the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第17节
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want to crush all the other offices in London。 Our terms are lower than
any office； and we can bear to have them lower； and a great business will
come to us that way。 But we must work ourselves as well。 Every single
shareholder and officer of the establishment must exert himself； and bring
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us customers；no matter for how little they are engagedengage them：
that is the great point。' And accordingly our Director makes all his
friends and servants shareholders： his very lodge…porter yonder is a
shareholder； and he thus endeavours to fasten upon all whom he comes
near。 I； for instance； have just been appointed over the heads of our gents；
to a much better place than I held。 I am asked down here； and
entertained royally： and why？ Because my aunt has three thousand
pounds which Mr。 Brough wants her to invest with us。〃
〃That looks awkward； Mr。 Titmarsh。〃
〃Not a whit； sir： he makes no disguise of the matter。 When the
question is settled one way or the other； I don't believe Mr。 Brough will
take any further notice of me。 But he wants me now。 This place
happened to fall in just at the very moment when he had need of me； and
he hopes to gain over my family through me。 He told me as much as we
drove down。 'You are a man of the world； Titmarsh；' said he； 'you know
that I don't give you this place because you are an honest fellow； and write
a good hand。 If I had a lesser bribe to offer you at the moment； I should
only have given you that； but I had no choice； and gave you what was in
my power。'〃
〃That's fair enough； but what can make Brough so eager for such a
small sum as three thousand pounds？〃
〃If it had been ten； sir； he would have been not a bit more eager。 You
don't know the city of London； and the passion which our great men in the
share…market have for increasing their connection。 Mr。 Brough； sir；
would canvass and wheedle a chimney…sweep in the way of business。
See； here is poor Tidd and his twenty thousand pounds。 Our Director has
taken possession of him just in the same way。 He wants all the capital he
can lay his hands on。〃
〃Yes； and suppose he runs off with the capital？〃
〃Mr。 Brough； of the firm of Brough and Hoff； sir？ Suppose the Bank
of England runs off！ But here we are at the lodge…gate。 Let's ask Gates；
another of Mr。 Brough's victims。〃 And we went in and spoke to old
Gates。
〃Well； Mr。 Gates；〃 says I； beginning the matter cleverly； 〃you are one
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of my masters； you know； at the West Diddlesex yonder？〃
〃Yees； sure；〃 says old Gates； grinning。 He was a retired servant； with
a large family come to him in his old age。
〃May I ask you what your wages are； Mr。 Gates； that you can lay by so
much money； and purchase shares in our Company？〃
Gates told us his wages； and when we inquired whether they were paid
regularly； swore that his master was the kindest gentleman in the world：
that he had put two of his daughters into service； two of his sons to charity
schools； made one apprentice； and narrated a hundred other benefits that
he had received from the family。 Mrs。 Brough clothed half the children；
master gave them blankets and coats in winter； and soup and meat all the
year round。 There never was such a generous family； sure； since the
world began。
〃Well； sir；〃 said I to the Captain； 〃does that satisfy you？ Mr。 Brough
gives to these people fifty times as much as he gains from them； and yet
he makes Mr。 Gates take shares in our Company。〃
〃Mr。 Titmarsh；〃 says the Captain； 〃you are an honest fellow； and I
confess your argument sounds well。 Now tell me； do you know anything
about Miss Brough and her fortune？〃
〃Brough will leave her everythingor says so。〃 But I suppose the
Captain saw some particular expression in my countenance； for he laughed
and said …
〃I suppose； my dear fellow； you think she's dear at the price。 Well； I
don't know that you are far wrong。〃
〃Why； then； if I may make so bold； Captain Fizgig； are you always at
her heels？〃
〃Mr。 Titmarsh；〃 says the Captain； 〃I owe twenty thousand pounds；〃
and he went back to the house directly； and proposed for her。
I thought this rather cruel and unprincipled conduct on the gentleman's
part； for he had been introduced to the family by Mr。 Tidd； with whom he
had been at school； and had supplanted Tidd entirely in the great heiress's
affections。 Brough stormed； and actually swore at his daughter （as the
Captain told me afterwards） when he heard that the latter had accepted Mr。
Fizgig； and at last； seeing the Captain； made him give his word that the
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engagement should be kept secret for a few months。 And Captain F。 only
made a confidant of me； and the mess； as he said： but this was after Tidd
had paid his twenty thousand pounds over to our governor； which he did
punctually when he came of age。 The same day； too； he proposed for the
young lady； and I need not say was rejected。 Presently the Captain's
engagement began to be whispered about： all his great relations； the
Duke of Doncaster； the Earl of Cinqbars； the Earl of Crabs； &c。 came and
visited the Brough family； the Hon。 Henry Ringwood became a
shareholder in our Company； and the Earl of Crabs offered to be。 Our
shares rose to a premium； our Director； his lady； and daughter were
presented at Court； and the great West Diddlesex Association bid fair to be
the first Assurance Office in the kingdom。
A very short time after my visit to Fulham； my dear aunt wrote to me
to say that she had consulted with her attorneys； Messrs。 Hodge and
Smithers； who strongly recommended that she should invest the sum as I
advised。 She had the sum invested； too； in my name； paying me many
compliments upon my honesty and talent； of which； she said； Mr。 Brough
had given her the most flattering account。 And at the same time my aunt
informed me that at her death the shares should be my own。 This gave
me a great weight in the Company； as you may imagine。 At our next
annual meeting； I attended in my capacity as a shareholder； and had great
pleasure in hearing Mr。 Brough； in a magnificent speech； declare a
dividend of six per cent。； that we all received over the counter。
〃You lucky young scoundrel！〃 said Brough to me； 〃do you know what
made me give you your place？〃
〃Why； my aunt's money； to be sure； sir；〃 said I。
〃No such thing。 Do you fancy I cared for those paltry three thousand
pounds？ I was told you were nephew of Lady Drum； and Lady Drum is
grandmother of Lady Jane Preston； and Mr。 Preston is a man who can do
us a world of good。 I knew that they had sent you venison； and the deuce
knows what； and when I saw Lady Jane at my party shake you by the hand；
and speak to you so kindly； I took all Abednego's tales for gospel。 THAT
was the reason you got the place； mark you； and not on account of your
miserable three thousand pounds。 Well； sir； a fortnight after you were
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with us at Fulham； I met Preston in the House； and made a merit of having
given the place to his cousin。 'Confound the insolent scoundrel！' said he；
'HE my cousin！ I suppose you take all old Drum's stories for true？
Why； man； it's her mania： she never is introduced to a man but she finds
out a cousinship； and would not fail of course with that cur of a Titmarsh！'
'Well；' said I； laughing； 'that cur has got a good place in consequence； and
the matter can't be mended。' So you see；〃 continued our Director； 〃that
you were indebted
