hard cash-第31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！


he　started　up　in　bed　and　cried　aloud；　〃David！Julia！Oh；　what　is　the　matter？〃　The　sound　of　her　own　voice　dispelled　the　cloud　in　part；　but　not　entirely。　She　lay　awhile；　and　then　finding　herself　quite　averse　to　sleep；　rose　and　went　to　her　window；　and　eyed　the　weather　anxiously。　It　was　a　fine　night；　soft　fleecy　clouds　drifted　slowly　across　a　silver　moon。　The　sailor's　wife　was　reassured　on　her　husband's　behalf。　Her　next　desire　was　to　look　at　Julia　sleeping；　she　had　no　particular　object：　it　was　the　instinctive　impulse　of　an　anxious　mother　whom　something　had　terrified。　She　put　on　her　slippers　and　dressing…gown；　and；　lighting　a　candle　at　her　night…lamp；　opened　her　door　softly　and　stepped　into　the　little　corridor。　But　she　had　not　taken　two　steps　when　she　was　arrested　by　a　mysterious　sound。

It　came　from　Julia's　room。

What　was　it？

Mrs。　Dodd　glided　softly　nearer　and　nearer；　all　her　senses　on　the　stretch。

The　sound　came　again。　It　was　a　muffled　sob。


The　stifled　sound；　just　audible　in　the　dead　stillness　of　the　night；　went　through　and　through　her　who　stood　there　listening　aghast。　Her　bowels　yearned　over　her　child；　and　she　hurried　to　the　door；　but　recollected　herself；　and　knocked；　very　gently。　〃Don't　be　alarmed；　love；　it　is　only　me。　May　I　come　in？〃　She　did　not　wait　for　the　answer；　but　turned　the　handle　and　entered。　She　found　Julia　sitting　up　in　bed；　looking　wildly　at　her；　with　cheeks　flushed　and　wet。　She　sat　on　the　bed　and　clasped　her　to　her　breast　in　silence：　but　more　than　one　warm　tear　ran　down　upon　Julia's　bare　neck；　the　girl　felt　them　drop；　and　her　own　gushed　in　a　shower。

〃Oh；　what　have　I　done？〃　she　sobbed。　〃Am　I　to　make　you　wretched　too？〃

Mrs。　Dodd　did　not　immediately　reply。　She　was　there　to　console；　and　her　admirable　good　sense　told　her　that　to　do　that　she　must　be　calmer　than　her　patient；　so　even　while　she　kissed　and　wept　over　Julia；　she　managed　gradually　to　recover　her　composure。　〃Tell　me；　my　child；〃　said　she；　〃why　do　you　act　a　part　with　me？　Why　brave　it　out　under　my　eye；　and　spend　the　night　secretly　in　tears？　Are　you　still　afraid　to　trust　me？〃

〃Oh　no；　no；　but　I　thought　I　was　so　strong；　so　proud：　I　undertook　miracles。　I　soon　found　my　pride　was　a　molehill　and　my　love　a　mountain。　I　could　not　hold　out　by　day　if　I　did　not　ease　my　breaking　heart　at　night。　How　unfortunate！　I　kept　my　head　under　the　bed…clothes；　too；　but　you　have　such　ears。　I　thought　I　would　stifle　my　grief；　or　else　perhaps　you　would　be　as　wretched　as　I　am：　forgive　me　pray　forgive　me！〃

〃On　one　condition；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　struggling　with　the　emotion　these　simple　words　caused　her。

〃Anything　to　be　forgiven；〃　cried　Julia；　impetuously。　〃I'll　go　to　London。　I'll　go　to　Botany　Bay。　I　deserve　to　be　hanged。〃

〃Then；　from　this　hour；　no　half…confidences　between　us。　Dear　me；　you　carry　in　your　own　bosom　a　much　harsher　judge；　a　much　less　indulgent　friend；　than　I　am。　Come！　trust　me　with　your　heart。　Do　you　love　him　very　much？　Does　your　happiness　depend　on　him？〃

At　this　point…blank　question　Julia　put　her　head　over　Mrs。　Dodd's　shoulder；　not　to　be　seen；　and；　clasping　her　tight；　murmured　scarce　above　a　whisper；　〃I　don't　know　how　much　I　love　him。　When　he　came　in　at　that　party　I　felt　his　slavehis　unfaithful　adoring　slave；　if　he　had　ordered　me　to　sing　Aileen　Aroon；　I　should　have　obeyed；　if　he　had　commanded　me　to　take　his　hand　and　leave　the　room；　I　think　I　should　have　obeyed。　His　face　is　always　before　me　as　plain　as　life；　it　used　to　come　to　me　bright　and　loving；　now　it　is　pale；　and　stern；　and　sad。　I　was　not　so　wretched　till　I　saw　he　was　pining　for　me；　and　thinks　me　inconstantoh；　mamma；　so　pale！　so　shrunk　I　so　reckless！　He　was　sorry　for　misbehaving　that　night：　he　changed　clothes　with　a　beggar　to　kiss　my　dress；　poor　thing！　poor　thing！　Who　ever　loved　as　he　does　me！　I　am　dying　for　him；　I　am　dying。〃

〃There！　there！〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　soothingly。　〃You　have　said　enough。　This　must　be　love。　I　am　on　your　Alfred's　side　from　this　hour。〃

Julia　opened　her　eyes；　and　was　a　good　deal　agitated　as　well　as　surprised。　〃Pray　do　not　raise　my　hopes；〃　she　gasped。　〃We　are　parted　for　ever。　His　father　refuses。　Even　you　seemed　averse；　or　have　I　been　dreaming？〃

〃Me；　dearest？　How　can　I　be　averse　to　anything　lawful　on　which　I　find　your　heart　is　really　set；　and　your　happiness　at　stake？　Of　course　I　have　stopped　the　actual　intercourse；　under　existing　circumstances；　but　these　circumstances　are　not　unalterable：　your　only　obstacle　is　Mr。　Richard　Hardie。〃

But　what　an　obstacle！〃　sighed　Julia。　〃His　father！　a　man　of　iron！　so　everybody　says；　for　I　have　made　inquiriesoh！〃　And　she　was　abashed。　She　resumed　hastily；　〃And　that　letter；　so　cold；　so　cruel！　I　feel　it　was　written　by　one　not　open　to　gentle　influences。　He　does　not　think　me　worthy　of　his　son　so　accomplished；　so　distinguished　at　the　very　university　where　our　poor　Edwardhasyou　know〃

〃Little　simpleton！〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　and　kissed　her　tenderly；　〃your　iron　man　is　the　commonest　clay；　sordid；　pliable；　and　your　stem　heroic　Brutus　is　a　shopkeeper：　he　is　open　to　the　gentle　influences　which　sway　the　kindred　souls　of　the　men　you　and　I　buy　our　shoes；　our　tea；　our　gloves；　our　fish…kettles　of：　and　these　influences　I　think　I　command；　and　am　prepared　to　use　them　to　the　utmost。〃

Julia　lay　silent；　and　wondering　what　she　could　mean。

But　Mrs。　Dodd　hesitated　now：　it　pained　and　revolted　her　to　show　her　enthusiastic　girl　the　world　as　it　is。　She　said　as　much；　and　added　〃I　seem　to　be　going　to　aid　all　these　people　to　take　the　bloom　from　my　own　child's　innocence。　Heaven　help　me！〃

〃Oh；　never　mind　that；〃　cried　Julia　in　her　ardent　way；　〃give　me　Truth　before　Error；　however　pleasing。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　replied　only　by　a　sigh：　grand　general　sentiments　like　that　never　penetrated　her　mind：　they　glided　off　like　water　from　a　duck's　back。　〃We　will　begin　with　this　mercantile　Brutus；　then；〃　said　she；　with　such　a　curl　of　the　lip。　Brutus　had　rejected　her　daughter。

〃Mr。　Richard　Hardie　was　born　and　bred　in　a　bank；　one　where　no　wild　thyme　blows；　my　poor　enthusiast；　nor　cowslips　nor　the　nodding　violet　grows；　but　gold　and　silver　chink；　and　Things　are　discounted；　and　men　grow　rich；　slowly　but　surely；　by　lawful　use　of　other　people's　money。　Breathed　upon　by　these　'gentle　influences；'　he　was；　from　his　youth；　a　remarkable　man　measured　by　Trade's　standard。　At　five…and…twenty　divine　what　he　did！　He　saved　the　bank。　You　have　read　of　bubbles：　the　Mississippi　Bubble　and　the　South　Sea　Bubble。　Well；　in　the　year　1825；　it　was　not　one　bubble　but　a　thousand；　mines　by　the　score；　and　in　distant　lands；　companies　by　the　hundred；　loans　to　every　nation　or　tribe；　down　to　Guatemala；　Patagonia；　and　Greece；　two　hundred　new　ships　were　laid　on　the　stocks　in　one　year；　for　your　dear　papa　told　me；　in　short；　a　fever　of　speculation；　and　the　whole　nation　raging　with　it：　my　dear；　Princes；　Dukes；　Duchesses；　Bishops；　Poets；　Lawyers；　Physicians；　were　seen　struggling　with　their　own　footmen　for　a　place　in　the　Exchange：　and；　at　last；　good；　steady；　old　Mr。　Hardie；　Alfred's　grandfather；　was　drawn　into　the　vortex。　Now；　to　excuse　him　and　appreciate　the　precocious　Richard；　you　must　try　and　realise　that　these　bubbles；　when　they　rise；　are　as　alluring　and　reasonable　as　they　are　ridiculous　and　incredible　when　one　looks　back　on　them；　even　soap　bubbles；　you　know；　have　rainbow　hues　till　they　burst：　and；　indeed；　the　blind　avarice　of　men　does　but　resemble　the　blind　vanity　of　women：　look　at　our　grandmothers'　hoops；　and　our　mothers'　short　waists　and　monstrous　heads！　Yet　in　their　day　what　woman　did　not　glory　in　these　insanities？　Well　then；　Mr。　Richard　Hardie；　at　twenty…five；　was　the　one　to　foresee　the　end　of　all　these　bubbles；　he　came　down　from　London　and　brought　his　people　to　their　senses　by　sober　reason　and　'sound　commercial　principles'that　means；　I　believe；　'get　other　people's　money；　but　do　not　risk　your　own。'　His　superiority　was　so　clear；　that　his　father　resigned　the　helm　to　him；　and；　thanks　to　his　ability；　the　bank　weathered　the　storm；　while　all　the　other　ones　in　the　town　broke　or　suspended　their　trade。　Now；　you　know；　youth　is　naturally　ardent　and　speculative；　but　Richard　Hardie's　was　colder　and　wiser　than　other　people's　old　age：　and　that　is　one　trait。　Some　years　later；　in　the　height　of　his　prosperityI　reveal　this　only　for　your　comfort；　and　on　yo