hard cash-第24章

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〃And　what　is　that；　pray？〃

Alfred　told　her　〃the　round　O；〃　which　had　yielded　to　〃the　duck's　egg；〃　and　was　becoming　obsolete；　meant　the　cypher　set　by　the　scorer　against　a　player's　name　who　is　out　without　making　a　run。

〃I　see；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Dodd。　〃The　jargon　of　the　day　penetrates　to　your　very　sports　and　games。　And　why　British？〃

〃Oh；　'British'　is　redundant：　thrown　in　by　the　universities。〃

〃But　what　does　it　mean？〃

〃It　means　nothing。　That　is　the　beauty　of　it。　British　is　inserted　in　imitation　of　our　idols；　the　Greeks；　they　adored　redundancy。〃

In　short；　poor　Alfred；　though　not　an　M。　P。；　was　talking　to　put　off　time；　till　Julia　should　come　in：　so　he　now　favoured　Mrs。　Dodd；　of　all　people；　with　a　flowery　description　of　her　husband's　play；　which　I；　who　have　not　his　motive　for　volubility；　suppress。　However；　he　wound　up　with　the　captains　〃moral　influence。〃　〃Last　match；〃　said　he；　〃Barkington　did　not　do　itself　justice。　Several；　that　could　have　made　a　stand；　were　frightened　out；　rather　than　bowled；　by　the　London　professionals。　Then　Captain　Dodd　went　in；　and　treated　those　artists　with　the　same　good…humoured　contempt　he　would　a　parish　bowler；　and；　in　particular；　sent　Mynne's　over…tossed　balls　flying　over　his　head　for　five；　or　to　square　leg　for　four；　and；　on　his　retiring　with　twenty…five；　scored　in　eight　minutes；　the　remaining　Barkingtonians　were　less　funky；　and　made　some　fair　scores。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　smiled　a　little　ironically　at　this　tirade；　but　said　she　thought　she　might　venture　to　promise　Mr。　Dodd's　co…operation；　should　he　reach　home　in　time。　Then；　to　get　rid　of　Alfred　before　Julia's　return；　the　amiable　worldling　turned　to　Edward。　〃Your　sister　will　not　be　back；　so　you　may　as　well　ring　the　bell　for　luncheon　at　once。　Perhaps　Mr。　Hardie　will　join　us。〃

Alfred　declined；　and　took　his　leave　with　far　less　alacrity　than　he　had　entered；　Edward　went　down…stairs　with　him。

〃Miss　Dodd　gone　on　a　visit？〃　asked　Alfred；　affecting　carelessness。

〃Only　to　the　school。　By…the…bye；　I　will　go　and　fetch　her。〃

〃No；　don't　do　that；　call　on　my　sister　instead；　and　then　you　will　pull　me　out　of　a　scrape。　I　promised　to　bring　her　here；　but　her　saintship　was　so　long　adorning　'the　poor　perishable　body；'　that　I　came　alone。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　said　Edward。　〃I　am　not　the　attraction　here；　it　is　Julia。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？　When　a　young　lady　interests　herself　in　an　undergraduate's　soul；　it　is　a　pretty　sure　sign　she　likes　the　looks　of　him。　But　perhaps　you　don't　want　to　be　converted；　if　so；　keep　clear　of　_her。_　'Bar　the　fell　dragon's　blighting　way；　but　shun　that　lovely　snare。'〃

〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Edward　calmly；　〃　I　only　wish　she　could　make　me　as　good　as　she　is；　or　half　as　good。〃

〃Give　her　the　chance；　old　fellow；　and　then　it　won't　be　your　fault　if　she　makes　a　mess　of　it。　Call　at　two；　and　Jenny　will　receive　you　very　kindly；　and　will　show　you　you　are　in　the　'gall　of　bitterness　and　the　bond　of　iniquity。'　Now；　won't　that　be　nice？〃

〃I　will　go；〃　said　Edward　gravely。

They　parted。　Where　Alfred　went　the　reader　can　perhaps　guess；　Edward　to　luncheon。

〃Mamma；〃　said　he；　with　that　tranquillity　which　sat　so　well　on　him；　〃don't　you　think　Alfred　Hardie　is　spoony　upon　our　Julia？〃

Mrs。　Dodd　suppressed　a　start；　and　（perhaps　to　gain　time　before　replying　sincerely）　said　she　had　not　the　honour　of　knowing　what　〃spoony〃　meant。

〃Why；　sighs　for　her；　and　dies　for　her；　and　fancies　she　is　prettier　than　Miss　Hardie。　He　must　be　over　head　and　ears　to　think　that。〃

〃Fie；　child！　〃　was　the　answer。　〃If　I　thought　so；　I　should　withdraw　from　their　acquaintance。　Excuse　me；　I　must　put　on　my　bonnet　at　once；　not　to　lose　this　fine　afternoon。〃

Edward　did　not　relish　her　remark：　it　menaced　more　Spoons　than　one。　However；　he　was　not　the　man　to　be　cast　down　at　a　word：　he　lighted　a　cigar；　and　strolled　towards　Hardie's　house。　Mr。　Hardie；　senior；　had　left　three　days　ago　on　a　visit　to　London；　Miss　Hardie　received　him；　he　passed　the　afternoon　in　calm　complacency；　listening　reverently　to　her　admonitions；　and　looking　her　softly　out　of　countenance；　and　into　earthly　affections；　with　his　lion　eyes。

Meantime　his　remark；　so　far　from　really　seeming　foolish　to　Mrs。　Dodd；　was　the　true　reason　for　her　leaving　him　so　abruptly　〃Even　this　dear　slow　Thing　sees　it；〃　thought　she。　She　must　talk　to　Julia　more　seriously；　and　would　go　to　the　school　at　once。　She　went　up…stairs；　and　put　on　her　bonnet　and　shawl　before　the　glass；　then　moulded　on　her　gloves；　and　came　down　equipped。　On　the　stairs　was　a　large　window；　looking　upon　the　open　field；　she　naturally　cast　her　eyes　through　it　in　the　direction　she　was　going；　and　what　did　she　see　but　a　young　lady　and　gentleman　coming　slowly　down　the　path　towards　the　villa。　Mrs。　Dodd　bit　her　lip　with　vexation；　and　looked　keenly　at　them；　to　divine　on　what　terms　they　were。　And　the　more　she　looked　the　more　uneasy　she　grew。

The　head；　the　hand；　the　whole　body　of　a　sensitive　young　woman　walking　beside　him　she　loves；　betray　her　heart　to　experienced　eyes　watching　unseen；　and　especially　to　female　eyes。　And　why　did　Julia　move　so　slowly；　especially　after　that　warning　？　Why　was　her　head　averted　from　that　encroaching　boy；　and　herself　so　near　him？　Why　not　keep　her　distance；　and　look　him　full　in　the　face？　Mrs。　Dodd's　first　impulse　was　that　of　leopardesses；　lionesses；　hens；　and　all　the　mothers　in　nature；　to　dart　from　her　ambush　and　protect　her　young；　but　she　controlled　it　by　a　strong　effort；　it　seemed　wiser　to　descry　the　truth；　and　then　act　with　resolution：　besides；　the　young　people　were　now　almost　at　the　shrubbery；　so　the　mischief　if　any；　was　done。

They　entered　the　shrubbery。

To　Mrs。　Dodd's　surprise　and　dismay；　they　did　not　come　out　this　side　so　quickly。　She　darted　her　eye　into　the　plantation；　and　lo！　Alfred　had　seized　the　fatal　opportunity　foliage　offers；　even　when　thinnish：　he　held　Julia's　hand；　and　was　pleading　eagerly　for　something　she　seemed　not　disposed　to　grant；　for　she　turned　away　and　made　an　effort　to　leave　him。　But　Mrs。　Dodd；　standing　there　quivering　with　maternal　anxiety；　and　hot　with　shame；　could　not　but　doubt　the　sincerity　of　that　graceful　resistance。　If　she　had　been　quite　in　earnest；　Julia　had　fire　enough　in　her　to　box　the　little　wretch's　ears。　She　ceased　even　to　doubt；　when　she　saw　that　her　daughter's　opposition　ended　in　his　getting　hold　of　two　hands　instead　of　one；　and　devouring　them　with　kisses；　while　Julia　still　drew　her　head　and　neck　away；　but　the　rest　of　her　supple　frame　seemed　to　yield　and　incline；　and　draw　softly　towards　her　besieger　by　some　irresistible　spell。

〃I　can　bear　no　more！〃　gasped　Mrs。　Dodd　aloud；　and　turned　to　hasten　and　part　them；　but　even　as　she　curved　her　stately　neck　to　go；　she　caught　the　lovers'　parting；　and　a　very　pretty　one　too；　if　she　could　but　have　looked　at　it；　as　these　things　ought　always　to　be　looked　at：　artistically。

Julia's　head　and　lovely　throat；　unable　to　draw　the　rest　of　her　away；　compromised：　they　turned；　declined；　drooped；　and　rested　one　half　moment　on　her　captor's　shoulder；　like　a　settling　dove：　the　next；　she　scudded　from　him；　and　made　for　the　house　alone。

Mrs。　Dodd；　deeply　indignant；　but　too　wise　to　court　a　painful　interview；　with　her　own　heart　beating　high；　went　into　the　drawing…room；　and　there　sat　down；　to　recover　some　little　composure。　But　she　was　hardly　seated　when　Julia's　innocent　voice　was　heard　calling　〃Mamma；　mamma！〃　and　soon　she　came　bounding　into　the　drawing…room；　brimful　of　good　news；　her　cheeks　as　red　as　fire　and　her　eyes　wet　with　happy　tears；　and　there　confronted　her　mother；　who　had　started　up　at　her　footstep；　and　now；　with　one　hand　nipping　the　back　of　the　chair　convulsively；　stood　lofty；　looking　strangely　agitated　and　hostile。

The　two　ladies　eyed　one　another；　silent；　yet　expressive；　like　a　picture　facing　a　statue；　but　soon　the　colour　died　out　of　Julia's　face　as　well；　and　she　began　to　cower　with　vague　fears　before　that　stately　figure；　so　gentle　and　placid　usually；　but　now　so　discomposed　and　stern。


〃Where　have　you　been；　Julia？〃

〃Only　at　the　school；〃　she　faltered。

〃Who　was　your　companion　home？〃

〃Oh；　don't　be　angry　with　me！　It　was　Alfred。〃

〃Alfred！　His　Christian　name！　You　try　my　patience　too　hard。〃

〃Forgive　me。　I　was　not　to　blame　this　time；　indeed！　indeed！　You　frighten　me。　What