the great hoggarty diamond(大钻石)-第37节
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more serious way than any of us imagined； for I do believe he invited his
brother…in…law to Richmond for no other purpose than to pay court to his
son's nurse。 And one day； as I was coming post… haste to thank him for
the place he had procured for me； being directed by Mr。 Charles to the
〃scrubbery；〃 as he called it； which led down to the riverthere； sure
enough； I found Mr。 Preston； on his knees too； on the gravel…walk； and
before him Mary； holding the little lord。
〃Dearest creature！〃 says Mr。 Preston； 〃do but listen to me； and I'll
make your husband consul at Timbuctoo！ He shall never know of it； I
tell you： he CAN never know of it。 I pledge you my word as a Cabinet
Minister！ Oh； don't look at me in that arch way： by heavens； your eyes
kill me！〃
Mary； when she saw me； burst out laughing； and ran down the lawn；
my Lord making a huge crowing； too； and holding out his little fat hands。
Mr。 Preston； who was a heavy man； was slowly getting up； when； catching
a sight of me looking as fierce as the crater of Mount Etna；he gave a start
back and lost his footing； and rolled over and over； walloping into the
water at the garden's edge。 It was not deep； and he came bubbling and
snorting out again in as much fright as fury。
〃You d…d ungrateful villain！〃 says he； 〃what do you stand there
laughing for？〃
〃I'm waiting your orders for Timbuctoo； sir；〃 says I； and laughed fit to
die； and so did my Lord Tiptoff and his party； who joined us on the lawn：
and Jeames the footman came forward and helped Mr。 Preston out of the
water。
〃Oh； you old sinner！〃 says my Lord； as his brother…in…law came up the
slope。 〃Will that heart of yours be always so susceptible； you romantic；
apoplectic； immoral man？〃
Mr。 Preston went away； looking blue with rage； and ill…treated his wife
for a whole month afterwards。
〃At any rate；〃 says my Lord； 〃Titmarsh here has got a place through
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THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
our friend's unhappy attachment； and Mrs。 Titmarsh has only laughed at
him； so there is no harm there。 It's an ill wind that blows nobody good；
you know。〃
〃Such a wind as that； my Lord； with due respect to you； shall never do
good to me。 I have learned in the past few years what it is to make
friends with the mammon of unrighteousness； and that out of such
friendship no good comes in the end to honest men。 It shall never be said
that Sam Titmarsh got a place because a great man was in love with his
wife； and were the situation ten times as valuable； I should blush every
day I entered the office…doors in thinking of the base means by which my
fortune was made。 You have made me free； my Lord； and； thank God！ I
am willing to work。 I can easily get a clerkship with the assistance of my
friends； and with that and my wife's income； we can manage honestly to
face the world。〃
This rather long speech I made with some animation； for； look you； I
was not over well pleased that his Lordship should think me capable of
speculating in any way on my wife's beauty。
My Lord at first turned red； and looked rather angry； but at last he held
out his hand and said； 〃You are right； Titmarsh； and I am wrong； and let
me tell you in confidence； that I think you are a very honest fellow。 You
shan't lose by your honesty； I promise you。〃
Nor did I： for I am at this present moment Lord Tiptoff's steward and
right…hand man： and am I not a happy father？ and is not my wife loved
and respected by all the country？ and is not Gus Hoskins my brother…in…
law； partner with his excellent father in the leather way； and the delight of
all his nephews and nieces for his tricks and fun？
As for Mr。 Brough； that gentleman's history would fill a volume of
itself。 Since he vanished from the London world； he has become
celebrated on the Continent； where he has acted a thousand parts； and met
all sorts of changes of high and low fortune。 One thing we may at least
admire in the man； and that is； his undaunted courage； and I can't help
thinking； as I have said before； that there must be some good in him；
seeing the way in which his family are faithful to him。 With respect to
Roundhand； I had best also speak tenderly。 The case of Roundhand v。
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THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
Tidd is still in the memory of the public； nor can I ever understand how
Bill Tidd； so poetic as he was； could ever take on with such a fat； odious；
vulgar woman as Mrs。 R。； who was old enough to be his mother。
As soon as we were in prosperity； Mr。 and Mrs。 Grimes Wapshot made
overtures to be reconciled to us； and Mr。 Wapshot laid bare to me all the
baseness of Mr。 Smithers's conduct in the Brough transaction。 Smithers
had also endeavoured to pay his court to me； once when I went down to
Somersetshire； but I cut his pretensions short； as I have shown。 〃He it
was；〃 said Mr。 Wapshot； 〃who induced Mrs。 Grimes （Mrs。 Hoggarty she
was then） to purchase the West Diddlesex shares： receiving； of course； a
large bonus for himself。 But directly he found that Mrs。 Hoggarty had
fallen into the hands of Mr。 Brough； and that he should lose the income he
made from the lawsuits with her tenants and from the management of her
landed property； he determined to rescue her from that villain Brough； and
came to town for the purpose。 He also；〃 added Mr。 Wapshot； 〃vented his
malignant slander against me； but Heaven was pleased to frustrate his base
schemes。 In the proceedings consequent on Brough's bankruptcy； Mr。
Smithers could not appear； for his own share in the transactions of the
Company would have been most certainly shown up。 During his absence
from London； I became the husbandthe happy husbandof your aunt。
But though； my dear sir； I have been the means of bringing her to grace； I
cannot disguise from you that Mrs。 W。 has faults which all my pastoral
care has not enabled me to eradicate。 She is close of her money； sirvery
close； nor can I make that charitable use of her property which； as a
clergyman； I ought to do； for she has tied up every shilling of it； and only
allows me half…a…crown a week for pocket…money。 In temper； too； she is
very violent。 During the first years of our union； I strove with her； yea； I
chastised her； but her perseverance； I must confess； got the better of me。
I make no more remonstrances； but am as a lamb in her hands； and she
leads me whithersoever she pleases。〃
Mr。 Wapshot concluded his tale by borrowing half…a…crown from me （it
was at the Somerset Coffee…house in the Strand； where he came； in the
year 1832； to wait upon me）； and I saw him go from thence into the gin…
shop opposite； and come out of the gin…shop half…an… hour afterwards；
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THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND
reeling across the streets； and perfectly intoxicated。
He died next year： when his widow； who called herself Mrs。
Hoggarty…Grimes…Wapshot； of Castle Hoggarty； said that over the grave of
her saint all earthly resentments were forgotten； and proposed to come and
live with us； paying us； of course； a handsome remuneration。 But this
offer my wife and I respectfully declined； and once more she altered her
will； which once more she had made in our favour； called us ungrateful
wretches and pampered menials； and left all her property to the Irish
Hoggarties。 But seeing my wife one day in a carriage with Lady Tiptoff；
and hearing that we had been at the great ball at Tiptoff Castle； and that I
had grown to be a rich man； she changed her mind again； sent for me on
her death…bed； and left me the farms of Slopperton and Squashtail； with all
her savings for fifteen years。 Peace be to her soul！ for certainly she left
me a very pretty pr
