hard cash-第71章

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〃No！　no！〃　said　Samson；　〃you　are　quite　mistaken：　he　will　not　die。　But〃

His　tongue　said　no　more。　His　grave　and　sombre　face　spoke　volumes。



CHAPTER　XXII

To　return　to　the　bank。　Skinner　came　back　from　the　Dodds'　that　miserable　afternoon　in　a　state　of　genuine　agitation　and　regret。　He　was　human；　and　therefore　mixed；　and　their　desolation　had　shocked　him。

The　footman　told　him　Mr。　Hardie　was　not　at　home；　gone　to　London；　he　believed。　Skinner　walked　away　dejected。　What　did　this　mean？　Had　he　left　the　country？

He　smiled　at　his　fears；　and　felt　positive　Mr。　Hardie　had　misled　the　servants；　and　was　quietly　waiting　for　him　in　the　bank　parlour。

It　was　now　dusk：　he　went　round　to　that　little　dark　nook　of　the　garden　the　parlour　window　opened　on；　and　tapped：　there　was　no　reply；　the　room　looked　empty。　He　tried　the　sash：　it　yielded。　Mr。　Hardie　had　been　too　occupied　with　embezzling　another's　property　to　take　common　precautions　in　defence　of　his　own；　never　in　his　life　before　had　he　neglected　to　fasten　the　iron　shutters　with　his　own　hand；　and　to…day　he　had　left　the　very　window　unfastened。　This　augured　ill。　〃He　is　off：　he　has　done　me　along　with　the　rest；〃　thought　Skinner。　He　stepped　into　the　room；　found　a　lucifer…box；　shut　the　shutters；　lighted　a　candle；　and　went　peering　about　amongst　the　banker's　papers；　to　see　if　he　could　find　a　clue　to　his　intentions；　and；　as　he　pottered　and　peered；　he　quaked　as　well：　a　detector　by　dishonest　means　feels　thief…like；　and　is　what　he　feels。　He　made　some　little　discoveries　that　guided　him　in　his　own　conduct；　he　felt　more　and　more　sure　his　employer　would　outwit　him　if　he　could；　and　resolved　it　should　be　diamond　cut　diamond。

The　church　clock　struck　one。

He　started　at　the　hour；　crept　out　and　closed　the　window　softly；　then　away　by　the　garden　gate。

A　light　was　still　burning　in　Alfred's　room；　and　at　this　Skinner　had　another　touch　of　compunction。　〃There　is　one　won't　sleep　this　night　along　of　our　work；〃　thought　he。

At　three　next　afternoon　Mr。　Hardie　reappeared。

He　had　gone　up　to　town　to　change　the　form　of　the　deposit：　He　took　care　to　think　of　it　as　a　deposit　still；　the　act　of　deposit　having　been　complete；　the　withdrawal　incomplete；　and　by　no　fault　of　his；　for　he　had　offered　it　back；　but　Fate　and　Accident　had　interposed。　He　had　converted　the　notes　into　gold　direct；　and　the　bills　into　gold　through　notes；　this　was　like　going　into　the　river　to　hide　his　trail。　Next　process：　he　turned　his　gold　into　L。　500　notes；　and　came　flying　home　with　them。

His　return　was　greeted　by　Skinner　with　a　sigh　of　relief。　Hardie　heard　it；　interpreted　it　aright；　and　sent　for　him　into　the　parlour；　and　there　told　him　with　a　great　affectation　of　frankness　what　he　had　done；　then　asked　significantly　if　there　was　any　news　at　Albion　Villa。

Skinnier　in　reply　told　Mr。　Hardie　of　the　distress　he　had　witnessed　up　at　Albion　Villa：　〃And；　sir；〃　said　he；　lowering　his　voice；　〃Mr。　Alfred　helped　carry　the　body　upstairs。　It　is　a　nice　mess　altogether；　sir；　when　you　come　to　think。〃

〃Ah！　all　the　better；〃　was　the　cool　reply：　〃he　will　be　useful　to　let　us　know　what　we　want；　he　will　tell　Jane；　and　Jane　me。　You　don't　think　he　will　live；　do　you？〃

〃Live！　no：　and　then　who　will　know　the　money　is　here？〃

〃Who　should　know？　Did　not　he　say　he　had　just　landed；　and　been　shipwrecked？　Shipwrecked　men　do　not　bring　fourteen　thousand　pounds　ashore。〃　The　speaker's　eyes　sparkled：　Skinner　watched　him　demurely。　〃Skinner；〃　said　he　solemnly；　〃I　believe　my　daughter　Jane　is　right；　and　that　Providence　really　interferes　sometimes　in　the　affairs　of　this　world。　You　know　how　I　have　struggled　to　save　my　family　from　disgrace　and　poverty：　those　struggles　have　failed　in　a　great　degree：　but　Heaven　has　seen　them；　and　saved　this　money　from　the　sea；　and　dropped　it　into　my　very　hands　to　retrieve　my　fortunes　with。　I　must　be　grateful：　spend　a　portion　of　it　in　charity；　and　rear　a　noble　fortune　on　the　rest。　Confound　it　all！〃

And　his　crestfallen　countenance　showed　some　ugly　misgiving　had　flashed　on　him　quite　suddenly。

〃What　sir？　what？〃　asked　Skinner　eagerly。

〃The　receipt！〃



CHAPTER　XXIII

〃THE　receipt？　Oh；　is　that　all？　_You_　have　got　that；〃　said　Skinner　very　coolly。

〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃　inquired　the　other　keenly。　He　instantly　suspected　Skinner　of　having　it。

〃Why；　sir；　I　saw　it　in　his　hand。〃

〃Then　it　has　got　to　Albion　Villa；　and　we　are　ruined。〃

〃No；　no；　sir；　you　won't　hear　me：　I　am　sure　I　saw　it　fall　out　of　his　hand　when　he　was　taken　ill；　and　I　think；　but　I　won't　be　sure；　he　fell　on　it。　Anyway；　there　was　nothing　in　his　hands　when　I　delivered　him　at　Albion　Villa；　so　it　must　be　here。　I　daresay　you　have　thrown　it　into　a　drawer　or　somewhere；　promiscuously。〃

〃No；　no；　Skinner；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　with　increasing　alarm：　〃it　is　useless　for　us　to　deceive　ourselves。　I　was　not　three　minutes　in　the　room；　and　thought　of　nothing　but　getting　to　town　and　cashing　the　bills。〃

He　rang　the　bell　sharply；　and　on　Betty　coming　in；　asked　her　what　she　had　done　with　that　paper　that　was　on　the　floor。

〃Took　it　up　and　put　it　on　the　table；　sir。　This　was　it；　I　think。〃　And　she　had　her　finger　upon　a　paper。

〃No！　no！〃　said　Mr。　Hardie。　〃The　one　I　mean　was　much　smaller　than　that。〃

〃What〃　said　she；　with　that　astonishing　memory　for　trifles　people　have　who　never　read；　〃was　it　a　little　crumpled　up　paper　lying　by　the　basket？〃

〃Yes！　yes！　that　sounds　like　it。〃

〃Oh；　I　put　that　_into_　the　basket。〃

Mr。　Hardie's　eye　fell　directly　on　the　basket；　but　it　was　empty。　She　caught　his　glance；　and　told　him　she　had　emptied　it　in　the　dust…hole　as　usual。　Mr。　Hardie　uttered　an　angry　exclamation。　Betty；　an　old　servant　of　his　wife's；　resented　it　with　due　dignity　by　tossing　her　head　as　she　retired。

〃There　is　no　help　for　it；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie　bitterly；　〃we　must　go　and　grub　in　the　dust…hole　now。〃

〃Why；　sir；　your　name　is　not　on　it；　after　all。〃

〃What　does　that　matter？　A　man　is　bound　by　the　act　of　his　agent；　besides；　it　is　my　form；　and　my　initials　on　the　back。　Come；　let　us　put　a　good　face　on　the　thing。〃　And　he　led　the　way　to　the　kitchen；　and　got　up　a　little　laugh；　and　asked　the　scullery…maid　if　she　could　show　Mr。　Skinner　and　him　the　dust…hole。　She　stared；　but　obeyed；　and　the　pair　followed　her；　making　merry。

The　dust…hole　was　empty。

The　girl　explained：　〃It　is　the　dustman's　day：　he　came　at　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　carried　all　the　dust　away：　and　grumbled　at　the　paper　and　the　bones；　he　did。　So　I　told　him　beggars　musn't　be　choosers：　just　like　his　impudence！　when　he　gets　it　for　nothing；　and　sells　it　for　a　mint　outside　the　town。〃　The　unwonted　visitors　left　her　in　dead　silence　almost　before　she　had　finished　her　sentence。

Mr。　Hardie　sat　down　in　his　parlour　thoroughly　discomposed；　Skinner　watched　him　furtively。

At　last　the　former　broke　out：　〃This　is　the　devil's　doing：　the　devil　in　person。　No　intelligence　nor　ability　can　resist　such　luck。　I　almost　wish　we　had　never　meddled　with　it：　we　shall　never　feel　safe；　never　be　safe。〃

Skinner　made　light　of　the　matter；　treated　the　receipt　as　thrown　into　the　sea。　〃Why；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃by　this　time　it　will　have　found　its　way　to　that　monstrous　heap　of　ashes　on　the　London　Road；　and　who　will　ever　look　for　it　there；　or　notice　it　if　they　find　it？〃　Hardie　shook　his　head：　〃That　monstrous　heap　is　all　sold　every　year　to　the　farmers。　That　receipt；　worth　L。　14；000　to　me；　will　be　strewed　on　the　soil　for　manure；　then　some　farmer's　man；　or　some　farmer's　boy　that　goes　to　the　Sunday…school；　will　read　it；　see　Captain　Dodd's　name；　and　bring　it　to　Albion　Villa；　in　hopes　of　a　sixpence：　a　sixpence！　Heaven　help　the　man　who　does　a　doubtful　act　and　leaves　damnatory　evidence　on　paper　kicking　about　the　world。〃

From　that　hour　the　cash　Hardie　carried　in　his　bosom；　without　a　right　to　it；　began　to　blister。

He　thought　of　telling　the　dustman　he　had　lost　a　paper；　and　setting　him　to　examine　the　mountain　of　ashes　on　the　London　Road；　but　here　caution　stepped　in：　how　could　he　describe　the　paper　without　awakening　curiosity　and　defeating　his　own　end？　He　gave　that　up。　It　was　better　to　let　the　sleeping　dog　lie。

Finally；　he　resolved　to　buy　security　in　a　world　where　after　all　one　has　to　buy　everything：　so　he　employed　an　adroit　agent；　and　quietly　purchased　that　mountain；　the　refu