hard cash-第91章

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　wedding　flowers　are　generally　well　watered　in　the　private　apartments。

Patient　Mrs。　Dodd　soon　recovered　herself：　〃This　is　childish　of　me。　When　I　think　that　there　are　mothers　who　see　their　children　go　from　the　house　corpses；　not　brides；　I　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　myself。　Come！　a　l'oeuvre。　Ah；　here　is　something。〃　And　she　produced　a　white　China　crape　shawl。　〃Oh；　how　sweet；〃　said　Julia；　〃why　have　you　never　worn　it？〃

〃Dear　me；　child；　what　use　would　things　be　to　those　I　love；　if　I　went　and　_wore_　them？〃

The　next　article　she　laid　her　hand　on　was　a　roll　of　white　poplin；　and　drew　an　exclamation　from　Mrs。　Dodd　herself：　〃If　I　had　not　forgotten　this；　and　it　is　the　very　thing。　Your　dear　papa　bought　me　this　in　London；　and　I　remonstrated　with　him　well　for　buying　me　such　a　delicate　thing；　only　once　wear。　I　kissed　it　and　put　it　away；　and　forgot　it。　They　_say_　if　you　keep　a　thing　seven　years。　It　_is_　just　seven　years　since　he　gave　it　to　me。　Really；　the　dear　boy　is　a　witch：　this　is　your　wedding　dress；　my　precious　precious。〃　She　unrolled　a　few　yards　on　the　bed　to　show　it；　and　asked　the　gloating　Sarah　with　a　great　appearance　of　consideration　whether　they　were　not　detaining　her　from　her　occupations？

〃Oh　no；　mum。　This　glass　have　got　so　dull；　I'm　just　polishing　of　it　a　bit。　I　shan't　be　a　minute　now；　mum。〃

From　silver　tissue　paper；　Mrs。　Dodd　evolved　a　dress　（unmade）　of　white　crape　embroidered　in　true　lover's…knots　of　violet　silk；　and　ears　of　wheat　in　gold。　Then　there　was　a　scream　at　the　glass；　and　Sarah　seen　in　it　with　ten　claws　in　the　air　very　wide　apart：　she　had　slily　turned　the　mirror　and　was　devouring　the　reflexion　of　the　finery；　and　this　last　Indian　fabric　overpowered　her。　Her　exclamation　was　instantly　followed　by　much　polishing；　but　Mrs。　Dodd　replied　to　it　after　the　manner　of　her　sex：　〃Well　it　_is_　lovely；〃　said　she　to　Julia：　〃but　where　is　the　one　with　beetle　wings？　Oh　here。〃

〃Real　beetles'　wings；　mamma？〃　inquired　Julia。

〃Yes；　love。〃

〃So　they　are；　and　how　wicked！　and　what　a　lovely　green！　I　will　never　wear　them：　they　are　prismatic：　now；　if　ever　I　am　to　be　a　Christian；　I　had　better　begin：　everything　_has_　a　beginning。　Oh　vanity　of　women；　you　stick　at　nothing。　A　thousand　innocent　lives　stolen　to　make　one　dress！〃　And　she　put　one　hand　before　her　eyes；　and　with　the　other　ordered　the　dress　back　into　the　wardrobe　with　genuine　agitation。

〃My　dear；　what　expressions！　And　you　need　not　wear　it；　indeed　neither　of　them　is　fit　for　that　purpose。　But　you　_must_　have　a　pretty　thing　or　two　about　you。　I　have　hoarded　these　a　good　many　years；　now　it　is　your　turn　to　have　them　by　you。　And　let　me　see；　you　want　a　travelling　cloak：　but　the　dear　boy　will　not　let　us；　so　choose　a　warm　shawl。〃

A　rich　but　modest　one　was　soon　found；　and　Julia　tried　it　on；　arching　her　supple　neck；　and　looking　down　over　her　shoulder　to　see　the　effect　behind；　in　which　attitude　oh　for　an　immortal　brush　to　paint　her；　or　anything　half　as　bright；　supple；　graceful；　and　every　inch　a　woman。　At　this　moment　Mrs。　Dodd　threw　a　lovely　blue　Indian　shawl　on　the　bed；　galvanising　Sarah　so　that　up　went　her　hands　again；　and　the　door　opened　softly　and　a　handsome　head　in　a　paper　cap　peeped　on　the　scene；　inquiring　with　mock　timidity　〃May　'The　British　Workman'　come　in？〃

He　was　invited　warmly；　Julia　whipped　his　cap　off；　and　tore　it　in　two；　reddening；　and　Mrs。　Dodd；　intending　to　compliment　his　foresight；　showed　him　the　bed　laden　with　the　treasures　they　had　disinterred　from　vanity's　mahogany　tomb。

〃Well；　mother；〃　said　he；　〃you　were　right；　and　I　was　wrong：　they　are　inappropriate　enough；　the　whole　lot。〃

The　ladies　looked　at　one　another；　and　Sarah　permitted　herself　a　species　of　snort。

〃Do　we　want　Sarah？〃　he　asked　quietly。　She　retired　bridling。

〃Inappropriate？〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Dodd。　〃There　is　nothing　here　unfit　for　a　bride's　trousseau。〃

〃Good　Heavens！　Would　you　trick　her　out　like　a　Princess？〃

〃We　must。　We　are　too　poor　to　dress　her　like　a　lady。〃

〃Cinderella；　at　your　service；〃　observed　Julia　complacently；　and　pirouetted　before　him　in　her　new　shawl。

Ideas　rejected　peremptorily　at　the　time　often　rankle；　and　bear　fruit　by…and…bye。　Mrs。　Dodd　took　up　the　blue　shawl；　and　said　she　would　make　Julia　a　peignoir　of　it；　and　the　border；　being　narrowish；　would　do　for　the　bottom。　〃That　was　a　good　notion；　of　yours；　darling；〃　said　she；　bestowing　a　sweet　smile　on　Edward。　He　grunted。　Then　she　took　out　a　bundle　of　lace：　〃Oh；　for　pity's　sake；　no　more；〃　cried　the　〃British　Workman。〃

〃Now；　dearest；　you　have　interfered　once　in　feminine　affairs；　and　we　submitted。　But；　if　you　say　another　word；　I　will　trim　her　poplin　with　Honiton　two　feet　deep。〃

〃Quarter！　quarter！〃　cried　Edward。　〃I'm　dumb；　grant　me　but　this；　have　nothing　made　up　for　her　out　of　the　house：　you　know　there　is　no　dressmaker　in　Barkington　can　cut　like　you：　and　then　that　will　put　some　limit　to　our　inconsistency。〃　Mrs。　Dodd　agreed；　but　she　must　have　a　woman　in　to　sew。

Edward　grunted　at　this；　and　said：　〃I　wish　I　could　turn　you　these　gowns　with　my　lathe；　what　a　deal　of　time　and　bother　it　would　save。　However；　if　you　want　any　stuffing；　come　to　me；　I'll　lend　you　lots　of　shavings；　make　the　silk　rustle。　Oh；　here　is　my　governor's　contribution。〃　And　he　produced　L。　7；　10s。

〃Now；　look　there；〃　said　Julia　sorrowfully；　〃it　is　money。　And　I　thought　you　were　going　to　bring　me　the　very　bonnet　yourself。　Then　I　should　have　valued　it。〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　replied　the　young　gentleman　ironically；　〃can　I　choose　a　bonnet　to　satisfy　such　swells　as　you　and　mamma？　I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　do；　I'll　go　with　you　and　look　as　wise　as　Solomon；　all　the　time　you　are　choosing　it〃

〃A　capital　plan；〃　said　Julia。

Edward　then　shook　his　fist　at　the　finery：　and　retired　to　work　again　for　his　governor：　〃Flowers；〃　he　observed；　〃are　indispensable；　at　a　wedding　breakfast；　I　hear　too　it　is　considered　the　right　cheese　to　add　something　in　the　shape　of　grub。〃　Exit　whistling　in　the　tenor　clef；　and　keeping　their　hearts　up；　like　a　man。

So　now　there　were　two　workshops　in　Albion　Villa。　Ned's　study；　as　he　called　it；　and　the　drawing…room。　In　the　former　shavings　flew；　and　settled　at　their　ease；　and　the　whirr　of　the　lathe　slept　not；　the　latter　was　all　patterns；　tapes；　hooks　and　eyes；　whalebone；　cuttings　of　muslin；　poplin　and　paper；　clouds　of　lining…muslin；　snakes　of　piping；　skeins；　shreds；　and　the　floor　literally　sown　with　pins；　escaped　from　the　fingers　of　the　fair；　those　taper　fingers　so　typical　of　the　minds　of　their　owners：　or　they　have　softness；　suppleness；　nimbleness；　adroitness；　and　〃a　plentiful　lack〃　of　tenacity。

The　days　passed　in　hard　work；　and　the　evenings　in　wooing；　never　sweeter　than　when　it　has　been　so　earned：　and　at　last　came　the　wedding　eve。　Dr。　Sampson；　who　was　to　give　the　bride　away；　arrived　just　before　dinner…time：　the　party；　including　Alfred；　sat　down　to　a　charming　little　dinner；　they　ate　beetles'　wings；　and　drank　Indian　muslin　fifteen　years　in　the　wood。　For　the　lathe　and　the　chisel　proved　insufficient；　and　Julia　having　really　denied　herself；　as　an　aspirant　to　Christianity；　that　assassin's　robe；　Mrs。　Dodd　sold　it　under　the　rose　to　a　fat　old　dowagerfor　whom　nothing　was　too　fineand　so　kept　up　appearances。

Julia　and　Alfred　were　profoundly　happy　at　bottom；　yet　their　union　was　attended　with　too　many　drawbacks　for　boisterous　gaiety；　and　Alfred；　up　to　this　time；　had　shown　a　seriousness　and　sobriety　of　bliss；　that　won　Mrs。　Dodd's　gratitude：　it　was　the　demeanour　of　a　delicate　mind；　it　became　his　own　position；　at　odds　with　his　own　flesh　and　blood　for　Julia's　sake；　it　became　him　as　the　son…in…law　of　a　poor　woman　so　lately　bereaved　of　her　husband；　and　reduced　to　poverty　by　one　bearing　the　name　of　Hardie。

But　now　Dr。　Sampson　introduced　a　gayer　element。　He　had　seen　a　great　deal　of　Life；　_i。e。；_　of　death　and　trouble。　This　had　not　hardened　him；　but；　encountering　a　sturdy；　valiant；　self…protecting　nature；　had　made　him　terribly　tough　and　elastic；　it　was　now　his　way　never　to　go　forward　or　backward　a　single　step　after　sorrow。　He　seldom　mentioned　a　dead　friend　or　relation；　and；　if　others　forced　the　dreary　topic　on　him；　they　could　never　hold　him　to　it；　he　was　away　directly　to　something　pleasant　or　useful；　like　a　grasshopper　skipping　off　a　grave　into　the　green　grass。　He　had　felt　keenly　about　Davi