hard cash-第32章

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ait。　Some　years　later；　in　the　height　of　his　prosperityI　reveal　this　only　for　your　comfort；　and　on　your　sacred　promise　as　a　person　of　delicacy；　never　to　repeat　it　to　a　soulRichard　Hardie　was　a　suitor　for　my　hand。〃

〃Mamma！〃

〃Do　not　ejaculate；　sweetest。　It　discomposes　me。　'Nothing　is　extraordinary；'　as　that　good　creature　Dr。　Sampson　says。　He　must　have　thought　it　would　_answer；_　in　one　way　or　another；　to　have　a　gentlewoman　at　the　head　of　his　table；　and　I　was　not　penniless；　_bien　entendu。_　Failing　in　this；　he　found　a　plain　little　Thing；　with　a　gloomy　temper；　and　no　accomplishments　nor　graces；　but　her　father　could　settle　twenty　thousand　pounds。　He　married　her　directly：　and　that　is　a　trait。　He　sold　his　father's　and　grandfather's　house　and　place　of　business；　in　spite　of　all　their　associations；　and　obtained　a　lease　of　his　present　place　from　my　uncle　Fountain：　it　seemed　a　more　money…making　situation。　A　trait。　He　gives　me　no　reason　for　rejecting　my　daughter。　Why？　because　he　is　not　proud　of　his　reasons：　this　walking　Avarice　has　intelligence：　a　trait。　Now　put　all　this　together；　and　who　more　transparent　than　the　profound　Mr。　Hardie？　He　has　declined　our　alliance　because　he　takes　for　granted　we　are　poor。　When　I　undeceive　him　on　that　head　he　will　reopen　_negotiations_　in　a　letterNo。　2　of　the　correspondence；　copied　by　one　of　his　clerksit　will　be　calm；　plausible；　flattering：　in　short；　it　will　be　done　like　a　gentleman：　though　he　is　nothing　of　the　kind。　And　this　brings　me　to　what　I　ought　to　have　begun　with：　your　dear　father　and　I　have　always　lived　with　our　income　for　our　children's　sake；　he　is　bringing　home　the　bulk　of　our　savings　this　very　voyage；　and　it　amounts　to　fourteen　thousand　pounds。〃

〃Oh；　what　an　enormous　sum！〃

〃No；　dearest；　it　is　not　a　fortune　in　itself。　But　it　is　a　considerable　sum　to　possess；　independent　of　one's　settlement　and　one's　income。　It　is　loose　cash；　to　speak　_a　la_　Hardie；　that　means　I　can　do　what　I　choose　with　it　and　of　course　I　chooseto　make　you　happy。　How　I　shall　work　on　what　you　call　Iron　and　I　venture　to　call　Clay　must　be　guided　by　circumstances。　I　think　of　depositing　three　or　four　thousand　pounds　every　month　with　Mr。　Hardie；　he　is　our　banker；　you　know。　He　will　most　likely　open　his　eyes；　and　make　some　move　before　the　whole　sum　is　in　his　hands。　If　he　does　not；　I　shall　perhaps　call　at　his　bank；　and　draw　a　cheque　for　fourteen　thousand　pounds。　The　wealthiest　provincial　banker　does　not　keep　such　a　sum　floating　in　his　shop…tills。　His　commercial　honour；　the　one　semi…chivalrous　sentiment　in　his　soul；　would　be　in　peril。　He　would　yield；　and　with　grace：　none　the　less　readily　that　his　house　and　his　bank；　which　have　been　long　heavily　mortgaged　to　our　trustees；　were　made　virtually　theirs　by　agreement　yesterday　（I　set　this　on　foot　with　twelve　hours　of　Mr。　Iron's　impertinent　letter）；　and　he　will　say　to　himself；　'She　canpost　me；　I　think　these　people　call　itthis　afternoon　for　not　cashing　her　cheque；；　and　she　can　turn　me　and　my　bank　into　the　street　to…morrow：'　and　then；　of　course；　he　shall　see　by　my　manner　the　velvet　paw　is　offered　as　well　as　the　claw。　He　is　pretty　sure　to　ask　himself　which　will　suit　the　_ledger_　bestthis　cat's　friendship　and　her　fourteen　thousand　pounds；　oran　insulted　mother's　enmity？〃　And　Mrs。　Placid's　teeth　made　a　little　click　just　audible　in　the　silent　night

〃Oh；　mamma！　my　heart　is　sick。　Am　I　to　be　bought　and　sold　like　this？〃

Mrs。　Dodd　sighed；　but　said　calmly；　〃You　must　pay　the　penalty　for　loving　a　_parvenu's_　son。　Come；　Julia；　no　peevishness；　no　more　romance；　no　more　vacillation。　You　have　tried　Pride　and　failed　pitiably：　now　I　insist　on　your　trying　Love！　Child；　it　is　the　bane　of　our　sex　to　carry　nothing　out：　from　that　weakness　I　will　preserve　you。　And；　by…the…bye；　we　are　not　going　to　marry　Mr。　Richard　Hardie；　but　Mr。　Alfred。　Now；　Mr。　Alfred；　with　all　his　faults　and　defects〃

〃Mamma！　what　faults？　what　defects？〃

〃Is　a　gentleman；　thanks　to　Oxford；　and　Harrow；　and　nature。　My　darling；　pray　to　Heaven　night　and　day　for　your　dear　father's　safe　return；　for　on　him；　and　him　alone；　your　happiness　depends：　as　mine　does。〃

〃Mamma！〃　cried　Julia；　embracing　her；　〃what　do　poor　girls　do　who　have　lost　their　mother？〃

〃Look　abroad　and　see；〃　was　the　grave　reply。

Mrs。　Dodd　then　begged　her　to　go　to　sleep；　like　a　good　child；　for　her　health's　sake；　all　would　be　well；　and　with　this　was　about　to　return　to　her　own　room；　but　a　white　hand　and　arm　darted　out　of　the　bed　and　caught　her。　〃What！　Hope　has　come　to　me　by　night　in　the　form　of　an　angel；　and　shall　I　let　her　go　back　to　her　own　room？　Never！　never！　never！　never！　never！〃　And　she　patted　the　bed　expressively；　and　with　the　prettiest　impatience。

〃Well；　let　Hope　take　off　her　earrings　first；〃　suggested　Mrs。　Dodd。

〃No；　no；　come　here　directly；　earrings　and　all。〃

〃No；　thank　you；　or　I　shall　have　_them_　wounding　you　next。〃

Mrs。　Hope　quietly　removed　her　earrings；　and　the　tender　pair　passed　the　rest　of　the　night　in　one　another's　arms。　The　young　girl's　tears　were　dried；　and　hope　revived；　and　life　bloomed　again：　only；　henceforth　her　longing　eyes　looked　out　to　sea　for　her　father；　homeward　bound。

Next　day；　as　they　were　seated　together　in　the　drawing…room；　Julia　came　from　the　window　with　a　rush；　and　kneeled　at　Mrs。　Dodd's　knees；　with　bright　imploring　face　upturned。

〃He　is　there；　andI　am　to　speak　to　him？　Is　that　it？〃

〃Dear；　dear；　dear　mamma！〃　was　the　somewhat　oblique　reply。

〃Well；　then；　bring　me　my　things。〃

She　was　ten　minutes　putting　them　on：　Julia　tried　to　expedite　her　and　retarded　her。　She　had　her　pace；　and　could　not　go　beyond　it。

Now　by　this　time　Alfred　Hardie　was　thoroughly　miserable。　Unable　to　move　his　father；　shunned　by　Julia；　sickened　by　what　he　had　heard；　and　indeed　seen；　of　her　gaiety　and　indifference　to　their　separation；　stung　by　jealousy　and　fretted　by　impatience；　he　was　drinking　nearly　all　the　bitters　of　that　sweet　passion；　Love。　But　as　you　are　aware；　he　ascribed　Julia's　inconstancy；　lightness；　and　cruelty　all　to　Mrs。　Dodd。　He　hated　her　cordially；　and　dreaded　her　into　the　bargain；　he　played　the　sentinel　about　her　door　all　the　more　because　she　had　asked　him　not　to　do　it　〃Always　do　what　your　enemy　particularly　objects　to；〃　said　he；　applying　to　his　own　case　the　wisdom　of　a　Greek　philosopher；　one　of　his　teachers。

So；　when　the　gate　suddenly　opened；　and　instead　of　Julia；　this　very　Mrs。　Dodd　walked　towards　him；　his　feelings　were　anything　but　enviable。　He　wished　himself　away；　heartily；　but　was　too　proud　to　retreat。　He　stood　his　ground。　She　came　up　to　him；　a　charming　smile　broke　out　over　her　features。　〃Ah！　Mr。　Hardie；〃　said　she；　〃if　you　have　nothing　better　to　do；　will　you　give　me　a　minute？〃　He　assented　with　surprise　and　an　ill　grace。

〃May　I　take　your　arm？〃

He　offered　it　with　a　worse。

She　laid　her　hand　lightly　on　it；　and　it　shuddered　at　her　touch。　He　felt　like　walking　with　a　velvet　tigress。

By　some　instinct　she　divined　his　sentiment；　and　found　her　task　more　difficult　than　she　had　thought；　she　took　some　steps　in　silence。　At　last；　as　he　was　no　dissembler；　he　burst　out　passionately；　〃Why　are　you　my　enemy？〃

〃I　am　not　your　enemy；〃　said　she　quietly。

〃Not　openly；　but　all　the　more　dangerous。　You　keep　us　apart；　you　bid　her　be　gay　and　forget　me；　you　are　a　cruel；　hard…hearted　lady。〃

〃No；　I　am　not；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　simply。

〃Oh！　I　believe　you　are　good　and　kind　to　all　the　rest　of　the　world；　but　you　know　you　have　a　heart　of　iron　for　me。〃

〃I　am　my　daughter's　friend；　but　not　your　enemy；　it　is　you　who　are　too　inexperienced　to　know　how　delicate；　how　difficult；　my　duties　are。　It　is　only　since　last　night　I　see　my　way　clear；　and；　look；　I　come　at　once　to　you　with　friendly　intentions。　Suppose　I　were　as　impetuous　as　you　are？　I　should；　perhaps；　be　calling　you　ungrateful。〃

He　retorted　bitterly。　〃Give　me　something　to　be　grateful　for；　and　you　shall　see　whether　that　baseness　is　in　my　nature。〃

〃I　have　a　great　mind　to　put　you　to　the　proof；〃　said　she　archly。　〃Let　us　walk　down　this　lane；　then　you　can　be　as　unjust　to　me　_as　you　think　proper；_　without　attracting　public　attention。〃

In　the　lane　she　told　him　quietly　she　knew　the　nature　of　his　father's　objections　to　the　alliance　he　had　so　much　at　heart；　and　they　were　objections　which　her　husband；　on　his　retu