hard cash-第25章

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〃Forgive　me。　I　was　not　to　blame　this　time；　indeed！　indeed！　You　frighten　me。　What　will　become　of　me？　What　have　I　done　for　my　own　mamma　to　look　at　me　so？〃

Mrs。　Dodd　groaned。　〃Was　that　young　coquette　I　watched　from　my　window　the　child　I　have　reared　？　No　face　on　earth　is　to　be　trusted　after　this。　'What　have　you　done'　indeed？　Only　risked　your　own　mother's　esteem；　and　nearly　broken　her　heart！〃　And　with　these　words　her　own　courage　began　to　give　way；　and　she　sank　into　a　chair　with　a　deep　sigh。

At　this　Julia　screamed；　and　threw　herself　on　her　knees　beside　her；　and　cried　〃Kill　me！　oh；　pray　kill　me！　but　don't　drive　me　to　despair　with　such　cruel　words　and　looks！〃　and　fell　to　sobbing　so　wildly　that　Mrs。　Dodd　altered　her　tone　with　almost　ludicrous　rapidity。　〃There；　do　not　terrify　me　with　your　impetuosity；　after　grieving　me　so。　Be　calm；　child；　let　me　see　whether　I　cannot　remedy　your　sad　imprudence；　and；　that　I　may；　pray　tell　me　the　whole　truth。　How　did　this　come　about？〃

In　reply　to　this　question；　which　she　somewhat　mistook；　Julia　sobbed　out；　〃He　met　me　c…coming　out　of　the　school；　and　asked　to　s…see　me　home。　I　said　'No　thank　you；'　because　I　th…thought　of　your　warning。　'Oh　yes！'　said　he；　and　_would_　walk　with　me；　and　keep　saying　he　loved　me。　So；　to　stop　him；　I　said；　'M…much　ob…liged；　but　I　was　b…busy　and　had　no　time　to　flirt。'　'Nor　have　I　the　in…inclination；'　said　he。　'That　is　not　what　others　say　of　you；'　said　Iyou　know　what　you　t…told　me；　mammaso　at　last　he　said　d…did　ever　he　ask　any　lady　to　be　his　wife？　'I　suppose　not；'　said　I；　'or　you　would　be　p…p…private　property　by　now　instead　of　p…public。'〃

〃Now　there　was　a　foolish　speech；　as　much　as　to　say　nobody　could　resist　him。〃

〃W…wasn't　it？　And　n…no　more　they　could。　You　have　no　idea　how　he　makes　love；　_so_　unladylike：　keeps　advancing　and　advancing；　and　never　once　retreats；　nor　even　st…ops。　'But　I　ask　_you_　to　be　my　wife；'　said　he。　Oh；　mamma；　I　trembled　so。　Why　did　I　tremble？　I　don't　know。　I　made　myself　cold　and　haughty；　'I　should　make　no　reply　to　such　ridiculous　questions；　say　that　to　mamma；　if　you　dare！'　I　said。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　bit　her　lip；　and　said；　〃Was　there　ever　such　simplicity？〃

〃Simple！　Why　that　was　my　cunning。　You　are　the　only　creature　he　is　afraid　of；　so　I　thought　to　stop　his　mouth　with　you。　But　instead　of　that；　my　lord　said　calmly；　'That　was　understood；　he　loved　me　too　well　to　steal　me　from　her　to　whom　he　was　indebted　for　me。'　Oh；　he　has　always　an　answer　ready。　And　that　makes　him　such　a　p…pest。〃

〃It　was　an　answer　that　did　him　credit。〃

〃Dear　mamma！　now　did　it　not？　Then　at　parting　he　said　he　would　come　to…morrow；　and　ask　you　for　my　hand；　but　I　must　intercede　with　you　first；　or　you　would　be　sure　to　say　'No。'　So　I　declined　to　interfere：　'W…w…what　was　it　to　me？'　I　said。　He　begged　and　prayed　me：　'Was　it　likely　you　would　give　him　such　a　treasure　as　Me　unless　I　stood　his　friend？'　（For　the　b…b…brazen　Thing　turns　humble　now　and　then。）　And；　oh；　mamma；　he　did　so　implore　me　to　pity　him；　and　kept　saying　no　man　ever　loved　as　he　loved　me；　and　with　his　begging　and　praying　me　so　passionatelyoh；　so　passionatelyI　felt　something　warm　drop　from　his　poor　eyes　on　my　hand。　Oh！　oh！　oh！　oh！What　could　I　do？　And　then；　you　know；　I　wanted　to　get　away　from　him。　So　I　am　afraid　I　did　just　say　'Yes。'　But　only　in　a　whisper。　Mamma！　my　own；　good；　kind；　darling　mamma；　have　pity　on　him　and　on　me；　we　love　one　another　so。〃

A　shower　of　tender　tears　gushed　out　in　support　of　this　appeal　and　in　a　moment　she　was　caught　up　with　Love's　mighty　arms；　and　her　head　laid　on　her　mother's　yearning　bosom。　No　word　was　needed　to　reconcile　these　two。

After　a　long　silence；　Mrs。　Dodd　said　this　would　be　a　warning　never　to　judge　her　sweet　child　from　a　distance　again；　nor　unheard。　〃And　therefore；〃　said　she；　〃let　me　hear　from　your　own　lips　how　so　serious　an　attachment　could　spring　up。　Why；　it　is　scarcely　a　month　since　you　were　first　introduced　at　that　ball。〃

〃Mamma；〃　murmured　Julia；　hanging　her　head；　〃you　are　mistaken；　we　knew　each　other　before。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　looked　all　astonishment。

〃Now　I　_will_　ease　my　heart；〃　said　Julia；　impetuously；　addressing　some　invisible　obstacle。　〃I　tell　you　I　am　sick　of　having　secrets　from　my　own　mother。〃　And　with　this　out　it　all　came。　She　told　the　story　of　her　heart　better　than　I　have；　and；　woman…like；　dwelt　on　the　depths　of　loyalty　and　delicate　love　she　had　read　in　Alfred's　moonlit　face　that　night　at　Henley。　She　said　no　eloquence　could　have　touched　her　like　it。　〃Mamma；　something　said　to　me；　'Ay；　look　at　him　well；　for　that　is　your　husband　to　be。'〃　She　even　tried　to　solve　the　mystery　of　her　_soi…disant_　sickness：　〃I　was　disturbed　by　a　feeling　so　new　and　so　powerful；*　but；　above　all；　by　having　a　secret　from　you；　the　firstthe　last。〃

*Perhaps　even　this　faint　attempt　at　self…analysis　was　due　to　the　influence　of　Dr。　Whately。　For；　by　nature；　young　ladies　of　this　age　seldom　turn　the　eye　inward。

〃Well；　darling；　then　why　have　a　secret？　Why　not　trust　me；　your　friend　as　well　as　your　mother？〃

〃Ah！　why；　indeed？　I　am　a　puzzle　to　myself。　I　wanted　you　to　know；　and　yet　I　could　not　tell　you。　I　kept　giving　you　hints；　and　hoped　so　you　would　take　them；　and　make　me　speak　out。　But　when　I　tried　to　tell　you　plump；　something　kept　pullpullpulling　me　inside；　and　I　couldn't。　Mark　my　words！　some　day　it　will　turn　out　that　I　am　neither　more　nor　less　than　a　fool。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　slighted　this　ingenious　solution。　She　said；　after　a　moment's　reflection；　that　the　fault　of　this　misunderstanding　lay　between　the　two。　〃I　remember　now　I　have　had　many　hints；　my　mind　must　surely　have　gone　to　sleep。　I　was　a　poor　simple　woman　who　thought　her　daughter　was　to　be　always　a　child。　And　you　were　very　wrong　to　go　and　set　a　limit　to　your　mother's　love：　there　is　nonenone　whatever。〃　She　added：　〃I　must　import　a　little　prudence　and　respect　for　the　world's　opinion　into　this　new　connection；　but　whoever　you　love　shall　find　no　enemy　in　me。〃

Next　day　Alfred　came　to　know　his　fate。　He　was　received　with　ceremonious　courtesy。　At　first　he　was　a　good　deal　embarrassed；　but　this　was　no　sooner　seen　than　it　was　relieved　by　Mrs。　Dodd　with　tact　and　gentleness。　When　her　turn　came；　she　said；　〃Your　papa？　Of　course　you　have　communicated　this　step　to　him？〃

Alfred　looked　a　little　confused；　and　said；　〃No：　he　left　for　London　two　days　ago；　as　it　happens。〃

〃That　is　unfortunate；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd。　〃Your　best　plan　would　be　to　write　to　him　at　once。　I　need　hardly　tell　you　that　we　shall　enter　no　family　without　an　invitation　from　its　head。〃

Alfred　replied　that　he　was　well　aware　of　that；　and　that　he　knew　his　father；　and　could　answer　for　him。　〃No　doubt；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃but；　as　a　matter　of　reasonable　form；　I　prefer　he　should　answer　for　himself。〃　Alfred　would　write　by　this　post。　〃It　is　a　mere　form；〃　said　he；　〃for　my　father　has　but　one　answer　to　his　children；　'Please　yourselves。'　He　sometimes　adds；　'and　how　much　money　shall　you　want？'　These　are　his　two　formulae。〃

He　then　delivered　a　glowing　eulogy　on　his　father；　and　Mrs。　Dodd；　to　whom　the　boy's　character　was　now　a　grave　and　anxious　study；　saw　with　no　common　satisfaction　his　cheek　flush　and　his　eyes　moisten　as　he　dwelt　on　the　calm；　sober；　unvarying　affection；　and　reasonable　indulgence　he　and　his　sister　had　met　with　all　their　lives　from　the　best　of　parents。　Returning　to　the　topic　of　topics；　he　proposed　an　engagement。　〃I　have　a　ring　in　my　pocket；〃　said　this　brisk　wooer；　looking　down。　But　this　Mrs。　Dodd　thought　premature　and　unnecessary。　〃You　are　nearly　of　age；〃　said　she；　〃and　then　you　will　be　able　to　marry；　if　you　are　in　the　same　mind。〃　But；　upon　being　warmly　pressed；　she　half　conceded　even　this。　〃Well；〃　said　she；　〃on　receiving　your　father's　consent；　you　can　_propose_　an　engagement　to　Julia；　and　she　shall　use　her　own　judgment；　but；　until　then；　you　will　not　even　mention　such　a　thing　to　her。　May　I　count　on　so　much　forbearance　from　you；　sir？〃

〃Dear　Mrs。　Dodd；〃　said　Alfred；　〃of　course　you　may。　I　should　indeed　be　ungrateful　if　I　could　not　wait　a　post　for　that。　May　I　write　to　my　father　here？〃　added　he；　naively。

Mrs。　Dodd　smiled；　furnished　him　with　writing　materials；　and　left　him；　with　a　polite　excuse。


〃ALBION　VILLA；　_September　29。_

〃MY　DEAR　FATHER；You　are　too　thorough　a　man　of　the　world；　and　too　well　versed　in　human