the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第10节
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last girl out of the last church； and the night was beginning to fall。
〃What！ already？〃 said Mrs。 Roundhand； 〃there is a lobster coming up；…
…a trifling refreshment； not what he's accustomed to； but〃
I am sorry to say I nearly said； 〃D… the lobster！〃 as Roundhand went
and whispered to her that I was ill。
〃Ay；〃 said Gus； looking very knowing。 〃Recollect； Mrs。 R。； that he
was AT THE WEST END on Thursday； asked to dine； ma'am； with the tip…
top nobs。 Chaps don't dine at the West End for nothing； do they； R。？ If
you play at BOWLS； you know〃
〃You must look out for RUBBERS；〃 said Roundhand； as quick as
thought。
〃Not in my house of a Sunday；〃 said Mrs。 R。； looking very fierce and
angry。 〃Not a card shall be touched here。 Are we in a Protestant land；
sir？ in a Christian country？〃
〃My dear； you don't understand。 We were not talking of rubbers of
whist。〃
〃There shall be NO game at all in the house of a Sabbath eve；〃 said
Mrs。 Roundhand； and out she flounced from the room； without ever so
much as wishing us good…night。
〃Do stay；〃 said the husband； looking very much frightened；〃do stay。
She won't come back while you're here； and I do wish you'd stay so。〃
But we wouldn't： and when we reached Salisbury Square； I gave Gus
a lecture about spending his Sundays idly； and read out one of Blair's
sermons before we went to bed。 As I turned over in bed； I could not help
thinking about the luck the pin had brought me； and it was not over yet； as
you will see in the next chapter。
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THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
CHAPTER V
HOW THE DIAMOND INTRODUCES HIM TO A STILL MORE
FASHIONABLE PLACE
To tell the truth； though； about the pin； although I mentioned it almost
the last thing in the previous chapter； I assure you it was by no means the
last thing in my thoughts。 It had come home from Mr。 Polonius's； as I
said； on Saturday night； and Gus and I happened to be out enjoying
ourselves； half…price； at Sadler's Wells； and perhaps we took a little
refreshment on our way back： but that has nothing to do with my story。
On the table； however； was the little box from the jeweller's； and when
I took it out；MY； how the diamond did twinkle and glitter by the light of
our one candle！
〃I'm sure it would light up the room of itself；〃 says Gus。 〃I've read
they do inin history。〃
It was in the history of Cogia Hassan Alhabbal； in the 〃Arabian
Nights；〃 as I knew very well。 But we put the candle out； nevertheless； to
try。
〃Well； I declare to goodness it does illuminate the old place！〃 says Gus；
but the fact was； that there was a gas…lamp opposite our window； and I
believe that was the reason why we could see pretty well。 At least in my
bedroom； to which I was obliged to go without a candle； and of which the
window looked out on a dead wall； I could not see a wink； in spite of the
Hoggarty diamond； and was obliged to grope about in the dark for a
pincushion which Somebody gave me （I don't mind owning it was Mary
Smith）； and in which I stuck it for the night。 But； somehow； I did not
sleep much for thinking of it； and woke very early in the morning； and； if
the truth must be told； stuck it in my night…gown； like a fool； and admired
myself very much in the glass。
Gus admired it as much as I did； for since my return； and especially
since my venison dinner and drive with Lady Drum； he thought I was the
finest fellow in the world； and boasted about his 〃West End friend〃
everywhere。
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THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
As we were going to dine at Roundhand's； and I had no black satin
stock to set it off； I was obliged to place it in the frill of my best shirt；
which tore the muslin sadly； by the way。 However； the diamond had its
effect on my entertainers； as we have seen； rather too much perhaps on
one of them； and next day I wore it down at the office； as Gus would make
me do； though it did not look near so well in the second day's shirt as on
the first day； when the linen was quite clear and bright with Somersetshire
washing。
The chaps at the West Diddlesex all admired it hugely； except that
snarling Scotchman M'Whirter； fourth clerk；out of envy because I did
not think much of a great yellow stone； named a carum…gorum； or some
such thing； which he had in a snuff…mull； as he called it； all except
M'Whirter； I say； were delighted with it； and Abednego himself； who
ought to know； as his father was in the line； told me the jewel was worth at
least ten poundsh； and that his governor would give me as much for it。
〃That's a proof；〃 says Roundhand； 〃that Tit's diamond is worth at least
thirty。〃 And we all laughed； and agreed it was。
Now I must confess that all these praises； and the respect that wag paid
me； turned my head a little； and as all the chaps said I MUST have a black
satin stock to set the stone off； was fool enough to buy a stock that cost me
five…and…twenty shillings； at Ludlam's in Piccadilly： for Gus said I must
go to the best place； to be sure； and have none of our cheap and common
East End stuff。 I might have had one for sixteen and six in Cheapside；
every whit as good； but when a young lad becomes vain； and wants to be
fashionable； you see he can't help being extravagant。
Our director； Mr。 Brough； did not fail to hear of the haunch of venison
business； and my relationship with Lady Drum and the Right Honourable
Edmund Preston： only Abednego； who told him； said I was her
Ladyship's first cousin； and this made Brough think more of me； and no
worse than before。
Mr。 B。 was； as everybody knows； Member of Parliament for
Rottenburgh； and being considered one of the richest men in the City of
London； used to receive all the great people of the land at his villa at
Fulham； and we often read in the papers of the rare doings going on there。
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THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
Well； the pin certainly worked wonders： for not content merely with
making me a present of a ride in a countess's carriage； of a haunch of
venison and two baskets of fruit； and the dinner at Roundhand's above
described； my diamond had other honours in store for me； and procured
me the honour of an invitation to the house of our director； Mr。 Brough。
Once a year； in June； that honourable gent gave a grand ball at his
house at Fulham； and by the accounts of the entertainment brought back
by one or two of our chaps who had been invited； it was one of the most
magnificent things to be seen about London。 You saw Members of
Parliament there as thick as peas in July； lords and ladies without end。
There was everything and everybody of the tip… top sort； and I have heard
that Mr。 Gunter； of Berkeley Square； supplied the ices； supper； and
footmen；though of the latter Brough kept a plenty； but not enough to
serve the host of people who came to him。 The party； it must be
remembered； was MRS。 Brough's party； not the gentleman's；he being in
the Dissenting way； would scarcely sanction any entertainments of the
kind： but he told his City friends that his lady governed him in
everything； and it was generally observed that most of them would allow
their daughters to go to the ball if asked； on account of the immense
number of the nobility which our director assembled together： Mrs。
Roundhand； I know； for one； would have given one of her ears to go； but；
as I have said before； nothing would induce Brough to ask her。
Roundhand himself； and Gutch； nineteenth clerk； son of the brother of
an East Indian director； were the only two of
