hard cash-第70章

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ges　me　is　that　we　didn't　let　him　sign　it；　and　so　nail　the　young　rascal's　money。〃

〃Curse　his　money；〃　said　Edward；　〃and　him　too。　Wait　till　I　can　lay　my　hand　on　him：　I'll　break　every　bone　in　his　skin。〃

〃And　I'll　help　you。〃

In　the　morning；　Mrs。　Dodd　left　Julia　for　a　few　minutes　expressly　to　ask　Sampson's　advice。　After　Alfred's　conduct　she　was　free；　and　fully　determined；　to　defend　herself　and　family　against　spoliation　by　any　means　in　her　power：　so　she　now　showed　the　doctor　David's　letter　about　the　L。　14；000；　and　the　empty　pocket…book；　and　put　together　the　disjointed　evidence　of　Julia；　Alfred；　and　circumstances；　in　one　neat　and　luminous　statement。　Sampson　was　greatly　struck　with　the　revelation：　he　jumped　off　his　chair　and　marched　about　excited：　said　truth　was　stranger　than　fiction；　and　this　was　a　manifest　swindle：　then　he　surprised　Mrs。　Dodd　in　her　turn　by　assuming　that　old　Hardie　was　at　the　bottom　of　yesterday's　business。　Neither　Edward　nor　his　mother　could　see　that；　and　said　so：　his　reply　was　characteristic：　〃Of　course　you　can't；　you　are　Anglosaxins；　th'　Anglosaxins　are　good　at　drawing　distinctions：　but　they　can't　gineralise。　I'm　a　Celt；　and　gineraliseas　a　duck　swims。　I　discovered　th'　unity　of　all　disease：　it　would　be　odd　if　I　could　not　trace　the　maniform　iniquities　you　suffer　to　their　one　source。〃

〃But　what　is　the　connecting　link？〃　asked　Mrs。　Dodd；　still　incredulous。

〃Why；　Richard　Hardie's　interest。〃

〃Well；　but　the　letter？〃　objected　Edward。

〃There　goes　th'　Anglosaxin　again；〃　remonstrated　Sampson：　〃puzzling　his　head　over　petty　details；　and　they　are　perhaps　mere　blinds　thrown　out　by　the　enemy。　Put　this　and　that　together：　Hardie　senior　always　averse　to　this　marriage；　Hardie　senior　wanting　to　keep　L。　14；000　of　yours：　if　his　son；　who　knows　of　the　fraud；　became　your　mother's　son；　the　swinidle　would　be　hourly　in　danger　（no　connection？　y'　unhappy　Anglosaxins；　why　the　two　things　are　interwoven）。　And　so　young　Hardie　is　got　out　of　the　way：　old　Hardie's　doing；　or　I'm　a　Dutchman。〃

This　reasoning　still　appeared　forced　and　fanciful　to　Edward　but　it　began　to　make　some　little　impression　on　Mrs。　Dodd；　and　encouraged　her　to　own　that　her　poor　daughter　suspected　foul　play。

〃Well；　that　is　possible；　too：　whativer　tempted　man　has　done；　tempted　man　will　do：　but　more　likely　he　has　bribed　Jezebel　to　write　and　catch　the　goose　by　the　heart。　Gintlennen；　I'm　a　bit　of　a　physiognomist：　look　at　old　Hardie's　lines；　his　cords；　I　might　say：　and　deeper　every　time　I　see　him。　Sirs；　there's　an　awful　weight　on　that　man's　mind。　Looksee！　I'll　just　send　a　small　trifle　of　a　detective　down　to　watch　his　game；　and　pump　his　people：　and；　as　soon　as　it　is　safe；　we'll　seize　the　old　bird；　and；　once　he　is　trapped　the　young　one　will　reappear　like　magic：　th'　old　one　will　disgorge；　we'll　just　compound　the　felonybeen　an　old　friendand　recover　the　cash。〃

A　fine　sketch；　but　Edward　thought　it　desperately　wild；　and　Mrs。　Dodd　preferred　employing　a　respectable　attorney　to　try　and　obtain　justice　in　the　regular　way。　Sampson　laughed　at　her；　what　was　the　use　of　attacking　in　the　regular　way　an　irregular　genius　like　old　Hardie？　〃Attorneys　are　too　humdrum　for　such　a　job；〃　said　he；　〃they　start　with　a　civil　letter　putting　a　rogue　on　his　guard；　they　proceed　t'　a　writ　and　then　he　digs　a　hole　in　another　county　and　buries　the　booty；　or　sails　t'　Australia　with　it。　N'list'me；　I'm　an　old　friend；　and　an　insane　lover　of　justiceI　say　insane；　because　my　passion　is　not　returned；　or　the　jade　wouldn't　keep　out　of　my　way　so　all　these　yearsyou　leave　all　this　to　me。〃

〃Stop　a　minute；〃　said　Edward；　〃you　must　not　go　compromising　us：　and　we　have　no　money　to　pay　for　luxuries　like　detectives。〃

〃I　won't　compromise　any　one　of　you：　and　my　detective　shan't　cost　y'　a　penny。〃

〃Ah；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃the　fact　is；　you　do　not　know　all　the　difficulties　that　beset　us。　Tell　him；　Edward。　Well；　then；　let　_me。_　The　poor　boy　is　attached　to　this　gentleman's　daughter；　whom　you　propose　to　treat　like　a　felon：　and　he　is　too　good　a　son　and　too　good　a　friend　for　me　towhat；　what；　shall　I　do？〃

Edward　coloured　up　to　the　eyes。　〃Who　told　you　that；　mother？〃　said　he。　〃Well；　yes；　I　do　love　her；　and　I'm　not　ashamed　of　it。　Doctor；〃　said　the　poor　fellow　after　a　while；　〃I　see　now　I　am　not　quite　the　person　to　advise　my　mother　in　this　matter。　I　consent　to　leave　it　in　your　hands。〃

And　in　pursuance　of　this　resolution；　he　retired　to　his　study。

〃There's　a　damnable　combination；〃　said　Sampson　drily。　〃Truth　is　sairtainly　more　wonderful　than　feckshin。　Here's　my　fathom　o'　good　sense　in　love　with　a　wax　doll；　and　her　brother　jilting　his　sister；　and　her　father　pillaging　his　mother。　It　_beats_　hotch…potch。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　denied　the　wax　doll：　but　owned　Miss　Hardie　was　open　to　vast　objections：　〃An　inestimable　young　lady；　but　so　odd；　she　is　one　of　these　uneasy…minded　Christians　that　have　sprung　up：　a　religious　egotist；　and　_malade　imaginaire；_　eternally　feeling　her　own　spiritual　pulse〃

〃I　know　the　disorrder；〃　cried　Sampson　eagerly：　〃the　pashints　have　a　hot　fit　（and　then　they　are　saints）：　followed　in　due　course　by　the　cold　fit　（and　then　they　are　the　worst　of　sinners）：　and　so　on　in　endless　rotation：　and；　if　they　could　only　realise　my　great　discovery；　the　perriodicity　of　all　disease；　and　time　their　sintiments；　they　would　find　the　hot　fit　and　the　cold　return　chronometrically；　at　intervals　as　rigular　as　the　tide's　ebb　and　flow；　and　the　soul　has　nothing　to　do　with　either　febrile　symptom。　Why　Religion；　apart　from　intermittent　Fever　of　the　Brain；　is　just　the　caumest；　peaceablest；　sedatest　thing　in　all　the　world。〃

〃Ah；　you　are　too　deep　for　me；　my　good　friend。　All　I　know　is　that　she　is　one　of　this　new　school；　whom　I　take　the　liberty　to　call　'THE　FIDGETY　CHRISTIANS。'　They　cannot　let　their　poor　souls　alone　a　minute；　and　they　pester　one　day　and　night　with　the　millennium；　as　if　we　shall　not　all　be　dead　long　before　that。　But　the　worst　is；　they　apply　the　language　of　earthly　passion　to　the　Saviour　of　mankind；　and　make　one's　flesh　creep　at　their　blasphemies；　so　coarse；　so　familiar：　like　that　rude　multitude　which　thronged　and　pressed　Him　when　on　earth。　But；　after　all；　she　came　to　the　church；　and　took　my　Julia's　part；　so　that　shows　she　has　_principle；_　and　do　pray　spare　me　her　feelings　in　any　step　you　take　against　that　dishonourable　person　her　father。　I　must　go　back　to　his　victim；　my　poor；　poor　childI　dare　not　leave　her　long。　Oh；　Doctor；　such　a　night！　and；　if　she　dozes　for　a　minute；　it　is　to　wake　with　a　scream　and　tell　me　she　sees　him　dead：　sometimes　he　is　drowned；　sometimes　stained　with　blood；　but　always　dead。〃



This　evening　Mr。　Hardie　came　along　in　a　fly　with　his　luggage　on　the　box；　returning　to　Musgrove　Cottage　as　from　Yorkshire：　in　passing　Albion　Villa　he　cast　it　a　look　of　vindictive　triumph。　He　got　home　and　nodded　by　the　fire　in　his　character　of　a　man　wearied　by　a　long　journey。　Jane　made　him　some　tea；　and　told　him　how　Alfred　had　disappeared　on　his　wedding…day。

〃The　young　scamp；〃　said　he；　he　added；　coolly；　〃It　is　no　business　of　mine。　I　had　no　hand　in　making　the　match；　thank　Heaven。〃　In　the　conversation　that　ensued；　he　said　he　had　always　been　averse　to　the　marriage；　but　not　so　irreconcilably　as　to　approve　this　open　breach　of　faith　with　a　respectable　young　lady。　〃This　will　recoil　upon　our　name；　you　know；　at　this　critical　time；〃　said　he。

Then　Jane　mustered　courage　to　confess　that　she　had　gone　to　the　wedding　herself：　〃Dear　papa；〃　said　she；　〃it　was　made　clear　to　me　that　the　Dodds　are　acting　in　what　they　consider　a　most　friendly　way　to　you。　They　thinkI　cannot　tell　you　what　they　think。　But；　if　mistaken；　they　are　sincere：　and　so；　after　prayer；　and　you　not　being　here　for　me　to　consult；　I　did　go　to　the　church。　Forgive　me；　papa：　I　have　but　one　brother；　and　she　is　my　dear　friend。〃

Mr。　Hardie's　countenance　fell　at　this　announcement；　and　he　looked　almost　diabolical。　But　on　second　thoughts　he　cleared　up　wonderfully：　〃I　will　be　frank　with　you；　Jenny：　if　the　wedding　had　come　off；　I　should　have　been　deeply　hurt　at　your　supporting　that　little　monster　of　ingratitude。　He　not　only　marries　against　his　father's　will　（that　is　done　every　day）；　but　slanders　and　maligns　him　publicy　in　his　hour　of　poverty　and　distress。　But　now　that　he　has　broken　faith　and　insulted　Miss　Dodd　as　well　as　me；　I　declare　I　am　glad　you　were　there；　Jenny。　It　will　separate　us　from　his　abominable　conduct。　But　what　does　he　say　for　himself？　What　reason　does　he　give？〃

〃Oh；　it　is　all　mystery　as　yet。〃

〃Well；　but　he　must　have　sent　some　explanation　to　the　Dodds。〃

〃He　may　have：　I　don't　know。　I　have　not　ventured　to　intrude　on　my　poor　insulted　friend。　Papa；　I　hear　her　distress　is　fearful；　they　fear　for　her　reason。　Oh；　if　harm　comes　to　her；　God　will　assuredly　punish　him　whose　heartlessness　and　treachery　has　brought　her　to　it。　Mark　my　words；〃　she　continued　with　great　emotion；　〃this　cruel　act　will　not　go　unpunished　even　in　this　world。〃

〃There；　there；　change　the　subject；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie　peevishly。　〃What　have　I　to　do　with　his　pranks？　He　has　disowned　me　for　his　father；　and　I　disown　him　for　my　son。〃

The　next　day　Peggy　Black　called；　and　asked　to　see　master。　Old　Betty；　after　the　first　surprise；　looked　at　her　from　head　to　foot；　and　foot　to　head；　as　if　measuring　her　for　a　suit　of　disdain；　and　told　her　she　might　carry　her　own　message；　then　flounced　into　the　kitchen；　and　left　her　to　shut　the　street　door；　which　she　did。　She　went　and　dropped　her　curtsey　at　the　parlour　door；　and　in　a　miminy　piminy　voice　said　she　was　come　to　make　her　submission；　and　would　he　forgive　her；　and　give　her　another　trial？　Her　penitence；　after　one　or　two　convulsive　efforts；　ended　in　a　very　fair　flow　of　tears。

Mr。　Hardie　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　asked　Jane　if　the　girl　had　ever　been　saucy　to　her。

〃Oh　no；　papa：　indeed　I　have　no　fault　to　find　with　poor　Peggy。〃

〃Well；　then；　go　to　your　work；　and　try　and　not　offend　Betty；　remember　she　is　older　than　you。〃

Peggy　went　for　her　box　and　bandbox；　and　reinstated　herself　quietly；　and　all　old　Betty's　endeavours　to　irritate　her　only　elicited　a　calm　cunning　smile；　with　a　depression　of　her　downy　eyelashes。

　　　　　_Albion　Villa。_

Next　morning　Edward　Dodd　was　woke　out　of　a　sound　sleep　at　about　four　o'clock；　by　a　hand　upon　his　shoulder：　he　looked　up；　and　rubbed　his　eyes；　it　was　Julia　standing　by　his　bedside；　dressed；　and　in　her　bonnet。　〃Edward；〃　she　said　in　a　hurried　whisper；　〃there　is　foul　play：　I　cannot　sleep；　I　cannot　be　idle。　He　has　been　decoyed　away；　and　perhaps　murdered。　Oh；　pray　get　up　and　go　to　the　police　office　or　somewhere　with　me。〃

〃Very　well；　but　wait　till　morning。〃

〃No；　now；　nownownow。　I　shall　never　go　out　of　doors　in　the　daytime　again。　Wait？　I'm　going　crazy　with　wait；　wait；　wait；　wait；　waiting。〃

Her　hand　was　like　fire　on　him；　and　her　eyes　supernaturally　bright。

〃There；〃　said　Edward　with　a　groan；　〃go　downstairs；　and　I　will　be　with　you　directly。〃

He　came　down：　they　went　out　together：　her　little　burning　hand　pinched　his　tight；　and　her　swift　foot　seemed　scarcely　to　touch　the　ground；　she　kept　him　at　his　full　stride　till　they　got　to　the　central　police　station。　There；　at　the　very　thought　of　facing　men；　the　fiery　innocent　suddenly　shrank　together；　and　covered　her　blushing　face　with　her　hot　hands。　She　sent　him　in　alone。　He　found　an　intelligent　superintende