hard cash-第116章

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ise　that　〃refuge　for　the　oft…times　phoughed〃　to　a　place　of　learning。

Hardie　called；　sent　in　his　card；　and　was　admitted　to　the　principal's　study。　He　was　about　to　explain　who　he　was；　when　the　doctor　interrupted　him；　and　told　him　politely　he　knew　him　by　reputation。　〃Tell　me　rather；〃　said　he　shrewdly；　〃to　what　I　owe　this　application　from　an　undergraduate　so　distinguished　as　Mr。　Hardie？〃

Then　Alfred　began　to　quake；　and；　instead　of　replying；　put　a　hand　suddenly　before　his　face；　and　lost　courage　for　one　moment。

〃Come；　Mr。　Hardie；〃　said　the　principal；　〃don't　be　disconcerted：　a　fault　regretted　is　half　atoned；　and　I　am　not　disposed　to　be　hard　on　the　errors　of　youth；　I　mean　where　there　is　merit　to　balance　them。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Alfred　sadly；　〃it　is　not　a　fault　I　have　to　acknowledge；　but　a　misfortune。〃

〃Tell　me　all　about　it；〃　said　Dr。　Alder　guardedly。

He　told　it；　omitting　nothing　essential　that　could　touch　the　heart　or　excite　the　ironical　humour　of　an　academician。

Well；　'truth　is　more　wonderful　than　fiction；'〃　said　the　doctor。　And　I　conclude　the　readers　of　this　tale　are　all　of　the　doctor's　opinion；　so　sweet　to　the　mind　is　cant。

Alfred　offered　his　certificates。

Now　Dr。　Alder　had　been　asking　himself　in　what　phrases　he　should　decline　this　young　genius；　who　was　sane　now；　but　of　course　had　been　mad；　only　had　forgotten　the　circumstance。　But　the　temptation　to　get　an　Ireland　scholar　into　his　Hall　suddenly　overpowered　him。　The　probability　that　he　might　get　a　first…class　in　a　lucid　interval　was　too　enticing；　nothing　venture；　nothing　have。　He　determined　to　venture　a　good　deal。

〃Mr。　Hardie；〃　said　he；　〃this　house　shall　always　be　open　to　good　morals　and　good　scholarship　while　I　preside　over　it；　and　it　shall　be　open　to　them　all　the　more　when　they　come　to　me　dignified；　and　made　sacred；　by　'unmerited　calamity。'〃

Now　this　fine　speech；　like　Minerva　herself；　came　from　the　head。　Alfred　was　overcome　by　it　to　tears。　At　that　the　doctor's　heart　was　touched；　and　even　began　to　fancy　it　had　originated　that　noble　speech。

It　was　no　use　doing　things　by　halves；　so　Dr。　Alder　gave　Alfred　a　delightful　set　of　rooms；　and　made　the　Hall　pleasant　to　him。　He　was　rewarded　by　a　growing　conviction　that　he　had　made　an　excellent　acquisition。　This　opinion；　however；　was　anything　but　universal：　and　Alfred　finding　the　men　of　his　own　college　suspected　his　sanity；　and　passed　jokes　behind　his　back；　cut　them　all　dead；　and　confined　himself　to　his　little　Hall。　There　they　petted　him；　and　crowed　about　him；　and　betted　on　him　for　the　schools　as　freely　as　if　he　was　a　colt　the　Hall　was　going　to　enter　for　the　Derby。

He　read　hard；　and　judiciously；　but　without　his　old　confidence：　he　became　anxious　and　doubtful；　he　had　seen　so　many　first…rate　men　just　miss　a　first…class。　The　brilliant　creature　analysed　all　his　Aristotelian　treatises；　and　wrote　the　synopses　clear　with　marginal　references　on　great　pasteboard　cards　three　feet　by　two；　and　so　kept　the　whole　subject　before　his　eye；　till　he　obtained　a　singular　mastery。　Same　system　with　the　historians：　nor　did　he　disdain　the　use　of　coloured　inks。　Then　the　brilliant　creature　drew　lists　of　all　the　hard　words　he　encountered　in　his　reading；　especially　in　the　common　books；　and　read　these　lists　till　mastered。　The　stake　was　singularly　heavy　in　his　case；　so　he　guarded　every　crevice。

And　at　this　period　he　was　not　so　unhappy　as　he　expected。　The　laborious　days　went　swiftly；　and　twice　a　week　at　least　came　a　letter　from　Julia。　Oh；　how　his　grave　academic　room　with　oaken　panels　did　brighten；　when　her　letter　lay　on　the　table。　It　was　opened；　and　seemed　written　with　sunbeams。　No　quarrels　on　paper！　Absence　made　the　heart　grow　fonder。　And　Edward　came　to　see　him；　and　over　their　wine　let　out　a　feminine　trait　in　Julia。　〃When　Hurd　calls；　she　walks　out　of　the　room；　just　as　my　poor　mother　does　when　you　come。　That　is　spite：　since　you　are　sent　away；　nobody　else　is　to　profit　by　it。　Where　is　her　Christianity；　eh？　and　echo　answers　Got　a　cigar；　old　fellow？〃　And；　after　puffing　in　silence　awhile；　he　said　resignedly；　〃I　am　an　unnatural　monster。〃

〃Oh；　are　you？〃　said　the　other　serenely；　for　he　was　also　under　the　benign　influence。

〃Yes；〃　said　Edward；　〃I　am　your　ally；　and　a　mere　spy　in　the　camp　of　those　two　ladies。　I　watch　all　their　moves　for　your　sake。〃

Alfred　forgave　him。　And　thus　his　whole　life　was　changed；　and　for　nearly　twelve　months　（for　Dr。　Alder　let　him　reside　in　the　Hall　through　the　vacation）　he　pursued　the　quiet　tenor　of　a　student's　life；　interrupted　at　times　by　law；　but　that　is　another　topic。

　　　　　WIFE　AND　NO　WIFE。

Mrs。　Dodd　was　visibly　shaken　by　that　calamity　which　made　her　shrink　with　horror　from　the　sight　of　Alfred　Hardie。　In　the　winter　she　was　so　unwell　that　she　gave　up　her　duties　with　Messrs。　Cross　and　Co。　Her　connection　with　them　had　been　creditable　to　both　parties。　I　believe　I　forgot　to　say　why　they　trusted　her　so；　well；　I　must　tell　it　elsewhere。　David　off　her　hands；　she　was　independent；　and　had　lost　the　motive　and　the　heart　for　severe　work。　She　told　the　partners　she　could　no　longer　do　them　justice；　and　left　them；　to　their　regret。　They　then　advised　her　to　set　up　as　a　milliner；　and　offered　her　credit　for　goods　at　cash　prices　up　to　two　thousand　pounds。　She　thanked　them　like　a　sorrowful　queen；　and　went　her　way。

In　the　spring　she　recovered　some　spirit　and　health；　but　at　midsummer　a　great　and　subtle　misfortune　befell　her。　Her　mind　was　bent　on　David　night　and　day；　and　used　to　struggle　to　evade　the　laws　of　space　that　bind　its　grosser　companion；　and　find　her　lost　husband　on　the　sea。　She　often　dreamt　of　him；　but　vaguely。　But　one　fatal　night　she　had　a　dream　as　clear　as　daylight；　and　sharp　as　white　pebbles　in　the　sun。　She　was　on　a　large　ship　with　guns；　she　saw　men　bring　a　dead　sailor　up　the　side；　she　saw　all　their　faces；　and　the　dead　man's　too。　It　was　David。　His　face　was　white。　A　clear　voice　said　he　was　to　be　buried　in　the　deep　next　morning。　She　saw　the　deck　at　her　feet；　the　breeches　of　the　guns；　so　clear；　so　defined；　that；　when　she　awoke；　and　found　herself　in　the　dark；　she　thought　reality　was　the　illusion。　She　told　the　dream　to　Julia　and　Edward。　They　tried　to　encourage　her；　in　vain。　〃I　saw　him；〃　she　said；　〃I　saw　him；　it　was　a　vision；　not　a　dream；　my　David　is　dead。　Well；　then；　I　shall　not　be　long　behind　him。〃

Dr。　Sampson　ridiculed　her　dream　to　her　face。　But　to　her　children　he　told　another　story。　〃I　am　anxious　about　her；〃　he　said；　〃most　anxious。　There　is　no　mortal　ill　the　distempered　brain　may　not　cause。　Is　it　not　devilish　we　can　hear　nothing　of　him？　She　will　fret　herself　into　the　grave；　as　sure　as　fate；　if　something　does　not　turn　up。〃

Her　children　could　not　console　her；　they　tried；　but　something　hung　round　their　own　hearts；　and　chilled　every　effort。　In　a　word；　they　shared　her　fears。　How　came　she　to　see　him　on　board　a　ship　with　guns？　In　her　waking　hours　she　always　said　he　was　on　a　merchant　ship。　Was　it　not　one　of　those　visions；　which　come　to　mortals　and　give　them　sometimes　a　peep　into　Space；　and；　far　more　rarely；　a　glance　into　Time？

One　day　in　the　autumn；　Alfred；　being　in　town　on　law　business；　met　what　seemed　the　ghost　of　Mrs。　Dodd　in　the　streets。　She　saw　him　not；　her　eye　was　on　that　ghastly　face　she　had　seen　in　her　dreams。　It　flashed　through　his　mind　that　she　would　not　live　long　to　part　him　and　Julia。　But　he　discouraged　the　ungenerous　thought；　almost　forgave　her　repugnance　to　himself；　and　felt　it　would　be　worse　than　useless　to　ask　Julia　to　leave　her　mother；　who　was　leaving　her　visibly。

But　her　horror　of　him　was　anything　but　softened；　and　she　used　to　tell　Dr。　Sampson　she　thought　the　sight　of　that　man　would　kill　her　now。　Edward　himself　began　to　hope　Alfred　would　turn　his　affections　elsewhere。　The　house　in　Pembroke　Street　was　truly　the　house　of　mourning　now；　all　their　calamities　were　light　compared　with　this。

　　　　　THE　DISTRICT　VISITOR。

While　Julia　was　writing　letters　to　keep　up　Alfred's　heart；　she　was　very　sad　herself　Moreover；　he　had　left　her　for　Oxford　but　a　very　few　days；　when　she　received　an　anonymous　letter；　her　first。　It　was　written　in　a　female　hand；　and　couched　in　friendly　and　sympathetic　terms。　The　writer　thought　it　only　fair　to　warn　her　that　Mr。　Alfred　Hardie　was　passionately　fond　of　a　lady　in　the　asylum；　and　had　offered　her　marriage。　If　Miss　Dodd　wished　to　be　deceived；　let　her　burn　this　letter　and　think　no　more　of　it；　if　not；　let　her　insert　this　advertisement　in　the　Times：　〃The　whole　Truth。L。　D。；〃　and　her　correspondent　would　communicate　particulars　by　word　or　writing。

What　a　barbed　and　poisoned　arrow　is　to　the　body；　was　this　letter　to　Julia's　mind。　She　sat　cold　as　a　stone　with　this　poison　in　her　hand。　Then　came　an　impetuous　impulse　to　send　it　down　to　Alfred；　and　request　him　to　transfer　the　other　half　of　his　heart　to　his　lady　of　the　asylum。　Then　she　paused；　and　remembered　how　much　unjust　suspicion　had　been　levelled　at　him　already。　What　right　had　she　to　insult　him？　She　would　try　and　keep　the　letter　to　herself。　As　to　acting　upon　it；　her　good　sense　speedily　suggested　it　came　from　the　rival　in　question；　real　or　supposed。　〃She　wants　to　make　use　of　me；〃　said　Julia；　〃it　is　plain　Alfred　does　not　care　much　for　her；　or　why　does　she　come　to　me？〃　She　put　the　letter　in　her　desk；　and　it　rankled　in　her　heart。　_Hoeret　lateri　lethalis　arundo。_　She　trembled　at　herself；　she　felt　a　savage　passion　had　been　touched　in　her。　She　prayed　day　and　night　against　jealousy。

But　I　must　now；　to　justify　my　heading；　skip　some　months；　and　relate　a　remarkable　incident　that　befell　her　in　the　said　character。　On　the　first　of　August　in　this　year；　a　good　Christian　woman；　one　of　her　patients；　asked　her　to　call　on　Mr。　Barkington；　that　lodged　above。　〃He　is　a　decent　body；　miss；　and　between　you　and　me；　I　think　his　complaint　is；　he　don't　get　quite　enough　to　eat。〃

〃Barkington！〃　said　Julia；　and　put　her　hand　to　her　bosom。　She　went　and　tapped　at　his　door。

〃Come　in；〃　said　a　shrillish　voice。

She　entered；　and　found　a　weazened　old　man　seated；　mending　his　own　coat。

He　rose；　and　she　told　him　she　was　a　district　visitor。　He　said　he　had　heard　of　her；　they　called　her　the　beautiful　lady　in　that　court。　This　was　news　to　her；　and　made　her　blush。　She　asked　leave　to　read　a　chapter　to　him；　he　listened　as　to　some　gentle　memory　of　childhood。　She　prescribed　him　a　glass　of　port　wine；　and　dispensed　it　on　the　instant。　Thus　physicked；　her　patient　became　communicative；　and　chattered　on　about　his　native　placebut　did　not　name　itand　talked　about　the　people　there。　Now　our　district　visitor　was；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；　a　compounder。　She　would　permit　her　pupils　to　talk　about　earthly　affairs；　on　condition　they　would　listen　to　heavenly　ones　before　she　went。　So　she　let　this　old　man　run　on；　and　he　told　her　he　had　been　a　banker's　clerk　all　his　life；　and　saved　a　thousand　pounds；　and　come　up　to　London　to　make　his　fortune　on　the　Stock　Exchange；　and　there　he　was　sometimes　a　bull；　and　sometimes　a　bear；　and　whichever　he　was；　certain　foxes　called　brokers　and　jobbers　got　the　profit　and　he　the　loss。　〃It's　all　the　same　as　a　gambling…table；〃　said　he。　〃The　jobbers　and　brokers　have　got　the　same　odds　the　bank　has　at　Rouge　et　Noir；　and　the　little　capitalist　like　me　is　doomed　beforehand。〃　Then　he　told　her　that　there　was　a　crossing…sweeper　near　the　Exchange　who　came　from　his　native　place；　and　had　started　as　a　specula