the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第25节
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dine till seven； would have a fly from the mews to drive in the Park twice
a week； cut and uncut； and ripped up and twisted over and over； all her old
gowns； flounces； caps； and fallals； and kept my poor Mary from morning
till night altering them to the present mode。 Mrs。 Hoggarty； moreover；
appeared in a new wig； and； I am sorry to say； turned out with such a pair
of red cheeks as Nature never gave her； and as made all the people in
Bernard Street stare； where they are not as yet used to such fashions。
Moreover； she insisted upon our establishing a servant in livery； a
boy； that is； of about sixteen；who was dressed in one of the old liveries
that she had brought with her from Somersetshire； decorated with new
cuffs and collars； and new buttons： on the latter were represented the
united crests of the Titmarshes and Hoggartys； viz。； a tomtit rampant and a
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hog in armour。 I thought this livery and crest…button rather absurd； I
must confess； though my family is very ancient。 And heavens！ what a
roar of laughter was raised in the office one day； when the little servant in
the big livery； with the immense cane； walked in and brought me a
message from Mrs。 Hoggarty of Castle Hoggarty！ Furthermore； all
letters were delivered on a silver tray。 If we had had a baby； I believe
Aunt would have had it down on the tray： but there was as yet no
foundation for Mr。 Smithers's insinuation upon that score； any more than
for his other cowardly fabrication before narrated。 Aunt and Mary used to
walk gravely up and down the New Road； with the boy following with his
great gold…headed stick； but though there was all this ceremony and parade；
and Aunt still talked of her acquaintances； we did not see a single person
from week's end to week's end； and a more dismal house than ours could
hardly be found in London town。
On Sundays； Mrs。 Hoggarty used to go to St。 Pancras Church； then just
built； and as handsome as Covent Garden Theatre； and of evenings； to a
meeting…house of the Anabaptists： and that day； at least； Mary and I had
to ourselves；for we chose to have seats at the Foundling； and heard the
charming music there； and my wife used to look wistfully in the pretty
children's faces；and so； for the matter of that； did I。 It was not； however；
till a year after our marriage that she spoke in a way which shall be here
passed over； but which filled both her and me with inexpressible joy。
I remember she had the news to give me on the very day when the
Muff and Tippet Company shut up； after swallowing a capital of 300；000L。
as some said； and nothing to show for it except a treaty with some Indians；
who had afterwards tomahawked the agent of the Company。 Some
people said there were no Indians； and no agent to be tomahawked at all；
but that the whole had been invented in a house in Crutched Friars。 Well；
I pitied poor Tidd； whose 20；000L。 were thus gone in a year； and whom I
met in the City that day with a most ghastly face。 He had 1；000L。 of
debts； he said； and talked of shooting himself； but he was only arrested；
and passed a long time in the Fleet。 Mary's delightful news； however；
soon put Tidd and the Muff and Tippet Company out of my head； as you
may fancy。
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Other circumstances now occurred in the City of London which
seemed to show that our Director waswhat is not to be found in
Johnson's Dictionaryrather shaky。 Three of his companies had broken；
four more were in a notoriously insolvent state； and even at the meetings
of the directors of the West Diddlesex； some stormy words passed； which
ended in the retirement of several of the board。 Friends of Mr。 B。's filled
up their places： Mr。 Puppet； Mr。 Straw； Mr。 Query； and other respectable
gents； coming forward and joining the concern。 Brough and Hoff
dissolved partnership； and Mr。 B。 said he had quite enough to do to
manage the I。 W。 D。； and intended gradually to retire from the other affairs。
Indeed； such an Association as ours was enough work for any man； let
alone the parliamentary duties which Brough was called on to perform；
and the seventy…two lawsuits which burst upon him as principal director of
the late companies。
Perhaps I should here describe the desperate attempts made by Mrs。
Hoggarty to introduce herself into genteel life。 Strange to say； although
we had my Lord Tiptoff's word to the contrary； she insisted upon it that
she and Lady Drum were intimately related； and no sooner did she read in
the Morning Post of the arrival of her Ladyship and her granddaughters in
London； than she ordered the fly before mentioned； and left cards at their
respective houses： her card； that is〃MRS。 HOGGARTY OF CASTLE
HOGGARTY；〃 magnificently engraved in Gothic letters and flourishes；
and ours； viz。； 〃Mr。 and Mrs。 S。 Titmarsh；〃 which she had printed for the
purpose。
She would have stormed Lady Jane Preston's door and forced her way
upstairs； in spite of Mary's entreaties to the contrary； had the footman who
received her card given her the least encouragement； but that functionary；
no doubt struck by the oddity of her appearance； placed himself in the
front of the door； and declared that he had positive orders not to admit any
strangers to his lady。 On which Mrs。 Hoggarty clenched her fist out of the
coach…window； and promised that she would have him turned away。
Yellowplush only burst out laughing at this； and though Aunt wrote a
most indignant letter to Mr。 Edmund Preston； complaining of the insolence
of the servants of that right honourable gent； Mr。 Preston did not take any
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notice of her letter； further than to return it； with a desire that he might not
be troubled with such impertinent visits for the future。 A pretty day we
had of it when this letter arrived； owing to my aunt's disappointment and
rage in reading the contents； for when Solomon brought up the note on the
silver tea…tray as usual； my aunt； seeing Mr。 Preston's seal and name at the
corner of the letter （which is the common way of writing adopted by those
official gents）my aunt； I say； seeing his name and seal； cried； 〃NOW；
Mary； who is right？〃 and betted my wife a sixpence that the envelope
contained an invitation to dinner。 She never paid the sixpence； though
she lost； but contented herself by abusing Mary all day； and said I was a
poor… spirited sneak for not instantly horsewhipping Mr。 P。 A pretty joke；
indeed！ They would have hanged me in those days； as they did the man
who shot Mr。 Perceval。
And now I should be glad to enlarge upon that experience in genteel
life which I obtained through the perseverance of Mrs。 Hoggarty； but it
must be owned that my opportunities were but few； lasting only for the
brief period of six months： and also； genteel society has been fully
described already by various authors of novels； whose names need not
here be set down； but who； being themselves connected with the
aristocracy； viz。； as members of noble families； or as footmen or hangers…
on thereof； naturally understand their subject a great deal better than a
poor young fellow from a fire… office can。
There was our celebrated adventure in the Opera House； whither Mrs。
H。 would insist upon conducting us； and where； in a room of the
establishment called the crush…room； where the ladies and gents after the
music and dancing await the arrival of their carriages （a pretty figure did
our little Solomon cut； by the way； with his big cane； among the gentlemen
of the shoulder…knot assembled in the lobby！）where； I say； in the crush…
room； Mrs。 H。 rushed up
