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hard cash-第147章

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her know it for all your money。 Come; sir; I see its all right; you will shell out sooner than be posted。〃

Here Peggy interposed; 〃Mr。 Skinner; be more considerate; my master is really poor just now。〃

〃That is no reason why I should be insulted and indicted and trampled under foot;〃 snarled Skinner all in one breath。

〃Show me the receipt and take my last shilling; you ungrateful; vindictive viper;〃 groaned Mr。 Hardie。

〃Stuff and nonsense; said Skinner。 〃I'm not a viper; I'm a man of business。 Find me five hundred pounds; and I'll show you the receipt and keep dark。 But I can't afford to give it you for that; of course。〃

Skinner triumphed; and made the great man apologise; writhing all the time; and wishing he was a day labourer with Peggy to wife; and fourteen honest shillings a week for his income。 Having eaten humble pie; he agreed to meet Skinner next Wednesday at midnight; alone; under a certain lamp on the North Kensington Road: the interval (four days) he required to raise money upon his scrip。 Skinner bowed himself out; fawning triumphantly。 Mr。 Hardie stood in the middle of the room motionless; scowling darkly。 Peggy looked at him; and saw some dark and sinister resolve forming in his mind: she divined it; as such women can divine。 She laid her hand on his arm; and said softly; 〃Richard; it's not worth _that。_〃 He started to find his soul read through his body so clearly。 He trembled。

But it was only for a moment。 〃His blood be on his own head;〃 he snarled。 〃This is not my seeking。 He shall learn what it is to drive Richard Hardie to despair。〃

〃No; no;〃 implored Peggy; 〃there are other countries beside this: why not gather all you have; and cross the water? I'll follow you to the world's end; Richard。〃

〃Mind your own business;〃 said he fiercely。

She made no reply; but went softly and sat down again; and sewed the buttons on his shirts。 Mr。 Hardie wrote to Messrs。 Heathfield to get Hardie _v。_ Hardie tried as soon as possible。

Meantime came a mental phenomenon: gliding down Sackville Street; victorious Skinner suddenly stopped; and clenched his hands; and his face writhed as if he had received a death…wound。 In that instant Remorse had struck him like lightning; and; perhaps; whence comes the lightning。 The sweet face and voice that had smiled on him; and cared for his body; and cared for his soul; came to his mind; and knocked at his heart and conscience。 He went home miserable with an inward conflict; and it lasted him all the four days; sometimes Remorse got the better; sometimes Avarice。 He came to the interview still undecided what he should do。 But; meantime; he had gone to a lawyer and made his will; leaving his little all to Julia Dodd: a bad sign this; looked like compounding with his awakened conscience。

It was a dark and gusty night。 Very few people were about。 Skinner waited a little while; and shivered; for his avarice had postponed the purchase of a greatcoat until Christmas Day。 At last; when the coast seemed clear; Mr。 Hardie emerged from a side street。 Skinner put his hand to his bosom。

They met。 Mr。 Hardie said quietly; 〃I must ask you; just for form; to show me you have the Receipt。〃

〃Of course; sir; but not so near; please: no snatching; if I know it。〃

〃You are wonderfully suspicious;〃 said Mr。 Hardie; trying to smile。

Skinner looked; and saw by the lamplight he was deadly pale。 〃Keep your distance a moment; sir;〃 said he; and; on Mr。 Hardie's complying; took the Receipt out; and held it under the lamp。

Instantly Mr。 Hardie drew a life…preserver; and sprang on him with a savage curseand uttered a shriek of dismay; for he was met by the long shiny barrel of a horse…pistol; that Skinner drew from his bosom; and levelled full in the haggard face that came at him。 Mr。 Hardie recoiled; crying; 〃No! no! for Heaven's sake!〃

〃What!〃 cried Skinner; stepping forward and hissing; 〃do you think I'm such a fool as to meet a thief unarmed? Come; cash up; or I'll blow you to atoms。〃

〃No; no; no!〃 said Mr。 Hardie piteously; retreating as Skinner marched on him with long extended pistol。 〃Skinner;〃 he stammered; 〃th…this is n…not b…b…business。〃

〃Cash up; then; that's business。 Fling the five hundred pounds down; and walk away。 Mind it is loaded with two bullets; I'll make a double entry on your great treacherous carcass。〃

〃It's no use trying to deceive such a man as you;〃 said Mr。 Hardie; playing on his vanity。 〃I could not get the money before Saturday; and so I listened to the dictates of despair。 Forgive me。〃

〃Then come again Saturday night。 Come alone; and I shall bring a man to see I'm not murdered。 And look here; sir; if you don't come to the hour and do the right thing without any more of these unbusiness…like tricks; by Heaven; I'll smash you before noon on Monday。〃

〃I'll come。〃

〃I'll blow you to Mr。 Alfred and Miss Dodd。〃

〃I'll come; I tell you。〃

〃I'll post you for a thief on every brick in the Exchange。〃

〃Have mercy; Skinner。 Have pity on the wretched man whose bread you have eaten。 I tell you I'll come。〃

〃Well; mind you do; then; cash and all;〃 said Skinner sulkily; but not quite proof against the reminiscences those humble words awakened。

Each walked backwards a good dozen steps; and then they took different roads; Skinner taking good care not to be tracked home。 He went up the high stairs to the hole in the roof he occupied; and lighted a rushlight。 He had half a mind to kindle a fire; he felt so chilly; but he had blocked up the vent; partly to keep out the cold; partly to shun the temptation of burning fuel。 However; he stopped the keyhole with paper; and also the sides of the window; till he had shut the wintry air all out。 Still; what with the cold and what with the reaction after so great an excitement; his feeble body began to shiver desperately。 He thought at last he would light a foot…warmer he had just purchased for old iron at a broker's; _that_ would only spend a halfpenneyworth of charcoal。 No; he wouldn't; he would look at his money; that would cheer him。 He unripped a certain part of his straw mattress and took out a bag of gold。 He spread three hundred sovereigns on the floor and put the candle down among them。 They sparkled; they were all new ones; and he rubbed them with an old toothbrush and whiting every week。 〃That's better than any fire;〃 he said; 〃they warm the heart。 For one thing; they are my own: at all events; I did not steal them; nor take them of a thief for a bribe to keep dark and defraud honest folk。〃 Then remorse gripped him: he asked himself what he was going to do。 〃To rob an angel;〃 was the answer。 〃The fourteen thousand pounds is all hers; and I could give it her in a moment。 Curse him; he would have killed me for it。〃

Then he pottered about and took out his will。 〃Ah;〃 said he; 〃that is all right so far。 But what is a paltry three hundred when I help do her out of fourteen thousand? Villain!〃 Then; to ease his conscience; he took a slip of paper and wrote on it a short account of the Receipt; and how he came by it; and lo: as if an unseen power had guided his hand; he added; 〃Miss Dodd lives at 66; Pembroke Street; and I am going to take it to her as soon as I am well of my cold。〃 Whether this preceded an unconscious resolve which had worked on him secretly for some time; or whether it awakened such a resolve; I hardly know: but certain it is; that having written it; he now thought seriously of doing it; and; the more seriously he entertained the thought; the more good it seemed to do him。 He got 〃The Sinner's Friend〃 and another good book she had lent him; and read a bit: then; finding his feet frozen; he lighted his chafer and blew it well; and put it under his feet and read。 The good words began to reach his heart more and more: so did the thought of Julia's goodness。 The chafer warmed his feet and legs。 〃Ay;〃 said he; 〃men don't want fires; warm the feet and the body warms itself。〃 He took out 〃The Receipt〃 and held it in his hand; and eyed it greedily; and asked himself could he really part with it。 He thought he couldto Julia。 Still holding it tight in his left hand; he read on the good but solemn words that seemed to loosen his grasp upon that ill…gotten paper。 〃How good it was of her;〃 he thought; 〃to come day after day and feed a poor little fellow like him; body and soul。 She asked nothing back。 She didn't know he could make her any return。 Bless her! bless her!〃 he screamed。 〃Oh; how cruel I have been to her; and she so kind to me。 She would never let me want; if I took her fourteen thousand pounds。 Like enough give me a thousand; and help me save my poor soul; that I shall damn if I meet him again。 I won't go his way again。 Lead us not into temptation。 I repent。 Lord have mercy on me a miserable sinner。〃 And tears bedewed those wizened cheeks; tears of penitence; sincere; at least for the time。

A sleepy languor now came over him; and the good book fell from his hand; but his resolution remained unshaken。 By…and…by waking up from a sort of heavy dose; he took; as it were; a last look at the receipt; and murmured; 〃My head; how heavy it feels。〃 But presently he roused himself; full of his penitent resolution; and murmured again brokenly; 〃I'll…take it to…Pembroke Street to…morrow: 
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