hard cash-第120章

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　unholy　temper；　by　un…Christ…like　behaviour！〃

The　strong　and　healthy　wept　and　groaned　aloud；　but　she　they　sorrowed　for　was　all　celestial　bliss。　In　her　lifetime　she　had　her　ups　and　downs　of　religious　fervour；　was　not　without　feverish　heats；　and　cold　misgivings　and　depression；　but　all　these　fled　at　that　dread　hour　when　the　wicked　are　a　prey　to　dark　misgivings；　or　escape　into　apathy。　This　timid　girl　that　would　have　screamed　at　a　scratch；　met　the　King　of　Terrors　with　smiles　and　triumph。　For　her　the　grave　was　Jordan；　and　death　was　but　the　iron　gate　of　life　everlasting。　_Mors　janua　vitae。_　Yet　once　or　twice　she　took　herself　to　task：　but　only　to　show　she　knew　what　the　All…Pure　had　forgiven　her。　〃I　often　was　wanting　in　humility；〃　she　said；　〃I　almost　think　that　if　I　were　to　be　sent　back　again　into　this　world　of　sin　and　sorrow　I　am　leaving　behind；　I　should　grow　a　little　in　humility；　for　I　know　the　ripe　Christian　is　like　the　ripe　corn；　holds　his　head　lower　than　when　he　was　green；　and　the　grave　it　seems　to　be　ripening　me。　But　what　does　it　matter？　since　He　who　died　for　me　is　content　to　take　me　as　I　am。　Come　quickly；　Lord　Jesus；　oh；　come　quickly！　Relieve　Thy　servant　from　the　burden　of　the　flesh；　and　of　the　sins　and　foibles　that　cling　to　it　and　keep　her　these　many　years　from　Thee。〃

This　prayer　was　granted；　the　body　failed　more　and　more；　she　could　not　swallow　even　a　drop　of　wine；　she　could　not　even　praise　her　Redeemer；　that　is　to　say；　she　could　not　speak。　Yet　she　lay　and　triumphed。　With　hands　put　together　in　prayer；　and　eyes　full　of　praise　and　joy　unspeakable；　she　climbed　fast　to　God。　While　she　so　mounted　in　the　spirit；　her　breath　came　at　intervals　unusually　long；　and　all　were　sent　for　to　see　Death　conquer　the　body　and　be　conquered　by　the　soul。

At　last；　after　an　unnaturally　long　interval；　she　drew　a　breath　like　a　sigh。　They　waited　for　another；　waited；　waited　in　vain。

She　had　calmly　ceased　to　live。


The　old　doctor　laid　down　her　hand　reverently；　and　said　〃She　is　with　us　no　more。〃　Then　with　many　tears；　〃Oh；　may　we　all　meet　where　she　is　now；　and　may　I　go　to　her　the　first。〃


Richard　Hardie　was　led　from　the　room　in　a　stupor。


Immediately　after　death　all　the　disfiguring　effect　of　pain　retired；　and　the　happy　soul　seemed　to　have　stamped　its　own　celestial　rapture　on　the　countenance　at　the　moment　of　leaving　it；　a　rapture　so　wonderful；　so　divine；　so　more　than　mortal　calm；　irradiated　the　dead　face。　The　good　Christians　she　left　behind　her　looked　on　and　feared　to　weep；　lest　they　should　offend　Him；　who　had　taken　her　to　Himself；　and　set　a　visible　seal　upon　the　house　of　clay　that　had　held　her。　〃Oh；　mamma；〃　cried　Julia　with　fervour；　〃look！　look！　Can　we；　dare　we；　wish　that　angel　back　to　this　world　of　misery　and　sin？〃　And　it　was　some　hours　before　she　cooled；　and　began　to　hang　on　Edward's　neck　and　weep　his　loss　and　hers；　as　weep　we　mortals　must；　though　the　angels　of　Heaven　are　rejoicing。


Thus　died　in　the　flower　of　her　youth；　and　by　what　we　call　a　violent　death；　the　one　child　Richard　Hardie　loved；　member　of　a　religious　party　whose　diction　now　and　then　offends　one　to　the　soul：　but　the　root　of　the　matter　is　in　them；　allowance　made　for　those　passions；　foibles；　and　infirmities　of　the　flesh；　even　you　and　I　are　not　entirely　free　from；　they　live　fearing　God；　and　die　loving　Him。


There　was　an　inquest　next　day；　followed　in　due　course　by　a　public　trial　of　James　Maxley。　But　these　are　matters　which；　though　rather　curious　and　interesting；　must　be　omitted；　or　touched　hereafter　and　briefly。

The　effect　of　Jane's　death　on　Richard　Hardie　was　deplorable。　He　saw　the　hand　of　Heaven；　but　did　not　bow　to　it：　so　it　filled　him　with　rage；　rebellion；　and　despair。　He　got　his　daughter　away　and　hid　himself　in　the　room　with　her；　scarce　stirring　out　by　night　or　day。　He　spoke　to　no　one；　he　shunned　the　Dodds：　he　hated　them。　He　said　it　was　through　visiting　their　house　she　had　met　her　death；　and　at　their　door。　He　would　not　let　himself　see　it　was　he　who　had　sent　her　there　with　his　lie。　He　loathed　Alfred；　calling　him　the　cause　of　all。

He　asked　nobody　to　the　funeral：　and；　when　Edward　begged　permission　to　come；　he　gave　a　snarl　like　a　wild　beast　and　went　raging　from　him。　But　Edward　would　go：　and　at　the　graveside　pitying　Heaven　relieved　the　young　fellow's　choking　heart　with　tears。　But　no　such　dew　came　to　that　parched　old　man；　who　stood　on　its　other　side　like　the　withered　Archangel；　his　eyes　gloomy　and　wild；　his　white　cheek　ploughed　deep　with　care　and　crime　and　anguish；　his　lofty　figure　bowed　by　his　long　warfare；　his　soul　burning　and　sickening　by　turns；　with　hatred　and　rebellion；　with　desolation　and　despair。

He　went　home　and　made　his　will；　for　he　felt　life　hang　on　him　like　lead；　and　that　any　moment　he　might　kill　himself　to　be　rid　of　it。　Strange　to　say；　he　left　a　sum　of　money　to　Edward　Dodd。　A　moment　before；　he　didn't　know　he　was　going　to　do　it：　a　moment　after；　he　was　half　surprised　he　had　done　it；　and　minded　to　undo　it；　but　would　not　take　the　trouble。　He　went　up　to　London；　and　dashed　into　speculation　as　some　in　their　despair　take　to　drink。　For　this　man　had　but　two　passions；　avarice；　and　his　love　for　his　daughter。　Bereaved　of　her；　he　must　either　die；　or　live　for　gain。　He　sought　the　very　cave　of　Mammon；　he　plunged　into　the　Stock　Exchange。


When　Mr。　Hardie　said；　〃Alfred　can't　come；　it　seems；〃　Mrs。　Dodd　misunderstood　him；　naturally　enough。　She　thought　the　heartless　young　man　had　sent　some　excuse：　had　chosen　to　let　his　sister　die　neglected　rather　than　face　Julia：　〃As　if　she　would　leave　her　own　room　while　_he_　was　in　my　house；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　with　sovereign　contempt。　From　this　moment　she　conceived　a　horror　of　the　young　man。　Edward　shared　it　fully；　and　the　pair　always　spoke　of　him　under　the　title　of　〃the　Wretch：〃　this　was　when　Julia　was　not　by。　In　her　presence　he　was　never　mentioned。　By　this　means　she　would　in　time　forget　him；　or　else　see　him　as　they　saw　him。

And　as；　after　all；　they　knew　little　to　Mr。　Hardie's　disadvantage；　except　what　had　come　out　of　〃the　Wretch's〃　mouth；　and　as　moreover　their　hearts　were　softened　towards　the　father　by　his　bereavement；　and　their　sight　of　his　misery；　and　also　by　his　grateful　words；　they　quite　acquitted　him　of　having　robbed　them；　and　felt　sure　the　fourteen　thousand　pounds　was　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。

They　were　a　little　surprised　that　Mr。　Hardie　never　spoke　nor　wrote　to　them　again；　but　being　high…minded　and　sweet　tempered；　they　set　it　down　to　all…absorbing　grief；　and　would　not　feel　sore　about　it。

And　now　they　must　leave　the　little　villa　where　they　had　been　so　happy　and　so　unhappy。

The　scanty　furniture　went　first；　Mrs。　Dodd　followed；　and　arranged　it　in　their　apartments。　Julia　would　stay　behind　to　comfort　Edward；　inconsolable　herself。　The　auction　came　off。　Most　of　the　things　went　for　cruelly　little　money　compared　to　their　value：　and　with　the　balance　the　sad　young　pair　came　up　to　London；　and　were　clasped　in　their　mother's　arms。　The　tears　were　in　her　tender　eyes。　〃It　is　a　poor　place　to　receive　my　treasures；〃　she　said：　Edward　looked　round　astonished：　〃It　was　a　poor　place；〃　said　he；　〃but　you　have　made　a　little　palace　of　it；　somehow　or　another。〃

〃My　children's　love　can　alone　do　that；〃　replied　Mrs。　Dodd；　kissing　them　both　again。

Next　day　they　consulted　together　how　they　were　to　live。　Edward　wished　to　try　and　get　his　father　into　a　public　asylum；　then　his　mother　would　have　a　balance　to　live　upon　out　of　her　income。　But　Mrs。　Dodd　rejected　this　proposal　with　astonishment。　In　vain　Edward　cited　the　_'Tiser_　that　public　asylums　are　patterns　of　comfort；　and　cure　twice　as　many　patients　as　the　private　ones　do。　She　was　deaf　alike　to　the　_'Tiser_　and　to　statistics。　〃Do　not　argue　me　out　of　my　common　sense；〃　said　she。　〃My　husband；　your　father；　in　a　public　asylum；　where　anybody　can　go　and　stare　at　my　darling！〃

She　then　informed　them　she　had　written　to　her　Aunt　Bazalgette　and　her　Uncle　Fountain；　and　invited　them　to　contribute　something　towards　David's　maintenance。

Edward　was　almost　angry　at　this。　〃Fancy　asking　favours　of　_them；_〃　said　he。

〃Oh；　I　must　not　sacrifice　my　family　to　false　pride；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃besides　they　are　entitled　to　know。〃

While　waiting　for　their　answers；　a　word　about　the　parties　and　their　niece。

Our　Mrs。　Dodd；　born