hard cash-第149章

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enly　curling　round　his　neck；　murmured；　〃Dear；　dear　brother；　have　pity　on　a　poor　girl；　and　tell　her　is　there　any　news　that　I　have　a　right　to　hear；　only　mamma　has　given　you　your　orders　not　to　tell　me；　tell　me；　love！〃　This　last　in　an　exquisite　whisper。

〃Let　me　alone；　you　little　fascinating　demon；〃　said　he　angrily。　〃Ask　mamma。　I　won't　tell　you　a　word。〃

〃Thank　you！〃　she　cried；　bounding　to　her　feet；　〃you　_have_　told　me。　He　is　alive。　He　loves　me　still。　He　was　bewitched；　seduced；　deluded。　He　has　come　to　himself。　Mamma　has　seen　him。　He　wants　to　come　and　beg　my　pardon。　But　you　are　all　afraid　I　shall　forgive　him。　But　I　will　not；　for　at　the　first　word　I'll　stop　his　mouth；　and　say；　'If　you　were　happy　away　from　me；　I　suppose　you　would　not　have　come　back。'〃

And　instantly　she　burst　out　singing；　with　inspired　eloquence　and　defiance

　　　　〃Castles　are　sacked　in　war；　　　　　　Chieftains　are　scattered　far；　　　　　　Truth　is　a　fixed　star　　　　　　Aileen　aroon。〃

But；　unable　to　sustain　it；　the　poor　Impetuosity　dropped　as　quickly　as　she　had　mounted；　and　out　went　her　arm　on　the　table；　and　her　forehead　sank　on　her　arm；　and　the　tears　began　to　run　silently　down　the　sweet　face；　so　brave　for　a　moment。

〃Wwill　yyou　allow　me　to　light　a　cigar？〃　said　Edward。　〃I'm　wretched　and　miserable；　you　Tempest　in　petticoats；　you！〃

She　made　him　a　sign　of　assent　with　the　hand　that　was　dangling　languidly；　but　she　did　not　speak；　nor　did　she　appeal　to　him　any　more。　Alienation　was　commencing。　But　what　was　worse　than　speaking　her　mind；　she　was　for　ever　at　the　window　now；　looking　up　and　down　the　street；　and　walking　with　her　he　felt　her　arm　often　tremble；　and　sometimes　jerk。　The　secret　was　agitating　her　nerves；　and　destroying　her　tranquillity　as　much；　or　perhaps　more；　than　if　she　had　known　all。

Mrs。　Dodd　wrote　from　Portsmouth：　whereof　anon。


Mr。　Peterson　called；　and　soon　after　him　Mr。　Hurd。　Edward　was　glad　to　see　them；　especially　the　latter；　whose　visits　seemed　always　to　do　Julia　good。

Moreover；　as　Peterson　and　Hurd　were　rivals；　it　afforded　Edward　an　innocent　amusement　to　see　their　ill…concealed　aversion　to　one　another；　and　the　admirable　address　and　delicacy　with　which　his　sister　conducted　herself　between　them。

However；　this　pastime　was　cut　short　by　Sarah　coming　in　and　saying；　〃There's　a　young　man　wants　to　see　you；　sir。〃

Julia　looked　up　and　changed　colour。

〃I　think　he　is　a　fireman；〃　said　Sarah。　She　knew　very　well　he　was　a　fireman；　and　also　one　of　her　followers。　Edward　went　out　and　found　one　of　his　late　brethren；　who　told　him　a　young　gentleman　had　just　been　inquiring　for　him　at　the　station。

〃What　was　he　like？〃

〃Why；　I　was　a　good　ways　off；　but　I　saw　he　was　a　tall　one。〃

〃Six　feet？〃

〃Full　that。〃

〃Give　you　his　name？'

〃No：　I　didn't　speak　to　him：　it　was　Andrew。　Andrew　says　he　asked　if　there　was　a　fireman　called　Dodd：　so　Andrew　said　you　had　left；　then　the　swell　asked　where　you　lived；　and　Andrew　couldn't　tell　him　any　more　than　it　was　in　Pembroke　Street。　So　I　told　him；　says　I；　'Why　couldn't　you　call　me？　It　is　number　sixty…six；'　says　I。　'Oh；　he　is　coming　back；'　says　Andrew。　However；　I　thought　I'd　come　and　tell　you。〃　（And　so　get　a　word　with　Sarah；　you　sly　dog。）

Edward　thanked　him；　and　put　on　his　hat　directly；　for　he　could　not　disguise　from　himself　that　this　visitor　might　be　Alfred　Hardie。　Indeed；　what　more　likely？

Messrs。　Hurd　and　Peterson　always　tried　to　stay　one　another　out　whenever　they　met　at　66；　Pembroke　Street。　However；　to　make　sure　of　not　leaving　Julia　alone；　Edward　went　in　and　asked　them　both　to　luncheon；　at　which　time　he　said　he　should　be　back。

As　he　walked　rapidly　to　the　station　he　grew　more　and　more　convinced　that　it　was　Alfred　Hardie。　And　his　reflections　ran　like　this。　〃What　a　headpiece　mamma　has！　But　it　did　not　strike　her　he　would　come　to　me　first。　Yet　how　plain　that　looks　now：　for　of　course　I'm　the　duffer's　only　clue　to　Julia。　These　madmen　are　no　fools；　though。　And　how　quiet　he　was　that　night！　And　he　made　papa　go　down　the　ladder　first：　that　was　the　old　Alfred　Hardie；　he　was　always　generous：　vain；　overhearing；　saucy；　but　noble　with　it　all。　I　liked　him：　he　was　a　man　that　showed　you　his　worst；　and　let　you　find　his　best　out　by　degrees。　He　hated　to　be　beat：　but　that's　no　crime。　He　was　a　beautiful　oar；　and　handled　his　mawleys　uncommon；　he　sparred　with　all　the　prizefighters　that　came　to　Oxford；　and　took　punishment　better　than　you　would　think；　and　a　wonderful　quick　hitter；　Alec　Reed　owned　that。　Poor　Taff　Hardie！　And　when　I　think　that　God　has　overthrown　his　powerful　mind；　and　left　me　mine；　such　as　it　is！　But　the　worst　is　my　having　gone　on　calling　him　'the　Wretch'　all　this　time：　and　nothing　too　bad　for　him。　I　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　myself。　It　grieves　me　very　much。　'When　found　make　a　note　on；'　never　judge　a　fellow　behind　his　back　again。

Arrived　at　the　station；　he　inquired　whether　his　friend　had　called　again；　and　was　answered　in　the　negative。　He　waited　a　few　minutes；　and　then；　with　the　superintendent's　permission；　wrote　a　note　to　Alfred；　inviting　him　to　dine　at　Simpson's　at　six；　and　left　it　with　the　fireman。　This　done；　he　was　about　to　return　home；　when　another　thought　struck　him。　He　got　a　messenger；　and　sent　off　a　single　line　to　Dr。　Wolf；　to　tell　him　Alfred　Hardie　would　be　at　Simpson's　at　seven　o　clock。

But；　when　the　messenger　was　gone；　he　regretted　what　he　had　done。　He　had　done　it　for　Alfred's　good；　but　still　it　was　treason。　He　felt　unhappy；　and　wended　his　way　homeward　disconsolately；　realising　more　and　more　that　he　had　not　brains　for　the　difficulties　imposed　upon　him。

On　entering　Pembroke　Street　he　heard　a　buzz。　He　looked　up；　and　saw　a　considerable　crowd　collected　in　a　semicircle。　〃Why　that　is　near　our　house；〃　he　said；　and　quickened　his　steps。

When　he　got　near　he　saw　that　all　the　people's　eyes　were　bent　on　No。　66。

He　dashed　into　the　crowd。　〃What　on　earth　is　the　matter？〃　he　cried。

〃The　matter？　Plenty's　the　matter；　young　man；〃　cried　one。

〃Murder's　the　matter；〃　said　another。

At　that　he　turned　pale　as　death。　An　intelligent　man　saw　his　violent　agitation；　and　asked　him　hurriedly　if　he　belonged　to　the　house。

〃Yes。　For　mercy's　sake；　what　is　it？〃

〃Make　way　there！〃　shouted　the　man。　〃He　belongs。　Sir；　a　madman　has　broke　loose　and　got　into　your　house。　And　I'm　sorry　to　say　he　has　just　killed　two　men。〃

〃With　a　pistol；〃　cried　several　voices；　speaking　together。



CHAPTER　XLV

ALFRED　HARDIE　spent　three　days　writhing　in　his　little　lodging。　His　situation　had　been　sadder；　but　never　more　irritating。　By　right　possessor　of　thousands；　yet　in　fact　reduced　to　one　suit；　two　shirts；　and　half…a…crown：　rich　in　intellect；　yet　hunted　as　a　madman：　affianced　to　the　loveliest　girl　in　England；　yet　afraid　to　go　near　her　for　fear　of　being　torn　from　her　again；　and　for　ever。　All　this　could　last　but　one　week　more；　but　a　week's　positive　torture　was　no　trifle　to　contemplate；　with　a　rival　at　his　Julia's　ear　all　the　time。　Suppose　she　should　have　been　faithful　all　these　months；　but　in　this　last　week　should　he　worn　out　and　give　herself　to　another：　such　things　had　been　known。　He　went　to　Lincoln's　Inn　with　this　irritating　fear　tearing　him　like　a　vulture。　Mr。　Compton　received　him　cheerfully；　and　told　him　he　had　begun　operations　in　Hardie　_versus_　Hardie：　had　written　to　Thomas　Hardie　two　days　ago；　and　inquired　his　London　solicitor；　and　whether　that　gentleman　would　accept　service　of　the　writ　in　Hardie　_versus_　Hardie。

〃To　Thomas　Hardie？　Why；　what　has　he　to　do　with　it？〃　asked　Alfred。

〃He　is　the　defendant　in　the　suit。〃　Then　seeing　amazement　and　incredulity　on　Alfred's　face；　he　explained　that　the　Commissioners　of　Lunacy　had　treated　him　with　great　courtesy；　had　at　once　furnished　him　with　copies；　not　only　of　the　order　and　certificates；　but　of　other　valuable　documents。　〃And　there；〃　said　he；　〃lies　the　order；　signed　by　Thomas　Hardie；　of　Clare　Court；　Yorkshire。〃

〃Curse　his　impudence；〃　cried　Alfred　in　a　fury；　〃why；　sir；　he　is　next　door　to　an　idiot　himself。〃

〃What　does　that　matter？　Ah；　now；　if　I　had　gone　in　a　passion　and　indicted　him；　there　would　be　a　defence　directly；　'no　malice；　defendant　being　_non　compos。'_　Whereas；　by　gently；　quietly　suing　him；　even　if　he　was　a　lunatic；　we　would　make　him　or　his　estate　pay　a　round　sum　for　falsely　imprisoning　a　sane　Brit