hard cash-第64节

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ice　it　if　they　find　it？〃　Hardie　shook　his　head：　〃That　monstrous　heap　is　all　sold　every　year　to　the　farmers。　That　receipt；　worth　L。　14；000　to　me；　will　be　strewed　on　the　soil　for　manure；　then　some　farmer's　man；　or　some　farmer's　boy　that　goes　to　the　Sunday…school；　will　read　it；　see　Captain　Dodd's　name；　and　bring　it　to　Albion　Villa；　in　hopes　of　a　sixpence：　a　sixpence！　Heaven　help　the　man　who　does　a　doubtful　act　and　leaves　damnatory　evidence　on　paper　kicking　about　the　world。〃

From　that　hour　the　cash　Hardie　carried　in　his　bosom；　without　a　right　to　it；　began　to　blister。

He　thought　of　telling　the　dustman　he　had　lost　a　paper；　and　setting　him　to　examine　the　mountain　of　ashes　on　the　London　Road；　but　here　caution　stepped　in：　how　could　he　describe　the　paper　without　awakening　curiosity　and　defeating　his　own　end？　He　gave　that　up。　It　was　better　to　let　the　sleeping　dog　lie。

Finally；　he　resolved　to　buy　security　in　a　world　where　after　all　one　has　to　buy　everything：　so　he　employed　an　adroit　agent；　and　quietly　purchased　that　mountain；　the　refuse　of　all　Barkington。　But　he　felt　so　ill…used；　he　paid　for　it　in　his　own　notes：　by　this　means　the　treaty　reverted　to　the　primitive　form　of　barter*ashes　for　rags。

*　Or　exchange　of　commodities　without　the　aid　of　money：　see　Homer；　and　Welsh　Villages；　_passim。_

This　transaction　he　concealed　from　his　confederate。

When　he　had　completed　it　he　was　not　yet　secure；　for　another　day　had　passed　and　Captain　Dodd　alive　still。　Men　often　recover　from　apoplexy；　especially　when　they　survive　the　first　twenty…four　hours。　Should　he　live；　he　would　not　now　come　into　any　friendly　arrangement　with　the　man　who　had　so　nearly　caused　his　death。　So　then　good…bye　to　the　matrimonial　combination　Hardie　had　at　first　relied　on　to　patch　his　debt　to　Alfred　and　his　broken　fortunes。　Then　as　to　keeping　the　money　and　defying　Dodd；　that　would　be　very　difficult　and　dangerous。　Mercantile　bills　are　traceable　things；　and　criminal　prosecutions　awkward　ones。　He　found　himself　in　a　situation　he　could　not　see　his　way　through　by　any　mental　effort；　there　were　so　many　objections　to　every　course；　and　so　many　to　its　opposite。　〃He　walked　among　fires；〃　as　the　Latins　say。　But　the　more　he　pondered　on　the　course　to　be　taken　should　Dodd　live；　the　plainer　did　this　dilemma　stare　him　in　the　fade：　either　he　must　refund　or　fly　the　country　with　another　man's　money；　and　leave　behind　him　the　name　of　a　thief。　Parental　love　and　the　remains　of　self…respect　writhed　at　this　thought；　and　with　these　combined　a　sentiment　less　genuine；　but　by　no　means　feeble：　the　love　of　reputation。　So　it　was　with　a　reluctant　and　sick　heart　he　went　to　the　shipping　office；　and　peered　at　the　posters　to　see　when　the　next　ship　sailed　for　the　United　States。　Still；　he　did　go。

Intent　on　his　own　schemes；　and　expecting　every　day　to　be　struck　in　front；　he　did　not　observe　that　a　man　in　a　rusty　velveteen　coat　followed　him；　and　observed　this　act；　and　indeed　all　his　visible　acts。

Another　perplexity　was；　when　he　should　break？　There　were　objections　to　doing　it　immediately；　and　objections　to　putting　it　off。

With　all　this　the　man　was　in　a　ferment：　by　day　he　sat　waiting　and　fearing；　by　night　he　lay　sleepless　and　thinking；　and；　though　his　stoical　countenance　retained　its　composure；　the　furrows　deepened　in　it；　and　the　iron　nerves　began　to　twitch　at　times；　from　strain　of　mind　and　want　of　sleep；　and　that　rack；　suspense。　Not　a　night　that　he　did　not　awaken　a　dozen　times　from　his　brief　dozes　with　a　start；　and　a　dread　of　exposure　by　some　mysterious；　unforeseen　means。

It　is　remarkable　how　truths　sometimes　flash　on　men　at　night　in　hours　of　nervous　excitement；　it　was　in　one　of　these　nightly　reveries　David　Dodd's　pocket…book　flashed　back　upon　Mr。　Hardie。　He　saw　it　before　his　eyes　quite　plain；　and　on　the　inside　of　the　leather　cover　a　slip　of　paper　pasted；　and　written　on　in　pencil　or　pale　ink；　he　could　not　recall　which。

What　was　that　writing？　It　might　be　the　numbers　of　the　notes；　the　description　of　the　bills。　Why　had　he　not　taken　it　out　of　the　dying　man's　pocket？　〃Fool！　fool！〃　he　groaned；　〃to　do　anything　by　halves。〃

Another　night　he　got　a　far　severer　shock。　Lying　in　his　bed　dozing　and　muttering　as　usual；　he　was　suddenly　startled　out　of　that　uneasy　slumber　by　three　tremendous　knocks　at　the　street　door。

He　sprang　out　of　bed；　and　in　his　confusion　made　sure　the　officers　of　justice　were　come　for　him：　he　began　to　huddle　on　his　clothes　with　a　vague　notion　of　flight。

He　had　got　on　his　trousers　and　slippers；　and　was　looking　under　his　pillow　for　the　fatal　Cash；　when　he　heard　himself　called　loudly　and　repeatedly　by　name；　but　this　time　the　sound　came　from　the　garden　into　which　his　bedroom　looked。　He　opened　it　very　softly；　in　trepidation　and　wonder；　which　were　speedily　doubled　by　what　met　his　eyes；　for　there；　right　in　front　of　his　window；　stood　an　unearthly　figure；　corresponding　in　every　particular　to　that　notion　of　a　ghost　in　which　we　are　reared；　and　which；　when　our　nerves　are　healthy；　we　can　ridicule　as　it　deserves；　but　somehow　it　is　never　cleaned　out　of　our　imagination　so　thoroughly　as　it　is　out　of　our　judgment。

The　figure　was　white　as　a　sheet　and　seemed　supernaturally　tall；　and　it　cried　out　in　a　voice　like　a　wounded　lion's；　〃You　villain！　you　Hardie！　give　me　back　my　money：　my　fourteen　thousand　pounds。　Give　me　my　children's　money；　or　may　your　children　die　before　your　eyes：　give　me　my　darlings'　money；　or　may　the　eternal　curse　of　God　light　on　you　and　yours；　you　scoundrel！〃

And　the　figure　kneeled　on　the　grass；　and　repeated　the　terrible　imprecation　almost　in　the　same　words；　with　such　energy　that　Hardie　shrank　back；　and；　resolute　as　he　was；　cowered；　with　superstitious　awe。

But　this　sentiment　soon　gave　way　to　vulgar　fears；　the　man　would　alarm　the　town。　And　in　fact　Mr。　Hardie；　in　the　midst　of　his　agitation；　was　dimly　conscious　of　hearing　a　window　open　softly　not　very　far　from　him。　But　it　was　a　dark　night。　He　put　his　head　out　in　great　agitation；　and　whispered；　〃Hush！　hush！　I'll　bring　it　you　down　directly。〃

Internally　cursing　his　hard　fate；　he　got　the　fatal　Cash；　put　on　his　coat；　hunted　for　the　key　of　the　bank　parlour；　and；　having　found　it；　went　softly　down　the　stairs；　unlocked　the　door；　and　went　to　open　the　shutters。

At　this　moment　his　ear　caught　a　murmur；　a　low　buzzing　of　voices　in　the　garden。

He　naturally　thought　that　Captain　Dodd　was　exposing　him　to　some　of　the　townspeople。　He　was　puzzled　what　to　do；　and；　like　a　cautious　man　as　he　was；　remained　passive　but　on　the　watch。

Presently　the　voices　were　quiet；　and　he　heard　footsteps　come　very　slowly　towards　the　window　at　which　he　stood；　and　then　make　for　the　little　gate。　On　this　he　slipped　into　the　kitchen；　which　faced　the　street　and　got　to　a　window　there；　and　listened。　His　only　idea　was　to　catch　their　intentions　if　possible；　and　meet　them　accordingly。　He　dared　not　open　the　window；　for　about　him　on　the　pavement　he　saw　a　female　figure　half　standing；　half　crouching：　but　soon　that　figure　rushed　wildly　out　of　his　sight　to　meet　the　footsteps；　and　then　he　ventured　to　open　the　window；　and　listening；　heard　cries　of　despair；　and　a　young　heart…broken　voice　say　her　father　was　dead。

〃Ah！！　that　is　all　right；〃　muttered　Hardie。

Still；　even　this　profound　egotist　was　not　yet　so　hardened　but　that　he　felt　one　chill　of　horror　at　himself　for　the　thoughta　passing　chill。

He　listened　and　listened；　and　by…and…bye　he　heard　the　slow　feet　recommence　their　journey；　amidst　sobs　and　sights；　and　those　sorrowful　feet；　and　the　sobs　and　sighs　of　his　causing；　got　fainter；　and　fainter；　retreated；　and　left　him　in　quiet　possession　of　the　L。　14；000　he　had　brought　down　to　give　it　up：　two　minutes　ago　it　was　not　worth　as　many　pence　to　him。

He　drew　a　long　breath　of　relief。　〃It　is　mine；　I　am　to　keep　it。　It　is　the　will　of　Heaven。〃

Poor　Heaven！

He　went　to　his　bed　again；　and　by　a　resolute　effort　composed　himself　and　determined　to　sheep。　And　in　fact　he　was　just　dropping　off；　when　suddenly　he　started　wide　awake　again：　for　it　recurred　to　him　vividly　that　a　window　in　his　house　had　opened　while　David　was　cursing　him　and　demanding　his　children's　money。

Whose　window？

Half…a…dozen　people　and　more　slept　on　that　side　of　the　house。

Whose　window　could　it　be？

He　walked　among　fires。



CHAPTER　XXIV

NOT　many　days　after　this　a　crowd　of　persons　stood　in　front　of　the　old　bank；　looking　half　stupefied　at　the　shutters；　and　at　a　piece　of　paper　pasted　on　them　announcing　a　suspension；　only　for　a　months　or　so；　and　laying　the　blame　on　certain　correspondents　not　specified。

So　great　was　the　confidence　inspired　by　the　old　bank；　that　many　said　it　would　come　round；　it　must　come　round　in　a　month：　but　other　of　Mr。　Hardie's　unfortunate　clients　recognised　in　the　above　a　mere　formula　to　let　them　down　by　degrees：　they　had　seen　many　statements　as　hopeful　end　in　a　dividend　of　sixpence　in　the　pound。

Before　the　day　closed；　the　scene　at　the　bank　door　was　heart…rending：　respectable　persons；　reduced　to　pauperism　in　that　day；　kept　arriving　and　telling　their　fellow…sufferers　their　little　all　was　with　Hardie；　and　nothing　before　them　but　the　workhouse　or　the　almshouse：　ruined　mothers　came　and　held　up　their　ruined　children　for　the　banker　to　see；　and　the　doors　were　hammered　at；　and　the　house　as　well　as　the　bank　wa