hard cash-第121章

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

Our　Mrs。　Dodd；　born　Lucy　Fountain；　was　left　at　nineteen　to　the　care　of　two　guardians：　1；　her　Uncle　Fountain；　an　old　bachelor；　who　loved　comfort；　pedigree；　and　his　own　way；　2；　her　Aunt　Bazalgette；　who　loved　flirting；　dressing；　and　her　own　way；　both　charming　people；　when　they　got　their　own　way；　verjuice；　when　they　didn't：　and；　to　conclude；　egotists　deep　as　ocean。　From　guardians　they　grew　match…makers　and　rivals　by　proxy：　uncle　schemed　to　graft　Lucy　on　to　a　stick　called　Talboys；　that　came　in　with　the　Revocation　of　the　Edict　of　Nantes；　known　in　pedigrees　as　〃the　Norman　Conquest。〃　Aunt；　wife　of　a　merchant　of　no　Descent；　except　from　a　high　stool；　devoted　her　to　Richard　Hardie。　An　unlooked…for　obstacle　encountered　both：　Lucy　was　not　amorous。　She　loved　these　two　egotists　and　their　quadrupeds；　but　there　she　stopped　dead　short。　They　persisted；　and；　while　they　pulled　her　to　and　fro　and　ruffled　her　native　calm；　David　Dodd；　first　mate　of　the　Something　or　other　East　Indiamanbrown　cheek；　honest　speech；　heart　of　goldfell　deep　in　love　and　worshipped　her　at　a　distance。　His　timidity　and　social　insignificance　made　him　harmless；　so　egotist　Fountain　had　him　in　to　dessert　to　spin　yarns；　egotist　Bazalgette　invited　him　to　her　house　to　flirt　with。　At　this　latter　place　he　found　Hardie　and　Talboys　both　courting　Lucy；　this　drove　him　mad；　and　in　his　fury　he　popped。　Lucy　declined　him　_secundum　artem：_　he　went　away　blessing　her；　with　a　manly　sob　or　two。　Lucy　cried　a　little　and　took　a　feminine　spite　against　his　rivals；　who　remained　to　pester　her。　Now　Talboys；　spurred　by　uncle；　had　often　all　but　popped；　only　some　let；　hindrance；　or　just　impediment　had　still　interposed：　once　her　pony　kept　prancing　at　each　effort　he　made　towards　Hymen；　they　do　say　the　subtle　virgin　kept　probing　the　brute　with　a　hair　pin；　and　made　him　caracole　and　spill　the　treacle　as　fast　as　it　came　her　way。　However；　now　Talboys　elected　to　pop　by　sea。　It　was　the　element　his　ancestors　had　invaded　fair　England　by；　and　on　its　tranquil　bosom　a　lover　is　safe　from　prancing　steeds；　and　the　myriad　anti…pops　of　_terra　firma。_　Miss　Lucy　consented　to　the　water　excursion　demurely；　designing　to　bring　her　sickly　wooer　to　the　point　and　so　get　rid　of　him　for　ever　and　ever。　Plot　and　counter…plot　were　baffled　by　the　elements：　there　came　an　anti…pop　out　of　the　south…west　called　a　gale。　Talboys　boated　so　skilfully　that　he　and　his　intended　would　have　been　united　without　ceremony　by　Father　Nep；　at　the　bottom　of　the　British　Channel；　but　for　David　Dodd；　who　was　hovering　near　in　jealous　anguish　and　a　cutter。　He　saved　them　both；　but　in　the　doing　of　it　missed　his　ship；　and　professional　ruin　faced　him。　Then　good…hearted　Lucy　was　miserable；　and　appealed　to　Mr。　Bazalgette；　and　he　managed　somehow　to　get　David　made　captain　of　the　_Rajah。_　The　poor　girl　thought　she　had　squared　the　account　with　David；　but　he　refused　the　ship　unless　she　would　go　halves；　and　while　her　egotists　bullied　and　vexed　her；　he　wrought　so　upon　her　pity；　and　teased　her　so；　that　to　get　rid　of　his　importunity　she　married　him。　In　time　she　learned　to　love　him　ten　times　better　than　if　she　had　begun　all　flames。　Uncle　and　aunt　cut　her　tolerably　dead　for　some　years。　Uncle　came　round　the　first；　some　antiquarian　showed　him　that　Dodd　was　a　much　more　ancient　family　than　Talboys。　〃Why；　sir；　they　were　lords　of　sixteen　manors　under　the　Heptarchy；　and　hold　some　of　them　to　this　day。〃　Mrs。　Bazalgette；　too；　had　long　corresponded　with　her　periodically；　and　on　friendly　terms。


The　answers　came　on　the　same　day；　curiously　enough。　Uncle　Fountain；　ruined　by　railway　speculation；　was　living　on　an　allowance　from　creditors；　but　his　house　was　at　their　service；　if　they　liked　to　live　with　himand　board　themselves。

Mrs。　Bazalgette's　was　the　letter　of　a　smooth　woman；　who　has　hoarded　imperishable　spite。　She　reminded　her　niece　after　all　these　years；　that　her　marriage　with　David　was　an　act　of　disobedience　and　ingratitude。　She　then　enumerated　her　own　heavy　expenses；　all　but　the　L。　400　a　year　she　spent　in　bedizening　her　carcass；　and　finally；　amidst　a　multitude　of　petty　insults；　she　offered　to　relieve　Mrs。　Dodd　ofJulia。　Now　Poetry　has　reconciled　us　to　an　asp　in　a　basket　of　figs；　but　here　was　a　scorpion　in　a　bundle　of　nettles。　Poor　Mrs。　Dodd　could　not　speak　after　reading　it。　She　handed　it　to　Edward；　and　laid　her　white　forehead　wearily　in　her　hand。　Edward　put　the　letter　in　an　envelope　and　sent　it　back　with　a　line　in　his　own　hand　declining　all　further　correspondence　with　the　writer。

〃Now　then；　ladies；〃　said　he；　〃don't　you　be　cast　down。　Let　this　be　a　warning　to　us；　never　to　ask　favours　of　anybody。　Let　us　look　the　thing　in　the　face；　we　must　work　or　starve：　and　all　the　better　for　us。　Hard　work　suits　heavy　hearts。　Come；　have　you　any　plan？〃

〃To　be　sure　we　have；〃　said　Julia　eagerly。　〃I　mean　to　go　for　a　governess；　and　then　I　shall　cost　mamma　nothing；　and　besides　I　can　send　her　the　money　the　people　give　me。〃

〃A　pretty　plan！〃　said　Edward　sadly；　〃what！　we　three　part　company？　Don't　you　feel　lonely　enough　without　that？　I　do　then。　How　can　we　bear　our　burdens　at　all；　if　we　are　not　to　be　all　together　to　cheer　one　another　along　the　weary　road？　What！　are　we　to　break　up？　Is　it　not　enough　to　be　bereaved？〃

He　could　say　no　more　for　the　emotion　his　own　words　caused　him；　thinking　of　Jane；　he　broke　down　altogether；　and　ran　out　of　the　room。

However；　he　came　back　in　an　hour　with　his　eyes　red；　but　his　heart　indomitable；　determined　to　play　a　man's　part　for　all　their　sakes。　〃You　ladies；〃　said　he；　with　something　of　his　old　genial　way；　that　sounded　so　strange　to　one　looking　at　his　red　eyes；　and　inspired　a　desire　to　hug　him；　〃are　full　of　talent；　but　empty　of　invention。　The　moment　you　are　ruined　or　that　sort　of　thing；　it　is；　_go_　for　a　governess；　_go_　for　a　companion；　_go_　here；　_go_　there；　in　search　of　what？　Independence？　No；　dependence。　Besides　all　this　_going_　is　bosh。　Families　are　strong　if　they　stick　together；　and　if　they　go　to　pieces　they　are　weak。　I　learned　one　bit　of　sense　out　of　that　mass　of　folly　they　call　antiquity；　and　that　was　the　story　of　the　old　bloke　with　his　twelve　sons；　and　fagot　to　match。　'Break　'em　apart；'　he　said；　and　each　son　broke　his　stick　as　easy　as　shelling　peas。　'Now　break　the　twelve　all　tied　together：'　devil　a　bit　could　the　duffers　break　it　then。　Now　we　are　not　twelve；　we　are　but　three：　easy　to　break　one　or　two　of　us　apart；　but　not　the　lot　together。　No；　nothing　but　death　shall　break　this　fagot；　for　nothing　less　shall　part　us　three。〃

He　stood　like　a　colossus；　and　held　out　his　hand　to　them；　they　clung　round　his　neck　in　a　moment；　as　if　to　illustrate　his　words；　clung　tight；　and　blessed　him　for　standing　so　firm　and　forbidding　them　to　part。

Mrs。　Dodd　sighed；　after　the　first　burst　of　enthusiastic　affection；　and　said：　〃If　he　would　only　go　a　step　further　and　tell　us　what　to　do　in　company。〃

〃Ay；　there　it　is；〃　said　Julia。　〃Begin　with　me。　What　can　I　do？〃

〃Why；　paint。〃

〃What；　to　sell？　Oh　dear；　my　daubs　are　not　good　enough　for　that。〃

〃Stuff！　Nothing　is　too　bad　to　_sell。_〃

〃I　really　think　you　might；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃and　I　will　help　you。〃

〃No；　no；　mamma；　I　want　you　for　something　better　than　the　fine　arts。　You　must　go　in　one　of　the　great　grooves：　Female　vanity：　you　must　be　a　dressmaker；　you　are　a　genius　at　it。〃

〃My　mamma　a　dressmaker；〃　cried　Julia；　〃oh　Edward；　how　can　you。　How　dare　you。　Poor；　poor　mamma！〃

〃Do　not　be　so　impetuous；　dear。　I　think　he　is　right：　yes；　it　is　all　I　am　fit　for。　If　ever　there　was　a　Heaven…born　dressmaker；　it's　me。〃

〃As　for　myself；〃　said　Edward；　〃I　shall　look　out　for　some　business　in　which　physical　strength　goes　further　than　intellectual　attainments。　Luckily　there　are　plenty　such。　Breaking　stones　is　one。　But　I　shall　try　a　few　others　first。〃

It　is　easy　to　settle　on　a　business；　hard　to　get　a　footing　in　one。　Edward　convinced　that　the　dressmaking　was　their　best　card；　searched　that　mine　of　various　knowledge；　the　_'Tiser；_　for　an　opening：　but　none　came。　At　last　one　of　those　great　miscellaneous　houses　in　the　City　advertised　for　a　lady　to　cut　cloaks。　He　proposed　to　his　mother　to　go　with　him。　She　shrank　from　encountering　strangers。　No；　she　would　go　to　a　fashionable　dressmaker　she