hard cash-第174章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


。

And　now　a　happy　party　wended　their　way　towards　Pembroke　Street。

But　Alfred　was　beforehand　with　them：　he　went　boldly　up　the　stairs；　and　actually　surprised　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Sampson　together。

At　sight　of　him　she　rose；　made　him　a　low　curtsey；　and　beat　a　retreat。　He　whipped　to　the　door；　and　set　his　back　against　it。　〃No；〃　said　he　saucily。

She　drew　up　majestically；　and　the　colour　mounted　in　her　pale　face。　〃What；　sir；　would　you　detain　me　by　force？〃

〃And　no　mistake；〃　said　the　audacious　boy。　〃How　else　can　I　detain　you　when　you　hate　me　so？〃　She　began　to　peep　into　his　sparkling　eyes　to　see　the　reason　of　this　strange　conduct

〃C'way　from　the　door；　ye　vagabin；〃　said　Sampson。

〃No；　no；　my　friend；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　trembling；　and　still　peering　into　his　sparkling　eyes。　〃Mr。　Alfred　Hardie　is　a　gentleman；　at　all　events：　he　would　not　take　such　a　liberty　with　me；　unless　he　had　some　excuse　for　it。〃

〃You　are　wonderfully　shrewd；　mamma；〃　said　Alfred　admiringly。　〃The　excuse　is；　I　don't　hate　you　as　you　hate　me；　and　I　am　very　happy。〃

〃Why　do　you　call　me　mamma　to…day？　Oh；　doctor；　he　calls　me　mamma。〃

〃Th'　audacious　vagabin。〃

〃No；　no；　I　cannot　think　he　would　call　me　that　unless　he　had　some　good　news　for　us　both？〃

〃What　good　news　can　he　have；　except　that　his　trile　is　goin'　well；　and　you　don't　care　for　that〃

〃Oh；　how　can　you　say　so？　I　care　for　all　that　concerns　him：　he　would　not　come　here　to　insult　my　misery　with　his　happiness。　He　is　noble；　he　is　generous；　with　all　his　faults。　How　dare　you　call　me　mamma；　sir！　Call　it　me　again；　my　dear　child；　because　then　I　shall　_know_　you　are　come　to　save　my　heart　from　breaking。〃　And　with　this；　the　truth　must　be　told；　the　stately　Mrs。　Dodd　did　fawn　upon　Alfred　with　palms　outstretched　and　piteous　eyes；　and　certain　cajoling　arts　of　her　sex。

〃Give　me　a　kiss　then；　mamma；〃　said　the　impudent　boy；　〃and　I　_will_　tell　you　a　little　bit　of　good　news。〃

She　bowed　her　stately　head　directly；　and　paid　the　required　tribute　with　servile　humility　and　readiness。

〃Well　then；〃　said　Alfred；　and　was　just　going　to　tell　her　all；　but　caught　sight　of　Sampson　making　the　most　expressive　pantomime　to　him　to　be　cautious。　〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　seen　a　sailor。〃

〃Ah！〃

〃And　he　is　sure　Mr。　Dodd　is　alive。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　lifted　her　hands　to　heaven；　but　could　not　speak。　〃In　fact；〃　said　Alfred；　hesitating　（for　he　was　a　wretched　hand　at　a　fib）；　〃he　saw　him　not　a　fortnight　ago　on　board　ship。　But　that　is　not　all；　mamma；　the　sailor　says　he　has　his　reason。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　sank　on　her　knees；　and　said　no　word　to　man；　but　many　to　the　Giver　of　all　good。　When　she　arose；　she　said　to　Alfred；　〃Bring　this　sailor　to　me。　I　must　speak　with　him　directly。〃

Alfred　coloured。　〃I　don't　know　where　to　find　him　just　now。〃

〃Oh；　indeed；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　quietly：　and　this　excited　her　suspicion；　and　from　that　moment　the　cunning　creature　lay　in　wait　for　Master　Alfred。　She　plied　him　with　questions；　and　he　got　more　and　more　puzzled　how　to　sustain　his　story。　At　last；　by　way　of　bursting　out　of　his　own　net；　he　said；　〃But　I　am　sorry　to　say　his　hair　has　turned　white。　But　perhaps　you　won't　mind　that。〃

〃And　he　hadn't　a　grey　hair。〃

〃It　is　not　grey；　like　the　doctor's：　it　is　as　white　as　the　driven　snow。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　sighed；　then　suddenly　turning　on　Alfred；　asked　him；　〃Did　the　sailor　tell　you　that？〃

He　hesitated　a　moment　and　was　lost。

〃You　have　seen　him；〃　she　screamed；　〃he　is　in　London：　he　is　in　the　house。　I　feel　him　near　me：〃　and　she　went　into　something　very　like　hysterics。　Alfred　was　alarmed；　and　whispered　the　truth。　The　doctor　sent　him　off　to　meet　them；　and　recommended　caution；　her　nerves　were　in　such　a　state　a　violent　shock；　even　of　happiness；　might　kill　her。

Thus　warned；　Julia　came　into　the　room　alone；　and　while　Dr。　Sampson　was　inculcating　self…restraint　for　her　own　sake；　she　listened　with　a　superior　smile；　and　took　quite　a　different　line。　〃Mamma；〃　said　she；　〃he　is　in　the　town；　but　I　dare　not　bring　him　here　till　you　are　composed：　his　reason　is　restored；　but　his　nerves　are　not　so　strong　as　they　were。　Now；　if　you　agitate　yourself；　you　will　agitate　him；　and　will　do　him　a　serious　mischief。〃

This　crafty　speech　produced　an　incredible　effect　on　Mrs。　Dodd。　It　calmed　her　directly：　or　rather　her　great　love　gave　her　strength　to　be　calm。　〃I　will　not　be　such　a　wretch；〃　she　said。　〃See：　I　am　composed；　quite　composed。　Bring　me　my　darling；　and　you　shall　see　how　good　I　will　be：　there　now；　Julia；　see　how　calm　I　am；　quite　calm。　What；　have　I　borne　so　much　misery；　with　Heaven's　help；　and　do　you　think　I　cannot　bear　this　great　happiness　for　my　dear　darling's　sake？〃

On　this　they　proposed　she　should　retire　to　her　room；　and　they　would　go　for　David。

〃Think　over　the　meeting；　dear；　dear　mamma；〃　said　Julia；　〃and　then　you　will　behave　well　for　his　sake；　who　was　lost　to　us　and　is　found。〃

Husband　and　wife　met　alone　in　Mrs。　Dodd's　room。　No　eye；　even　of　the　children；　ventured　to　witness　a　scene　so　strange；　so　sacred。　We　may　try　and　imagine　that　meeting；　but　few　of　us　can　conceive　it　by　the　light　of　our　narrow　experience。　Yet　one　or　two　there　may　bethe　world　is　wide；　and　the　adventures　and　emotions　of　our　race　are　many。

One　by　one　all　were　had　up　to　that　sacred　room　to　talk　to　the　happy　pair。　They　found　David　seated　calmly　at　his　wife's　feet；　her　soft　hand　laid　on　his　white　hair；　lest　he　should　leave　her　again：　and　they　told　him　all　the　sorrow　behind　them；　and　he；　genial　and　kindly　as　ever；　told　them　all　the　happiness　before　them。　He　spoke　like　the　master　of　the　house；　the　father　of　the　family；　the　friend　of　them　all。

But　with　all　his　goodness　he　was　sternly　resolved　to　have　his　L。　14；000　out　of　Richard　Hardie。　He　had　an　interview　with　Mr。　Compton　that　very　night；　and　the　lawyer　wrote　a　letter　to　Mr。　Hardie；　saying　nothing　about　the　death　of　Skinner；　but　notifying　that　his　client；　Captain　Dodd；　had　recovered　from　Noah　Skinner　the　receipt　No。　17　for　L。　14；010　12s。　6d；　and　he　was　instructed　to　sue　for　it　unless　repaid　immediately。　He　added　Captain　Dodd　was　mercifully　restored；　and　remembered　distinctly　every　particular　of　the　transaction。


They　all　thought　in　their　innocence　that　Hardie　_v。_　Hardie　was　now　at　an　end。　Captain　Dodd　could　prove　Alfred's　_soi…disant_　illusion　to　be　the　simple　truth。　But　Compton　thought　that　this　evidence　had　come　too　late。　〃What；　may　we　not　get　up　and　say　here　is　papa；　and　it　is　all　true？〃　cried　Julia　indignant。

〃No；　Miss　Dodd；　our　case　is　closed。　And　take　my　advice：　don't　subject　your　father　to　the　agitation　of　a　trial。　We　can　do　without　him。〃

Well　then；　they　would　all　go　as　spectators；　and　pray　that　justice　might　prevail。

They　did　go：　and　all　sat　together　to　hear　a　matter　puzzled　over；　which　had　David　come　one　day　earlier　he　would　have　set　at　rest　for　ever。

Dick　Absolom　was　put　in　to　prove　that　Alfred　had　put　two　sovereigns　on　the　stumps　for　him　to　bowl　if　he　could；　and　after　him　the　defendant；　Mr。　Thomas　Hardie；　a　mild；　benevolent；　weak　gentleman；　was　put　into　the　box；　and　swore　the　boy's　father　had　come　to　him　with　story　after　story　of　the　plaintiff's　madness；　and　the　trouble　it　would　get　him　into；　and　so　he　had　done　for　the　best。　His　simplicity　was　manifest；　and　Saunders　worked　it　ably。　When　Colt　got　hold　of　him；　and　badgered　him；　he　showed　something　more　than　simplicity。　He　stuttered；　he　contradicted　himself；　he　perspired；　he　all　but　wept

_Colt。_Are　you　sure　you　had　no　spite　against　him？

_Deft。_No。

_Colt。_You　are　not　sure；　eh？

This　candid　interpretation　of　his　words　knocked　the　defendant　stupid。　He　made　no　reply；　but　looked　utterly　flabbergasted。

_Colt。_Did　he　not　provoke　you？　Did　he　not　call　you　an　idiot。

_Deft。_He　might。

_Colt。_　（satirically）。Of　course　he　might。　（Laughter。）　But　did　he？

_Deft。_　（plucking　up　a　little　spirit）。No。　He　called　me　SOFT　TOMMY。

This　revelation；　and　the　singular　appropriateness　of　the　nickname；　were　so　highly　relished　by　an　intelligent　audience；　that　it　was　a　long　time　before　the　trial　could　go　on　for　roars。　The　plaintiff's　ringing　laugh　was　heard　among　the　rest。

The　cross…examination　proceeded　in　this　style　till　the　defendant　began　to　drivel　at　the　mouth　a　little。　At　last；　after　a　struggle；　he　said；　with　a　piteous　whine；　that　he　could　not　help　it：　he　hated　s