hard cash-第119章

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〃Oh　no！　no！　no！〃　cried　the　agonised　father；　casting　everything　to　the　winds。　〃I　will。　He　shall　be　here　in　twelve　hours。　Only　promise　me　to　bear　up。　Have　a　strong　will；　have　courage。　You　shall　have　Alfred；　you　shall　have　anything　you　like　on　earth；　anything　that　money　can　get　you。　What　am　I　saying？　I　have　no　money；　it　is　all　gone。　But　I　have　a　father's　heart。　Madam；　Mrs。　Dodd！〃　She　came　directly。

〃Can　you　give　me　paper？　No；　I　won't　trust　to　a　letter。　I'll　send　off　a　special　messenger　this　moment。　It　is　for　my　son；　madam。　He　will　be　here　to…morrow　morning。　God　knows　how　it　will　all　end。　But　how　can　I　refuse　my　dying　child？　Oh；　madam；　you　are　good；　kind；　forgiving；　keep　my　poor　girl　alive　for　me：　keep　telling　her　Alfred　is　coming；　she　cares　more　for　him　than　for　her　poor　heart…broken　father。〃

And　the　miserable　man　rushed　out；　leaving　Mrs。　Dodd　in　tears　for　him。

He　was　no　sooner　gone　than　Julia　came　in；　and　clasped　her　mother；　and　trembled　on　her　bosom。　Then　Mrs。　Dodd　knew　she　had　overheard　Mr。　Hardie's　last　words。

Jane　Hardie；　too；　though　much　exhausted　by　the　scene　with　her　father；　put　out　her　hand　to　Julia；　and　took　hers；　and　said　feebly；　but　with　a　sweet　smile；　〃He　is　coming；　love；　all　shall　be　well。〃　Then　to　herself　as　it　were；　and　looking　up　with　a　gentle　rapture　in　her　pale　face

〃Blessed　are　the　peacemakers；　for　they　shall　be　called　the　children　of　God。〃

On　this　thought　she　seemed　to　feed　with　innocent　joy；　but　for　a　long　time　was　too　weak　to　speak　again。

Mr。　Hardie；　rushing　from　the　house；　found　Edward　at　work　outside；　he　was　crying　undisguisedly；　and　with　his　coat　off；　working　harder　at　spreading　the　straw　than　both　the　two　men　together　he　had　got　to　help　him。　Mr。　Hardie　took　his　hand　and　wrung　it；　but　could　not　speak。

In　half　an　hour　a　trusty　agent　he　had　often　employed　was　at　the　station　waiting　for　the　up　train；　nearly　due。

He　came　back　to　Albion　Villa。　Julia　met　him　on　the　stairs　with　her　fingers　to　her　lips。　〃She　is　sleeping；　the　doctor　has　hopes。　Oh；　sir；　let　us　all　pray　for　her　day　and　night。〃

Mr。　Hardie　blessed　her；　it　seemed　the　face　of　an　angel；　so　earnest；　so　lovely；　so　pious。　He　went　home：　and　at　the　door　of　his　own　house　Peggy　met　him　with　anxious　looks。　He　told　her　what　he　had　done。

〃Good　Heavens！〃　said　she；　〃have　you　forgotten？　He　says　he　will　kill　you　the　first　day　he　gets　out。　You　told　me　so　yourself。〃

〃Yes；　Baker　said　so。　I　can't　help　it。　I　don't　care　what　becomes　of　me；　I　care　only　for　my　child。　Leave　me；　Peggy；　there；　go；　go。〃

He　was　no　sooner　alone　than　he　fell　upon　his　knees；　and　offered　the　Great　Author　of　life　and　deatha　bargain。　〃O　God；〃　he　cried；　〃I　own　my　sins；　and　I　repent　them。　Spare　but　my　child；　who　never　sinned　against　Thee；　and　I　will　undo　all　I　have　done　amiss　in　Thy　sight。　I　will　refund　that　money　on　which　Thy　curse　lies。　I　will　throw　myself　on　their　mercy。　I　will　set　my　son　free。　I　will　live　on　a　pittance。　I　will　part　with　Peggy。　I　will　serve　Mammon　no　more。　I　will　attend　Thine　ordinances。　I　will　live　soberly；　honestly；　and　godly　all　the　remainder　of　my　days；　only　do　Thou　spare　my　child。　She　is　Thy　servant；　and　does　Thy　work　on　earth；　and　there　is　nothing　on　earth　I　love　but　her。〃


And　now　the　whistle　sounded；　the　train　moved；　and　his　messenger　was　flying　fast　to　London；　with　a　note　to　Dr。　Wycherley：

〃DEAR　SIR；My　poor　daughter　lies　dangerously　wounded；　and　perhaps　at　the　point　of　death。　She　cries　for　her　brother。　He　must　come　down　to　us　instantly　with　the　bearer　of　this。　Send　one　of　your　people　with　him　if　you　like。　But　it　is　not　necessary。　I　enclose　a　blank　cheque；　signed；　which　please　fill　at　your　discretion。I　am；　with　thanks；　yours　in　deep　distress；

〃RICHARD　HARDIE〃



CHAPTER　XXXIX

DR。　SHORT　arrived；　approved　Dr。　Phillips's　treatment；　and　said　the　case　was　severe　but　not　hopeless；　and　he　would　call　again。　A　bed　was　prepared　in　the　house　for　Mr。　Hardie：　but　neither　he　nor　any　of　the　Dodds　closed　an　eye　that　sorrowful　night。

About　midnight；　after　a　short　slumber；　the　sufferer　became　uneasy；　and　begged　to　be　left　with　Julia。　Julia　was　sent　for；　and　found　her　a　good　deal　excited。　She　inquired　more　than　once　if　they　were　quite　alone；　and　then　asked　for　paper　and　a　pencil。　She　wrote　a　few　lines；　and　made　Julia　put　them　in　a　cover　and　seal　them。　〃Now。　dear　friend；〃　she　said；　〃promise　me　not　to　open　this；　nor　even　to　let　your　mother；　it　is　not　for　your　happiness　that　what　I　have　written　should　be　seen　by　her　or　you；　no；　no；　much　better　not。　Come；　dear　friend；　pledge　me　your　honour。〃　Julia　pledged　her　honour。

Then　Jane　wrote　on　the　cover；　〃From　a　dying　sister。〃　Julia　saw　that；　and　wept　sore。

Jane　comforted　her。　〃Do　not　weep　for　me；　love：　I　am　content　to　go；　or　stay。　This　is　not　my　doing；　so　I　know　it　must　be　for　the　best。　He　is　leading　me　by　a　way　that　I　know　not。　Oh；　my　beloved　friend；　how　sweet　it　is　to　lie　in　His　hands；　and　know　no　will　but　His。　Ay；　I　thank　Him　for　crossing　my　will；　and　leading　me　to　Himself　by　His　own　good　way；　and　not　by　poor　blind；　foolish　mine。〃

In　this　spirit　of　full　resignation　she　abode　constant；　and　consoled　her　weeping　friends　from　time　to　time；　whenever　she　was　quite　herself。

About　daybreak；　being　alone　with　her　father；　she　shed　a　few　tears　at　his　lonely　condition。　〃I　fear　you　will　miss　me；〃　said　she。　〃Take　my　advice；　dear；　be　reconciled　with　Alfred　at　once；　and　let　Julia　be　your　daughter；　since　I　am　leaving　you。　She　is　all　humility　and　heart。　Dying；　I　prize　her　and　her　affection　more　highly；　I　seem　to　see　characters　clearer；　all　things　clearer；　than　I　did　before　my　summons　came。〃

The　miserable　father　tried　to　be　playful　and　scold　her：　〃You　must　not　talk　nor　think　of　death；〃　he　said。　〃Your　bridal…day　is　to　come　first；　I　know　all；　Edward　Dodd　has　told　me　he　loves　you。　He　is　a　fine　noble　fellow；　you　shall　marry　him：　I　wish　it。　Now；　for　his　sake；　summon　all　your　resolution；　and　make　up　your　mind　to　live。　Why；　at　your　age；　it　needs　but　to　say；　'I　will　live；　I　will；　I　will；'　and　when　all　the　prospect　is　so　smiling；　when　love　awaits　you　at　the　altar；　and　on　every　side！　If　you　could　leave　your　poor　doting　father；　do　not　leave　your　lover：　and　here　he　is　with　his　mother　crying　for　you。　Let　me　comfort　him；　let　me　tell　him　you　will　live　for　his　sake　and　mine。〃

Even　this　could　not　disturb　the　dying　Christian。　〃Dear　Edward；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　sweet　to　know　he　loves　me。　Ah；　well；　he　is　young；　he　must　live　without　me　till　I　become　but　a　tender　memory　of　his　youth。　And　oh；　I　pray　for　him　that　he　may　cherish　the　words　I　have　spoken　to　him　for　his　soul's　good　far　longer　than　he　can　remember　these　features　that　are　hastening　to　decay。〃

At　ten　in　the　morning　Mr。　Hardie's　messenger　returned　without　Alfred；　and　with　a　note　from　Dr。　Wycherley　to　this　effect；　that；　the　order　for　Alfred's　admission　into　his　asylum　being　signed　by　Mr。　Thomas　Hardie；　he　could　not　send　him　out　even　for　a　day　except　on　Thomas　Hardie's　authority；　it　would　be　a　violation　of　the　law。　Under　the　circumstances；　however；　he　thought　he　might　venture　to　receive　that　order　by　telegraph。　If；　then；　Mr。　Hardie　would　telegraph　Thomas　Hardie　in　Yorkshire　to　telegraph　him　（Wycherley）；　Alfred　should　be　sent　with　two　keepers　wherever　Mr。　T。　Hardie　should　so　direct；

Now　Mr。　Hardie　had　already　repented　of　sending　for　Alfred　at　all。　So；　instead　of　telegraphing　Yorkshire；　he　remained　passive；　and　said　sullenly　to　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃Alfred　can't　come；　it　seems。〃

Thus　Routine　kept　the　brother　from　his　dying　sister。

They　told　Jane；　with　aching　hearts；　there　was　reason　to　fear　Alfred　could　not　arrive　that　day。

She　only　gave　a　meaning　look　at　Julia；　about　the　paper；　and　then　she　said　with　a　little　sigh；　〃God's　will　be　done。〃

This　was　the　last　disappointment　Heaven　allowed　Earth　to　inflict　on　her；　and　the　shield　of　Faith　turned　its　edge。

One　hour　of　pain；　another　of　delirium；　and　now　the　clouds　that　darken　this　mortal　life　seemed　to　part　and　pass；　and　Heaven　to　open　full　upon　her。　She　spoke　of　her　coming　change　no　longer　with　resignation；　it　was　with　rapture。　〃Oh！〃　she　cried；　〃to　think　that　from　this　very　day　I　shall　never　sin　again；　shall　never　again　offend　Him　by　unholy　temper；　by　un…Christ…like　behaviour！〃

The　strong　and　healthy　wept　and　groaned