hard cash-第6节

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noise？　With　my　head　splitting？〃

Here　Julia　gave　Mrs。　Dodd　a　soft　pinch；　to　which　Mrs。　Dodd　replied　by　a　smile。　And　so　they　settled　who　this　petulant　young　invalid　must　be。

〃'There；　it　is　no　use；〃　observed　one；　_sotto　voce；_　〃the　bloke　really　has　awful　headaches；　like　a　girl；　and　then　he　always　shuts　up　this　way。　You　will　only　rile　him；　and　get　the　rough　side　of　his　tongue。〃

Here；　then；　the　conference　drew　towards　a　close。　But　a　Wadham　man；　who　was　one　of　the　ambassadors；　interposed。　〃Stop　a　minute；〃　said　he。　〃Mr。　Hardie；　I　have　not　the　honour　to　be　acquainted　with　you；　and　I　am　not　here　to　annoy　you；　nor　to　be　affronted　by　you。　But　the　university　has　a　stake　in　this　race；　and　the　university　expostulates　through　usthrough　me；　if　you　like。〃

〃Who　have　I　the　honour？〃　inquired　Hardie；　assuming　politeness　sudden　and　vast。

〃Badham；　of　Wadham。〃

〃Badham　o'　Wadham？　Hear　that；　ye　tuneful　nine！　Well；　Badham　o'　Wadham；　you　are　no　acquaintance　of　mine；　so　you　may　possibly　not　be　a　fool。　Let　us　assume　by　way　of　hypothesis　that　you　are　a　man　of　sense；　a　man　of　reason　as　well　as　of　rhyme。　Then　follow　my　logic。　Hardie　of　Exeter　is　a　good　man　in　a　boat　when　he　has　not　got　a　headache。

〃When　he　has　got　a　headache；　Hardie　of　Exeter　is　not　worth　a　straw　in　a　boat。

〃Hardie　of　Exeter　has　a　headache　now。

〃Ergo；　the　university　would　put　the　said　Hardie　into　a　race；　headache　and　all；　and　reduce　defeat　to　a　certainty。

〃And；　ergo；　on　the　same　premises；　I；　not　being　an　egotist；　nor　an　ass；　have　taken　Hardie　of　Exeter　and　his　headache　out　of　the　boat；　as　I　should　have　done　any　other　cripple。

〃Secondly；　I　have　put　the　best　man　on　the　river　into　this　cripple's　place。

〃Total；　I　have　given　the　university　the　benefit　of　my　brains；　and　the　university；　not　having　brains　enough　to　see　what　it　gains　by　the　exchange；　turns　again　and　rends　me；　like　an　animal　frequently　mentioned　in　Scripture；　but；　_nota　bene；_　never　once　with　approbation。〃

And　the　afflicted　Rhetorician　attempted　a　diabolical　grin；　but　failed　signally；　and　groaned　instead。

〃Is　this　your　answer　to　the　university；　sir？

At　this　query；　delivered　in　a　somewhat　threatening　tone；　the　invalid　sat　up　all　in　a　moment；　like　a　poked　lion。　〃Oh；　if　Badham　o'　Wadham　thinks　to　crush　me　_auctoritate　sua　et　totius　universitatis；_　Badham　o'　Wadham　may　just　tell　the　whole　university　to　go　and　be　dd；　from　the　Chancellor　down　to　the　junior　cook　at　Skimmery　Hall；　with　my　compliments。〃

Ill…conditioned　brute！〃　muttered　Badham　of　Wadham。　〃Serve　you　right　if　the　university　were　to　chuck　you　into　the　Thames。〃　And　with　this　comment　they　left　him　to　his　ill　temper。　One　remained；　sat　quietly　down　a　little　way　off；　struck　a　sweetly　aromatic　lucifer；　and　blew　a　noisome　cloud；　but　the　only　one　which　betokens　calm。

As　for　Hardie；　he　held　his　aching　head　over　his　knees；　absorbed　in　pain；　and　quite　unconscious　that　sacred　pity　was　poisoning　the　air　beside　him；　and　two　pair　of　dovelike　eyes　resting　on　him　with　womanly　concern。

Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia　had　heard　the　greatest　part　of　this　colloquy。　They　had　terribly　quick　ears　and　nothing　better　to　do　with　them　just　then。　Indeed；　their　interest　was　excited。

Julia　went　so　far　as　to　put　her　salts　into　Mrs。　Dodd's　hand　with　a　little　earnest　look。　But　Mrs。　Dodd　did　not　act　upon　the　hint。　She　had　learned　who　the　young　man　was：　had　his　very　name　been　strange　to　her；　she　would　have　been　more　at　her　ease　with　him。　Moreover；　his　rudeness　to　the　other　men　repelled　her　a　little。　Above　all；　he　had　uttered　a　monosyllable　and　a　stinger：　a　thorn　of　speech　not　in　her　vocabulary；　nor　even　in　society's。　Those　might　be　his　manners；　even　when　not　aching。　Still；　it　seems；　a　feather　would　have　turned　the　scale　in　his　favour；　for　she　whispered；　〃I　have　a　great　mind；　if　I　could　but　catch　his　eye。〃

While　feminine　pity　and　social　reserve　were　holding　the　balance　so　nicely；　and　nonsensically；　about　half　a　split　straw；　one　of　the　racing　four…oars　went　down　close　under　the　Berkshire　bank。　〃London！〃　observed　Hardie's　adherent。

〃What；　are　you　there；　old　fellow？〃　murmured　Hardie；　in　a　faint　voice。　〃Now；　that　is　like　a　friend；　a　real　friend；　to　sit　by　me；　and　not　make　a　row。　Thank　you！　thank　you！〃

Presently　the　Cambridge　four…oar　passed：　it　was　speedily　followed　by　the　Oxford；　the　last　came　down　in　mid…stream；　and　Hardie　eyed　it　keenly　as　it　passed。　〃There；〃　he　cried；　〃was　I　wrong？　There　is　a　swing　for　you；　there　is　a　stroke。　I　did　not　know　what　a　treasure　I　had　got　sitting　behind　me。〃

The　ladies　looked；　and　lo！　the　lauded　Stroke　of　the　four…oar　was　their　Edward。

〃Sing　out　and　tell　him　it　is　not　like　the　sculls。　We　must　fight　for　the　lead　at　starting；　and　hold　it　with　his　eyelids　when　he　has　got　it。〃

The　adherent　bawled　this　at　Edward；　and　Edward's　reply　came　ringing　back　in　a　clear；　cheerful　voice；　〃We　mean　to　try　all　we　know。〃

〃What　is　the　odds？〃　inquired　the　invalid　faintly。

〃Even　on　London；　two　to　one　against　Cambridge；　three　to　one　against　us。〃

〃Take　all　my　tin　and　lay　it　on；〃　sighed　the　sufferer。

〃Fork　it　out；　then。　Hallo！　eighteen　pounds？　Fancy　having　eighteen　pounds　at　the　end　of　term。　I'll　get　the　odds　up　at　the　bridge　directly。　Here's　a　lady　offering　you　her　smelling…bottle。〃

Hardie　rose　and　turned　round；　and　sure　enough　there　were　two　ladies　seated　in　their　carriage　at　some　distance；　one　of　whom　was　holding　him　out　three　pretty　little　things　enough；　a　little　smile；　a　little　blush；　and　a　little　cut…glass　bottle　with　a　gold　cork。　The　last　panegyric　on　Edward　had　turned　the　scale。

Hardie　went　slowly　up　to　the　side　of　the　carriage；　and　took　off　his　hat　to　them　with　a　half…bewildered　air。　Now　that　he　was　so　near；　his　face　showed　very　pale；　the　more　so　that　his　neck　was　a　good　deal　tanned；　his　eyelids　were　rather　swollen；　and　his　young　eyes　troubled　and　almost　filmy　with　the　pain。　The　ladies　saw；　and　their　gentle　bosoms　were　touched：　they　had　heard　of　him　as　a　victorious　young　Apollo　trampling　on　all　difficulties　of　mind　and　body；　and　they　saw　him　wan；　and　worn；　with　feminine　suffering：　the　contrast　made　him　doubly　interesting。

Arrived　at　the　side　of　the　carriage；　he　almost　started　at　Julia's　beauty。　It　was　sun…like；　and　so　were　her　two　lovely　earnest　eyes；　beaming　soft　pity　on　him　with　an　eloquence　he　had　never　seen　in　human　eyes　before；　for　Julia's　were　mirrors　of　herself；　they　did　nothing　by　halves。

He　looked　at　her　and　her　mother；　and　blushed；　and　stood　irresolute；　awaiting　their　commands。　This　sudden　contrast　to　his　petulance　with　his　own　sex　paved　the　way。　〃You　have　a　sad　headache；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃oblige　me　by　trying　my　salts。〃

He　thanked　her　in　a　low　voice。

〃And；　mamma；〃　inquired　Julia；　〃ought　he　to　sit　in　the　sun？〃

〃Certainly　not。　You　had　better　sit　there；　sir；　and　profit　by　our　shade　and　our　parasols。〃

〃Yes；　mamma；　but　you　know　the　real　place　where　he　ought　to　be　is　Bed。〃

〃Oh；　pray　don't　say　that；〃　implored　the　patient。

But　Julia　continued；　with　unabated　severity；　〃And　that　is　where　he　would　go　this　minute；　if　I　was　his　mamma。〃

〃Instead　of　his　junior；　and　a　stranger；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　somewhat　coldly；　dwelling　with　a　very　slight　monitory　emphasis　on　the　〃stranger。〃

Julia　said　nothing；　but　drew　in　perceptibly；　and　was　dead　silent　ever　after。

〃Oh；　madam！〃　said　Hardie　eagerly；　〃I　do　not　dispute　her　authority；　nor　yours。　You　have　a　right　to　send　me　where　you　please；　after　your　kindness　in　noticing　my　infernal　head；　and　doing　me　the　honour　to　speak　to　me；　and　lending　me　this。　But　if　I　go　to　bed；　my　head　will　be　my　master。　Besides；　I　shall　throw　away　what　little　chance　I　have　of　making　your　acquaintance；　and　the　race　just　coming　off！〃

〃We　will　not　usurp　authority；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　quietly；　〃but　we　know　what　a　severe　headache　is；　and　should　be　glad　to　see　you　sit　still　in　the　shade；　and　excite　yourself　as　little　as　possible。〃

〃Yes；　madam；〃　said　the　youth　humbly；　and　sat　down　like　a　lamb。　He　glanced　now　and　then　at　the　island；　and　now　and　then　peered　up　at　the　radiant　young　mute　beside　him。

The　silence　continued　till　it　was　broken　bya　fish　out　of　water。　An　undergraduate　in　spectacles　came　mooning　along；　all　out　of　his　element。　It　was　Mr。　Kennet；　who　used　to　rise　at　four　every　morning　to　his　Plato；　and　walk　up　Shotover　Hill　every　afternoon；　wet　or　dry；　to　cool　his　eyes　for　his　evening　work。　With　what　view　he　deviated　to　Henley　has　not　yet　been　ascertained。　He　was　blind　as　a　bat；　and　did　not　care　a　button　about　any　earthly　boat…race；　except　the　one　in　the　AEneid；　even　if　he　could　have　seen　one。　However；　nearly　all　the　men　of　his　college　went　to　Henley；　and　perhaps　some　branch；　hitherto　unexplored；　of　animal　magnetism　drew　him　after。　At　any　rate；　there　was　his　body；　and　his　mind　at　Oxford　and　Athens；　and　other　venerable　but　irrelevant　cities。　He　brightened　at　sight　of　his　doge；　and　asked　him　warmly　if　he　had　heard　the　news。

〃No：　what？　Nothing　wrong；　I　hope？〃

〃Why；　two　of　our　men　are　ploughed；　that　is　all；〃　said　Kennet；　affecting　with　withering　irony　to　undervalue　his　intelligence。

〃Confound　it；　Kennet；　how　you　frightened　me！　I　was　afraid　there　was　some　screw　loose　with　the　crew。〃

At　this　very　instant；　the　smoke　of　the　pistol　was　seen　to　puff　out　from　the　island；　and　Hardie　rose　to　his