for the term of his natural life-第107章

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The　town　house　of　Mr。　Richard　Devine　was　in　Clarges　Street。　　Not　that　the　very　modest　mansion　there　situated　was　the　only　establishment　of　which　Richard　Devine　was　master。　　Mr。　John　Rex　had　expensive　tastes。　He　neither　shot　nor　hunted；　so　he　had　no　capital　invested　in　Scotch　moors　or　Leicestershire　hunting…boxes。　　But　his　stables　were　the　wonder　of　London；　he　owned　almost　a　racing　village　near　Doncaster；　kept　a　yacht　at　Cowes；　and；　in　addition　to　a　house　in　Paris；　paid　the　rent　of　a　villa　at　Brompton。　He　belonged　to　several　clubs　of　the　faster　sort；　and　might　have　lived　like　a　prince　at　any　one　of　them　had　he　been　so　minded；　but　a　constant　and　haunting　fear　of　discoverywhich　three　years　of　unquestioned　ease　and　unbridled　riot　had　not　dispelledled　him　to　prefer　the　privacy　of　his　own　house；　where　he　could　choose　his　own　society。　　The　house　in　Clarges　Street　was　decorated　in　conformity　with　the　tastes　of　its　owner。　The　pictures　were　pictures　of　horses；　the　books　were　records　of　races；　or　novels　purporting　to　describe　sporting　life。　　Mr。　Francis　Wade；　waiting；　on　the　morning　of　the　20th　April；　for　the　coming　of　his　nephew；　sighed　as　he　thought　of　the　cultured　quiet　of　North　End　House。

Mr。　Richard　appeared　in　his　dressing…gown。　　Three　years　of　good　living　and　hard　drinking　had　deprived　his　figure　of　its　　athletic　beauty。　He　was　past　forty　years　of　age；　and　the　sudden　cessation　from　severe　bodily　toil　to　which　in　his　active　life　as　a　convict　and　squatter　he　had　been　accustomed；　had　increased　Rex's　natural　proneness　to　fat；　and　instead　of　being　portly　he　had　become　gross。　　His　cheeks　were　inflamed　with　the　frequent　application　of　hot　and　rebellious　liquors　to　his　blood。　His　hands　were　swollen；　and　not　so　steady　as　of　yore。　　His　whiskers　were　streaked　with　unhealthy　grey。　　His　eyes；　bright　and　black　as　ever；　lurked　in　a　thicket　of　crow's　feet。　　He　had　become　prematurely　bald　a　sure　sign　of　mental　or　bodily　excess。　　He　spoke　with　assumed　heartiness；　in　a　boisterous　tone　of　affected　ease。

〃Ha；　ha！　　My　dear　uncle；　sit　down。　　Delighted　to　see　you。　　Have　you　breakfasted？of　course　you　have。　　I　was　up　rather　late　last　night。　Quite　sure　you　won't　have　anything。　　A　glass　of　wine？　　Nothen　sit　down　and　tell　me　all　the　news　of　Hampstead。〃

〃Thank　you；　Richard；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　a　little　stiffly；　〃but　I　want　some　serious　talk　with　you。　　What　do　you　intend　to　do　with　the　property？　This　indecision　worries　me。　　Either　relieve　me　of　my　trust；　or　be　guided　by　my　advice。〃

〃Well；　the　fact　is；〃　said　Richard；　with　a　very　ugly　look　on　his　face；　〃the　fact　isand　you　may　as　well　know　it　at　onceI　am　much　pushed　for　money。〃

〃Pushed　for　money！〃　cried　Mr。　Wade；　in　horror。　　〃Why；　Purkiss　said　the　property　was　worth　twenty　thousand　a　year。〃

〃So　it　might　have　beenfive　years　agobut　my　horse…racing；　and　betting；　and　other　amusements；　concerning　which　you　need　not　too　curiously　inquire；　have　reduced　its　value　considerably。〃

He　spoke　recklessly　and　roughly。　　It　was　evident　that　success　had　but　developed　his　ruffianism。　　His　〃dandyism〃　was　only　comparative。　　The　impulse　of　poverty　and　scheming　which　led　him　to　affect　the　〃gentleman〃　having　been　removed；　the　natural　brutality　of　his　nature　showed　itself　quite　freely。　Mr。　Francis　Wade　took　a　pinch　of　snuff　with　a　sharp　motion　of　distaste。　〃I　do　not　want　to　hear　of　your　debaucheries；〃　he　said；　〃our　name　has　been　sufficiently　disgraced　in　my　hearing。〃

〃What　is　got　over　the　devil's　back　goes　under　his　belly；〃　replied　Mr。　Richard；　coarsely。　　〃My　old　father　got　his　money　by　dirtier　ways　than　these　in　which　I　spend　it。　　As　villainous　an　old　scoundrel　and　skinflint　as　ever　poisoned　a　seaman；　I'll　go　bail。〃

　Mr。　Francis　rose。　　〃You　need　not　revile　your　father；　Richard　　he　left　you　all。〃

〃Ay；　but　by　pure　accident。　　He　didn't　mean　it。　　If　he　hadn't　died　in　the　nick　of　time；　that　unhung　murderous　villain；　Maurice　Frere；　would　have　come　in　for　it。　　By　the　way；〃　he　added；　with　a　change　of　tone；　〃do　you　ever　hear　anything　of　Maurice？〃

〃I　have　not　heard　for　some　years；〃　said　Mr。　Wade。　　〃He　is　something　in　the　Convict　Department　at　Sydney；　I　think。〃　〃Is　he？〃　said　Mr。　Richard；　with　a　shiver。　　〃Hope　he'll　stop　there。　　Well；　but　about　business。　The　fact　is；　thatthat　I　am　thinking　of　selling　everything。〃

〃Selling　everything！〃

〃Yes。　　'Pon　my　soul　I　am。　　The　Hampstead　place　and　all。〃

〃Sell　North　End　House！〃　cried　poor　Mr。　Wade；　in　bewilderment。　〃You'd　sell　it？　　Why；　the　carvings　by　Grinling　Gibbons　are　the　finest　in　England。〃

〃I　can't　help　that；〃　laughed　Mr。　Richard；　ringing　the　bell。　　〃I　want　cash；　and　cash　I　must　have。Breakfast；　Smithers。I'm　going　to　travel。〃

Francis　Wade　was　breathless　with　astonishment。　　Educated　and　reared　as　he　had　been；　he　would　as　soon　have　thought　of　proposing　to　sell　St。　Paul's　Cathedral　as　to　sell　the　casket　which　held　his　treasures　of　art　his　coins；　his　coffee…cups；　his　pictures；　and　his　〃proofs　before　letters〃。

〃Surely；　Richard；　you　are　not　in　earnest？〃　he　gasped。

〃I　am；　indeed。〃

〃Butbut　who　will　buy　it？〃

〃Plenty　of　people。　　I　shall　cut　it　up　into　building　allotments。　Besides；　they　are　talking　of　a　suburban　line；　with　a　terminus　at　St。　John's　Wood；　which　will　cut　the　garden　in　half。　　You　are　quite　sure　you've　breakfasted？　　Then　pardon　me。〃

〃Richard；　you　are　jesting　with　me！　You　will　never　let　them　do　such　a　thing！〃

〃I'm　thinking　of　a　trip　to　America；〃　said　Mr。　Richard；　cracking　an　egg。　〃I　am　sick　of　Europe。　　After　all；　what　is　the　good　of　a　man　like　me　pretending　to　belong　to　'an　old　family'；　with　'a　seat'　and　all　that　humbug？　Money　is　the　thing　now；　my　dear　uncle。　　Hard　cash！　That's　the　ticket　for　soup；　you　may　depend。〃

〃Then　what　do　you　propose　doing；　sir？〃

〃To　buy　my　mother's　life　interest　as　provided；　realize　upon　the　property；　and　travel；〃　said　Mr。　Richard；　helping　himself　to　potted　grouse。

〃You　amaze　me；　Richard。　　You　confound　me。　　Of　course　you　can　do　as　you　please。　But　so　sudden　a　determination。　　The　old　housevasescoinspictures　scatteredI　reallyWell；　it　is　your　property；　of　courseandandI　wish　you　a　very　good　morning！〃

〃I　mean　to　do　as　I　please；〃　soliloquized　Rex；　as　he　resumed　his　breakfast。　〃Let　him　sell　his　rubbish　by　auction；　and　go　and　live　abroad；　in　Germany　or　Jerusalem　if　he　likes；　the　farther　the　better　for　me。　　I'll　sell　the　property　and　make　myself　scarce。　　A　trip　to　America　will　benefit　my　health。〃

A　knock　at　the　door　made　him　start。

〃Come　in！　Curse　it；　how　nervous　I'm　getting。　　What's　that？　　Letters？　　Give　them　to　me；　and　why　the　devil　don't　you　put　the　brandy　on　the　table；　Smithers？〃

He　drank　some　of　the　spirit　greedily；　and　then　began　to　open　his　correspondence。

〃Cussed　brute；〃　said　Mr。　Smithers；　outside　the　door。　　〃He　couldn't　use　wuss　langwidge　if　he　was　a　dook；　dam　'im！Yessir；〃　he　added；　suddenly；　as　a　roar　from　his　master　recalled　him。

〃When　did　this　come？〃　asked　Mr。　Richard；　holding　out　a　letter　more　than　usually　disfigured　with　stampings。

〃Lars　night；　sir。　　It's　bin　to　'Amstead；　sir；　and　come　down　directed　with　the　h'others。〃　The　angry　glare　of　the　black　eyes　induced　him　to　add；　〃I　'ope　there's　nothink　wrong；　sir。〃

〃Nothing；　you　infernal　ass　and　idiot；〃　burst　out　Mr。　Richard；　white　with　rage；　〃except　that　I　should　have　had　this　instantly。　　Can't　you　see　it's　marked　urgent？　　Can　you　read？　　Can　you　spell？　　There；　that　will　do。　　No　lies。　Get　out！〃

Left　to　himself　again；　Mr。　Richard　walked　hurriedly　up　and　down　the　chamber；　wiped　his　forehead；　drank　a　tumbler　of　brandy；　and　finally　sat　down　and　re…read　the　letter。　　It　was　short；　but　terribly　to　the　purpose。



〃THE　GEORGE　HOTEL；　PLYMOUTH；〃　17th　April；　1846。

〃MY　DEAR　JACK；

〃I　have　found　you　out；　you　see。　　Never　mind　how　just　at　present。　　I　know　all　about　your　proceedings；　and　unless　Mr。　Richard　Devine　receives　　his　〃wife〃　with　due　propriety；　he'll　find　himself　in　the　custody　of　the　police。　　Telegraph；　dear；　to　Mrs。　Richard　Devine；　at　above　address。

〃Yours　as　ever；　Jack；　〃SARAH。

〃To　Richard　Devine；　Esq。；　〃North　End　House；　〃Hampstead。〃　



The　blow　was　unexpected　and　severe。　　It　was　hard；　in　the　very　high　tide　and　flush　of　assured　success；　to　be　thus　plucked　back　into　the　old　bondage。　Despite　the　affectionate　tone　of　the