hard cash-第138章

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〃It　was　wonderfully　silly；〃　said　Edward；　〃and　such　a　clever　girl；　too；　but　you　ladies　can't　stick　to　one　thing　at　a　time；　begging　your　pardon；　mamma。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　took　no　notice　of　this　remark。

〃To　see　her　lower　herself　so！〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　my　son；　I　am　mortified。〃　And　Mrs。　Dodd　leaned　her　cheek　against　Edward's；　and　sighed。

〃Now　don't　you　cry；　mammy；〃　said　he　sorrowfully。　〃I'll　break　every　bone　in　his　skin　for　your　comfort。〃

〃Heaven　forbid！〃　cried　Mrs。　Dodd　anxiously；　〃what；　are　you　not　aware　she　would　hate　you？〃

〃Hate　me：　her　brother！〃

〃She　would　hate　us　all　if　we　laid　a　finger　on　that　wretch。　Pray　interfere　no　more；　love；　foolish　child；　talking　to　me　about　women；　and　it　is　plain　you　know　nothing　of　their　hearts：　and　a　good　thing　_for_　you。〃　She　then　put　on　maternal　authority　（nobody　could　do　it　more　easily）　and　solemnly　forbade　all　violence。

He　did　not　venture　to　contradict　her　now；　but　cherished　his　resolution　all　the　more；　and　longed　for　the　hour　when　he　might　take　〃the　Wretch〃　by　the　throat；　and　chastise　him；　the　more　publicly　the　better。

Now；　the　above　incident　that　revealed　Julia's　real　heart；　which　she　had　been　hiding　more　or　less　all　this　time　from　those　who　could　not　sympathise　with　her；　took　eventually　a　turn　unfavourable　to　〃the　Wretch。〃　So　he　might　well　be　called。　Her　great　and　settled　fear　had　always　been　that　Alfred　was　dead。　Under　the　immediate　influence　of　his　father's　cunning；　she　had　for　a　moment　believed　he　was　false；　but　so　true　and　loving　a　heart　could　not　rest　in　that　opinion。　In　true　love　so　long　as　there　is　one　grain　of　uncertainty；　there　is　a　world　of　faith　and　credulous　ingenuity。　So；　as　Alfred　had　never　been　seen　since；　as　nobody　could　say　he　was　married　to　another；　there　was　a　grain　of　uncertainty　as　to　his　unfaithfulness；　and　this　her　true　heart　magnified　to　a　mountain。

But　now　matters　wore　another　face。　She　was　sure　he　had　written　the　advertisement。　Who　but　he；　out　of　the　few　that　take　the　words　of　any　song　to　heart；　admired　Aileen　Aroon？　Who　but　he　out　of　the　three　or　four　people　who　might　possibly　care　for　that　old　song；　had　appearances　to　explain　away？　And　who　but　he　knew　they　took　in　the　_Morning　Advertiser？_　She　waited　then　for　the　explanation　she　had　invited。　She　read　the　advertising　column　every　day　over　and　over。

Not　a　word　more。

Then　her　womanly　pride　was　deeply　wounded。　What；　had　she　courted　an　explanation　where　most　ladies　would　have　listened　to　none；　and　courted　it　in　vain！

Her　high　spirit　revolted。　Her　heart　swelled　against　the　repeated　insults　she　had　received：　this　last　one　filled　the　bitter　cup　too　high。

And　then　her　mother　came　in　and　assured　her　he　had　only　inserted　that　advertisement　to　keep　her　in　his　power。　He　has　heard　you　are　recovering；　and　are　admired　by　others　more　worthy　of　your　esteem。

Julia　cried　bitterly　at　these　arguments；　for　she　could　no　longer　combat　them。

And　Mr。　Hurd　was　very　attentive　and　kind。　And　when　he　spoke　to　Julia；　and　Julia　turned　away；　her　eye　was　sure　to　meet　Mrs。　Dodd's　eye　imploring　her　secretly　not　to　discourage　the　young　man　too　much。　And　so　she　was　gently　pulled　by　one；　and　gently　thrust　by　another；　away　from　her　first　lover　and　towards　his　successor。

It　is　an　old；　old　story。　Fate　seems　to　exhaust　its　malice　on　our　first　love。　For　the　second　the　road　is　smoother。　Matters　went　on　so　some　weeks；　and　it　was　perfectly　true　that　Mr。　Hurd　escorted　both　ladies　one　day　to　Drayton　House；　at　Julia's　request；　and　not　Mrs。　Dodd's。　Indeed；　the　latter　lady　was　secretly　hurt　at　his　being　allowed　to　come　with　them。


One　Saturday　afternoon；　Mrs。　Dodd　went　alone　to　Drayton　House　by　appointment。　David　was　like　a　lamb；　but；　as　usual；　had　no　knowledge　of　her。　Mrs。　Archbold　told　her　a　quiet；　intelligent；　patient　had　taken　a　great　fancy　to　him；　and　she　thought　this　was　adding　much　to　his　happiness。　〃May　I　see　him　to　thank　him？〃　asked　Mrs。　Dodd。　〃Oh；　certainly；〃　said　Mrs。　Archbold；　〃I'll　inquire　for　him。〃　She　went　out　but　soon　returned；　saying；　〃He　is　gone　out　for　a　walk　with　the　head　keeper：　we　give　him　as　much　air　and　amusement　as　we　can；　we　hope　soon　to　send　him　out　altogether　cured。〃　〃Truly　kind　and　thoughtful；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd。　Soon　after；　she　kissed　Mrs。　Archbold；　and　pressed　a　valuable　brooch　upon　her：　and　then　took　leave。　However；　at　the　gate　she　remembered　her　parasol。　Mrs。　Archbold　said　she　would　go　back　for　it。　Mrs。　Dodd　would　not　hear　of　that：　Mrs。　Archbold　insisted；　and　settled　the　question　by　going。　She　was　no　sooner　in　the　house；　than　young　Frank　Beverley　came　running　to　Mrs。　Dodd；　and　put　the　missing　parasol　officiously　into　her　hand。　〃Oh；　thank　you；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　tell　Mrs。　Archbold　I　have　it。〃　And　with　this　they　parted；　and　the　porter　opened　the　gate　to　her；　and　she　got　into　her　hired　cab。　She　leaned　her　head　back；　and；　as　usual　was　lost　in　the　sorrowful　thoughts　of　what　had　been；　and　what　now　was。　Poor　wife；　each　visit　to　Drayton　House　opened　her　wound　afresh。　On　reaching　the　stones；　there　was　a　turnpike　This　roused　her　up；　she　took　out　her　purse　and　paid　it。　As　she　drew　back　to　her　seat；　she　saw　out　of　the　tail　of　her　feminine　eye　the　edge　of　something　white　under　her　parasol。　She　took　up　the　parasol；　and　found　a　written　paper　pinned　on　to　it：　she　detached　this　paper；　and　examined　it　all　over　with　considerable　curiosity。　It　consisted　of　a　long　slip　about　an　inch　and　a　quarter　broad；　rolled　like　tape；　and　tied　with　packthread。　She　could　not　see　the　inside；　of　course；　but　she　read　the　superscription：　it　was　firmly　but　clearly　written；　in　red　ink　apparently。

Of　the　words　I　shall　only　say　at　present　that　they　were　strong　and　simple；　and　that　their　effect　on　the　swift　intelligence　and　tender　heart　of　Mrs。　Dodd　was　overpowering。　They　knocked　at　her　heart；　they　drew　from　her　an　audible　cry　of　pity　more　eloquent　than　a　thousand　speeches：　and　the　next　moment　she　felt　a　little　faint；　for　she　knew　now　the　appeal　was　not　in　red　ink；　but　in　something　very　fit　to　pass　between　the　heart　of　woe　and　the　heart　of　pity。　She　smelt　at　her　salts；　and　soon　recovered　that　weakness：　and　next　her　womanly　bosom　swelled　so　with　the　milk　of　human　kindness　that　her　breath　came　short。　After　a　little　struggle　she　gushed　out　aloud；　〃Ah；　that　I　will；　poor　soul；　this　very　moment。〃

Now；　by　this　time　she　was　close　to　her　own　house。

She　stopped　the　cab　at　her　door；　and　asked　the　driver　if　his　horse　was　fresh　enough　to　carry　her　to　the　Board　of　Lunacy：　〃It　is　at　Whitehall；　sir；〃　said　she。　〃Lord　bless　you；　ma'am；〃　said　the　cabman；　〃Whitehall？　Why；　my　mare　would　take　you　to　Whitechapel　and　back　in　an　hour；　let　alone　Whitehall。〃

Reassured　on　that　point　Mrs。　Dodd　went　in　just　to　give　the　servant　an　order：　but　as　she　stood　in　the　passage；　she　heard　her　children's　voices　and　also　a　friend's；　the　genial；　angry　tones　of　Alexander　Sampson；　M。　D。

She　thought；　〃Oh；　I　_must_　just　show　them　all　the　paper；　before　I　go　with　it；〃　and　so　after　a　little　buzz　about　dinner　and　things　with　Sarah；　mounted　the　stairs；　and　arrived　among　them　singularly　_apropos；_　as　it　happened。


Men　like　Sampson；　who　make　many　foes；　do　also　make　stauncher　friends　than　ever　the　Hare　does；　and　are　faithful　friends　themselves。　The　boisterous　doctor　had　stuck　to　the　Dodds　in　all　their　distresses；　and　if　they　were　ever　short　of　money；　it　certainly　was　not　his　fault：　for　almost　his　first　word；　when　he　found　them　in　a　lodging；　was；　〃Now；　ye'll　be　wanting　a　Chick。　Gimme　pen　and　ink；　and　I'll　just　draw　ye　one；　for　a　hundre。〃　This　being　declined　politely　by　Mrs。　Dodd；　he　expostulated。　〃MaidearMadam；　how　on　airth　can　ye　go　on　in　such　a　place　as　London　without　a　Chick？〃

He　returned　to　the　charge　at　his　next　visit　and　scolded　her　well　for　her　pride。　〃Who　iver　hard　of　refusing　a　Chick？　a　small　inoffensive　chick；　from　an　old　friend　like　me？　Come　now；　behave！　Just　a　wee　chick；　I'll　let　y'　off　for　fifty。〃

〃Give　us　your　company　and　your　friendship；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃we　value　them　above　gold：　we　will　not　rob　your　dear　children；　while　we　have　as　many　fingers　on　our　hands　as　other　people。〃


On　the　present　occasion　Dr。　Sampson；　whose　affectionate　respect　for　the　leading　London　physicians　has　already　displayed　itself；　was　inveighing　specially　against