hard cash-第21章

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Albion　Villa。　They　looked　at　one　another　in　expressive　silence。

〃Yes；　sir；　it　is　for　my　young　lady。　Is　it　ready；　young　man？〃

〃No；　it　ain't：　and　never　will；〃　squealed　Dick　angrily　〃It's　a　vile　'oax；　and　you　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself　bringing　it　into　a　respectable　shop。〃

Alfred　silenced　him；　and　told　Sarah　he　thought　Miss　Dodd　ought　to　know　the　nature　of　this　prescription　before　it　went　round　the　chemists。

He　borrowed　paper　of　Dick　and　wrote：

〃Mr。　Alfred　Hardie　presents　his　compliments　to　Miss　Dodd；　and　begs　leave　to　inform　her　that　he　has；　by　the　merest　accident；　intercepted　the　enclosed　prescription。　As　it　seems　rather　a　sorry　jest；　and　tends　to　attract　attention　to　Miss　Dodd　and　her　movements；　he　has　ventured　with　some　misgivings　to　send　it　back　with　a　literal　translation；　on　reading　which　it　will　be　for　Miss　Dodd　to　decide　whether　it　is　to　circulate。

〃'On　Wednesday；　at　ten　P。M。；　let　her　go　in　a　fly　to　the　Town…hall；　and　dance　with　thirteen　little　｛little　dogs；　puppies；　whelps；｝　especially　with　mine：　return　home　at　six　A。M。　and　sleep　till　dinner；　and　repeat　the　folly　as　occasion　serves。'〃

〃Suppose　I　could　get　it　into　Miss's　hands　when　she's　alone？〃　whispered　Sarah。

〃You　would　earn　my　warmest　gratitude。〃

〃'Warmest　gratitude！'　Is　that　a　warm　gownd；　or　a　warm　clock；　I　wonder？〃

〃It　is　both；　when　the　man　is　a　gentleman；　and　a　pretty；　dark…　eyed　girl　pities　him　and　stands　his　friend。〃

Sarah　smiled；　and　whispered；　〃Give　it　me；　I'll　do　my　best。〃

Alfred　enclosed　the　prescription　and　his　note　in　one　cover；　handed　them　to　her；　and　slipped　a　sovereign　into　her　hand。　He　whispered；　〃Be　prudent。〃

〃I'm　dark；　sir；〃　said　she：　and　went　off　briskly　homewards；　and　Alfred　stood　rapt　in　dreamy　joy；　and　so　self…elated　that；　had　he　been　furnished　like　a　peacock；　he　would　have　instantly　become　a　〃thing　all　eyes；〃　and　choked　up　Jenner's　shop；　and　swept　his　counter。　He　had　made　a　step　towards　familiarity；　had　written　her　a　letter；　and　then；　if　this　prescription　came；　as　he　suspected；　from　Dr。　Sampson；　she　would　perhaps　be　at　the　ball。　This　opened　a　delightful　vista。　Meantime；　Mrs。　Dodd　had　communicated　Sampson's　opinion　to　Julia；　adding　that　there　was　a　prescription　besides；　gone　to　be　made　up。　〃However；　he　insists　on　your　going　to　this　ball。〃

Julia　begged　hard　to　be　excused：　said　she　was　in　no　humour　for　balls：　and　Mrs。　Dodd　objecting　that　the　tickets　had　actually　been　purchased；　she　asked　leave　to　send　them　to　the　Dartons。　〃They　will　be　a　treat　to　Rose　and　Alice；　they　seldom　go　out：　mamma；　I　do　so　fear　they　are　poorer　than　people　think。　May　I？〃

〃It　would　be　but　kind；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd。　〃Though　really　why　my　child　should　always　be　sacrificed　to　other　people's　children〃

〃Oh；　a　mighty　sacrifice！〃　said　Julia。　She　sat　down　and　enclosed　the　tickets　to　Rose　Darton；　with　a　little　sugared　note。　Sarah；　being　out；　Elizabeth　took　it。　Sarah　met　her　at　the　gate；　but　did　not　announce　her　return：　she　lurked　in　ambush　till　Julia　happened　to　go　to　her　own　room；　then　followed　her；　and　handed　Alfred's　missive；　and　watched　her　slily；　and　being　herself　expeditious　as　the　wind　in　matters　of　the　heart；　took　it　for　granted　the　enclosure　was　something　very　warm　indeed；　so　she　said　with　feigned　simplicity；　〃I　suppose　it　is　all　right　now；　miss？〃　and　retreated　swelling　with　a　secret；　and　tormented　her　fellow…servants　all　day　with　innuendoes　dark　as　Erebus。

Julia　read　the　note　again　and　again：　her　heart　beat　at　those　few　ceremonious　lines。　〃He　does　not　like　me　to　be　talked　of；〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃How　good　he　is！　What　trouble　he　takes　about　me！　Ah！　_he　will　be　there！_〃

She　divined　rightly；　on　Wednesday；　at　ten；　Alfred　Hardie　was　in　the　ball…room。　It　was　a　magnificent　room；　well　lighted；　and　at　present　not　half　filled；　though　dancing　had　commenced。　The　figure　Alfred　sought　was　not　there；　and　he　wondered　he　had　been　so　childish　as　to　hope　she　would　come　to　a　city　ball。　He　played　the　fine　gentleman；　would　not　dance。　He　got　near　the　door　with　another　Oxonian；　and　tried　to　avenge　himself　for　her　absence　on　the　townspeople　who　were　there　by　quizzing　them。

But　in　the　middle　of　this　amiable　occupation；　and　indeed　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence；　he　stopped　short；　and　his　heart　throbbed；　and　he　thrilled　from　head　to　foot；　for　two　ladies　glided　in　at　the　door；　and　passed　up　the　room　with　the　unpretending　composure　of　well…bred　people。　They　were　equally　remarkable；　but　Alfred　saw　only　the　radiant　young　creature　in　flowing　muslin；　with　the　narrowest　sash　in　the　room；　and　no　ornament　but　a　necklace　of　large　pearls　and　her　own　vivid　beauty。　She　had　altered　her　mind　about　coming；　with　apologies　for　her　vacillating　disposition　so　penitent　and　disproportionate　that　her　indulgent　and　unsuspecting　mother　was　really　quite　amused。　Alfred　was　not　so　happy　as　to　know　that　she　had　changed　her　mind　with　his　note。　Perhaps　even　this　knowledge　could　have　added　little　to　that　exquisite　moment；　when；　unhoped　for；　she　passed　close　to　him；　and　the　fragrant　air　from　her　brushed　his　cheek；　and　seemed　to　whisper；　〃Follow　me　and　be　my　slave。〃



CHAPTER　V

HE　did　follow　her；　and；　convinced　that　she　would　be　engaged　ten　deep　in　five　minutes；　hustled　up　to　the　master　of　the　ceremonies　and　begged　an　introduction。　The　great　banker's　son　was　attended　to　at　once。　Julia　saw　them　coming；　as　her　sex　can　see；　without　looking。　Her　eyes　were　on　fire；　and　a　delicious　blush　on　her　cheeks；　when　the　M。　C。　introduced　Mr。　Alfred　Hardie　with　due　pomp。　He　asked　her　to　dance。

〃I　am　engaged　for　this　dance；　sir；〃　said　she　softly。

〃The　next？〃　asked　Hardie　timidly。

〃With　pleasure。〃

But　when　they　had　got　so　far　they　were　both　seized　with　bashful　silence；　and　just　as　Alfred　was　going　to　try　and　break　it；　Cornet　Bosanquet；　aged　18；　height　5　feet　4　inches；　strutted　up　with　clanking　heel；　and；　glancing　haughtily　up　at　him；　carried　Julia　off；　like　a　steam…tug　towing　away　some　fair　schooner。　To　these　little　thorns　society　treats　all　anxious　lovers；　but　the　incident　was　new　to　Alfred；　and　discomposed　him；　and；　besides；　he　had　nosed　a　rival　in　Sampson's　prescription。　So　now　he　thought　to　himself；　〃that　little　ensign　is　'his　puppy。'〃

To　get　rid　of　Mrs。　Dodd　he　offered　to　conduct　her　to　a　seat。　She　thanked　him；　she　would　rather　stand　where　she　could　see　her　daughter　dance：　on　this　he　took　her　to　the　embrasure　of　a　window　opposite　where　Julia　and　her　partner　stood；　and　they　entered　a　circle　of　spectators。　The　band　struck　up；　and　the　solemn　skating　began。

〃Who　is　this　lovely　creature　in　white？〃　asked　a　middle…aged　solicitor。　〃In　white？　I　did　not　see　any　beauty　in　white；〃　replied　his　daughter。　〃Why　there；　before　your　eyes；〃　said　the　gentleman；　loudly。

〃What；　that　girl　dancing　with　the　little　captain？　I　don't　see　much　beauty　in　her。　_And_　what　a　rubbishing　dress。〃

〃It　never　cost　a　pound；　making　and　all；〃　suggested　another　Barkingtonian　nymph。

〃But　what　splendid　pearls！〃　said　a　third：　〃can　they　be　real？〃

〃Real！　what　an　idea！〃　ejaculated　a　fourth：　〃who　puts　on　real　pearls　as　big　as　peas　with　muslin　at　twenty　pence　the　yard？〃

〃Weasels！〃　muttered　Alfred；　and　quivered　all　over：　and　he　felt　to　Mrs。　Dodd　so　like　a　savage　going　to　spring；　that　she　laid　her　hand　upon　his　wrist；　and　said　gently；　but　with　authority；　〃Be　calm；　sir！　and　oblige　me　by　not　noticing　these　people。〃

Then　they　threw　dirt　on　her　bouquet；　and　then　on　her　shoes；　while　she　was　winding　in　and　out　before　their　eyes　a　Grace；　and　her　soft　muslin　drifting　and　flowing　like　an　appropriate　cloud　round　a　young　goddess。

〃A　little　starch　would　make　it　set　out　better。　It's　as　limp　as　a　towel　on　the　line。〃

〃I'll　be　sworn　it　was　washed　at　home。〃

〃Where　it　was　made。〃

〃I　call　it　a　rag；　not　a　gown。〃

〃Do　let　us　move；〃　whispered　Alfred。

〃I　am　very　comfortable　here；〃　whispered　Mrs。　Dodd。　〃How　can　these　things　annoy　my　ears　while　I　have　eyes？　Look　at　her：　she　is　the　best…dressed　lady　in　the　room；　her　muslin　is　Indian；　and　of　a　quality　unknown　to　these　provincial　shopkeepers；　a　rajah　gave　it　us：　her　pearls　were　my　mother's；　and　have　been　in　every　court　in　Europe；　and　she　herself　is　beautiful；　would　be　beautiful　dressed　like　the　dowdies　who　are　criticising　her：　and　I　think；　sir；　she　dances　as　well　as　any　lady