hard cash-第151章

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eep　and　narrow　stair；　guided　by　the　hymn　of　constancy。

He　stopped　at　the　door；　his　heart　was　beating　so　violently。

Then　he　turned　the　handle　softly；　and　stepped　into　the　drawing…room；　it　was　a　double　room：　he　took　two　steps　and　was　in　the　opening；　and　almost　at　Julia's　back。

Two　young　clergymen　were　bending　devotedly　one　on　each　side　of　her；　it　was　to　them　she　was　singing　the　hymn　of　constancy。


Alfred　started　back　as　if　he　had　been　stung；　and　the　music　stopped　dead　short。

For　she　had　heard　his　step；　and；　womanlike；　was　looking　into　her　companions'　eyes　first；　to　see　if　her　ear　had　deceived　her。　What　she　saw　there　brought　her　slowly　round　with　a　wild　look。　Her　hands　rose　toward　her　face；　and　she　shrank　away　sideways　from　him　as　if　he　was　a　serpent；　and　her　dilated　eyes　looked　over　her　cringing　shoulder　at　him；　and　she　was　pale　and　red　and　pale　and　red　a　dozen　times　in　as　many　seconds。

He　eyed　her　sorrowfully　and　sternly；　taking　for　shame　that　strange　mixture　of　emotions　which　possessed　her。　And　so　they　met。　Strange　meeting　for　two　true　lovers；　who　had　parted　last　upon　their　wedding　eve。

No　doubt；　if　they　had　been　alone；　one　or　other　would　have　spoken　directly；　but　the　situation　was　complicated　by　the　presence　of　two　rivals；　and　this　tied　their　tongues。　They　devoured　one　another　with　their　eyes　in　silence；　and　then　Julia　rose　slowly　to　her　feet；　and　began　to　tremble　from　head　to　foot；　as　she　looked　at　him。

〃Is　this　intrusion　agreeable　to　you；　Miss　Dodd？〃　said　Mr。　Hurd　respectfully；　by　way　of　courting　her。　She　made　no　reply；　but　only　looked　wildly　at　Alfred　still；　and　quivered　visibly。

〃Pray；　sir；〃　said　Alfred；　turning　on　Mr。　Hurd；　〃have　you　any　right　to　interfere　between　us　two？〃

〃None　whatever；〃　said　Julia　hastily。　〃Mr。　Hurd；　I　need　no　one：　I　will　permit　no　one　to　say　a　word　to　him。　Mr。　Hardie　knows　he　cannot　enter　a　house　where　I　amwithout　an　explanation。〃

〃What；　before　a　couple　of　curates？〃

〃Do　not　be　insolent　to　my　friends；　sir；〃　said　Julia；　panting。

This　wounded　Alfred　deeply。　〃Oh；　as　you　please；〃　said　he。　〃Only　if　you　put　me　on　my　defence　before　strangers；　I　shall；　perhaps；　put　you　to　the　blush　before　them。〃

〃Why　do　you　come　here；　sir？〃　said　Julia；　not　deigning　to　notice　his　threat。

〃To　see　my　betrothed。〃

〃Oh；　indeed！〃　said　she　bitterly；　〃in　that　case　why　have　you　postponed　your　visit　so　long？〃

〃I　was　in　prison。〃

〃In　prison？〃

〃In　the　worst　of　all　prisons；　where　I　was　put　because　I　loved　you；　where　I　was　detained　because　I　persisted　in　loving　you；　you　faithless；　inconstant　girl。〃

He　choked　at　these　words；　she　smileda　faint；　uncertain　smile。　It　died　away；　and　she　shook　her　head；　and　said　sadly

〃Defend　yourself；　and　then　call　me　as　many　names　as　you　like。　Where　was　this　prison？〃

〃It　was　an　asylum：　a　madhouse。〃

The　girl　stared　at　him　bewildered。　He　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket　and　took　Peggy's　letter。　〃Read　that；〃　he　said。　She　held　it　in　her　hand；　and　looked　him　in　the　face　to　divine　the　contents。　〃Read　it；〃　said　he；　almost　fiercely；　〃that　was　the　decoy。〃　She　held　it　shaking　in　her　hands；　and　stared　at　it。　I　don't　know　whether　she　read　it　or　not。

He　went　on：　〃The　same　villain　who　defrauded　your　father　of　his　money；　robbed　me　of　my　wife　and　my　liberty：　that　Silverton　House　was　a　lunatic　asylum；　and　ever　since　then　（Oh；　Julia；　the　agony　of　that　day）　I　have　been　confined　in　one　or　other　of　those　hells；　sane　amongst　the　mad；　till　Drayton　House　took　fire；　and　I　escaped：　for　what？　To　be　put　on　my　defence；　by　you。　What　have　you　suffered　from　our　separations　compared　with　the　manifold　anguish　I　have　endured；　that　you　dare　to　receive　the　most　injured　and　constant　of　mankind　like　this；　you　who　have　had　your　liberty　all　this　time；　and　have　consoled　yourself　for　my　absence　with　a　couple　of　curates？〃

〃For　shame；〃　said　Julia；　blushing　to　the　forehead；　yet　smiling　in　a　way　her　companions　could　not　understand。

〃Miss　Dodd；　will　you　put　up　with　these　insults？〃　said　Mr。　Hurd。

〃Ay；　and　a　thousand　more；〃　cried　Julia；　radiant；　〃and　thank　Heaven　for　them；　they　prove　his　sincerity。　You；　who　have　thought　proper　to　stay　and　hear　me　insult　my　betrothed；　and　put　my　superior　on　his　defence；　look　how　I　receive　his　just　rebuke：　Dear；　cruelly　used　Alfred；　I　never　doubted　you　in　my　heart；　no　not　for　a　moment；　forgive　me　for　taunting　you　to　clear　yourself；　you　who　were　always　the　soul　of　truth　and　honour。　Forgive　me：　I　too　have　suffered；　for　I　thought　my　Alfred　was　dead。　Forgive　me。〃

And　with　this　she　was　sinking　slowly　to　her　knees　with　the　most　touching　grace；　all　blushes；　tears；　penitence；　happiness；　and　love；　but　he　caught　her　eagerly。　〃Oh！　God　forbid；〃　he　cried：　and　in　a　moment　her　head　was　on　his　shoulder；　and　they　mingled　their　tears　together。

It　was　Julia　who　recovered　herself　first；　and　shrank　from　him　a　little；　and　murmured；　〃We　are　not　alone。〃

The　misgiving　came　rather　late：　and　they　were　alone。

The　other　gentlemen　had　comprehended　at　last　that　it　was　indelicate　to　remain：　they　had　melted　quietly　away；　and　Peterson　rushed　down　the　street；　but　Hurd　hung　disconsolate　about　that　very　entry；　where　Alfred　had　just　desponded　before　him。


〃Sit　by　me；　my　poor　darling；　and　tell　me　all；〃　said　Julia。

He　began；　but；　ere　he　had　told　her　about　his　first　day　at　his　first　asylum；　she　moaned　and　turned　faint　at　the　recital；　and　her　lovely　head　sank　on　his　shoulder。　He　kissed　her；　and　tried　to　comfort　her；　and　said　he　would　not　tell　her　any　more。

But　she　said　somewhat　characteristically；　〃I　insist　on　your　telling　me　allall。　It　will　kill　me。〃　Which　did　not　seem　to　Alfred　a　cogent　reason　for　continuing　his　narrative。　He　varied　it　by　telling　her　that　through　all　his　misery　the　thought　of　her　had　sustained　him。　Alas；　in　the　midst　of　their　Elysium　a　rough　voice　was　heard　in　the　passage　inquiring　for　Mr。　Hardie。　Alfred　started　up　in　dismay：　for　it　was　Rooke's　voice。　〃I　am　undone；〃　he　cried。　〃They　are　coming　to　take　me　again；　and；　if　they　do；　they　will　drug　me；　I　am　a　dead　man。〃

〃Fly！〃　cried　Julia；　〃fly！　upstairs：　the　leads。〃

He　darted　to　the　door；　and　out　on　the　landing。

It　was　too　late。　Rooke　had　just　turned　the　corner　of　the　stairs；　and　saw　him。　He　whistled　and　rushed　after　Alfred。　Alfred　bounded　up　the　next　flight　of　stairs：　but；　even　as　he　went；　his　fighting　blood　got　up；　he　remembered　his　pistol：　he　drew　it；　turned　on　the　upper　landing；　and　levelled　the　weapon　full　at　Rooke's　forehead。　The　man　recoiled　with　a　yell；　and　got　to　a　respectful　distance　on　the　second　landing。　There　he　began　to　parley。　〃Come；　Mr。　Hardie；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃that　is　past　a　joke：　would　you　murder　a　man？〃

〃It's　no　murder　to　kill　an　assassin　in　defence　of　life　or　liberty；　and　I'll　kill　you；　Rooke；　as　I　would　kill　a　wasp；　if　you　lay　a　finger　on　me。〃

〃Do　you　hear　that？〃　shouted　Rooke　to　some　one　below。

〃Ay；　I　hear；〃　replied　the　voice　of　Hayes。

〃Then　loose　the　dog。　And　run　in　after　him。〃

There　was　a　terrible　silence；　then　a　scratching　was　heard　below：　and；　above；　the　deadly　click　of　the　pistol…hammers　brought　to　full　cock。

And　then　there　was　a　heavy　pattering　rush；　and　Vulcan　came　charging　up　the　stairs　like　a　lion。　He　was　half…muzzled；　but　that　Alfred　did　not　know；　he　stepped　forward　and　fired　at　the　tremendous　brute　somewhat　unsteadily；　and　missed　him；　by　an　inch；　the　bullet　glanced　off　the　stairs　and　entered　the　wall　within　a　yard　of　Rooke's　head：　ere　Alfred　could　fire　again；　the　huge　brute　leaped　on　him；　and　knocked　him　down　like　a　child；　and　made　a　grab　at　his　throat；　Alfred；　with　admirable　presence　of　mind；　seized　a　banister；　and；　drawing　himself　up；　put　the　pistol　to　Vulcan's　ear；　and　fired　the　other　barrel　just　as　Rooke　rushed　up　the　stairs　to　secure　his　prisoner；　the　dog　bounded　into　the　air　and　fell　over　dead　with　shattered　skull；　leaving　Alfred　bespattered　with　blood　and　brains；　and　half　blinded：　but　he　struggled　up；　and　tore　the　banister　out　in　doing　so；　just　as　a　heavy　body　fell　forward　at　his　feet：　it　was　Rooke　stumbling　over　Vulcan's　carcass　so　unexpectedly　thrown　in　his　path：　Alfred　cleared　his　eyes　with　his　hand；　and　as　Rooke　struggled　up；　lifted　the　banister　high　above　his　head；　and；　with　his　long　sinewy　arm　and　elastic　body；　discharged　a　blow　frightful　to　look　a