hard cash-第75章

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ars　I　didn't　We　must　make　the　best　on't：　money's　gone；　but　here's　the　garden　and　our　hands　still；　and　'tain't　as　if　we　were　single　to　gnaw　our　hearts　alone：　wedded　life　cuts　grief　a　two。　Let's　make　it　up　and　begin　again。　Sixty　come　Martinmas；　and　Susan　forty…eight：　and　I　be　a'most　weary　of　turning　moulds。〃

He　went　round　to　his　front　door。

There　was　a　crowd　round　it；　a　buzzing　crowd　with　all　their　faces　turned　towards　his　door。

He　came　at　their　backs；　and　asked　peevishly　what　was　to　do　now。　Some　of　the　women　shrieked　at　his　voice。　The　crowd　turned　about；　and　a　score　of　faces　peered　at　him：　some　filled　with　curiosity；　some　with　pity。

〃Lord　help　us！〃　said　the　poor　man；　〃is　there　any　more　trouble　a　foot　to…day？　Stand　aside；　please；　and　let　me　know。〃

〃No！　no！〃　cried　a　woman；　〃don't　let　him。〃

〃Not　let　me　go　into　my　own　house；　young　woman？〃　said　Maxley　with　dignity：　〃be　these　your　manners？〃

〃Oh；　James：　I　meant　you　no　ill。　Poor　man！〃

〃Poor　soul！〃　said　another。

〃Stand　aloof！〃　said　a　strange　man。　〃Who　has　as　good　a　right　to　be　there　as　he　have？〃

A　lane　was　made　directly；　and　Maxley　rushed　down　between　two　rows　of　peering　faces；　with　his　knees　knocking　together；　and　burst　into　his　own　house。　A　scream　from　the　women　inside　as　he　entered；　and　a　deep　groan　from　the　strong　man　bereaved　of　his　mate；　told　the　tragedy。　Poor　Susan　Maxley　was　gone。

She　had　died　of　breast…pang　within　a　minute　of　his　leaving　her；　and　the　last　words　of　two　faithful　spouses　were　words　of　anger。


All　these　things；　and　many　more　less　tragic；　but　very　deplorable；　came　to　Alfred　Hardie's　knowledge；　and　galled　and　afflicted　him　deeply。　And　several　of　these　revelations　heaped　discredit　high　upon　Richard　Hardie；　till　the　young　man；　born　with　a　keen　sense　of　justice；　and　bred　amongst　honourable　minds；　began　to　shudder　at　his　own　father。

Herein　he　was　alone；　Jane；　with　the　affectionate　blindness　of　her　sex；　could　throw　her　arms　round　her　father's　neck；　and　pity　him　for　his　lossesby　his　own　dishonestyand　pity　him　most　when　some　victim　of　his　unprincipled　conduct　died　or　despaired。　〃Poor　papa　will　feel　this　so　deeply；〃　was　her　only　comment　on　such　occasions。

Alfred　was　not　sorry　she　could　take　this　view；　and　left　her　unmolested　to　confound　black　with　white；　and　wrong　with　right；　at　affection's　dictates；　but　his　own　trained　understanding　was　not　to　be　duped　in　matters　of　plain　morality。　And　so；　unable　to　cure　the　wrongs　he　deplored；　unable　to　put　his　conscience　into　his　pocket　like　Richard　Hardie；　or　into　his　heart　like　Jane；　he　wandered　alone；　or　sat　brooding　and　dejected：　and　the　attentive　reader；　if　I　am　so　fortunate　as　to　possess　one；　will　not　be　surprised　to　learn　that　he　was　troubled；　too；　with　dark　mysterious　surmises　he　half　dreaded；　yet　felt　it　his　duty　to　fathom。　These　and　Mrs。　Dodd's　loss　by　the　bank　combined　to　keep　him　out　of　Albion　Villa。　He　often　called　to　ask　after　Captain　Dodd；　but　was　ashamed　to　enter　the　house。

Now　Richard　Hardie's　anxiety　to　know　whether　David　was　to　die　or　live　had　not　declined；　but　rather　increased。　If　the　latter；　he　was　now　resolved　to　fly　to　the　United　States　with　his　booty；　and　cheat　his　alienated　son　along　with　the　rest：　he　had　come　by　degrees　down　to　this。　It　was　on　Alfred　he　had　counted　to　keep　him　informed　of　David's　state；　but；　on　his　putting　a　smooth　inquiry；　the　young　man's　face　flushed　with　shame；　or　anger；　or　something；　and　he　gave　a　very　short；　sharp；　and　obscure　reply。　In　reality；　he　did　not　know　much；　nor　did　Sarah；　his　informant；　for　of　late　the　servants　had　never　been　allowed　to　enter　David's　room。

Mr。　Hardie；　after　this　rebuff；　never　asked　Alfred　again；　but　having　heard　Sampson's　name　mentioned　as　Dodd's　medical　attendant；　wrote　and　asked　him　to　come　and　dine　next　time　he　should　visit　Barkington。

〃You　will　find　me　a　fallen　man；〃　said　he；　〃to…morrow　we　resign　our　house　and　premises　and　furniture　to　the　assignees；　and　go　to　live　at　a　little　furnished　cottage　not　very　far　from　your　friends　the　Dodds。　It　is　called　'Musgrove　Cottage。'　There；　where　we　have　so　little　to　offer　besides　a　welcome；　none　but　true　friends　will　come　near　us；　indeed；　there　are　very　few　I　should　venture　to　ask　for　such　a　proof　of　fidelity　to　your　broken　friend；

R。　H。〃


The　good…hearted　Sampson　sent　a　cordial　reply；　and　came　to　dinner　at　Musgrove　Cottage。


Now　all　Hardie　wanted　of　him　in　reality　was　to　know　about　David；　so　when　Jane　had　retired　and　the　decanter　circulated；　he　began　to　pump　him　by　his　vanity。　〃I　understand；〃　said　he；　〃you　have　wrought　one　of　your　surprising　cures　in　this　neighbourhood。　Albion　Villa！〃

Sampson　shook　his　head　sorrowfully：　Mr。　Hardie's　eyes　sparkled。　Alfred　watched　him　keenly　and　bitterly。

〃How　can　I　work　a　great　cure　after　these　ass…ass…ins　Short　and　Osmond？　Look；　see！　the　man　had　been　wounded　in　the　hid；　and　lost　blood：　thin　stabbed　in　the　shoulder；　and　lost　more　blood。〃Both　the　Hardies　uttered　an　ejaculation　of　unfeigned　surprise。〃So；　instid　of　recruiting　the　buddy　thus　exhausted　of　the　great　liquid　material　of　all　repair；　the　profissional　ass…ass…in　came　and　exhausted　him　worse：　stabbed　him　while　he　slept；　stabbed　him　unconscious；　stabbed　him　in　a　vein：　and　stole　more　blood　from　him。　Wasn't　that　enough？　No！　the　routine　of　profissional　ass…ass…ination　had　but　begun；　nixt　they　stabbed　him　with　cupping…needles；　and　so　stole　more　of　his　life…blood。　And　they　were　goen　from　their　stabs　to　their　bites；　goen　to　leech　his　temples；　and　so　hand　him　over　to　the　sixton。〃

〃But　you　came　in　and　saved　him；〃　cried　Alfred。

〃I　saved　his　life；〃　said　Sampson　sorrowfully；　〃but　life　is　not　the　only　good　thing　a　man　may　be　robbed　of　by　those　who　steal　his　life…blood；　and　so　impoverish　and　water　the　contints　of　the　vessels　of　the　brain。〃

〃Doctor　Sampson；〃　said　Alfred；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　these　mysterious　words？　You　alarm　me。〃

〃What；　don't　you　know？　Haven't　they　told　you？〃

〃No；　I　have　not　had　the　courage　to　enter　the　house　since　the　bank〃　he　stopped　in　confusion。

〃Ay；　I　understand；〃　said　Sampson：　〃however；　it　can't　be　hidden　now：

〃He　is　a　maniac。〃


Sampson　made　this　awful　announcement　soberly　and　sorrowfully。

Alfred　groaned　aloud；　and　even　his　father　experienced　a　momentary　remorse；　but　so　steady　had　been　the　progress　of　Corruption；　that　he　felt　almost　unmixed　joy　the　next　instant；　and　his　keen…witted　son　surprised　the　latter　sentiment　in　his　face；　and　shuddered　with　disgust。

Sampson　went　on　to　say　that　he　believed　the　poor　man　had　gone　flourishing　a　razor；　and　Mrs。　Dodd　had　said；　〃Yes；　kill　me；　David：　kill　the　mother　of　your　children；〃　and　never　moved：　which　feminine；　or　in　other　words　irrational；　behaviour　had　somehow　disarmed　him。　But　it　would　not　happen　again：　his　sister　had　come；　a　sensible；　resolute　woman。　She　had　signed　the　order；　and　Osmond　and　he　the　certificates；　and　he　was　gone　to　a　private　asylum。　〃Talking　of　that；〃　said　Sampson；　rising　suddenly；　〃I　must　go　and　give　them　a　word　of　comfort；　for　they　are　just　breaking　their　hearts　at　parting　with　him；　poor　things。　I'll　be　back　in　an　hour。〃

On　his　departure；　Jane　returned　and　made　the　tea　in　the　dining…room：　they　lived　like　that　now。

Mr。　Hardie　took　it　from　his　favourite's　lithe　white　hand；　and　smiled　on　her：　he　should　not　have　to　go　to　a　foreign　land　after　all：　who　would　believe　a　madman　if　he　should　rave　about　his　thousands　？　He　sipped　his　tea　luxuriously；　and　presently　delivered　himself　thus；　with　bland　self…satisfaction：

〃My　dear　Alfred；　some　time　ago　you　wished　to　marry　a　young　lady　without　fortune。　You　thought　that　I　had　a　large　one；　and　you　expected　me　to　supply　all　deficiencies。　You　did　not　overrate　my　parental　feeling；　but　you　did　my　means。　I　would　have　done　this　for　you；　and　with　pleasure；　but　for　my　own　coming　misfortunes。　As　it　was；　I　said　'No；'　and　when　you　demanded；　somewhat　peremptorily；　my　reasons；　I　said　'Trust　me。'　Well；　you　see　I　was　right：　such　a　marriage　would　have　been　your　utter　ruin。　However；　I　conclude；　after　what　Dr。　Sampson　has　told　us；　you　have　resigned　it　on　other　grounds。　Jane；　my　dear；　Captain　Dodd；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　is　afflicted。　He　has　gone　mad。〃

〃Gone　mad？！　Oh；　how　shocking！　What　will　become　of　his　poor　children？〃　She　thought　of　Edward　first。

〃We　have