hard cash-第23节

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Of　course　you　have　communicated　this　step　to　him？〃

Alfred　looked　a　little　confused；　and　said；　〃No：　he　left　for　London　two　days　ago；　as　it　happens。〃

〃That　is　unfortunate；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd。　〃Your　best　plan　would　be　to　write　to　him　at　once。　I　need　hardly　tell　you　that　we　shall　enter　no　family　without　an　invitation　from　its　head。〃

Alfred　replied　that　he　was　well　aware　of　that；　and　that　he　knew　his　father；　and　could　answer　for　him。　〃No　doubt；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃but；　as　a　matter　of　reasonable　form；　I　prefer　he　should　answer　for　himself。〃　Alfred　would　write　by　this　post。　〃It　is　a　mere　form；〃　said　he；　〃for　my　father　has　but　one　answer　to　his　children；　'Please　yourselves。'　He　sometimes　adds；　'and　how　much　money　shall　you　want？'　These　are　his　two　formulae。〃

He　then　delivered　a　glowing　eulogy　on　his　father；　and　Mrs。　Dodd；　to　whom　the　boy's　character　was　now　a　grave　and　anxious　study；　saw　with　no　common　satisfaction　his　cheek　flush　and　his　eyes　moisten　as　he　dwelt　on　the　calm；　sober；　unvarying　affection；　and　reasonable　indulgence　he　and　his　sister　had　met　with　all　their　lives　from　the　best　of　parents。　Returning　to　the　topic　of　topics；　he　proposed　an　engagement。　〃I　have　a　ring　in　my　pocket；〃　said　this　brisk　wooer；　looking　down。　But　this　Mrs。　Dodd　thought　premature　and　unnecessary。　〃You　are　nearly　of　age；〃　said　she；　〃and　then　you　will　be　able　to　marry；　if　you　are　in　the　same　mind。〃　But；　upon　being　warmly　pressed；　she　half　conceded　even　this。　〃Well；〃　said　she；　〃on　receiving　your　father's　consent；　you　can　_propose_　an　engagement　to　Julia；　and　she　shall　use　her　own　judgment；　but；　until　then；　you　will　not　even　mention　such　a　thing　to　her。　May　I　count　on　so　much　forbearance　from　you；　sir？〃

〃Dear　Mrs。　Dodd；〃　said　Alfred；　〃of　course　you　may。　I　should　indeed　be　ungrateful　if　I　could　not　wait　a　post　for　that。　May　I　write　to　my　father　here？〃　added　he；　naively。

Mrs。　Dodd　smiled；　furnished　him　with　writing　materials；　and　left　him；　with　a　polite　excuse。


〃ALBION　VILLA；　_September　29。_

〃MY　DEAR　FATHER；You　are　too　thorough　a　man　of　the　world；　and　too　well　versed　in　human　nature；　to　be　surprised　at　hearing　that　I；　so　long　invulnerable；　have　at　last　formed　a　devoted　attachment　to　one　whose　beauty；　goodness；　and　accomplishments　I　will　not　now　enlarge　upon；　they　are　indescribable；　and　you　will　very　soon　see　them　and　judge　for　yourself。　The　attachment；　though　short　in　weeks　and　months；　has　been　a　very　long　one　in　hopes；　and　fears；　and　devotion。　I　should　have　told　you　of　it　before　you　left；　but　in　truth　I　had　no　idea　I　was　so　near　the　goal　of　all　my　earthly　hopes；　there　were　many　difficulties：　but　these　have　just　cleared　away　almost　miraculously；　and　nothing　now　is　wanting　to　my　happiness　but　your　consent。　It　would　be　affectation；　or　worse；　in　me　to　doubt　that　you　will　grant　it。　But；　in　a　matter　so　delicate；　I　venture　to　ask　you　for　something　more：　the　mother　of　my　ever　and　only　beloved　Julia　is　a　lady　of　high　breeding　and　sentiments：　she　will　not　let　her　daughter　enter　any　family　without　a　cordial　invitation　from　its　head。　Indeed　she　has　just　told　me　so。　I　ask；　therefore；　not　your　bare　consent；　of　which　I　am　sure；　since　my　happiness　for　life　depends　on　it；　but　a　consent　so　gracefully　wordedand　who　can　do　this　better　than　you？as　to　gratify　the　just　pride　and　sensibilities　of　the　high…minded　family　about　to　confide　its　brightest　ornament　to　my　care。

〃My　dear　father；　in　the　midst　of　felicity　almost　more　than　mortal；　the　thought　has　come　that　this　letter　is　my　first　step　towards　leaving　the　paternal　roof　under　which　I　have　been　so　happy　all　my　life；　thanks　to　you。　I　should　indeed　be　unworthy　of　all　your　goodness　if　this　thought　caused　me　no　emotion。

〃Yet　I　do　but　yield　to　Nature's　universal　law。　And；　should　I　be　master　of　my　own　destiny；　I　will　not　go　far　from　you。　I　have　been　unjust　to　Barkington：　or　rather　I　have　echoed；　without　thought；　Oxonian　prejudices　and　affectation。　On　mature　reflection；　I　know　no　better　residence　for　a　married　man。

〃Do　you　remember　about　a　year　ago　you　mentioned　a　Miss　Lucy　Fountain　to　us　as　'the　most　perfect　gentlewoman　you　had　ever　met？'　Well；　strange　to　say；　it　is　that　very　lady's　daughter；　and　I　think　when　you　see　her　you　will　say　the　breed　has　anything　but　declined；　in　spite　of　Horace　mind　his　_'damnosa　quid　non。'_　Her　brother　is　my　dearest　friend；　and　she　is　Jenny's；　so　a　more　happy　alliance　for　all　parties　was　never　projected。

〃Write　to　me　by　return；　dear　father；　and　believe　me；　ever　your　dutiful　and　grateful　son；

〃ALFRED　HARDlE。〃


As　he　concluded；　Julia　came　in；　and　he　insisted　on　her　reading　this　masterpiece。　She　hesitated。　Then　he　told　her　with　juvenile　severity　that　a　good　husband　always　shares　his　letters　with　his　wife。

〃His　wife！　Alfred！〃　and　she　coloured　all　over。　〃Don't　call　me　_names；_〃　said　she；　turning　it　off　after　her　fashion。　〃I　can't　bear　it：　it　makes　me　tremble。　With　fury。〃

〃This　will　never　do；　sweet　one；〃　said　Alfred　gravely。　〃You　and　I　are　to　have　no　separate　existence　now；　you　are　to　be　I；　and　I　am　to　be　you。　Come！〃

〃No；　you　read　me　so　much　of　it　as　is　proper　for　me　to　hear。　I　shall　not　like　it　so　well　from　your　lips：　but　never　mind。〃

When　he　came　to　read　it；　he　appreciated　the　delicacy　that　had　tempered　her　curiosity。　He　did　not　read　it　all　to　her；　but　nearly。

〃It　is　a　beautiful　letter；〃　said　she；　〃a　little　pomposer　than　mamma　and　I　write。　'The　paternal　roof！'　But　all　that　becomes　you；　you　are　a　scholar：　and；　dear　Alfred；　if　I　should　separate　you　from　your　papa；　I　will　never　estrange　you　from　him；　oh；　never；　never。　May　I　go　for　my　work？　For　methinks；　O　most　erudite；　the　'maternal　dame；'　on　domestic　cares　intent；　hath　confided　to　her　offspring　the　recreation　of　your　highness。〃　The　gay　creature　dropt　him　a　curtsey；　and　fled　to　tell　Mrs。　Dodd　the　substance　of　〃the　sweet　letter　the　dear　high…flown　Thing　had　written。〃

By　then　he　had　folded　and　addressed　it；　she　returned　and　brought　her　work：　charity　children's　great　cloaks：　her　mother　had　cut　them；　and　in　the　height　of　the　fashion；　to　Jane　Hardie's　dismay；　and　Julia　was　binding；　hooding；　etcetering　them。

How　demurely　she　bent　her　lovely　head　over　her　charitable　work；　while　Alfred　poured　his　tale　into　her　ears！　How　careful　she　was　not　to　speak；　when　there　was　a　chance　of　his　speaking！　How　often　she　said　one　thing　so　as　to　express　its　opposite；　a　process　for　which　she　might　have　taken　out　a　patent！　How　she　and　Alfred　compared　heart…notes；　and　their　feelings　at　each　stage　of　their　passion！　Their　hearts　put　forth　tendril　after　tendril；　and　so　curled；　and　clung；　round　each　other。

In　the　afternoon　of　the　second　blissful　day；　Julia　suddenly　remembered　that　this　was　dull　for　her　mother。　To　have　such　a　thought　was　to　fly　to　her；　and　she　flew　so　swiftly　that　she　caught　Mrs。　Dodd　in　tears；　and　trying　adroitly　and　vainly　to　hide　them。

〃What　is　the　matter？　I　am　a　wretch。　I　have　left　you　alone。〃

Do　not　think　me　so　peevish；　love！　you　have　but　surprised　the　natural　regrets　of　a　mother　at　the　loss　of　her　child。〃

〃Oh；　mamma；〃　said　Julia；　warmly；　〃and　do　you　think　all　the　marriage　in　the　world　can　ever　divide　you　and　mecan　make　me　lukewarm　to　my　own　sweet；　darling；　beautiful；　blessed；　angel　mother？　Look　at　me：　I　am　as　much　your　Julia　as　ever；　and　shall　be　while　I　live。　Your　son　is　your　son　till　he　gets　him　a　wife：　but　your　daughter's　your　daughter；　ALLTHEDAYSOF　HER　LIFE。


Divine　power　of　native　eloquence：　with　this　trite　distich　you　made　hexameters　tame；　it　gushed　from　that　great　young　heart　with　a　sweet　infantine　ardour；　that　even　virtue　can　only　pour　when　young；　and　youth　when　virtuous；　and；　at　the　words　I　have　emphasised　by　the　poor　device　of　capitals；　two　lovely；　supple　arms　flew　wide　out　like　a　soaring　albatross's　wings；　and　then　went　all　round　the　sad　mother；　and　gathered　every　bit　of　her　up　to　the　generous　young　bosom。

〃I　know　it；　I　know　it！〃　cried　Mrs。　Dodd；　kissing　her；　I　shall　never　lose　my　daughter　while　she　breathes。　But　I　am　losing　my　child。　You　are　turning　to　a　woman　visibly：　and　you　were　such　a　happy　child。　Hence　my　misgivings；　and　these　weak　tears；　which　you　have　dried　with　a　word：　see！〃　And　she　contrived　to　smile。　〃And　now　go　down；　dearest：　he　may　be　impatient；　men's　love　is　so　fiery。〃

The　next　day　Mrs。　Dodd　took　Julia　apart　and　asked　her　whether　there　was　an　answer　from　Mr。　Hardie。　Julia　replied；　from　Alfred；　that　Jane　had　received　a　letter　last　night；　and；　to　judge　by　the　contents；　Mr。　Hardie　must　have　left　London　before　Alfred's　letter　got　there。　〃He　is　gone　to　see　poor　Uncle　Thomas。〃

〃Why　do　you　call　him　'poor？'〃

〃Oh；　he　is　not　very　clever；　has　not　much　mind；　Alfred　says；　indeed；　hardly　any。〃

〃You　alarm　me；　Julia！〃　cried　Mrs。　Dodd。　〃What？　madness　in　the　family　you　propose　to　marry　into？〃

〃Oh　no；　mamma；〃　said　Julia；　in　a　great　hurry；　〃no　madness；　only　a　little　imbecility。〃

Mrs。　Dodd's　lip　curved　at　this　Julian　answer；　but　just　then　her　mind　was　more　drawn　to　another　topic。　A　serious　doubt　passed　through　her；　whether；　if　Mr。　Hardie　did　not　write　soon；　she　ought　not　to　limit　his　son's　attendance　on　her　daughter。　〃He　follows　her　about　like　a　little　dog；〃　said　she　half　fretfully。

Next　day；　by　previous　invitation；　Dr。　Sampson　made　Albion　Villa　his　head…quarters。　Darting　in　from　Lon