hard cash-第124章

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〃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；〃　said　he；　and　appealed　calmly　to　their　reason；　by　which　means　he　made　no　impression　at　all。　Then　he　happened　to　say；　〃Besides；　I　must　do　something。　I　own　to　you　I　am　more　cast　down　than　I　choose　to　show。　Mother；　I　feel　like　lead　ever　since　she　died。〃　Now　on　this；　their　faces　filled　with　sympathy　directly。　So　encouraged　he　went　on　to　say：　〃But　when　I　got　my　hand　on　that　old　duffer's　collar；　and　lowered　him　to　the　ladder；　and　the　fire　shot　roaring　out　of　the　window　after　him；　too　late　to　eat　him；　and　the　crowd　cheered　the　fireman　and　me；　I　did　feel　warm　about　the　waistcoat；　and；　for　the　first　time　this　ever　so　long；　life　seemed　not　quite　ended。　I　felt　there　was　a　little　bit　of　good　left；　that　even　a　poor　dunce　like　me　could　do；　and　she　could　approveif　she　can　look　down　and　see　me；　as　I　hope　she　can。〃

〃There；　there；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　tearfully；　〃I　am　disarmed；　But；　my　darling；　I　do　not　know　what　you　are　talking　about：　Stay；　why；　Edward；　surelyI　hopeyou　were　not　the　young　gentleman　in　the　paper；　the　one　that　risked　his　life　so　nobly；　so　foolishlyif　it　was　you。

〃Why；　mother；　didn't　I　tell　you　it　was　me？〃　said　Edward；　colouring。

〃No；　that　you　did　not；〃　said　Julia。　〃Was　it？　was　it？　oh　do　be　quick　and　tell　one。　There；　it　was。〃

〃Well；　it　was：　ah；　I　remember　now；　that　splendiferous　account　shut　me　up。　Oh；　I　say；　didn't　the　_'Tiser_　pitch　it　strong？〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　cried　Julia；　〃I　believe　every　word；　and　ever　so　much　more。　Mamma；　we　have　got　a　hero；　and　here　he　is　at　breakfast　with　us；　like　an　ordinary　mortal。〃　She　rose　suddenly　with　a　burst　of　her　old　fire　and　fell　upon　him　and　kissed　him；　and　said　earnestly　how　proud　she　was　of　him；　〃And　so　is　mamma。　She　may　say　what　she　likes。〃

〃Proud　of　him！　ah；　that　I　am；　very　proud；　and　very　unhappy。　_Heroes　are　my　horror。_　How　often；　and　how　earnestly　have　I　prayed　that　my　son　might　not　be　brave　like　his　father；　but　stay　quietly　at　home　out　of　harm's　way。〃

Here　remonstrance　ended；　the　members　of　this　family；　happy　by　nature；　though　unhappy　by　accident；　all　knew　when　to　yield　to　each　other。


Unfortunately；　in　proportion　as　all　these　excitements　great　and　small　died；　and　her　life　became　quiet　and　uniform；　the　depth　of　Julia's　wound　showed　itself　more　and　more。　She　never　sang　nor　hummed；　as　she　used　to　do；　going　about　the　house。　She　never　laughed。　She　did　burst　out　with　fervid　sentiments　now　and　then；　but　very　rarely；　on　the　whole；　a　pensive　languor　took　the　place　of　her　lovely　impetuosity。　Tears　rushed　in　a　moment　to　her　eyes　with　no　visible　cause。　She　often　stole　to　the　window；　and　looked　all　up　and　down　the　street；　and　when　she　was　out　of　doors；　she　looked　down　every　side　street　she　passed；　and　sometimes；　when　a　quick　light　step　came　behind　them；　or　she　saw　a　tall　young　gentleman　at　a　great　distance；　her　hand　twitched　her　mother's　arm　or　trembled　on　it。　And；　always；　when　they　came　home；　she　lingered　a　moment　at　the　door…step　and　looked　all　round　before　she　went　in。

At　all　these　signs　one　half　of　Mrs。　Dodd's　heart　used　to　boil　with　indignation；　and　the　other　half　melt　with　pity。　For　she　saw　her　daughter　was　looking　for　〃the　Wretch。〃　Indeed　Mrs。　Dodd　began　to　fear　she　had　done　unwisely　in　ignoring　〃the　Wretch。〃　Julia's　thoughts　dwelt　on　him　none　the　less；　indeed　all　the　more　as　it　seemed；　so　the　topic　interdicted　by　tacit　consent　bade　fair　to　become　a　barrier　between　her　and　Mrs。　Dodd；　hitherto　her　bosom　friend　as　well　as　her　mother。　This　was　intolerable　to　poor　Mrs。　Dodd：　and　at　last　she　said　one　day；　〃My　darling；　do　not　be　afraid　of　me；　rob　me　of　your　happy　thoughts　if　you　will；　but　oh；　not　of　your　sad　ones。〃

Julia　began　to　cry　directly。　〃Oh　no；　mamma；〃　she　sobbed；　〃do　not　you　encourage　me　in　my　folly。　I　know　I　have　thrown　away　my　affections　on　one　whoI　shall　never　see　him　again：　shall　I；　mamma？　Oh；　to　think　I　can　say　those　words；　and　yet　go　living　on。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　sighed。　〃And　if　you　saw　him；　would　that　mend　the　chain　he　has　chosen　to　break？〃

〃I　don't　know；　but　if　I　could　only　see　him　to　part　friends！　It　is　cruel　to　hate　him　now　he　has　lost　his　sister；　and　then　I　have　got　her　message　to　give　him。　And　I　want　to　ask　him　why　he　was　afraid　of　me：　why　he　could　not　tell　me　he　had　altered　his　mind：　did　he　think　I　wanted　to　have　him　against　his　will？　Oh；　mamma；〃　said　she　imploringly；　〃he　seemed　to　love　me；　he　seemed　all　truth。　I　am　a　poor　unfortunate　girl。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　had　only　caresses　to　soothe　her　with。　She　could　not　hold　out　any　hopes。

One　day　Julia　asked　her　timidly　if　she　might　be　a　district　visitor：　〃My　dear　friend　was；　and　advised　me　to　be　one　too；　but　I　was　wilful　in　those　days　and　chose　to　visit　by　fits　and　starts；　and　be　independent。　I　am　humbled　now　a　little：　may　I；　mamma？　Since　she　died　every　word　of　hers　seems　a　law　to　me。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　assented　cordially；　as　she　would　to　anything　else　her　wounded　one　had　proposed。

This　project　brought　Julia　into　communication　with　the　new　curate；　and　who　should　it　prove　to　be　but　Mr。　Hurd？　At　sight　of　him　she　turned　white　and　red；　and　the　whole　scene　in　the　church　came　back　to　her。　But　Mr。　Hurd　showed　considerable　tact　for　so　young　a　man；　he　spoke　to　her　in　accents　of　deep　respect；　but　confined　his　remarks　strictly　to　the　matter　in　hand。　She　told　her　mother　when　she　got　home；　and　expressed　her　gratitude　to　Mr。　Hurd；　but　said　she　wished　they　did　not　live　in　the　same　parish　with　him。　This　feeling；　however；　wore　off　by　degrees；　as　her　self…imposed　duties　brought　her　more　and　more　into　contact　with　him；　and　showed　her　his　good　qualities。

As　for　Mr。　Hurd；　he　saw　and　understood　her　vivid　emotion　at　sight　of　him；　saw　and　pitied；　not　without　wonder　that　so　beautiful　a　creature　should　have　been　jilted。　And　from　the　first　he　marked　his　sense　of　Alfred's　conduct　by　showing　her　a　profound　and　chivalrous　respect　which　he　did　not　bestow　on　other　young　ladies　in　his　parish；　on　the　contrary；　he　rather　received　homage　from　them　than　bestowed　it。　By…and…bye　he　saw　Julia　suppress　if　not　hide　her　own　sorrow；　and　go　sore…hearted　day　by　day　to　comfort　the　poor　and　afflicted：　he　admired　and　almost　venerated　her　for　this。　He　called　often　on　Mrs。　Dodd；　and　was　welcome。　She　concealed　her　address　for　the　present　from　all　her　friends　except　Dr。　Sampson；　but　Mr。　Hurd　had　discovered　her；　and　ladies　do　not　snub　the　clergy。　Moreover；　Mr。　Hurd　was　a　gentleman；　and　inclined　to　High　Church。　This　she　liked。　He　was　very　good…looking　too；　and　quiet　in　his　manners。　Above　all；　he　seemed　to　be　doing　her　daughter　good；　for　Julia　and　Mr。　Hurd　had　one　great　sentiment　in　common。　When　the　intimacy　had　continued　some　time　on　these　easy　terms；　Mrs。　Dodd　saw　that　Mr。　Hurd　was　falling　in　love　with　Julia；　and　that　sort　of　love　warm；　but　respectful；　which　soon　leads　to　marriage；　especially　when　the　lover　is　a　clergyman。　This　was　more　than　Mrs。　Dodd　bargained　for；　she　did　not　want　to　part　with　her　daughter；　and　under　other　circumstances　would　have　drawn　in　her　horns。　But　Mr。　Hurd's　undisguised　homage　gratified　her　maternal　heart；　coming　so　soon　after　that　great　insult　to　her　daughter；　and　then　she　said　to　herself：　〃At　any　rate；　he　will　help　me　cure　her　of　'the　Wretch。'〃　She　was　not　easy　in　her　mind；　though；　could　not　tell　what　would　come　of　it　all。　So　she　watched　her　daughter's　pensive　face　as　only　mothers　watch；　and　saw　a　little　of　the　old　peach　bloom　creeping　back。

That　was　irresistible：　she　let　things　go　their　own　way；　and　hoped　for　the　best。



CHAPTER　XL

THE　tenacity　of　a　private　lunatic　asylum　is　unique。　A　little　push　behind　your　back　and　you　slide　into　one；　but　to　get　out　again　is　to　scale　a　precipice　with　crumbling　sides。　Alfred；　luckier　than　many；　had　twice　nearly　escaped；　yet　now　he　was　tighter　in　than　ever。　His　father　at　first　meant　to　give　him　but　a　year　or　two　of　it；　and　let　him　out　on　terms；　his　spirit　broken　and　Julia　married。　But　his　sister's　death　was　fatal　to　him。　By　Mrs。　Hardie's　settlement　the　portion　of　any　child　of　hers　dying　a　minor；　or　intestate　and　childless；　was　to　go　to　the　other　children；　so　now　the　prisoner　had　inherited　his　sister's　ten　thousand　pounds；　and　a　good　slice　of　his　be