hard cash-第129章

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ics；　at　the　very　first　symptom；　and　only　just　allowed　the　doctor　to　be　the　life　and　soul　of　the　party。

Julia　and　Mrs。　Dodd　had　a　good　cry　at　parting。　Of　course　Alfred　consoled　them：　reminded　them　it　was　only　for　a　week；　and　carried　off　his　lovely　prize；　who　in　the　carriage　soon　dried　her　eyes　upon　his　shoulder。

Then　she　applied　to　her　new　lord　and　master　for　information。　〃They　_say_　that　you　and　me　are　one；　now；〃　said　she　interrogatively。

He　told　her　triumphantly　it　was　so。

〃At　that　rate　you　are　Julius　and　I　am　Elfrida；〃　said　she。

〃That　is　a　bargain；〃　said　he；　and　sealed　it　on　the　sweet　lips　that　were　murmuring　Heaven　so　near　him。

In　this　sore…tried　and　now　happy　pair　the　ardour　of　possession　lasted　long；　and　was　succeeded　by　the　sober　but　full　felicity　of　conjugal　love　and　high　esteem　combined。　They　were　so　young　and　elastic；　that　past　sorrows　seemed　but　to　give　one　zest　more　to　the　great　draught　of　happiness　they　now　drank　day　by　day。　They　all　lived　together　at　Albion　Villa；　thanks　to　Alfred。　He　was　by　nature　combative；　and　his　warlike　soul　was　roused　at　the　current　theory　that　you　cannot　be　happy　under　the　same　roof　with　your　wife's　mother。　〃That　is　cant；〃　said　he　to　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃let　us；　you　and　I；　trample　on　it　hand　in　hand。〃

〃My　child；〃　said　poor　Mrs。　Dodd　sorrowfully；　〃I　am　a　poor　hand　at　trampling；　and　everybody　says　a　mother…in…law　in　the　house　bores　a　young　gentleman　sadly。〃

〃If　a　young　gentleman　can't　live　happy　with　you；　mamma；〃　said　he；　kissing　her；　〃he　is　a　little　snob；　that　is　all；　and　not　fit　to　live　at　all。　_Delenda　est　Cantilena！_　That　means　'Down　with　Cant！'〃

They　did　live　together：　and　behold　eleven　French　plays；　with　their　thirty…three　English　adaptations；　confuted　to　the　end　of　time。

Creatures　so　high…bred　as　Mrs。　Dodd　never　fidget　one。　There　is　a　repose　about　them；　they　are　balm　to　all　those　they　love；　and　blister　to　none。　Item；　no　stranger　could　tell　by　Mrs。　Dodd's　manner　whether　Edward　or　Alfred　was　her　own　son。

Oh；　you　happy　little　villa！　you　were　as　like　Paradise　as　any　mortal　dwelling　can　be。　A　day　came；　however；　when　your　walls　could　no　longer　hold　all　the　happy　inmates。　Julia　presented　Alfred　with　a　lovely　boy；　enter　nurses；　and　the　villa　showed　symptoms　of　bursting。　Two　months　more；　and　Alfred　and　his　wife　and　boy　overflowed　into　the　next　villa。　It　was　but　twenty　yards　off；　and　there　was　a　double　reason　for　the　migration。　As　often　happens　after　a　long　separation　Heaven　bestowed　on　Captain　and　Mrs。　Dodd　another　infant　to　play　about　their　knees　at　present；　and　help　them　grow　younger　instead　of　older：　for　tender　parents　begin　life　again　with　their　children。

The　boys　were　nearly　of　a　size；　though　the　nephew　was　a　month　or　two　older　than　his　uncle；　a　relationship　that　was　early　impressed　on　their　young　minds；　and　caused　those　who　heard　their　prattle　many　a　hearty　laugh。

〃Mrs。　Dodd；〃　said　a　lady；　〃I　couldn't　tell　by　your　manner　which　is　yours　and　which　is　your　daughter's。〃

〃Why　they　are　both　mine；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　piteously；　and　opening　her　eyes　with　gentle　astonishment。

As　years　rolled　on　Dr。　Sampson　made　many　converts　at　home　and　abroad。　The　foreign　ones　acknowledged　their　obligations。　The　leading　London　physicians　managed　more　skilfully；　they　came　into　his　ideas；　and　bit　by　bit　reversed　their　whole　practice；　and；　twenty　years　after；　Sampson　began　to　strengthen　the　invalid　at　once；　instead　of　first　prostrating　him；　and　so　causing　either　long　sickness　or　sudden　death。　But；　with　all　this；　they　disowned　their　forerunner；　and　still　called　him　a　quack　while　adopting　his　quackery。　This　dishonesty　led　them　into　difficulties。　To　hide　that　their　whole　practice　in　medicine　was　reversed　on　_better　information；_　they　went　from　shuffle　to　shuffle；　till　at　last　they　reached　this　climax　of　fatuity　and　egotismTHE　TYPE　OF　DISEASE　IS　CHANGED。


　　　　　Natura　mutatur；　non　nos　mutamur。

O；　mutable　Nature　and　immutable　doctors！

O；　unstable　Omniscience；　and　infallible　Nescience！

The　former　may　err；　the　latter　neverin　its　own　opinion。

At　this　rate；　draining　the　weak　of　their　life　blood　was　the　right　thing　in　Cervantes'　day：　and　when　he　observed　that　it　killed　men　like　sheep；　and　said　so　under　the　head　of　Sangrado；　he　was　confounding　his　own　age　with　an　age　to　come　three　hundred　years　later；　in　which　coming　age　depletion　was　_going_　to　be　wrong。

Molierein　lashing　the　whole　scholastic　system　of　lancet；　purge；　and　blister　as　one　of　slaughtercommitted　the　same　error：　mistook　his　century　for　one　to　come。

And　Sampson；　thirty　years　ago；　sang　the　same　tune；　and　mistook　his　inflammatory　generation　for　the　cool　generation　as　yet　unborn。　In　short；　it　is　the　characteristic　of　a　certain　blunder　called　genius　to　see　things　too　far　in　advance。　The　surest　way　to　avoid　this　is　not　to　see　them　at　all；　but　go　blindly　by　the　cant　of　the　hour。　_Race　moutonuiere　va！_

Sampson　was　indignant　at　finding　that　these　gentry；　after　denouncing　him　for　years　as　a　quack；　were　pilfering　his　system；　yet　still　reviling　him。　He　went　in　a　towering　passion；　and　hashed　them　by　tongue　and　pen：　told　them　they　were　his　subtractors　now　as　well　as　detractors；　asked　them　how　it　happened　that　in　countries　where　there　is　no　Sampson　the　type　of　disease　remains　unchanged；　depletion　is　the　practice；　and　death　the　result；　as　it　was　in　every　age？

No　man；　however　stout；　can　help　being　deeply　wounded　when　he　sees　his　ideas　stolen；　yet　their　author　and　publisher　disowned。　Many　men's　hearts　have　been　broken　by　this：　but　I　doubt　whether　they　were　really　great　men。

Don't　tell　me　Lilliput　ever　really　kills　Brobdignag。　Except；　of　course；　when　Brobdignag　takes　medical　advice　of　Lilliput。

Dr。　Sampson　had　three　shields　against　subtraction；　detraction；　and　all　the　wrongs　inventors　endure：　to　wit；　a　choleric　temper；　a　keen　sense　of　humour；　and　a　good　wife。　He　storms　and　rages　at　his　detracting　pupils；　but　ends　with　roars　of　laughter　at　their　impudence。　I　am　told　he　still　hopes　to　meet　with　justice　some　day；　and　to　give　justice　a　chance；　he　goes　to　bed　at　ten；　for；　says　he

　　　　〃Jinny　us；　jinny　us；　　　　　　Take　care　of　your　carcass；〃

and　explains　that　no　genius　ever　lived　to　ninety　without　being　appreciated。

〃If　Chatterton　and　Keats　had　attended　to　this；　they　would　have　been　all　right。　If　James　Watt　had　died　at　fifty　he　would　have　been　all　wrong；　for　at　fifty　he　was　a　failure！　so　was　the　painter　Etty；　the　English　Tishin。〃　And　then　he　accumulates　examples。

His　last　distich　bearing　on　Hard　Cash　is　worth　recording。　〃Miss　Julee；〃　said　he；　〃y'　are　goen　to　maerry　int'　a　strange　family

　　　　　Where　th'　ijjit　puts　the　jinnyus　　　　　　In…til　a　madhus；〃

which；　like　most　of　the　droll　things　this　man　said；　was　true：　for　Soft　Tommy　and　Alfred　were　the　two　intellectual　extremes　of　the　whole　tribe　of　Hardies。

Mrs。　Archbold；　disappointed　both　in　love　and　revenge；　posed　her　understanding；　and　soothed　her　mind；　with　Frank　Beverley　and　opium。　This　soon　made　the　former　deep　in　love　with　her；　and　his　intellect　grew　by　contact　with　hers。　But　one　day　news　came　from　Australia　that　her　husband　was　dead。　Now；　perhaps　I　shall　surprise　the　reader；　if　I　tell　him　that　this　Edith　Archbold　began　her　wedded　life　a　good；　confiding；　loving；　faithful　woman。　Yet　so　it　was：　the　unutterable　blackguard　she　had　married；　he　it　was　who　laboured　to　spoil　her　character；　and　succeeded　at　last；　and　drove　her；　unwilling　at　first；　to　other　men。　The　news　of　his　death　was　like　a　shower…bath；　it　roused　her。　She　took　counsel　with　herself；　and　hope　revived　in　her　strong　head　and　miserable　heart。　She　told　Frank；　and　watched　him　like　a　hawk。　He　instantly　fell　on　his　knees；　and　implored　her　to　marry　him　directly。　She　gave　him　her　hand　and　turned　away；　and　shed　the　most　womanly　tear　that　had　blessed　her　for　years。　〃I　am　not　mad；　you　know；〃　said　poor　Frank；　〃I　am　only　a　bit　of　a　muff。〃　To　make　a　long　story　short；　she　exerted　all　her　intelligence；　and　with　her　help　Frank　took　measures　towards　superseding　his　Commission　of　Lunacy。　Now；　in　such　a　case；　the　Lord　Chancellor　always　examines　the　patient　in　person。　What　was　the　consequence？　Instead　of　the　vicarious　old　Wolf；　who　had　been　devouring　him　at　third　and　fourth　hand；　Frank　had　two　interviews　with　the　Chancellor　himself：　a　learned；　grave；　upright　gentleman；　who　questioned　him　kindly　and　shrewdly　and　finding　him　to　be　a　young　man　of　small　intellectual　grasp；　but　not　the　least　idiotic　or　mad；　superseded　his　commission　in　defiance　of　his　greedy　kinsfolk；　and　handed　him　his　property。　He　married　Edith　Archbold；　and　she　made　him　as　happy　as　the　day　was　long。　For　the　first　year　or　two　she　treated　his　adoration　with　good…natured　contempt；　but；　as　years　rolled　on；　she　became　more　loving；　and　he　more　knowing！　They　are　now　a　happy　pair；　and　all　between　her　first　honest　love；　and　this　her　last；　seems　to　her　a　dream。

So　you　see　a　female　rake　can　be　ameliorated　by　a　loving　husband；　as　well　as　a　male　rake　by　a　loving　wife。

It　sounds　absurd；　and　will　offend　my　female　readers　and　their　unchristian　prejudices；　but　that　black…browed　jade　is　like　to　be　one　of　the　best　wives　and　mothers　in　England。　But　then；　mind　you；　she　had　alwaysBrains。


I　do　not　exactly　know　why　Horace　puts　together　those　two　epithets；　〃just〃　and　〃tenacious　of　purpose。〃　Perhaps　he　had　observed　they　go　together。　To　be　honest；　I　am　not　clear　whether　this　is　so　on　the　grand　scale。　But　certainly　the　two　features　did　meet　remarkably　in　one　of　my　charactersAlfred　Hardie。　The　day　the　bank　broke；　he　had　said　he　would　pay　the　creditors。　He　now　set　to　work　to　do　it　by　degrees。　He　got　the　names　and　addresses；　lived　on　half　his　income；　and　paid　half　away　to　those　creditors：　he　even　asked　Julia　to　try　and　find　Maxley　out；　and　do　something　for　him。　〃But　don't　let　me　see　him；〃　said　he；　trembling；　〃for　I　could　not　answer　for　myself。〃　Maxley　was　known　to　be　cranky；　but　harmless；　and　wandering　about　the　country。　Julia　wrote　to　Mr。　Green　about　him：

Alfred's　was　an　uphill　game；　but　fortune　favours　the　obstinate　as　well　as　the　bold。　One　day；　about　four　years　after　his　marriage　with　Julia；　being　in　London；　he　found　a　stately　figure　at　the　corner　of　a　street；　holding　out　his　hand　for　alms；　too　dignified　to　ask　it　except　by　that　mute　and　touching　gesture。

It　was　his　father。

Then；　as　truly　noble　natures　must　forgive　the　fallen；　Alfred　was　touched　to　the　heart；　and　thought　of　the　days　of　his　childhood；　before　temptation　came。　〃Father；〃　said　he；　〃have　you　come　to　this？〃

〃Yes；　Alfred；〃　said　Richard　composedly：　〃I　undertook　too　many　speculations；　especially　in　land　and　houses；　they　seemed　profitable　at　first；　too；　but　now　I　am　entirely　hampered：　if　you　would　but　relieve　me　of　them；　and　give　me　a　guinea　a　week　to　live　on；　I　would　forgive　all　your　disobedient　conduct。〃

Alfred　bit　his　lip；　had　a　wrestle　with　the　old　Adam；　and　said　gently；　〃Come　home　with　me；　sir。〃

He　took　him　to　Barkington；　bag　and　baggage；　and　his　good　Christian　wife　received　the　old　man　with　delight；　she　had　prayed　day　and　night　for　this　reconciliation。　Finding　his　son　so　warm；　and　being　himself　as　cool；　Richard　Hardie　entrapped　Alfred　into　an　agreement；　to　board　and　lodge　him；　and　pay　him　a　guinea　every　Saturday　at　noon；　in　return　for　this　Alfred　was　to　manage　Richard's　property；　and　pocket　the　profits；　if　any。　Alfre