hard cash-第146章

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On　hearing　they　had　entered　Rochester　hatless；　the　shrewd　Mr。　Green　made　direct　to　the　very　nearest　slop…shop；　and　his　sagacity　was　rewarded：　the　shopkeeper　was　a　chatterbox；　and　told　him　yes；　two　gents　out　on　a　frolic　had　bought　a　couple　of　hats　of　him；　and　a　whole　set　of　sailor's　clothes。　〃I　think　they　were　respectable；　too；　but　nothing　else　would　satisfy　him。　So　the　young　one　he　humoured　him；　and　bought　them。　I　took　his　old　ones　in　exchange。〃

At　that　Green　offered　a　sovereign　for　the　old　clothes　blindfold。　The　trader　instantly　asked　two　pounds；　and　took　thirty　shillings。

Green　now　set　the　police　to　scour　the　town　for　a　gentleman　and　a　common　sailor　in　company；　offered　a　handsome　reward；　and　went　to　bed　in　a　small　inn；　with　David's　clothes　by　the　kitchen　fire。　Early　in　the　morning　he　went　to　Mrs。　Dodd's　hotel　with　David's　clothes；　nicely　dried；　and　told　her　his　tale。　She　knew　the　clothes　directly；　kissed　them；　and　cried　over　them：　then　gave　him　her　hand　with　a　world　of　dignity　and　grace：　〃What　an　able　man！　Sir；　you　inspire　me　with　great　confidence。〃

〃And　you　me　with　zeal；　ma'am；〃　said　the　delighted　Green。　〃Why　I'd　go　through　fire　and　water　for　a　lady　like　you；　that　pays　well；　and　doesn't　grudge　a　fellow　a　bit　of　praise。　Now　you　must　eat　a　bit；　ma'am；　if　it's　ever　so　little；　and　then　we'll　take　the　road；　for　the　police　think　the　parties　have　left　the　town；　and　by　their　night's　work　they　must　be　good　travellers。〃

The　dog…cart　took　the　road；　and　the　ex…hunter　stepped　out　thirteen　miles　an　hour。

Now　at　this　moment　Alfred　and　David　were　bowling　along　ahead　with　a　perfect　sense　of　security。　All　that　first　night；　the　grandest　of　his　life；　Alfred　walked　on　air；　and　drank　the　glorious　exhilarating　breath　of　Freedom。　But；　when　the　sun　dawned　on　them；　his　intoxicating　joy　began　to　be　dashed　with　apprehension：　hatless　and　bemired；　might　they　not　be　suspected　and　detained　by　some　officious　authority？

But　the　slop…shop　set　that　all　right。　He　took　a　double…bedded　room　in　The　Bear；　locked　the　door；　put　the　key　under　his　pillow；　and　slept　till　eleven。　At　noon　they　were　on　the　road　again；　and　as　they　swung　lustily　along　in　the　frosty　but　kindly　air；　Alfred's　chest　expanded；　his　spirits　rose；　and　he　felt　a　man　all　over。　Exhilarated　by　freedom；　youth；　and　motion；　and　a　little　inflated　by　reviving　vanity；　his　heart；　buoyant　as　his　foot；　now　began　to　nurse　aspiring　projects：　he　would　indict　his　own　father；　and　the　doctors；　and　immolate　them　on　the　altar　of　justice　and　publicly　wipe　off　the　stigma　they　had　cast　on　him；　and　meantime　he　would　cure　David　and　restore　him　to　his　family。

He　loved　this　harmless　companion　of　his　cell；　his　danger；　and　his　flight；　loved　him　for　Julia's　sake；　loved　him　for　his　own。　Youth　and　vanity　whispered；　〃I　know　more　about　madness　than　the　doctors；　I　have　seen　it　closer。〃　It　struck　him　David's　longing　for　blue　water　was　one　of　those　unerring　instincts　that　sometimes　guide　the　sick　to　their　cure。　And　then　as　the　law　permits　the　forcible　recapture　of　a　patientwithout　a　fresh　order　or　certificateswithin　fourteen　days　of　his　escape　from　an　asylum；　he　did　not　think　it　prudent　to　show　himself　in　London　till　that　time　should　have　elapsed。　So；　all　things　considered；　why　not　hide　a　few　days　with　David　in　some　insignificant　seaport；　and　revel　in　liberty　and　blue　water　with　him　all　day　long；　and　so　by　associations　touch　the　spring　of　memory；　and　begin　the　cure？　As　for　David；　he　seemed　driven　seaward　by　some　unseen　spur；　he　fidgeted　at　all　delay；　even　dinner　fretted　him；　he　panted　so　for　his　natural　element。　Alfred　humoured　him；　and　an　hour　after　sunset　they　reached　the　town　of　Canterbury。　Here　Alfred　took　the　same　precautions　as　before；　and　slept　till　nine　o'clock。

When　he　awoke；　he　found　David　walking　to　and　fro　impatiently。　〃All　right；　messmate；〃　said　Alfred；　〃we　shall　soon　be　in　blue　water。〃　He　made　all　haste；　and　they　were　on　the　road　again　by　ten；　walking　at　a　gallant　pace。

But　the　dog…cart　was　already　rattling　along　about　thirty　miles　behind　them。　Green　inquired　at　all　the　turnpikes　and　vehicles；　the　scent　was　cold　at　first；　but　warmer　by　degrees；　and　hot　at　Canterbury。　Green　just　baited　his　gallant　horse；　and　came　foaming　on；　and　just　as　the　pair　entered　the　town　of　Folkestone；　their　pursuers　came　up　to　the　cross…roads；　not　five　miles　behind　them。

Alfred　went　to　a　good　inn　in　Folkestone　and　ordered　a　steak；　then　strolled　with　David　by　the　beach；　and　gloried　in　the　water　with　him。　〃After　dinner　we　will　take　a　boat；　and　have　a　sail；〃　said　he。　〃See；　there's　a　nice　boat；　riding　at　anchor　there。〃

David　snuffed　the　breeze　and　his　eye　sparkled；　and　he　said；　〃Wind　due　east；　messmate。〃　And　this　remark；　slight　as　it　was　was　practical；　and　gave　Alfred　great　delight：　strengthened　his　growing　conviction　that　not　for　nothing　had　this　charge　been　thrown　on　him。　He　should　be　the　one　to　cure　his　own　father；　for　Julia's　father　was　his：　he　had　no　father　now。　〃All　right；〃　said　he　gaily；　〃we'll　soon　be　on　blue　water：　but　first　we'll　have　our　dinner；　old　boy；　for　I　am　starving。〃　David　said　nothing　and　went　rather　doggedly　back　to　the　inn　with　him。

The　steak　was　on　the　table。　Alfred　told　the　waiter　to　uncover　and　David　to　fall　to；　while　he　just　ran　upstairs　to　wash　his　hands。　He　came　down　in　less　than　two　minutes；　but　David　was　gone；　and　the　waiter　standing　there　erect　and　apathetic　like　a　wooden　sentinel。

〃Why；　where　is　he？〃　said　Alfred。

〃Gent's　gone　out；〃　was　the　reply。

〃And　you　stood　there　and　let　him？　you　born　idiot。　Which　way　is　he　gone？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　waiter　angrily；　〃I　ain't　a　p'liceman。　None　but　respectable　gents　comes　here；　as　don't　want　watching。〃　Alfred　darted　out　and　scoured　the　town；　he　asked　everybody　if　they　had　seen　a　tall　gentleman　dressed　like　a　common　sailor。　Nobody　could　tell　him：　there　were　so　many　sailors　about　the　port；　that　which　in　an　inland　town　would　have　betrayed　the　truant　concealed　him　here。　A　cold　perspiration　began　to　gather　on　Alfred's　brow；　as　he　ran　wildly　all　over　the　place。

He　could　not　find　him；　nor　any　trace　of　him。　At　last　it　struck　him　that　he　had　originally　proposed　to　go　to　Dover；　and　had　spoken　of　that　town　to　David；　though　he　had　now　glanced　aside；　making　for　the　smaller　ports　on　the　south　coast：　he　hired　a　horse　directly；　and　galloped　furiously　to　Dover。　He　rode　down　to　the　pier；　gave　his　horse　to　a　boy　to　hold；　and　ran　about　inquiring　far　David。　He　could　not　find　him：　but　at　last　he　found　a　policeman；　who　told　him　he　thought　there　was　another　party　on　the　same　lay　as　himself：　〃No；〃　said　the　man　correcting　himself；　〃it　was　two　they　were　after；　a　gentleman　and　a　sailor。　Perhaps　you　are　his　mate。〃

Alfred's　blood　ran　cold。　Pursued！　and　so　hotly：　〃No；　no；〃　he　stammered；　〃I　suspect　I　am　on　the　same　business。〃　Then　he　said　cunningly　（for　asylums　teach　the　frankest　natures　cunning）；　〃Come　and　have　a　glass　of　grog　and　tell　me　all　about　it。〃　Bobby　consented；　and　under　its　influence　described　Mrs。　Dodd　and　her　companions　to　him。

But　not　everybody　can　describe　minutely。　In　the　bare　outlines；　which　were　all　this　artist　could　furnish　him；　Alfred　recognised　at　once；　whom　do　you　think？　Mrs。　Archbold；　Dr。　Wolf；　and　his　arch　enemy　Rooke；　the　keeper。　Doubtless　his　own　mind；　seizing　on　so　vague　a　description；　adapted　it　rather　hastily　to　what　seemed　probable。　Mrs。　Dodd　never　occurred　to　him；　nor　that　David　was　the　sole；　or　even　the　main　object　of　the　pursuit。　He　was　thoroughly　puzzled　what　to　do。　However；　as　his　pursuers　had　clearly　scoured　Dover；　and　would　have　found　David　if　there；　he　made　use　of　their　labours　and　galloped　back　towards　Folkestone。　But　he　took　the　precaution　to　inquire　at　the　first　turnpike；　and　there　he　learned　a　lady　and　two　men　had　passed　through　about　an　hour　before　in　a　dog…cart；　it　was　a　wonder　he　had　missed　them。　Alfred　gnashed　his　teeth；　〃Curse　you；〃　he　muttered。　〃Well；　do　my　work　in　Folkestone；　I'll　find　him　yet；　and　baffle　you。〃　He　turned　his　horse's　head　westward　and　rode　after　David。　Convinced　that　his　lost　friend　would　not　go　inland；　he　took　care　to　keep　near　the　cliffs；　and　had　ever　an　eye　on　the　beach　when　the　road　came　near　enough。

About　eight　miles　west　of　Folkestone　he　saw　a　dog…cart　going　down　a　hill　before　him：　but　the