hard cash-第142部分

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〃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　speculator；　and　come　down　to　that。　Only　he　called　it　rising；　and　used　to　speak　with　a　shudder　of　when　he　dabbled　in　the　funds；　and　often　told　him　to　look　sharp；　and　get　a　crossing。　And　lo！　one　day　when　he　was　cleaned　out；　and　desperate；　and　hovering　with　the　other　ghosts　of　little　capitalists　about　the　tomb　of　their　money；　he　saw　his　countryman　fall　flat；　and　the　broom　fly　out　of　his　hand。　Instantly　he　made　a　rush；　and　so　did　a　wooden…legged　sailor；　but　he　got　first　to　the　broom；　and　began　to　sweep　while　others　picked　up　his　countryman；　who　proved　dead　as　a　herring；　and　he　succeeded　to　his　broom；　and　it　made　money　by　the　Exchange；　though　he　never　could。　Still；　one　day　he　picked　up　a　pocket…book　in　that　neighbourhood；　with　a　lump　of　money；　which　he　straightway　advertised　inno　newspapers。　And　now；　Julia　thought　it　time　to　interpose　the　eighth　commandment；　the　golden　rule；　and　such　branches　of　learning。

He　became　a　favourite　of　hers：　he　had　so　much　to　say：　she　even　thought　she　had　seen　his　face　before：　but　she　could　not　tell　where。　She　gave　him　good　books　and　tracts；　and　read　to　him；　and　ploughed　his　heart　with　her　sweet　voice；　and　sowed　the　good　seed　in　the　furrowsseed　which；　like　wheat　or　other　grain；　often　seems　to　fall　flat　and　die；　but　comes　out　green　after　many　days。

One　Saturday　she　invited　him　to　dine　with　the　servants　next　day。　He　came　during　church　time；　and　went　away　in　the　afternoon　while　she　was　with　her　mother。　But　she　asked　Sarah；　who　proved　eager　to　talk　about　him。　〃He　was　a　rum　customer；　kept　asking　questions　all　dinner　time。　'Well；'　says　I；　'you're　good　company　you　are；　be　you　a　lawyer；　for　you　examines　us；　but　you　don't　tell　us　nothing。'　Ye　see；　Miss；　Jane　she　is　that　simple；　she　was　telling　him　everything；　and　about　Mr。　Alfred's　lawsuit　with　his　father　and　all。〃

Julia　said　that　was　indiscreet；　but　after　all　what　did　it　matter？

〃Who　knows；　Miss？〃　Sarah　replied：　〃least　said　is　soonest　mended。　If　you　please；　Miss；　who　is　he？　Where　does　he　bide？　Where　does　he　come　from？　Does　he　know　Hardies