the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第32节
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disposing of it。 Before the concern finally broke； and as soon as she heard
there was doubt concerning it； she took back her sharesscrip shares they
were； sir； as you knowand has disposed of them as she thought fit。
Here； sir； and gents；〃 says I； 〃you have the whole of the history as far as
regards me。 In order to get her only son a means of livelihood； my
mother placed her little money with the Companyit is lost。 My aunt
invested larger sums with it； which were to have been mine one day； and
they are lost too； and here am I； at the end of four years； a disgraced and
ruined man。 Is there anyone present； however much he has suffered by
the failure of the Company； that has had worse fortune through it than I？〃
〃Mr。 Titmarsh；〃 says Mr。 Commissioner； in a much more friendly way；
and at the same time casting a glance at a newspaper reporter that was
sitting hard by； 〃your story is not likely to get into the newspapers； for； as
you say； it is a private affair； which you had no need to speak of unless you
thought proper； and may be considered as a confidential conversation
between us and the other gentlemen here。 But if it COULD be made
public； it might do some good； and warn people； if they WILL be warned；
against the folly of such enterprises as that in which you have been
engaged。 It is quite clear from your story； that you have been deceived as
grossly as anyone of the persons present。 But look you； sir； if you had
not been so eager after gain； I think you would not have allowed yourself
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to be deceived； and would have kept your relative's money； and inherited it；
according to your story； one day or other。 Directly people expect to make a
large interest； their judgment seems to desert them； and because they wish
for profit； they think they are sure of it； and disregard all warnings and all
prudence。 Besides the hundreds of honest families who have been ruined
by merely placing confidence in this Association of yours； and who
deserve the heartiest pity； there are hundreds more who have embarked in
it； like yourself； not for investment； but for speculation； and these； upon
my word； deserve the fate they have met with。 As long as dividends are
paid； no questions are asked； and Mr。 Brough might have taken the money
for his shareholders on the high…road； and they would have pocketed it；
and not been too curious。 But what's the use of talking？〃 says Mr。
Commissioner； in a passion： 〃here is one rogue detected； and a thousand
dupes made； and if another swindler starts to…morrow； there will be a
thousand more of his victims round this table a year hence； and so； I
suppose； to the end。 And now let's go to business； gentlemen； and excuse
this sermon。〃
After giving an account of all I knew； which was very little； other
gents who were employed in the concern were examined； and I went back
to prison； with my poor little wife on my arm。 We had to pass through
the crowd in the rooms； and my heart bled as I saw； amongst a score of
others； poor Gates； Brough's porter； who had advanced every shilling to
his master； and was now； with ten children； houseless and penniless in his
old age。 Captain Sparr was in this neighbourhood； but by no means so
friendly disposed； for while Gates touched his hat； as if I had been a lord；
the little Captain came forward threatening with his bamboo…cane and
swearing with great oaths that I was an accomplice of Brough。 〃Curse
you for a smooth…faced scoundrel！〃 says he。 〃What business have you to
ruin an English gentleman； as you have me？〃 And again he advanced
with his stick。 But this time； officer as he was； Gus took him by the
collar； and shoved him back； and said； 〃Look at the lady； you brute； and
hold your tongue！〃 And when he looked at my wife's situation； Captain
Sparr became redder for shame than he had before been for anger。 〃I'm
sorry she's married to such a good…for… nothing；〃 muttered he； and fell
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back； and my poor wife and I walked out of the court； and back to our
dismal room in the prison。
It was a hard place for a gentle creature like her to be confined in； and
I longed to have some of my relatives with her when her time should come。
But her grandmother could not leave the old lieutenant； and my mother
had written to say that； as Mrs。 Hoggarty was with us； she was quite as
well at home with her children。 〃What a blessing it is for you； under your
misfortunes；〃 continued the good soul； 〃to have the generous purse of your
aunt for succour！〃 Generous purse of my aunt； indeed！ Where could
Mrs。 Hoggarty be？ It was evident that she had not written to any of her
friends in the country； nor gone thither； as she threatened。
But as my mother had already lost so much money through my
unfortunate luck； and as she had enough to do with her little pittance to
keep my sisters at home； and as； on hearing of my condition； she would
infallibly have sold her last gown to bring me aid； Mary and I agreed that
we would not let her know what our real condition wasbad enough！
Heaven knows； and sad and cheerless。 Old Lieutenant Smith had likewise
nothing but his half…pay and his rheumatism； so we were； in fact； quite
friendless。
That period of my life； and that horrible prison； seem to me like
recollections of some fever。 What an awful place！not for the sadness；
strangely enough； as I thought； but for the gaiety of it； for the long prison
galleries were； I remember； full of life and a sort of grave bustle。 All day
and all night doors were clapping to and fro； and you heard loud voices；
oaths； footsteps； and laughter。 Next door to our room was one where a man
sold gin； under the name of TAPE； and here； from morning till night； the
people kept up a horrible revelry；and sangsad songs some of them：
but my dear little girl was； thank God！ unable to understand the most part
of their ribaldry。 She never used to go out till nightfall； and all day she
sat working at a little store of caps and dresses for the expected stranger
and not； she says to this day； unhappy。 But the confinement sickened her；
who had been used to happy country air； and she grew daily paler and
paler。
The Fives Court was opposite our window； and here I used； very
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unwillingly at first； but afterwards； I do confess； with much eagerness； to
take a couple of hours' daily sport。 Ah！ it was a strange place。 There
was an aristocracy there as elsewhere； amongst other gents； a son of my
Lord Deuce…ace； and many of the men in the prison were as eager to walk
with him； and talked of his family as knowingly； as if they were Bond
Street bucks。 Poor Tidd； especially； was one of these。 Of all his fortune
he had nothing left but a dressing…case and a flowered dressing…gown； and
to these possessions he added a fine pair of moustaches； with which the
poor creature strutted about； and though cursing his ill fortune； was； I do
believe； as happy whenever his friends brought him a guinea； as he had
been during his brief career as a gentleman on town。 I have seen
sauntering dandies in watering…places ogling the women； watching eagerly
for steamboats and stage…coaches as if their lives depended upon them；
and strutting all day in jackets up and down the public walks。 Well； there
are such fellows in prison： quite as dandified and foolish； only a little
more shabbydandies with dirty beards and holes at their elbows。
I did not go near what is called the poor side of the prisonI DARED
not； that was the fact。 But our little s
