applied　to　the　head　man　for　the　vacancy。

〃You　are　a　stranger　to　me；　sir；〃　said　the　head　man。　〃And　I　am　sure　it　is　no　place　for　you；　you　are　a　gentleman。〃

〃Well；　is　there　anything　ungentlemanly　in　saving　people's　lives　and　property？〃

〃Hear！　hear！〃　said　a　comic　fireman。

The　compliment　began　to　tell；　though。　Others　put　in　their　word。　〃Why；　Mr。　Baldwin；　if　a　gentleman　ain't　ashamed　of　us；　why　should　we　be　ashamed　of　him？〃

〃Where　will　ye　get　a　better？〃　asked　another；　and　added；　〃He　is　no　stranger；　we've　seen　him　work。〃

〃Stop　a　bit；〃　said　the　comic　fireman：　〃what　does　the　dog　say？　Just　call　him；　sir；　if　you　please；　his　name　is　Charlie。〃

Edward　called　the　fire…dog　kindly；　he　came　and　fawned　on　him；　then　gravely　snuffed　him　all　round；　and　retired　wagging　his　tail　gently；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃I　was　rather　taken　by　surprise　at　first；　but；　on　the　whole；　I　see　no　reason　to　recall　my　judgment。〃

〃It　is　all　right；〃　said　the　firemen　in　chorus；　and　one　that　had　not　yet　spoken　to　Edward　now　whispered　him　mysteriously；　〃Ye　see　that　there　doghe　knows　more　than　we　do。〃

After　the　dog；　a　biped　oracle　at　head…quarters　was　communicated　with；　and　late　that　very　night　Edward　was　actually　enrolled　a　fireman；　and　went　home　warmer　at　heart　than　he　had　been　for　some　time。　They　were　all　in　bed；　and　when　he　came　down　in　the　morning；　Julia　was　reading　out　of　the　_'Tiser_　a　spirited　and　magniloquent　description　of　a　fire　in　Southwark；　and　of　the　heroism　displayed　by　a　young　gentleman　unknown；　but　whose　name　the　writer　hoped　at　so　much　the　line　would　never　be　allowed　to　pass　into　oblivion；　and　be　forgotten。　In　short；　the　_'Tiser_　paid　him　in　one　column；　for　years　of　devotion。　Now　Edward；　of　course；　was　going　to　relate　his　adventure；　but　the　journal　told　it　so　gloriously；　he　hesitated　to　say；　〃I　did　all　that。〃　He　just　sat　and　stared；　and　wondered；　and　blushed；　and　grinned　like　an　imbecile。

Unfortunately　looks　seldom　escaped　the　Doddesses。　〃What　is　that　for？〃　inquired　Julia　reproachfully。　〃Is　that　sheepish　face　the　thing　to　wear　when　a　sister　is　reading　out　an　heroic　action？　Ah；　these　are　the　things　that　make　one　long　to　be　a　man；　to　do　them。　What　are　you　thinking　about；　dear？〃

〃Well；　I　am　thinking　the　_'Tiser_　is　pitching　it　rather　strong。〃

〃My　love；　what　an　expression！〃

〃Well；　then；　to　be　honest；　I　agree　with　you　that　it　is　a　jolly　thing　to　fight　with　fire　and　save　men's　lives；　and　I　am　glad　you　see　it　in　that　light；　for　now　you　will　approve　the　step　I　have　taken。　Ladies；　I　have　put　myself　in　the　way　of　doing　this　sort　of　thing　every　week　of　my　life。　I'm　a　fireman。〃

〃You　are　jesting；　I　trust？〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　anxiously。

〃No；　mamma。　I　got　the　place　late　last　night；　and　I'm　to　enter　on　my　duties　and　put　on　the　livery　next　Monday。　Hurrah！〃

Instantly　the　admirers　of　fiery　heroes　at　a　distance　overflowed　with　grief　and　mortification　at　the　prospect　of　one　in　their　own　family。　They　could　not　speak　at　all　at　first：　and；　when　they　did；　it　was　only　〃Cruel！　cruel！〃　from　Julia；　and　〃Our　humiliation　is　now　complete；〃　from　Mrs。　Dodd。

They　soon　dashed　Edward's　spirits；　and　made　him　unhappy；　but　they　could　not　convince　him　he　had　done　wrong。　However；　in　the　heat　of　remonstrance；　they　let　out　at　last　that　they　had　just　begun　to　hope　by　dint　of　scissors　and　paint…brush　to　send　him　back　to　Oxford。　He　also　detected；　under　a　cloud　of　tender；　loving；　soothing；　coaxing　and　equivocating　expressions；　their　idea　of　a　Man：　to　wit；　a　tall；　strong；　ornamental　creature；　whom　the　women　were　to　cocker　up；　and　pet；　and　slave　for；　and　be　rewarded　by　basking；　dead　tired；　in　an　imperial　smile　or　two　let　fall　by　their　sovereign　_protege_　from　his　arm…chair。　And；　in　fact；　good　women　have　often　demoralised　their　idols　down　to　the　dirt　by　this　process；　to　be　sure　their　idols　were　sorryish　clay；　to　begin。

Edward　was　anything　but　flowery；　so　he　paraded　no　manly　sentiments　in　reply；　he　just　bluntly　ridiculed　the　idea　of　his　consenting　to　prey　on　them；　and　he　said　humbly；　〃I　know　I　can't　contribute　as　much　to　our　living　as　you　two　canthe　petticoats　carry　the　brains　in　our　familybut；　be　a　burden　to　you？　Not　if　I　know　it。〃

〃Pride！　pride！　pride！〃　objected　Julia；　lifting　her　grand　violet　orbs　like　a　pensive　Madonna。

〃And　such　pride！　The　pride　that　falls　into　a　fire…bucket；〃　suggested　prosaic　mamma。

〃That　is　cutting；〃　said　Edward：　〃but；　_soyons　de　notre　siecle；_　flunkeyism　is　on　the　decline。　I'll　give　you　something　to　put　in　both　your　pipes：

　　　　'Honour　and　rank　from　no　condition　rise。　　　　　　Act　well　thy　part；　in　that　the　honour　lies。'〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃only　first　choose　your　part；　and　let　your　choice　be　reasonable。〃

〃Mine　was　Hobson's；　and　he　never　chooses　wrong。　Come；　come；〃