hard cash-第86章

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is　fourteen　thousand　pounds：　and　his　face　betrayed　him。　I　taxed　his　clerk；　Skinner：　and　Skinner's　face　betrayed　him：　and　he　fled　the　town　that　very　night。

〃My　mother　looked　much　distressed　and　said；　'To　what　end　do　you　raise　this　pitiable　subject？　Your　father　is　a　bankrupt；　and　we　but　suffer　with　the　rest。'

〃'No；　no；'　said　he；　'I　have　looked　through　the　bankrupt's　books；　and　there　is　no　mention　of　the　sum。　And　then　who　brought　Captain　Dodd　here？　Skinner？　and　Skinner　is　his　detected　confederate。　It　is　clear　to　me　poor　Captain　Dodd　trusted　that　sum　to　_us_　before　he　had　the　fit；　beyond　this　all　is　conjecture。'

〃Mamma　looked　at　me　again；　and　said；　'What　am　I　to　do；　or　say？'

'I　screamed；　'Do　nothing；　say　nothing：　oh　pray；　pray　make　him　hold　his　tongue；　and　let　the　vile　money　go。　It　is　not　_his_　fault。'

〃'Do？'　said　the　obstinate　creature：　'why　tell　Edward；　and　let　him　employ　a　sharp　attorney：　you　have　a　supple　antagonist　and　a　daring　one。　Need　I　say　I　have　tried　persuasion；　and　even　bribes：　but　he　defies　me。　Set　an　attorney　on　him；　or　the　police。　Fiat　Justitia；　ruat　coelum。'　I　put　both　hands　out　to　him　and　burst　out　'Oh；　Alfred；　why　did　you　tell？　A　son　expose　his　own　father？　For　shame；　for　shame！　I　have　suspected　it　all　long　ago：　but　_I_　would　never　have　told。'

〃He　started　a　little；　but　said；　'Miss　Dodd；　you　were　very　generous　to　me：　but　that　is　not　exactly　a　reason　why　I　should　be　a　cur　to　you；　and　an　accomplice　in　a　theft　by　which　you　suffer。　I　have　no　pretensions　to　religion　like　my　sister：　so　I　can't　afford　to　tamper　with　plain　right　and　wrong。　What；　look　calmly　on　and　see　one　man　defraud　another？　I　can't　do　it。　See　_you_　defrauded？　you；　Mrs。　Dodd；　for　whom　I　profess　affection　and　friendship？　You；　Miss　Dodd；　for　whom　I　profess　love　and　constancy？　Stand　and　see　you　swindled　into　poverty？　Of　what　do　you　think　I　am　made？　My　stomach　rises　against　it；　my　blood　boils　against　it；　my　flesh　creeps　at　it；　my　soul　loathes　it：'　then　after　this　great　burst　he　seemed　to　turn　_so_　feeble：　'Oh；'　said　he；　faltering；　'I　know　what　I　have　done；　I　have　signed　the　death　warrant　of　our　love；　dear　to　me　as　life。　But　I　can't　help　it。　Oh；　Julia；　Julia；　my　lost　love；　you　can　never　look　on　me　again；　you　must　not　love　a　man　you　cannot　marry。　Cheat　Hardie's　wretched　son。　But　what　could　I　do？　Fate　offers　me　but　the　miserable　choice　of　desolation　or　cowardly　rascality。　I　choose　desolation　and　I　mean　to　stand　by　my　choice　like　a　man。　So　good…bye；　ladies。'

〃The　poor　proud　creature　rose　from　his　seat；　and　bowed　stiffly　and　haughtily　to　us　both；　and　was　going　away　without　another　word；　and　I　do　believe　for　ever。　But　his　soul　had　been　too　great　for　his　body；　his　poor　lips　turned　pale　and　he　staggered；　and　would　have　fallen；　but　mamma　screamed　to　me；　and　she　he　loves　so　dearly；　and　abandons　so　cruelly；　woke　from　a　stupor　of　despair；　and　flew　and　caught　him　fainting　in　these　arms。〃



CHAPTER　XXVII

〃WE　laid　the　poor　proud　creature　on　the　sofa；　and　bathed　his　face　with　eau　de　Cologne。　He　spoke　directly；　and　said　that　was　nice；　and　'His　head！　his　head！'　And　I　don't　think　he　was　ever　quite　insensible；　but　he　did　not　know　what　was　going　on；　for　presently　he　opened　his　eyes　wide；　and　stared　at　us　so；　and　then　closed　them　with；　oh　such　a　sigh；　it　swelled　my　heart　almost　to　bursting。　And　to　think　I　could　say　nothing：　but　mamma　soothed　him　and　insisted　on　his　keeping　quiet；　for　he　wanted　to　run　away　from　us。　She　was　never　so　good　to　him　before：　she　said；　'My　dear　child；　you　have　my　pity　and　my　esteem；　alas！　that　at　your　age　you　should　be　tried　like　this。　How　few　in　this　sorry　world　would　have　acted　like　you：　I　should　have　sided　with　my　own　flesh　and　blood；　for　one。'

〃'What；　right　or　wrong？'　he　asked。

〃'Yes；'　said　she；　'right　or　wrong。'　Then　she　turned　to　me：　'Julia；　shall　all　the　generosity　be　on　his　side？'

〃I　kissed　her　and　clung　to　her；　but　dared　not　speak；　but　I　was　mad　enough　to　hope；　I　scarcely　know　what；　till　she　said　in　the　same　kind；　sorrowful　voice；　'I　agree　with　you；　you　can　never　be　my　son；　nor　Julia's　husband。　But　as　for　that　money；　it　revolts　me　to　proceed　to　extremes　against　one；　who　after　all　is　your　father；　my　poor；　poor；　chivalrous　boy。'　But　she　would　decide　nothing　without　Edward；　he　had　taken　his　father's　place　in　this　house。　So　then　I　gave　all　up；　for　Edward　is　made　of　iron。　Alfred　was　clearer　sighted　than　I；　and　never　had　a　hope：　he　put　his　arm　round　mamma　and　kissed　her；　and　she　kissed　him：　and　he　kissed　my　hand；　and　crept　away；　and　I　heard　his　step　on　the　stair；　and　on　the　road　ever　so　far；　and　life　seemed　ended　for　me　when　I　heard　it　no　more。


〃Edward　has　come　home。　Mamma　told　him　all：　he　listened　gravely：　I　hung　upon　his　hips；　and　at　last　the　oracle　spoke；　and　said　'This　is　a　nice　muddle。'

〃More　we　could　not　get　from　him；　he　must　sleep　on　it。　O　suspense！　you　torture！　He　had　seen　a　place　he　thinks　will　suit　us：　it　is　a　bad　omen　his　saying　that　so　soon　after。　As　I　went　to　bed　I　could　not　help　whispering；　'If　he　and　I　are　parted；　so　will　you　and　Jane。'　The　cruel　boy　answered　me　燺out　loud；_　'Thank　you；　little　girl：　that　is　a　temptation；　and　you　have　put　me　on　my　guard。'

〃Oh；　how　hard　it　is　to　understand　a　_man！_　they　_are_　so　impracticable　with　their　justice　and　things。　I　came　away　with　my　cheeks　burning；　and　my　heart　like　a　stone；　to　bed；　but　not　to　sleep。　My　poor；　poor　unhappy；　noble　Alfred！〃

_〃Dec。　27th。_Mamma　and　Edward　have　discussed　it：　they　say　nothing　to　me。　Can　they　have　written　to　him？　I　go　about　my　duties　like　a　ghost；　and　pray　for　submission　to　the　Divine　will。〃

_〃Dec。　28th_To…day　as　I　was　reading　by　main　force　to　Mrs。　Eagleton's　sick　girl；　came　Sarah　all　in　a　hurry　with；　I　was　wanted；　Miss。　But　I　_would_　finish　my　chapter；　and　O　how　hard　the　devil　tried　to　make　me　gabble　it；　so　I　clenched　my　teeth　at　him；　and　read　it　as　if　I　was　spelling　it；　and　then　_didn't_　I　fly？

_〃He_　was　there；　and　they　all　sat　waiting　for　me。　I　was　hot　and　cold　all　at　the　same　time；　and　he　rose　and　bowed　to　me；　and　I　curtseyed　to　him；　and　sat　down　and　took　my　work；　and　didn't　know　one　bit　what　I　was　doing。

〃And　our　new　oracle；　Edward；　laid　down　the　law　like　anything。　'Look　here；　Hardie；'　said　he；　'if　anybody　but　you　had　told　us　about　this　fourteen　thousand　pounds；　I　should　have　set　the　police　on　your　governor　before　now。　But　it　seems　to　me　a　shabby　thing　to　attack　a　father　on　the　son's　information；　especially　when　it's　out　of　love　for　one　of　us　he　has　denounced　his　own　flesh　and　blood。'

〃'No；　no；'　said　Alfred　eagerly；　'out　of　love　of　justice。'

〃'Ah；　you　think　so；　my　fine　fellow；　but　you　would　not　have　done　it　for　a　stranger；'　said　Edward。　Then　he　went　on：　'Of　all　blunders；　the　worst　is　to　fall　between　two　stools。　Look　here；　mamma：　we　decide；　for　the　son's　sake；　not　to　attack　the　father：　after　that　it　would　be　very　inconsistent　to　turn　the　cold　shoulder　to　the　son。　Another　thing；　who　suffers　most　by　this　fraud？　Why　the　man　that　marries　Julia。'　Alfred　burst　out　impetuously；　'Oh；　prove　that　to　me；　and　let　me　be　that　sufferer。'　Edward　turned　calmly　to　mamma：　'If　the　fourteen　thousand　pounds　was　in　our　hands；　what　should　you　do　with　it？'

〃The　dear　thing　said　she　should　settle　at　least　ten　thousand　of　it　on　Me；　and　marry　Me　to　this　poor　motherless　boy；　'whom　I　have　learned　to　love　myself；'　said　she。

〃'There；'　said　Edward；　'you　see　it　is　you　who　lose　by　your　governor'sI　won't　say　whatif　you　marry　my　sister。'

〃Alfred　took　his　hand；　and　said；　'God　bless　you　for　telling　me　this。'

〃Then　Edward　turned　to　mamma　and　me；　and　said；　'This　poor　fellow　has　left　his　father's　house　because　he　wronged　us：　then　this　house　ought　to　open　its　arms　to　him：　that　is　only　justice。　But　now　to　be　just　to　our　side；　I　have　been　to　Mr。　Crawford；　the　lawyer；　and　I　find　this　Hardie　junior　has　ten　thousand　pounds　of　his　own。　That　ought　to　be　settled　on　Julia；　to　make　up　for　what　she　loses　by　Hardie　senior'sI　won't　say　what。'

〃'If　anybody　settles　any　of　their　trash　on　_me；_　I'll　beat　them；　and　throw　it　in　the　fire；'　said　I；　'and　I　hated　money。'

〃The　oracle　asked　me　directly　did　I　hate　clothes　and　food；　and　charity　to　the　poor；　and　cleanliness；　and　decency？　Then　I　didn't　hate　money；　'for　none　of　these　things　can　exist　without　money；