hard cash-第98章

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rtinent　curiosity。〃

〃The　hypothesis　is　at　variance　with　my　established　character；〃　replied　the　oleaginous　one。　〃Do　me　the　justice　to　believe　in　the　necessity　of　this　investigation；　and　that　it　is　one　of　a　most　friendly　character。〃

〃Then　I　decline　the　double　nuisance：　your　curiosity　and　your　friendship！　Take　them　both　out　of　my　room；　sir；　or　I　shall　turn　them　both　out　by　one　pair　of　shoulders。〃

〃You　shall　smart　for　this；〃　said　the　doctor；　driven　to　plain　English　by　anger；　that　great　solvent　of　circumlocution　with　which　Nature　has　mercifully　supplied　us。　He　made　to　the　door；　opened　it；　and　said　in　considerable　excitement　to　some　one　outside；　〃Excited！Very！〃

Now　Dr。　Pleonast　had　no　sooner　been　converted　to　the　vernacular；　and　disappeared；　than　another　stranger　entered　the　room。　He　had　evidently　been　lurking　in　the　passage：　it　was　a　man　of　smallish　stature；　singularly　gaunt；　angular；　and　haggard；　but　dressed　in　a　spruce　suit　of　black；　tight；　new；　and　glossy。　In　short；　he　looked　like　Romeo's　apothecary　gone　to　Stultz　with　the　money。　He　fluttered　in　with　pale　cheek　and　apprehensive　body；　saying　hurriedly；　〃Now；　my　_dear_　sir；　_be_　calm：　_pray_　be　calm。　I　have　come　down　all　the　way　from　London　to　see　you；　and　I　am　_sure_　you　won't　make　me　lose　my　journey；　will　you　now？〃

〃And　pray　who　asked　you　to　come　all　the　way　from　London；　sir？〃

〃A　person　to　whom　your　health　is　very　dear。〃

〃Oh　indeed；　so　I　have　secret　friends；　have　I？　Well；　you　may　tell　my　secret；　underhand；　_friends；_　I　never　was　better　in　my　life。〃

〃I　am　truly　glad　to　hear　it；〃　said　the　little　man：　〃let　me　introduce　myself；　as　Dr。　Wycherley　forgot　to　do　it。〃　And　he　handed　Alfred　a　card；　on　which　his　name　and　profession　were　written。

〃Well；　Mr。　Speers；〃　said　Alfred；　〃I　have　only　a　moment　to　give　you；　for　I　must　dress　for　dinner。　What　do　you　want？〃

〃I　come；　sir；　in　hopes　of　convincing　your　friends　you　are　not　so　very　ill；　not　incurable。　Why　your　eye　is　steady；　your　complexion　good：　a　little　high　with　the　excitement　of　this　conversation；　but；　if　we　can　only　get　over　this　little　delusion；　all　will　be　well。〃

〃What　little　delusion？〃

〃About　the　L。　14；000；　you　know。〃

〃What　L。　14；000？　I　have　not　mentioned　L。　14；000　to　you；　have　I？〃

〃No；　sir：　you　seem　to　shun　it　like　poison；　that　is　the　worst　of　it。　You　talk　about　it　to　others　fast　enough：　but　to　Dr。　Wycherley　and　myself；　who　could　cure　you　of　it；　you　would　hide　all　about　it；　if　you　could。〃

At　this　Alfred　rose　and　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　looked　down　grimly　on　his　inquisitor。　〃Mr。　Speers；〃　said　he；　〃you　had　better　go。　There　is　no　credit　to　be　gained　by　throwing　so　small　an　apothecary　as　you　out　of　that　window；　and　_you_　won't　find　it　pleasant　either；　for；　if　you　provoke　me　to　it；　I　shall　not　stand　upon　ceremony：　I　shan't　open　the　window　first；　as　I　should　for　Dr。　What's　his　confounded　name。〃

At　these　suggestive　words；　spoken　with　suppressed　ire　and　flashing　eyes；　Speers　scuttled　to　the　door　crabwise；　holding　the　young　lion　in　check　conventionallyto　wit；　with　an　eye　as　valiant　as　a　sheep's；　and　a　joyful　apothecary　was　he　when　he　found　himself　safe　outside　the　house　and　beside　Dr。　Wycherley；　who　was　waiting　for　him。

Alfred　soon　cooled；　and　began　to　laugh　at　his　own　anger　and　the　unbounded　impudence　of　his　visitors：　but；　on　the　other　hand；　it　struck　him　as　a　grave　circumstance　that　so　able　a　man　as　his　father　should　stir　muddy　water；　should　go　and　talk　to　these　strangers　about　the　money　he　had　misappropriated。　He　puzzled　himself　all　the　time　he　was　dressing：　and；　not　to　trouble　the　reader　with　all　the　conjectures　that　passed　through　his　mind；　he　concluded　at　last；　that　Mr。　Hardie　must　feel　very　strong；　very　sure　there　was　no　evidence　against　him　but　his　son's；　or　he　would　not　take　the　eighth　commandment　by　the　horns　like　this。

〃Injustice　carries　it　with　a　high　hand；〃　thought　Alfred；　with　a　sigh。　He　was　not　the　youth　to　imitate　his　father's　shamelessness：　so　he　locked　this　last　incident　in　his　own　breast；　did　not　even　mention　it　to　Julia。

But　now；　on　reading　Peggy's　note；　his　warlike　instincts　awoke；　and；　though　he　despised　his　correspondent　and　her　motives；　he　could　not　let　such　a　chance　pass　of　defeating　brazen　injustice。　It　was　unfortunate　and　awkward　to　have　to　go　to　Silverton　on　his　wedding　morning；　but；　after　all；　there　was　plenty　of　time。　He　packed　up　his　things　at　once　for　the　wedding　tour；　and　in　the　morning　took　them　with　him　in　the　fly　to　Silverton：　his　plan　was　to　come　back　direct　to　Albion　Villa：　so　he　went　to　Silverton　Grove　full　dressed；　all　ready　for　the　wedding。

As　it　happened　he　overtook　his　friend　Peterson　just　outside　the　town；　called　to　him　gaily；　and　invited　him　to　church　and　breakfast。

To　his　surprise　the　young　gentleman　replied　sullenly　that　he　should　certainly　not　come。

〃Not　come；　old　fellow？〃　said　Alfred；　hurt。

〃You　have　a　good　cheek　to　ask　me；〃　retorted　the　other。

This　led　to　an　explanation。　Peterson's　complaint　was　that　he　had　told　Alfred　he　was　in　love　with　Julia；　and　Alfred　had　gone　directly　and　fallen　in　love　with　her　just　to　cut　him　out。

〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　said　Alfred。　〃So　this　is　the　reason　you　have　kept　away　from　me　of　late：　why；　I　was　engaged　to　her　at　the　very　time；　only　my　father　was　keeping　us　apart。〃

〃Then　why　didn't　you　say　so？〃

〃Because　my　love　is　not　of　the　prattling　sort。〃

〃Oh；　nonsense；　I　don't　believe　a　word　of　it。〃

〃You　don't　believe　my　word！　Did　you　ever　know　me　tell　a　lie？　At　that　rate　think　what　you　please；　sir：　drive　on；　Strabo。〃

And　so　ended　that　little　friendship。

On　the　road　our　ardent　youth　arranged　in　his　head　a　noble　scheme。　He　would　bring　Peggy　Black　home　with　him；　compensating　her　liberally　for　the　place　she　would　thereby　lose：　would　confront　her　privately　with　his　father；　and　convince　him　it　was　his　interest　to　restore　the　Dodds　their　money　with　a　good　grace；　take　the　L。　5000　he　had　already　offered；　and　countenance　the　wedding　by　letting　Jane　be　present　at　it。　It　was　hard　to　do　all　this　in　the　time；　but　well　worth　trying　for；　and　not　impossible。　A　two…horse　fly　is　not　a　slow　conveyance；　and　he　offered　the　man　a　guinea　to　drive　fast；　so　that　it　was　not　nine　o'clock　when　they　reached　Silverton　Grove　House；　a　place　Alfred　had　never　heard　of。　This；　however；　I　may　observe；　was　no　wonder：　for　it　had　not　borne　that　name　a　twelve…month。

It　was　a　large　square　mansion　of　red　brick；　with　stone　facings　and　corners；　and　with　balustrades　that　hid　the　garret　windows。　It　stood　in　its　own　grounds；　and　the　entrance　was　through　handsome　iron　gates；　one　of　which　was　wide　open　to　admit　people　on　foot　or　horseback。　The　flyman　got　down　and　tried　to　open　the　other；　but　could　not　manage　it。　〃There；　don't　waste　time；〃　said　Alfred　impatiently；　〃let　me　out。〃

He　found　a　notice　under　the　bell；　〃Ring　and　enter。〃　He　rang　accordingly；　and　at　the　clang　the　hall…door　opened；　as　if　he　had　pulled　a　porter　along　with　the　bell；　and　a　grey…haired　servant　out　of　livery　stood　on　the　steps　to　receive　him。　Alfred　hurried　across　the　plat；　which　was　trimmed　as　neatly　as　a　college　green；　and　asked　the　servant　if　he　could　see　Margaret　Black。

〃Margaret　Black？〃　said　the　man　doubtfully：　〃I'll　inquire；　sir。　Please　to　follow　me。〃

They　entered　a　handsome　hall；　with　antlers　and　armour：　from　this　a　double　staircase　led　up　to　a　landing　with　folding　doors　in　the　centre　of　it；　one　of　these　doors　was　wide　open　like　the　iron　gate　outside。　The　servant　showed　Alfred　up　the　left…hand　staircase；　through　the　open　door；　into　a　spacious　drawing…room；　handsomely　though　not　gaily　furnished　and　decorated；　but　a　little　darkened　by　Venetian　blinds。

The　old　servant　walked　gravely　on　and　on；　till　Alfred　began　to　think　he　would　butt　the　wall；　but　he　put　his　hand　out　and　opened　a　door　that　might　very　well　escape　a　stranger's　notice；　for　it　was　covered　with　looking…glass；　and　matched　another　narrow　mirror　in　shape　and　size。　This　door　led　into　a　very　long　room；　as　plain　and　even　sordid　as　the　drawing…room　was　inviting：　the　unpapered　walls　were　a　cold　drab；　and　wanted　washing；　there　was　a　thick　cobweb　up　in　one　corner；　and　from　the　ceiling　hung　the　tail　of　another；　which　the　housemaid's　broom　had　scotched　not　killed：　that　side　of　the　room　they　en