hard cash-第134章

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　to　Alfred　before；　the　sun　as　bright　as　midsummer；　though　not　the　least　hot；　the　air　fresh；　yet　genial；　and　perfumed　with　Liberty　and　the　smaller　flowers　of　earth。　Beauty　glided　rustling　by　his　side；　and　dark　eyes　subdued　their　native　fire　into　softness　whenever　they　turned　on　him；　and　scarce　fifty　yards　in　the　rear　hung　a　bully　and　a　mastiff　ready　to　tear　him　down　if　he　should　break　away　from　beauty's　light　hand；　that　rested　so　timidly　on　his。　He　was　young；　and　stout…hearted；　and　relished　his　peep　of　liberty　and　nature；　though　blotted　by　Vulcan　and　Rooke。　He　chatted　to　Mrs。　Archbold　in　good　spirits。　She　answered　briefly；　and　listlessly。

　At　last　she　stopped　under　a　young　chestnut…tree　as　if　overcome　with　a　sudden　reflection；　and　turning　half　away　from　him　leaned　her　head　and　hand　upon　a　bough；　and　sighed。　The　attitude　was　pensive　and　womanly。　He　asked　her　with　innocent　concern　what　was　the　matter；　then　faintly　should　he　take　her　home。　All　her　answer　was　to　press　his　hand　with　hers　that　was　disengaged；　and；　instead　of　sighing；　to　cry。

The　novice　in　woman's　wiles　set　himself　to　comfort　herin　vain；　to　question　herin　vain　at　first；　but　by　degrees　she　allowed　him　to　learn　that　it　was　for　him　she　mourned；　and　so　they　proceeded　on　the　old；　old　plan；　the　man　extorting　from　the　woman　bit　by　bit　just　so　much　as　she　wanted　all　along　to　say；　and　would　have　poured　in　a　stream　if　let　quite　alone。

He　drew　from　his　distressed　friend　that　Dr。　Wolf　for　reasons　of　his　own　had　made　special　inquiries　about　the　Dodds；　that　she　had　fortunately　or　unfortunately　heard　of　this；　and　had　questioned　the　person　employed；　hoping　to　hear　something　that　might　comfort　Alfred。　〃Instead　of　that；〃　said　she；　〃I　find　Miss　Dodd　is　like　most　girls；　out　of　sight　is　out　of　mind　with　her。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Alfred；　trembling　suddenly。

〃Do　not　ask　me。　What　a　weak　fool　I　was　to　let　you　see　I　was　unhappy　for　you。〃

〃The　truth　is　the　truth；〃　gasped　Alfred；　〃tell　me　at　once。〃

〃Must　I？　I　am　afraid　you　will　hate　me；　for　I　should　hate　any　one　who　told　me　your　faults。　Well；　thenif　I　must　Miss　Dodd　has　a　beau。〃

〃It　is　a　lie！〃　cried　Alfred　furiously。

〃I　wish　it　was。　But　she　has　two　in　fact；　both　of　them　clergymen。　However；　one　seems　the　favourite；　at　least　they　are　engaged　to　be　married；　it　is　Mr。　Hurd；　the　curate　of　the　parish　she　lives　in。　By　what　I　hear　she　is　one　of　the　religious　ones；　so　perhaps　that　has　brought　the　pair　to　an　understanding。〃

At　these　words　a　cold　sickness　rushed　all　over　Alfred；　beginning　at　his　heart。　He　stood　white　and　stupefied　a　moment；　then；　in　the　anguish　of　his　heart；　broke　out　into　a　great　and　terrible　cry；　it　was　like　a　young　lion　wounded　with　a　poisoned　shaft。

Then　he　was　silent；　and　stood　stock　still；　like　petrified　despair。

Mrs。　Archbold　was　prepared　for　an　outburst：　but　not　of　this　kind。　His　anguish　was　so　unlike　a　woman's　that　it　staggered　her。　Her　good　and　bad　angels；　to　use　an　expressive　though　somewhat　too　poetical　phrase；　battled　for　her。　She　had　an　impulse　to　earn　his　gratitude　for　life；　to　let　him　out　of　the　asylum　ere　Julia　should　be　Mrs。　Hurd；　and　even　liberty　come　too　late　for　true　love。　She　looked　again　at　the　statue　of　grief　by　her　side；　and　burst　out　crying　in　earnest。

This　was　unfortunate。　Shallow　pity　exuding　in　salt　water　leaves　not　enough　behind　to　gush　forth　in　good　deeds。

She　only　tried　to　undo　her　own　work　in　part；　to　comfort　him　a　little　with　commonplaces。　She　told　him　in　a　soothing　whisper　there　were　other　women　in　the　world　besides　this　inconstant　girl；　others　who　could　love　him　as　he　deserved。

He　made　no　answer　to　all　she　could　say；　but　just　waved　his　hand　once　impatiently。　Petty　consolation　seemed　to　sting　him。

She　drew　back　discouraged；　but　only　for　a　while。　He　was　silent。

With　one　grand　serpentine　movement　she　came　suddenly　close　to　him；　and；　standing　half　behind　him；　laid　her　hand　softly　on　his　shoulder；　and　poured　burning　love　in　his　ear。　〃Alfred；〃　she　murmured；　〃we　are　both　unhappy；　let　us　comfort　one　another。　I　had　pity　on　you　at　Silverton　House；　I　pity　you　now：　pity　_me_　a　little　in　turn：　take　me　out　of　this　dreadful　house；　out　of　this　revolting　life；　and　let　me　be　with　you。　Let　me　be　your　housekeeper；　your　servant；　your　slave。　This　news　that　has　shocked　you　so　has　torn　the　veil　from　my　eyes。　I　thought　I　had　cooled　my　love　down　to　friendship　and　tender　esteem；　but　no；　now　I　see　you　as　unhappy　as　myself；　now　I　can　speak　and　wrong　no　one；　I　own　Ioh　Alfred　my　heart　burns　for　you；　bleeds　for　you；　yearns　for　you；　sickens　for　you；　dies　for　you。〃

〃Oh；　hush！　hush！　Mrs。　Archbold。　You　are　saying　things　you　will　blush　for　the　next　moment。〃

〃I　blush　now；　but　cannot　hush；　I　have　gone　too　far。　And　your　happiness　as　well　as　mine　is　at　stake。　No　young　girl　can　understand　or　value　such　a　man　as　you　are：　but　I；　like　you；　have　suffered；　I；　like　you；　am　constant；　I；　like　you；　am　warm　and　tender；　at　my　age　a　woman's　love　is　bliss　to　him　who　can　gain　it；　and　I　love　you　with　all　my　soul；　Alfred。　I　worship　the　ground　you　walk　on；　my　sweet；　sweet　boy。　Say　you　the　word；　dearest；　and　I　will　bribe　the　servants；　and　get　the　keys；　and　sacrifice　my　profession　for　ever　to　give　you　liberty　（see　how　sweet　the　open　face　of　nature　is；　sweeter　than　anything　on　earth；　but　love）；　and　all　I　ask　is　a　little；　little　of　your　heart　in　return。　Give　me　a　chance　to　make　you　mine　for　ever；　and；　if　I　fail；　treat　me　as　I　shall　deserve；　desert　me　at　once；　and　then　I'll　never　reproach　you；　I'll　only　die　for　you；　as　I　have　lived　for　you　ever　since　I　first　saw　your　heavenly　face。〃

The　passionate　woman　paused　at　last；　but　her　hot　cheek　and　heaving　bosom　and　tender　convulsive　hand　prolonged　the　pleading。

I　am　afraid　few　men　of　her　own　age　would　have　resisted　her；　for　voice　and　speech　and　all　burning；　melting；　and　winning；　and　then；　so　reasonable；　lads；　she　did　not　stipulate　for　constancy。

But　Alfred　turned　round　to　her　blushing　and　sorrowful。　〃For　shame！〃　he　said；　〃this　is　not　love：　you　abuse　that　sacred　word。　Indeed；　if　you　had　ever　really　loved；　you　would　have　pitied　me　and　Julia　long　ago；　and　respected　our　love；　and　saved　us　by　giving　me　my　freedom　long　ago。　I　am　not　a　fool：　do　you　think　I　don't　know　that　you　are　my　jailer；　and　the　cunningest　and　most　dangerous　of　them　all？〃

〃You　cruel；　ungrateful！〃　she　sobbed。

〃No；　I　am　not　ungrateful　either；〃　said　he　more　gently。　〃You　have　always　come　between　me　and　that　kind　of　torture　which　most　terrifies　vulgar　souls：　and　I　thank　you　for　it。　Only　if　you　had　also　pitied　the　deeper　anguish　of　my　heart；　I　should　thank　you　more　still。　As　it　is；　I　forgive　you　for　the　share　you　have　had　in　blasting　my　happiness　for　life；　and　nobody　shall　ever　know　what　you　have　been　mad　enough　in　an　unguarded　moment　to　say；　but　for　pity's　sake　talk　no　more　of　love；　to　mock　my　misery。〃

Mrs。　Archbold　was　white　with　ire　long　before　he　had　done　this　sentence。　〃You　insolent　creature；〃　said　she；　〃you　spurn　my　love；　you　shall　feel　my　hate。〃

〃So　I　conclude；〃　said　he　coldly：　〃such　love　as　yours　is　hard　by　hate。〃

〃It　is；〃　said　she：　〃and　I　know　how　I'll　combine　the　two。　To…day　I　loved　you；　and　you　spurned　me；　ere　long　you　shall　love　me　and　I'll　despise　you；　and　not　spurn　you。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　said　Alfred；　feeling　rather　uneasy。

〃What；〃　said　she；　〃don't　you　see　how　the　superior　mind　can　fascinate　the　inferior？　Look　at　Frank　Beverleyhow　he　follows　you　about　and　fawns　on　you　like　a　little　dog。〃

〃I　prefer　his　sort　of　affection　to　yours。〃

〃A　gentleman　and　a　man　would　have　kept　that　to　himself；　but　you　are　neither　one　nor　the　other；　or　you　would　have　taken　my　offer；　and　then　run　away　from　me　the　next　day；　you　fool。　A　man　betrays　a　woman；　he　doesn't　insult　her。　Ah；　you　admire　Frank's　affection；　well；　you　shall　imitate　it。　You　couldn't　love　me　like　a　man；　you　shall　love　me　like　a　dog。〃

〃How　will　you　manage　that；　pray？　〃　he　inquired　with　a　sneer。

〃I'll　drive　you　mad。〃

She　hissed　this　fiendish　threat　out　between　her　white　teeth。

〃Ay；　sir；〃　she　said；　〃hitherto　your　reason　has　only　encountered　men。　You　shall　see　now　what　an　insulted　woman　can　do。　A　lunatic　you　shall　be　ere　long；　and　then　I'll　make　you　love　me；　dote　on　me；　follow　me　about　for　a　smile：　and　then　I