hard cash-第50章

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〃Don't　let　my　chaff　choke　ye；　doctor。　That　warn't　meant　for　_you_　altogether。　So　if　you　_have_　got　a　little　bit　of　that　'ere　about　you〃

〃I'm　not　a　ratcatcher；　my　man：　I　don't　go　with　dith　in　my　pocket；　like　the　surgeons　that　carry　a　lancet。　And　if　I　had　Murder　in　both　pockets；　you　shouldn't　get　any。　Here's　a　greedy　dog！　got　a　thousand　pounds　in　the　bank；　and　grudges　his　healer　a　guinea；　and　his　mouse　a　stand…up　bite。〃

〃Now；　who　have　been　a　telling　you　lies？〃　inquired　Maxley　severely。　〃My　missus；　for　a　farthing。　I'm　not　a　thousand…pound　man；　I'm　a　nine…hundred…pound　man；　and　it's　all　safe　at　Hardie's。〃　Here　he　went　from　his　roar　to　his　whisper；　〃I　don't　hold　with　Lunnon　banks；　they　be　like　my　missus's　eggs：　all　one　outside；　and　the　rotten　ones　only　known　by　breaking。　Well　（loud）　I　_be_　pretty　close；　I　don't　deny　it；　but　（confidentially）　my　missus　beats　me。　I　look　twice　at　a　penny；　but　she　looks　twice　at　both　sides　of　a　halfpenny　before　she　will　let　him　go：　and　it's　her　being　so　close　have　raised　all　this　here　bobbery；　and　so　I　told　her；　says　I；　'Missus；　if　you　would　but　leave　an　end　of　a　dip；　or　a　paring　of　cheese；　about　your　cupboard；　she　would　hide　at　home；　but　you　hungers　her　so；　you　drives　her　afield　right　on　atop　o'　my　roots。'　'Oh；'　says　my　missus；　'if　_I_　was　to　be　as　wasteful　as　_you_　be；　where　should　_we_　be　come　Christmas　day？　Every　tub　on　its　own　bottom；'　says　she；　'man　and　wife　did　ought　to　keep　theirselves　to　theirselves；　she　to　the　house；　and　I　to　the　garden。'　'So　be　it；　says　I；　'and　by　the　same　toaken；　don't　let　me　catch　them　〃Ns〃　in　my　garden　again；　or　I'll　spoil　their　clucking　and　scratching；'　says　I；　'for　I'll　twist　their　dalled　necks：　ye've　got　a　yard；'　says　I；　'and　a　roost；　and　likewise　a　turnpike；　you　and　your　poultry：　so　bide　at　home　the　lot；　and　don't　come　a　scratching　o'　me；'　and　with　that　we　had　a　ripput；　and　she　took　one　of　her　pangs；　and　then　I　behoved　to　knock　under；　and　that　is　allus　the　way　if　ye　quarrel　with　woman…folk；　they　are　sworn　to　get　the　better　of　ye　by　hook　or　by　crook。　Now　dooe　give　me　a　bit　of　that　ere；　to　quiet　this　here；　as　eats　me　up　by　the　roots　and　sets　my　missus　and　me　by　the　ears。〃

〃Justum　ac　tenacem　propositi　virum；〃　whispered　Alfred　to　Edward。

Sampson　told　him　angrily　to　go　to　a　certain　great　personage。

〃Not　afore　my　betters；〃　whispered　Mr。　Maxley；　smit　with　a　sudden　respect　for　etiquette　〃Won't　ye；　now？〃

〃I'll　see　ye　hanged　first；　ye　miserly　old　assassin。〃

〃Then　I　have　nothing　to　thank　_you_　for；〃　roared　Maxley；　and　made　his　adieux；　ignoring　with　marked　contempt　the　false　physician　who　declined　to　doctor　the　foe　of　his　domestic　peace　and　crocuses。

〃Quite　a　passage　of　arms；〃　said　Edward。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃and　of　bludgeons　and　things；　rather　than　the　polished　rapier。　What　expressions　to　fall　from　two　highly　educated　gentlemen！　SlopePotato…trapSawbonesCatlap_je　n'en　finirais　pas。_〃

She　then　let　them　know　that　she　meditated　a　〃dictionary　of　jargon；〃　in　hopes　that　its　bulk　might　strike　terror　into　honest　citizens；　and　excite　an　anti…jargon　league　to　save　the　English　language；　now　on　the　verge　of　dissolution。

Sampson　was　pleased　with　this　threat。　〃Now；　that　is　odd；〃　said　he。　〃Why；　I　am　compilin'　a　vocabulary　myself。　I　call　't　th'　ass…ass…ins'　dickshinary；　showing　how；　by　the　use　of　mealy…mouthed　and　d'exotic　phrases；　knaves　can　lead　fools　by　th'　ear　a　vilent　dith。　F'r　instance；　if　one　was　to　say　to　John　Bull；　'Now　I'll　cut　a　great　gash　in　your　arm　and　let　your　blood　run　till　ye　drop　down　senseless；'　he'd　take　fright　and　say；　'Call　another　time！'　So　the　profissional　ass…ass…in　words　it　thus：　'I'll　bleed　you　from　a　large　orifice　till　the　occurrence　of　syncope。'　All　right　sis　John：　he's　bled　from　a　lar　j'orifice　and　dies　three　days　after　of　th'　assassin's　knife　hid　in　a　sheath　o'　goose　grease。　But　I'll　bloe　the　gaff　with　my　dictionary。〃

〃Meantime　_there_　is　another　contribution　to　mine；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd。

And　they　agreed　in　the　gaiety　of　their　hearts　to　compare　their　rival　Lexicons。



CHAPTER　XIII


THE　subsiding　sea　was　now　a　liquid　Paradise：　its　great　pellucid　braes　and　hillocks　shone　with　the　sparkle　and　the　hues　of　all　the　jewels　in　an　emperor's　crown。　Imagineafter　three　days　of　inky　sea；　and　pitchy　sky；　and　Death's　deep　jaws　snapping　and　barely　missingten　thousand　great　slopes　of　emerald；　aquamarine；　amethyst　and　topaz；　liquid；　alive；　and　dancing　jocundly　beneath　a　gorgeous　sun：　and　you　will　have　a　faint　idea　of　what　met　the　eyes　and　hearts　of　the　rescued　looking　out　of　that　battered；　jagged　ship；　upon　ocean　smiling　back　to　smiling　Heaven。

Yet　one　man　felt　no　buoyancy；　nor　gush　of　joy。　He　leaned　against　a　fragment　of　the　broken　bulwark；　confused　between　the　sweetness　of　life　preserved　and　the　bitterness　of　treasure　losthis　wife's　and　children's　treasured　treasure；　benumbed　at　heart；　and　almost　weary　of　the　existence　he　had　battled　for　so　stoutly。　He　looked　so　moody；　and　answered　so　grimly　and　unlike　himself；　that　they　all　held　aloof　from　him；　heavy　heart　among　so　many　joyful　ones；　he　was　in　true　solitude；　the　body　in　a　crowd；　the　soul　alone。　And　he　was　sore　as　well　as　heavy；　for　of　all　the　lubberly　acts　he　had　ever　known；　the　way　he　had　lost　his　dear　ones'　fortune　seemed　to　him　the　worst。

A　voice　sounded　in　his　ear：　〃Poor　thing！　she　has　s　foundered。〃

It　was　Fullalove　scanning　the　horizon　with　his　famous　glass。

〃Foundered？　Who？〃　said　Dodd；　though　he　did　not　care　much　who　sank；　who　swam。　Then　he　remembered　the　vessel；　whose　flashing　guns　had　shed　a　human　ray　on　the　unearthly　horror　of　the　black　hurricane。　He　looked　all　round。

Blank。

Ay；　she　had　perished　with　all　hands。　The　sea　had　swallowed　her；　and　spared　himungrateful。

This　turned　his　mind　sharply。　Suppose　the　_Agra_　had　gone　down；　the　money　would　be　lost　as　now；　and　his　life　into　the　bargaina　life　dearer　to　all　at　home　than　millions　of　gold：　he　prayed　inwardly　to　Heaven　for　gratitude　and　goodness　to　feel　its　mercy。　This　softened　him　a　little；　and　his　heart　swelled　so；　he　wished　he　was　a　woman　to　cry　over　his　children's　loss　for　an　hour；　and　then　shake　all　off　and　go　through　his　duty　somehow；　for　now　he　was　paralysed；　and　all　seemed　ended。　Next；　nautical　superstition　fastened　on　him。　That　pocket…book　of　his　was　Jonah：　it　had　to　go　or　else　the　ship；　the　moment　it　did　go；　the　storm　had　broken　as　by　magic。

Now　Superstition　is　generally　stronger　than　rational　Religion；　whether　they　lie　apart　or　together　in　one　mind；　and　this　superstitious　notion　did　something　toward　steeling　the　poor　man。　〃Come；〃　said　he　to　himself　〃my　loss　has　saved　all　these　poor　souls　on　board　this　ship。　So　be　it！　Heaven's　will　be　done！　I　must　bustle；　or　else　go　mad。〃

He　turned　to　and　worked　like　a　horse：　and　with　his　own　hands　helped　the　men　to　rig　parallel　ropesa　substitute　for　bulwarkstill　the　perspiration　ran　down　him。

Bayliss　now　reported　the　well　nearly　dry；　and　Dodd　was　about　to　bear　up　and　make　sail　again；　when　one　of　the　ship…boys；　a　little　fellow　with　a　bright　eye　and　a　chin　like　a　monkey's；　came　up　to　him　and　said

〃Please；　captain！〃　Then　glared　with　awe　at　what　he　had　done；　and　broke　down。

〃Well；　my　little　man？〃　said　Dodd　gently。

Thus　encouraged；　the　boy　gave　a　great　gulp；　and　burst　in　in　a　brogue；　〃Och　your　arnr；　sure　there's　no　rudder　on　her　at　all　barrin　the　tiller。〃

〃What　d'ye　mean？〃

〃Don't　murder　me；　your　arnr；　and　I'll　tell　ye。　It's　meself　looked　over　the　starrn　just　now；　and　I　seen　there　was　no　rudder　at　all　at　all。　Mille　diaoul；　sis　I；　ye　old　bitch；　I'll　tell　his　arur　what　y'are　after；　slipping　your　rudder　like　my　granny's　list　shoe；　I　will。〃

Dodd　ran　to　the　helm　and　looked　down；　the　brat　was　right：　the　blows　which　had　so　endangered　the　ship；　had　broken　the　rudder；　and　the　sea　had　washed　away　more　than　half　of　it。　The　sight　and　the　reflection　made　him　faintish　for　a　moment。　Death　passing　so　very　close　to　a　man　sickens　him　_afterwards；_　unless　he　has　the　luck　to　be　brainless。



〃What　is　your　name；　urchin？〃

〃Ned　Murphy；　sir。〃

〃Very　well；　Murphy；　then　you　are　a　fine　little　fellow；　and　have　wiped　all　our　eyes　in　the　ship：　run　and　send　the　carpenter　aft。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　sir。〃

The　carpenter　came。　Like　most　artisans；　he　was　clever　in　a　groove：　take　him