hard cash- 第139部分

〃We　are　not　in　a　bank；　David；　we　are　on　board　my　ship。〃

〃The　deuce　we　are。　But　where's　my　money？〃

〃Oh；　we'll　talk　about　that　by…and…by。〃

The　surgeon　stepped　forward；　and　said　soothingly；　〃You　have　been　very　ill；　sir。　You　have　had　a　fit。〃

〃I　believe　you　are　right；〃　said　David　thoughtfully。

〃Will　you　allow　me　to　examine　your　eye？〃

〃Certainly；　doctor。〃

The　surgeon　examined　David's　eye　with　his　thumb　and　finger　and　then　looked　into　it　to　see　how　the　pupil　dilated　and　contracted。

He　rubbed　his　hands　after　this　examination；　〃More　good　news；　captain！〃　then　lowering　his　voice；　_〃Your　friend　is　as　sane　as　I　am。_〃

The　surgeon　was　right。　A　shock　had　brought　back　the　reason　a　shock　had　taken　away。　But　how　or　why　I　know　no　more　than　the　child　unborn。　The　surgeon　wrote　a　learned　paper；　and　explained　the　whole　most　ingeniously。　I　don't　believe　one　word　of　his　explanation；　and　can't　better　it；　so　confine　myself　to　the　phenomena。　Being　now　sane；　the　boundary　wall　of　his　memory　was　shifted。　He　remembered　his　whole　life　up　to　his　demanding　his　cash　back　of　Richard　Hardie；　and　there　his　reawakened　mind　stopped　dead　short。　Being　asked　if　he　knew　William　Thompson；　he　said；　〃Yes；　perfectly。　He　was　a　foretopman　on　board　the　_Agra；_　and　rather　a　smart　hand。　The　ship　was　aground　and　breaking　up：　he　went　out　to　sea　on　a　piano：　but　we　cut　the　hawser　as　he　drifted　under；　and　he　got　safe　ashore。〃　David's　recovered　reason　rejected　with　contempt　as　an　idle　dream　all　that　had　happened　while　that　reason　was　in　defect　The　last　phenomena　I　have　to　record　were　bodily：　one　was　noted　by　Mr。　Georgie　White　in　these　terms：　〃Billy's　eyes　used　to　be　like　a　seal's：　but；　now　he　is　a　great　gentleman；　they　are　like　yours　and　mine。〃　The　other　was　more　singular：　with　his　recovered　reason　came　his　first　grey　hair；　and　in　one　fortnight　it　was　all　as　white　as　snow。

He　remained　a　fortnight　on　board　the　_Vulture；_　beloved　by　high　and　low。　He　walked　the　quarter…deck　in　the　dress　of　a　private　gentleman；　but　looking　like　an　admiral。　The　sailors　touched　their　hats　to　him　with　a　strange　mixture　of　veneration　and　jocoseness。　They　called　him　among　themselves　Commodore　Billy。　He　was　supplied　with　funds　by　Reginald；　and　put　on　board　a　merchant　ship　bound　for　England。　He　landed；　amid　went　straight　to　Barkington。　There　he　heard　his　family　were　in　London。　He　came　back　to　London；　and　sought　them。　A　friend　told　him　of　Green；　he　went　to　him；　and　of　course　Green　saw　directly　who　he　was。　But　able　men　don't　cut　business　short。　He　gravely　accepted　David's　commission　to　find　him　Mrs。　Dodd。　Finding　him　so　confident；　David　asked　him　if　he　thought　he　could　find　Richard　Hardie　or　his　clerk；　Noah　Skinner；　both　of　whom　had　levanted　from　Barkington。　Green；　who　was　on　a　hot　scent　as　to　Skinner；　demurely　accepted　both　commissions；　and　appointed　David　to　meet　him　at　a　certain　place　at　six。　He　came；　he　found　Green's　man；　who　took　him　upstairs；　and　there　was　that　excited　group　determining　the　ownership　of　his　receipt。

Now　to　David　that　receipt　was　a　thing　of　yesterday。　〃It　is　mine；〃　said　he。　They　all　turned　to　look　at　this　man；　with　sober　passionless　voice；　and　hair　of　snow。　A　keen　cry　from　Julia's　heart　made　every　heart　there　quiver；　and　in　a　moment　she　was　clinging　and　sobbing　on　her　father's　neck。　Edward　could　only　get　his　hand　and　press　and　kiss　it。　Instinct　told　them　Heaven　had　given　them　their　father　back；　mind　and　all。

Ere　the　joy　and　the　emotion　had　calmed　themselves；　Alfred　Hardie　slipped　out　and　ran　like　a　deer　to　Pembroke　Street。

Those　who　were　so　strangely　reunited　could　not　part　for　a　long　time；　even　to　go　down　the　stairs　one　by　one。

David　was　the　first　to　recover　his　composure：　indeed；　great　tranquillity　of　spirit　had　ever　since　his　cure　been　a　remarkable　characteristic　of　this　man's　nature。　His　passing　mania　seemed　to　have　burnt　out　all　his　impetuosity；　leaving　him　singularly　sober；　calm；　and　self…governed。

Mr。　Compton　took　the　money；　and　the　will；　and　promised　the　Executrix；　Skinner　should　be　decently　interred　and　all　his　debts　paid　out　of　the　estate。　He　would　look　in　at　66　by…and…by。

And　now　a　happy　party　wended　their　way　towards　Pembroke　Street。

But　Alfred　was　beforehand　with　them：　he　went　boldly　up　the　stairs；　and　actually　surprised　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Sampson　together。

At　sight　of　him　she　rose；　made　him　a　low　curtsey；　and　beat　a　retreat。　He　whipped　to　the　door；　and　set　his　back　against　it。　〃No；〃　said　he　saucily。

She　drew　up　majestically；　and　the　colour　mounted　in　her　pale　face。　〃What；　sir；　would　you　detain　me　by　force？〃

〃And　no　mistake；〃　said　the　audacious　boy。　〃How　else　can　I　detain　you　when　you　hate　me　so？〃　She　began　to　peep　into　his　sparkling　eyes　to　see　the　reason　of　this　strange　conduct

〃C'way　from　the　door；　ye　vagabin；〃　said　Sampson。

〃No；　no；　my　friend；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　trembling；　and　still　peering　into　his　sparkling　eyes。　〃Mr。　Alfred　Hardie　is　a　gentleman；　at　all　events：　he　would　not　take　such　a　liberty　with　me；　unless　he　had　some　excuse　for　it。〃

〃You　are　wonderfully　shrewd；　mamma；〃　said　Alfred　admiringly。　〃The　excuse　is；　I　don't　hate　you　as　you　hate　me；　and　I　am　very　happy。〃

〃Why　do　you　call　me　mamma　to…day？　Oh；　doctor；　he　calls　me　mamma。〃

〃Th'　audacious　vagabin。〃

〃No；　no；　I　cannot　think　he　would　call　me　that　unless　he　had　some　good　news　for　us　both？〃

〃What　good　news　can　he　have；　except　that　his　trile　is　goin'　well；　and　you　don't　care　for　that〃

〃Oh；　how　can　you　say　so？　I　care　for　all　that　concerns　him：　he　would　not　come　here　to　insult　my　misery　with　his　happiness。　He　is　noble；　he　is　generous；　with　all　his　faults。　How　dare　you　call　me　mamma；　sir！　Call　it　me　again；　my　dear　child；　because　then　I　shall　_know_　you　are　come　to　save　my　heart　from　breaking。〃　And　with　this；　the　truth　must　be　told；　the　stately　Mrs。　Dodd　did　fawn　upon　Alfred　with　palms　outstretched　and　piteous　eyes；　and　certain　cajoling　arts　of　her　sex。

〃Give　me　a　kiss　then；　mamma；〃　said　the　impudent　boy；　〃and　I　_will_　tell　you　a　little　bit　of　good　news。〃

She　bowed　her　stately　head　directly；　and　paid　the　required　tribute　with　servile　humility　and　readiness。

〃Well　then；〃　said　Alfred；　and　was　just　going　to　tell　her　all；　but　caught　sight　of　Sampson　making　the　most　expressive　pantomime　to　him　to　be　cautious。　〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　seen　a　sailor。〃

〃Ah！〃

〃And　he　is　sure　Mr。　Dodd　is　alive。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　lifted　her　hands　to　heaven；　but　could　not　speak。　〃In　fact；〃　said　Alfred；　hesitating　（for　he　was　a　wretched　hand　at　a　fib）；　〃he　saw　him　not　a　fortnight　ago　on　board　ship。　But　that　is　not　all；　mamma；　the　sailor　says　he　has　his　reason。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　sank　on　her　knees；　and　said　no　word　to　man；　but　many　to　the　Giver　of　all　good。　When　she　arose；　she　said　to　Alfred；　〃Bring　this　sailor　to　me。　I　must　speak　with　him　directly。〃

Alfred　coloured。　〃I　don't　know　where　to　find　him　just　now。〃

〃Oh；　indeed；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　quietly：　and　this　excited　her　suspicion；　and　from　that　moment　the　cunning　creature　lay　in　wait　for　Master　Alfred。　She　plied　him　with　questions；　and　he　got　more　and　more　puzzled　how　to　sustain　his　story。　At　last；　by　way　of　bursting　out　of　his　own　net；　he　said；　〃But　I　am　sorry　to　say　his　hair　has　turned　white。　But　perhaps　you　won't　mind　that。〃

〃And　he　hadn't　a　grey　hair。〃

〃It　is　not　grey；　like　the　doctor's：　it　is　as　white　as　the　driven　snow。〃

Mrs。　Dodd　sighed；　then　suddenly　turning　on　Alfred；　asked　him；　〃Did　the　sailor　tell　you　that？〃

He　hesitated　a　moment　and　was　lost。

〃You　have　seen　him；〃　she　screamed；　〃he　is　in　London：　he　is　in　the　house。　I　feel　him　near　me：〃　and　she　went　into　something　very　like　hysterics。　Alfred　was　alarmed；　and　whispered　the　truth。　The　doctor　sent　him　off　to　meet　them；　and　recommended　caution；　her　nerves　were　in　such　a　state　a　violent　shock；　even　of　happiness；　might　kill　her。

Thus　warned；　Julia　came　into　the　room　alone；　and　while　Dr。　Sampson　was　inculcating　self…restraint　for　her　own　sake；　she　listened　with　a　superior　smile；　and　took　quite　a　different　line。　〃Mamma；〃　said　she；　〃he　is　in　the　town；　but　I　dare　not　bring　him　here　till　you　are　composed：　his　reason　is　restored；　but　his　nerves　are　not　so　strong　as　they　were。　Now；　if　you　agitate　yourself；　you　will　agitate　him；　and　will　do　him　a　serious　mischief。〃

This　crafty　speech　produced　an　incredible　effect　on　Mrs。　Dodd。　It　calmed　her　directly：　or　rather　her　great　love　gave　her　strength　to　be　calm。　〃I　will　not　be　such　a　wretch；〃　she　said。　〃See：　I　am　composed；　quite　composed。　Bring　me　my　darling；　and　you　shall　see　how　good　I　will　be：　there　now；　Julia；　see　how　calm　I　am；　quite　calm。　What；　have　I　borne　so　much　misery；　with　Heaven's　help；　and　do　you　think　I　cannot　bear　this　great　happiness　for　my　dear　darling's　sake？〃

On　this　they　proposed　she　should　retire　to　her　room；　and　they　would　go　for　David。

〃Think　over　the　meeting；　dear；　dear　mamma；〃　said　Julia；　〃and　then　you　will　behave　well　for　his　sake；　who　was　lost　to　us　and　is　found。〃

Husband　and　wife　met　alone　in　Mrs。　Dodd's　room。　No　eye；　even　of　the　children；　ventured　to　witness　a　scene　so　strange；　so　sacred。　We　may　try　and　imagine　that　meeting；　but　few　of　us　can　conceive　it　by　the　light　of　our　narrow　experience。　Yet　one　or　two　there　may　bethe　world　is　wide；　and　the　adventures　and　emotions　of　our　race　are　many。

One　by　one　all　were　had　up　to　that　sacred　room　to　talk　to　the　happy　pair。　They　found　David　seated　calmly　at　his　wife's　feet；　her　soft　hand　laid　on　his　white　hair；　lest　he　should　leave　her　again：　and　they　told　him　all　the　sorrow　behind　them；　and　he；　genial　and　kindly　as　ever；　told　them　all　the　happiness　before　them。　He　spoke　like　the　master　of　the　house；　the　father　of　the　family；　the　friend　of　them　all。

But　with　all　his　goodness　he　was　sternly　resolved　to　have　his　L。　14；000　out　of　Richard　Hardie。　He　had　an　interview　with　Mr。　Compton　that　very　night；　and　the　lawyer　wrote　a　letter　to　Mr。　Hardie；　saying　nothing　about　the　death　of　Skinner；　but　notifying　that　his　client；　Captain　Dodd；　had　recovered　from　Noah　Skinner　the　receipt　No。　17　for　L。　14；010　12s。　6d；　and　he　was　instructed　to　sue　for　it　unless　repaid　immediately。　He　added　Captain　Dodd　was　mercifully　restored；　and　remembered　distinctly　every　particular　of　the　transaction。


They　all　thought　in　their　innocence　that　Hardie　_v。_　Hardie　was　now　at　an