hard cash-第172章

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He　then　applied　his　own　eye　to　the　keyhole。　〃I　see　something　black；〃　said　he；　〃I　think　he　suspects。〃

While　he　hesitated；　they　became　conscious　of　a　pungent　vapour　stealing　through　the　now　open　keyhole。

〃Hallo！〃　said　Green；　〃what　is　this？〃

Fullalove　observed　coolly　that　Mr。　Skinner's　lungs　must　he　peculiarly　made　if　he　could　breathe　in　that　atmosphere。　〃If　you　want　to　see　him　alive；　let　me　open　the　door。〃

〃There's　something　amiss　here；〃　said　Green　gravely。

At　that　Fullalove　whipped　out　a　tool　no　bigger　than　a　nutcracker；　forced　the　edge　in；　and　sent　the　door　flying　open。　The　room　or　den　was　full　of　an　acrid　vapour；　and　close　to　them　sat　he　they　sought　motionless。

〃Keep　the　lady　back；〃　cried　Green；　and　threw　the　vivid　light　of　his　bull's　eye　on　a　strange；　grotesque；　and　ghastly　scene。　The　floor　was　covered　with　bright　sovereigns　that　glittered　in　the　lamp…light。　On　the　table　was　an　open　book；　and　a　candle　quite　burnt　down：　the　grease　had　run　into　a　circle。

And；　as　was　that　grease　to　the　expired　light；　so　was　the　thing　that　sat　there　in　human　form　to　the　Noah　Skinner　they　had　come　to　seek。　Dead　this　many　a　day　of　charcoal　fumes；　but　preserved　from　decomposition　by　those　very　fumes；　sat　Noah　Skinner；　dried　into　bones　and　leather　waiting　for　them　with　his　own　Hard　Cash；　and　with　theirs；　for；　creeping　awestruck　round　that　mummified　figure　seated　dead　on　his　pool　of　sovereigns；　they　soon　noticed　in　his　left　hand　a　paper：　it　was　discoloured　by　the　vapour；　and　part　hid　by　the　dead　thumb；　but　thus　much　shone　out　clear　and　amazing；　that　it　was　a　banker's　receipt　to　David　Dodd；　Esq。；　for　L。　14；010；　drawn　at　Barkington；　and　signed　for　Richard　Hardie　by　Noah　Skinner。　Julia　had　drawn　back；　and　was　hiding　her　face；　but　soon　curiosity　struggled　with　awe　in　the　others：　they　peeped　at　the　Receipt：　they　touched　the　weird　figure。　Its　yellow　skin　sounded　like　a　drum；　and　its　joints　creaked　like　a　puppets。　At　last　Compton　suggested　that　Edward　Dodd　ought　to　secure　that　valuable　document。　〃No　no；〃　said　Edward：　〃it　is　too　like　robbing　the　dead。〃

〃Then　I　will；〃　said　Compton。

But　he　found　the　dead　thumb　and　finger　would　not　part　with　the　Receipt；　then；　as　a　trifle　turns　the　scale；　he　hesitated　in　turn：　and　all　but　Julia　stood　motionless　round　the　body　that　held　the　Receipt；　the　soul　of　the　lost　Cash；　and　still；　as　in　life；　seemed　loth　to　part　with　it。

Then　Fullalove　came　beside　the　arm…chair；　and　said　with　simple　dignity；　〃I'm　a　man　from　foreign　parts；　I　have　no　interest　here　but　justice：　and　justice　I'll　dew。〃　He　took　the　dead　arm；　and　the　joint　creaked：　he　applied　the　same　lever　to　the　bone　and　parchment　hand　he　had　to　the　door：　it　creaked　too；　but　more　faintly；　and　opened　and　let　out　this：


No。　17。　BARKINGTON；　Nov。　10；　1847。

_Received　of_　DAVID　DODD；　Esq。；　_the　sum　of　Fourteen　Thousand　and　Ten　Pounds　Twelve　Shillings　and　Six　Pence；

to　account　on　demand

_For_　RICHARD　HARDIE；

NOAH　SKINNER。

L。　14；010：　12：　6。


A　stately　foot　came　up　the　stair；　but　no　one　heard　it。　All　were　absorbed　in　the　strange　weird　sight；　and　this　great　stroke　of　fate；　or　of　Providence。

〃This　is　yours；　I　reckon；〃　said　Fullalove；　and　handed　the　receipt　to　Edward。　〃No；　no！〃　said　Compton。　〃See：　I've　just　found　a　will；　bequeathing　all　he　has　in　the　world；　with　his　blessing；　to　Miss　Julia　Dodd。　These　sovereigns　are　yours；　then。　But　above　all；　the　paper：　as　your　legal　adviser；　I　insist　on　your　taking　it　immediately。　Possession　is　nine　points。　However；　it　is　actually　yours；　in　virtue　of　this　bequest。〃

A　solemn　passionless　voice　seemed　to　fall　on　them　from　the　clouds；

〃No；　it　is　Mine。〃


MY　story　must　now　return　on　board　the　_Vulture。_　Just　before　noon；　the　bell　the　half　hours　are　struck　on　was　tolled　to　collect　the　ship's　company；　and　soon　the　gangways　and　booms　were　crowded；　and　even　the　yards　were　manned　with　sailors；　collected　to　see　their　shipmate　committed　to　the　deep。　Next　came　the　lieutenants　and　midshipmen　and　stood　reverently　on　the　deck：　the　body　was　brought　and　placed　on　a　grating。　Then　all　heads　being　uncovered　below　and　aloft；　the　chaplain　read　the　solemn　service　of　the　dead。

Many　tears　were　shied　by　the　rough　sailors；　the　more　so　that　to　most　of　them；　though　not　to　the　officers；　it　was　now　known　that　poor　Billy　had　not　always　been　before　the　mast；　but　had　seen　better　days；　and　commanded　vessels；　and　saved　lives；　and　now　he　had　lost　his　own。

The　service　is　the　same　as　ashore；　with　this　exception：　that　the　words　〃We　commit　his　body　to　the　ground；　ashes　to　ashes；　dust　to　dust；〃　&c。；　are　altered　at　sea；　thus：　〃We　commit　his　body　to　the　deep；　to　be　turned　into　corruption；　looking　for　the　resurrection　of　the　body；　when　the　sea　shall　give　up　her　dead；　and　the　life　of　the　world　to　come。〃　At　these　words　the　body　is　allowed　to　glide　off　the　grating　into　the　sea。　The　chaplain's　solemn　voice　drew　near　those　very　words；　and　the　tears　of　pity　fell　faster；　and　Georgie　White；　an　affectionate　boy；　sobbed　violently；　and　shivered　beforehand　at　the　sullen　plunge　that　he　knew　would　soon　come；　and　then　he　should　see　no　more　poor　Billy　who　had　given　his　life　for　his。

At　this　moment　the　captain　came　flying　on　deck；　and　jumping　on　to　a　gun；　cried　sharply；　〃Avast！　Haul　that　body　aboard。〃

The　sharp　voice　of　command　cut　across　the　solemn　words　and　tones　in　the　most　startling　way。　The　chaplain　closed　his　book　with　a　look　of　amazement　and　indignation：　the　sailors　stared；　and　for　the　first　time　did　not　obey　an　order。　To　be　sure　it　was　one　they　had　never　heard　before。　Then　the　captain　got　angry；　and　repeated　his　command　louder；　and　the　body　was　almost　jerked　in　board。

〃Carry　him　to　my　cabin；　and　uncover　his　face。〃

By　this　time　nothing　could　surprise　Jackey　Tar。　Four　sailors　executed　the　order　promptly。

〃Bosen；　pipe　to　duty。〃

While　the　men　were　dispersing　to　their　several　stations；　Captain　Bazalgette　apologised　to　the　chaplain；　and　explained　to　him　and　to　the　officers。　But　I　give　his　explanation　in　my　own　words。　Finding　the　ship　quiet；　the　purser　went　to　the　captain　down　below；　and　asked　him　coolly　what　entry　he　should　make　in　the　ship's　books　about　this　William　Thompson；　who　was　no　more　William　Thompson　than　he　was。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　the　captain。　Then　the　purser　told　him　that　Thompson's　messmates；　in　preparing　him　last　night　for　interment；　had　found　a　little　bag　round　his　neck；　and　inside　it；　a　medal　of　the　Humane　Society；　and　a　slip　of　paper　written　on　in　a　lady's　hand；　then　they　had　sent　for　him；　and　he　had　seen　at　once　that　this　was　a　mysterious　case：　this　lady　spoke　of　him　as　her　husband；　and　skipper　of　a　merchant　vessel。

What　is　that？〃　roared　the　captain；　who　hitherto　had　listened　with　scarce　half　an　ear。

Skipper　of　a　merchant　vessel；　sir；　as　sure　as　you　command　her　majesty's　frigate　_Vulture：_　and　then　we　found　his　shirt　marked　with　the　same　name　as　the　lady's。〃

〃What　was　the　lady's　name？〃

〃Lucy　Dodd；　and　David　Dodd　is　on　the　shirt。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　this　before？〃　cried　the　captain。

〃Didn't　know　it　till　last　night。〃

〃Why　it　is　twelve　o'clock。　They　are　burying　him。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Lucy　would　never　forgive　me；〃　cried　the　captain。　And　to　the　purser's　utter　amazement　he　clapped　on　his　cocked　hat；　and　flew　out　of　the　cabin　on　the　errand　I　have　described。

He　now　returned　to　the　cabin　and　looked：　a　glance　was　enough：　there　lay　the　kindly　face　that　had　been　his　friend　man　and　boy。

He　hid　his　own　with　his　hands；　and　moaned。　He　cursed　his　own　blindness　and　stupidity　in　not　recognising　that　face　among　a　thousand。　In　this　he　was　unjust　to　himself。　David　had　never　looked　_himself_　till　now。

He　sent　for　the　surgeon；　and　told　him　the　whole　sad　story：　and　asked　him　what　could　be　done。　His　poor　cousin　Lucy　had　more　than　once　expressed　her　horror　of　interment　at　sea。　〃It　is　very　hot；〃　said　he；　〃but　surely　you　must　know　some　way　of　keeping　him　till　we　land　in　New　Zealand：　curse　these　flies；　how　they　bite！〃

The　surgeon's　eyes　sparkled；　he　happened　to　be　an　enthusiast　in　the　art　of　embalming。　〃Keep　him　to　New　Zealand？〃　said　he　contemptuously；　〃I'll　embalm　him　so　that　he　shall　go　to　England　looking　just　as　he　does　now　by…the…by；　I　never　saw　a　drowned　man　keep　his　colour　so　well　beforeay；　and