hard cash-第9章

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nd　spare　him　the　pain　of　writing　the　news　to　them；　and；　doubtless；　so　worded　as　not　to　leave　him　a　day　in　doubt　of　their　forgiveness　and　sympathy。

Julia　took　the　missive　unobserved　by　the　Destination；　and　glided　out　of　the　room　to　get　it　quietly　posted。

The　servant…girl　was　waiting　on　the　second…floor　lodgers；　and　told　her　so；　with　a　significant　addition；　viz。；　that　the　post　was　in　this　street；　and　only　a　few　doors　off。　Julia　was　a　little　surprised　at　her　coolness；　but　took　the　hint　with　perfect　good　temper；　and　just　put　on　her　shawl　and　bonnet；　and　went　with　it　herself。　The　post…office　was　not　quite　so　near　as　represented；　but　she　was　soon　there；　for　she　was　eager　till　she　had　posted　it。　But　she　came　back　slowly　and　thoughtfully；　here　in　the　street；　lighted　only　by　the　moon；　and　an　occasional　gaslight；　there　was　no　need　for　self…restraint；　and　soon　her　mortification　betrayed　itself　in　her　speaking　countenance。　And　to　think　that　her　mother；　on　whom　she　doted；　should　have　to　write　to　her　son；　there　present；　and　post　the　letter！　This　made　her　eyes　fill；　and　before　she　reached　the　door　of　the　lodging；　they　were　brimming　over。

As　shine　put　her　foot　on　the　step；　a　timid　voice　addressed　her　in　a　low　tone　of　supplication。　〃May　I　venture　to　speak　one　word　to　you；　Miss　Dodd？one　single　word？〃

She　looked　up　surprised；　and　it　was　young　Mr。　Hardie。

His　tall　figure　was　bending　towards　her　submissively；　and　his　face；　as　well　as　his　utterance；　betrayed　considerable　agitation。


And　what　led　to　so　unusual　a　rencontre　between　a　young　gentleman　and　lady　who　had　never　been　introduced？

〃The　Tender　Passion；〃　says　a　reader　of　many　novels。

Why；　yes；　the　tenderest　in　all　our　nature：

Wounded　Vanity。

Naturally　proud　and　sensitive；　and　inflated　by　success　and　flattery；　Alfred　Hardie　had　been　torturing　himself　ever　since　he　fled　Edward's　female　relations。　He　was　mortified　to　the　core。　He　confounded　〃the　fools〃　（his　favourite　synonym　for　his　acquaintance）　for　going　and　calling　Dodd's　mother　an　elder　sister；　and　so　not　giving　him　a　chance　to　divine　her。　And　then　that　he；　who　prided　himself　on　his　discrimination；　should　take　them　for　ladies　of　rank；　or；　at　all　events；　of　the　highest　fashion　and；　climax　of　humiliation；　that　so　great　a　man　as　he　should　go　and　seem　to　court　them　by　praising　Dodd　of　Exeter；　by　enlarging　upon　Dodd　of　Exeter；　by　offering　to　grind　Logic　with　Dodd　of　Exeter。　Who　would　believe　that　this　was　a　coincidence；　a　mere　coincidence？　They　could　not　be　expected　to　believe　it；　female　vanity　would　not　let　them。　He　tingled；　and　was　not　far　from　hating　the　whole　family；　so　bitter　a　thing　is　that　which　I　have　ventured　to　dub　〃The　Tenderest　Passion。〃　He　itched　to　soothe　his　irritation　by　explaining　to　Edward。　Dodd　was　a　frank；　good…hearted　fellow；　he　would　listen　to　facts；　and　convince　the　ladies　in　turn。　Hardie　learned　where　Dodd's　party　lodged；　and　waited　about　the　door　to　catch　him　alone：　Dodd　must　be　in　college　by　twelve；　and　would　leave　Henley　before　ten。　He　waited　till　he　was　tired　of　waiting。　But　at　last　the　door　opened；　he　stepped　forward；　and　out　tripped　Miss　Dodd。　〃Confound　it！〃　muttered　Hardie；　and　drew　back。　However；　he　stood　and　admired　her　graceful　figure　and　action；　her　ladylike　speed　without　bustling。　Had　she　come　back　at　the　same　pace；　he　would　never　have　ventured　to　stop　her：　on　such　a　thread　do　things　hang：　but　she　returned　very　slowly；　hanging　her　head。　Her　look　at　him　and　his　headache　recurred　to　hima　look　brimful　of　goodness。　She　would　do　as　well　as　Edward；　better　perhaps。　He　yielded　to　impulse；　and　addressed　her；　but　with　all　the　trepidation　of　a　youth　defying　the　giant　Etiquette　for　the　first　time　in　his　life。

Julia　was　a　little　surprised　and　fluttered；　but　did　not　betray　it；　she　had　been　taught　self…command　by　example；　if　not　by　precept。

〃Certainly；　Mr。　Hardie；〃　said　she；　within　a　modest　composure　a　young　coquette　might　have　envied　under　the　circumstances。

Hardie　had　now　only　to　explain　himself；　but　instead　of　that；　he　stood　looking　at　her　within　silent　concern。　The　fair　face　she　raised　to　him　was　wet　with　tears；　so　were　her　eyes；　and　even　the　glorious　eyelashes　were　fringed　with　that　tender　spray；　and　it　glistened　in　the　moonlight。

This　sad　and　pretty　sight　drove　the　vain　but　generous　youth's　calamity　clean　out　of　his　head。　〃Why；　you　are　crying！　Miss　Dodd；　what　is　the　matter？　I　hope　nothing　has　happened。〃

Julia　turned　her　head　away　a　little　fretfully；　with　a　〃No；　no！〃　But　soon　her　natural　candour　and　simplicity　prevailed；　a　simplicity　not　without　dignity；　she　turned　round　to　him　and　looked　him　in　the　face。　〃Why　should　I　deny　it　to　you；　sir；　who　have　been　good　enough　to　sympathise　with　us？　We　are　mortified；　sadly　mortified；　at　dear　Edward's　disgrace；　and　it　has　cost　us　a　struggle　not　to　disobey　you；　and　_poison　his　triumphal　cup_　within　sad　looks。　And　mamma　had　to　write　to　him；　and　console　him　against　to…morrow：　but　I　hope　he　will　not　feel　it　so　severely　as　she　does：　and　I　have　just　posted　it　myself；　and；　when　I　thought　of　our　dear　mamma　being　driven　to　such　expedients；　IOh！〃　And　the　pure　young　heart；　having　opened　itself　by　words；　must　flow　a　little　more。

〃Oh；　pray　don't　cry；〃　said　young　Hardie　tenderly；　〃don't　take　such　a　trifle　to　heart　so。　You　crying　makes　me　feel　guilty　for　letting　it　happen。　It　shall　never　occur　again。　If　I　had　only　known；　it　should　never　have　happened　at　all。〃

〃Once　is　enough；〃　sighed　Julia。

〃Indeed；　you　take　it　too　much　to　heart。　It　is　only　out　of　Oxford　a　plough　is　thought　much　of；　especially　a　single　one；　that　is　so　very　common。　You　see；　Miss　Dodd；　an　university　examination　consists　of　several　items：　neglect　but　one；　and　Crichton　himself　would　be　ploughed；　because　brilliancy　in　your　other　papers　is　not　allowed　to　count；　that　is　how　the　most　distinguished　man　of　our　day　got　ploughed　for　Smalls。　I　had　a　narrow　escape；　I　know；　for　one。　But；　Miss　Dodd；　if　you　knew　how　far　your　brother's　performance　on　the　river　outweighs　a　mere　slip　in　the　schools；　in　all　university　men's　eyes；　the　dons'　and　all；　you　would　not　make　this　bright　day　end　sadly　to　Oxford　by　crying。　Why；　I　could　find　you　a　thousand　men　who　would　be　ploughed　to…morrow　with　glory　and　delight　to　win　one　such　race　as　your　brother　has　won　two。〃

Julia　sighed　again。　But　it　sounded　now　half　like　a　sigh　of　reliefthe　final　sigh；　with　which　the　fair　consent　to　be　consoled。

And　indeed　this　improvement　in　the　music　did　not　escape　Hardie。　He　felt　he　was　on　the　right　tack：　he　enumerated　fluently；　and　by　name；　many　good　men；　besides　Dean　Swift；　who　had　been　ploughed；　yet　had　cultivated　the　field　of　letters　in　their　turn；　and；　in　short；　he　was　so　earnest　and　plausible；　that　something　like　a　smile　hovered　about　his　hearer's　lips；　and　she　glanced　askant　at　him　with　furtive　gratitude　from　under　her　silky　lashes。　But　it　soon　recurred　to　her　that　this　was　rather　a　long　interview　to　accord　to　〃a　stranger；〃　and　under　the　moon；　so　she　said　a　little　stiffly；　〃And　was　this　what　you　were　good　enough　to　wish　to　say　to　me；　Mr。　Hardie？〃

〃No；　Miss　Dodd；　to　be　frank；　it　was　not。　My　motive　in　addressing　you；　without　the　right　to　take　such　a　freedom；　was　egotistical。　I　came　here　to　clear　myself；　II　was　afraid　you　must　think　me　a　humbug；　you　know。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；　indeed。〃

〃Well；　I　feared　you　and　Mrs。　Dodd　might　think　I　praised　Dodd　so；　and　did　what　little　I　did　for　him；　knowing　who　you　were；　and　wishing　to　curry　favour　with　you　by　all　that；　and　that　is　so　underhand　and　paltry　a　way　of　going　to　work；　I　should　despise　myself。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Hardie；〃　said　the　young　lady；　smiling；　〃How　foolish：　why；　of　course；　we　knew　you　had　no　idea。〃

〃Indeed　I　had　not；　but　how　could　you　know　it？〃

〃Why；　we　saw　it。　Do　you　think　we　have　no　eyes？　Ah；　and　much　keener　ones　than　gentlemen　have。　It　is　mamma　and　I　who　are　to　blame；　if　anybody；　we　ought　to　have　declared　ourselves：　it　would　have　been　more　generous；　moremanly。　But　we　cannot　all　be　gentlemen；　you　know。　It　was　so　sweet　to　hear　Edward　praised　by　one　who　did　not　know　us；　it　was　like　stolen　fruit；　and　by　one　whom　others　praise：　so；　if　you　can　forgive　us　our　slyness；　there　is　an　end　of　the　matter。〃

〃Forgive　you？　you　have　taken　a　thorn　out　of　my　soul。〃

〃Then　I　am　so