put yourself in his place-第19部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


upon　people。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Little　will　treat　it　with　proper　respect；　coming　from　one　so　much　older　than　himself；　and　better　acquainted　with　this　wretched　town。　　Will　you　not；　Mr。　Little？〃　said　she；　with　so　cunning　a　sweetness　that　the　young　fellow　was　entrapped；　and　assented；　before　he　knew　what　he　was　about；　then　colored　high　at　finding　himself　committed。

Mr。　Carden　reflected　a　moment。　　He　then　said；　〃I　can't　take　upon　myself　to　tell　any　man　to　give　up　his　livelihood。　　But　one　piece　of　advice　I　can　conscientiously　give　Mr。　Little。〃

〃Yes；　papa。〃

〃And　that　isTO　INSURE　HIS　LIFE。〃

〃Oh；　papa！〃　cried　Grace。

As　for　Henry　he　was　rather　amused；　and　his　lip　curled　satirically。　But　the　next　moment　he　happened　to　catch　sight　of　Jael　Dence's　face；　her　gray　eyes　were　expanded　with　a　look　of　uneasiness；　and；　directly　she　caught　his　eye　she　fixed　it；　and　made　him　a　quick　movement　of　the　head；　directing　him　to　assent。

There　was　something　so　clear　and　decided　in　the　girl's　manner　that　it　overpowered　Henry　who　had　no　very　clear　idea　to　oppose　to　it；　and　he　actually　obeyed　the　nod　of　this　girl；　whom　he　had　hitherto　looked　on　as　an　amiable　simpleton。

〃I　have　no　objection　to　that；〃　said　he；　turning　to　Mr。　Carden。　Then；　after　another　look　at　Jael；　he　said；　demurely；　〃Is　there　any　insurance　office　you　could　recommend？〃

Mr。　Carden　smiled。　　〃There　is　only　one　I　have　a　right　to　recommend；　and　that　is　the　'Gosshawk。'　　I　am　a　director。　　But；〃　said　he；　with　sudden　stiffness；　〃I　could　furnish　you　with　the　names　of　many　others。〃

Henry　saw　his　way　clear　by　this　time。　　〃No；　sir；　if　I　profit　by　your　advice；　the　least　I　can　do　is　to　choose　the　one　you　are　a　director　of。〃

Grace；　who　had　latterly　betrayed　uneasiness　and　irritation；　now　rose；　red　as　fire。　　〃The　conversation　is　taking　a　turn　I　did　not　at　all　intend；〃　said　she；　and　swept　out　of　the　room　with　royal　disdain。

Her　father　apologized　carelessly　for　her　tragical　exit。　　〃That　is　a　young　lady　who　detests　business；　but　she　does　not　object　to　its　fruitsdresses；　lace；　footmen；　diamonds；　and　a　carriage　to　drive　about　in。　　On　the　contrary；　she　would　be　miserable　without　them。〃

〃I　should　hope　she　never　will　be　without　them；　sir。〃

〃I'll　take　care　of　that。〃

Mr。　Carden　said　this　rather　dryly；　and　then　retired　for　a　minute；　and　Grace　who　was　not　far　off；　with　an　ear　like　a　hare；　came　back　soon　after。

But　in　the　meantime　Henry　left　his　seat　and　went　to　Jael；　and；　leaning　over　her　as　she　worked；　said；　〃There　is　more　in　that　head　of　yours　than　I　thought。〃

〃Oh；　they　all　talk　before　me；〃　said　Jael；　blushing　faintly；　and　avoiding　his　eye。

〃Jael　Dence；〃　said　the　young　man；　warmly；　〃I'm　truly　obliged　to　you。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃For　your　good　advice。　　I　didn't　see　how　good　it　was　till　after　I　had　taken　it。〃

〃I'm　afeard　Miss　Grace　gave　you　better。〃

〃She　advised　me　against　my　heart。　　What　is　the　use　of　that？〃

〃Ay；　young　men　are　willful。〃

〃Come；　come；　don't　you　go　back。　　You　are　my　friend　and　counselor。〃

〃That　is　something；〃　said　Jael；　in　a　low　voice；　and　her　hands　trembled　at　her　side。

〃Why；　my　dear　girl；　what's　the　matter？〃

〃Hush！　hush？〃


CHAPTER　VIII。


Grace　came　in；　that　moment；　with　a　superb　air。　　She　settled　herself　on　the　sofa。

〃Now；　it　is　my　turn；　if　you　please。　　Pray；　sir；　do　you　think　your　life　will　be　any　safer　for　your　insuring　it？　　Insuring　does　not　mean　that　you　are　not　to　be　killed；　but　that；　when　you　ARE；　for　your　obstinacy；　somebody　else　will　get　paid　some　money；　to　dance　with　over　your　grave。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Grace；〃　said　Mr。　Carden；　entering　with　some　printed　papers　in　his　hand。　　〃That　is　not　the　only　use　of　an　insurance。　　He　may　want　to　marry；　or　to　borrow　a　sum　of　money　to　begin　business；　and　then　a　policy　of　insurance；　with　two　or　three　premiums　paid；　smooths　the　difficulty。　　Everybody　should　make　a　will；　and　everybody　should　insure　his　life。〃

〃Well　then；　sir；　I　will　do　both。〃

〃Stop！〃　said　Mr。　Carden；　who　could　now　afford　to　be　candid。　　〃First　of　all；　you　ought　to　satisfy　yourself　of　the　flourishing　condition　of　the　company。　　He　handed　him　a　prospectus。　　〃This　will　show　you　our　capital；　and　our　disbursements　last　year；　and　the　balance　of　profit　declared。　　And　this　gives　the　balance　sheet　of　the　'Vulture'　and　the　'Falcon；'　which　have　assigned　their　business　to　us；　and　are　now　incorporated　in　the　'Gosshawk。'〃

〃Oh；　what　a　voracious　bird！〃　observed　Grace。　　〃I　hope　these　other　chickabiddies　will　not　prove　indigestible。　　Were　they　plucked　first；　papa？　or　did　the　'Gosshawk'　swallow　them　feathers　and　all？〃

Little　laughed　heartily　at　this　pert　sally；　but　Mr。　Carden　winced　under　it。

Then　Grace　saw　she　was　not　quite　weaponless；　and　added；　〃After　such　a　meal；　as　that；　Mr。　Little；　you　will　go　down　like　a　crumb。〃

〃Grace；　that　is　enough；〃　said　Mr。　Carden；　rather　severely。

Grace　held　her　tongue　directly；　and　the　water　came　into　her　eyes。　Anything　like　serious　remonstrance　was　a　novelty　to　her。

When　Henry　had　read　the　papers；　Mr。　Carden　asked　him；　rather　carelessly；　what　sum　he　wished　to　be　insured　for。

Now　Henry　had　so　little　wish　about　the　matter；　that　he　had　not　given　it　a　thought；　and　the　question　took　him　quite　aback。　　He　looked　helplessly　at　Jael。　　To　his　surprise；　she　decided　on　the　sum　for　him；　without　a　moment's　hesitation；　and　conveyed　the　figure　with　that　dexterity　which　the　simplest　of　her　sex　can　command　whenever　telegraphy　is　wanted。　　She　did　it　with　two　unbroken　movements；　she　put　up　all　the　fingers　of　her　right　hand　to　her　brow；　and　that　meant　five：　then　she　turned　her　hand　rapidly；　so　as　to　hide　her　mouth　from　the　others；　who　were　both　on　her　right　hand；　and　she　made　the　word　thousand　clear；　with　her　lips　and　tongue；　especially　the　〃th。〃

But　the　sum　staggered　Henry；　and　made　him　think　he　must　be　misinterpreting　her。

He　hesitated；　to　gain　time。　　〃Hum！〃　said　he；　〃the　sum？〃

Jael　repeated　her　pantomime　as　before。

Still　Henry　doubted；　and；　to　feel　his　way；　said；　half　interrogatively；　〃Fivethousand？〃

Jael　nodded。

〃Five　thousand　pounds；〃　said　Henry；　as　bold　as　brass。

〃Five　thousand　pounds！〃　cried　Mr。　Carden。　　〃A　workman　insure　his　life　for　five　thousand　pounds！〃

〃Well；　a　man's　life　is　worth　five　thousand　pounds；　or　it　is　worth　nothing。　　And；　sir；　how　long　do　you　think　I　shall　be　a　workman；　especially　in　Hillsborough；　where　from　workman　to　master　is　no　more　than　hopping　across　a　gutter？〃

Mr。　Carden　smiled　approval。　　〃But　five　thousand　pounds！　　The　annual　premium　will　be　considerable。　　May　I　ask　about　how　much　you　make　a　year？〃

〃Oh；　papa！〃

〃Well；　sir；　Mr。　Cheetham　pays　me　L300　a　year；　at　the　rate　of；　and　I　can　make　another　L100　by　carving　at　odd　times。　　But；　if　you　doubt　my　ability；　let　us　stay　as　we　are；　sir。　　It　was　your　proposal；　not　mine；　you　know。〃

〃Young　man；〃　said　Mr。　Carden；　〃never　be　peppery　in　business。〃　　He　said　this　so　solemnly　and　paternally；　it　sounded　like　the　eleventh　commandment。

To　conclude；　it　was　arranged　Henry　should　take　the　higher　class　of　insurance；　which　provided　for　accidents；　voyages；　everything；　and　should　be　insured　for　L5000；　provided　the　physician　appointed　by　the　company　should　pronounce　him　free　from　disease。

Henry　then　rose；　and　said；　sorrowfully；　to　Grace；　〃You　will　not　see　me　here　very　often　now；　and　never　on　Saturday　afternoon　or　Monday　morning。　　I　am　not　going　to　have　some　blackguard　tracking　me；　and　flinging　a　can　of　gunpowder　in　at　your　window。　　When　I　do　come；　it　will　be　in　the　morning；　and　on　a　working　day；　and　I　shall　perhaps　go　ten　miles　round　to　get　here。　　It　must　be　diamond　cut　diamond；　for　many　a　month　to　come；　between　the　Trades　and　me。〃　　He　uttered　these　words　with　manly　gravity；　as　one　who　did　not　underrate　the　peril　he　was　resolved　to　face；　and　left　them　with　a　respectful　bow。

〃That's　a　rising　man；〃　said　Mr。　Carden；　〃and　may　draw　a　hundred　of　his　class　to　the　'Gosshawk。'　　It　was　a　good　stroke　of　business；　quite　out　of　the　common。〃

Grace　said　not　a　word；　but　she　shook　her　head　and　looked　pained　and　ill　at　ease。　　Jael　watched　her　fixedly。

Henry　called　at　the　works　that　night；　and　examined　the　new　defenses；　with　Mr。　Cheetham。　　He　also　bought　a　powerful　magnifying…glass；　and　next　morning　he　came　to　the　factory；　examined　the　cinders；　and　everything　else；　with　the　magnifier；　lighted　his　forge；　and　resumed　his　work。

At　dinner…time　he　went　out　and　had　his　chop；　and　read　the　Liberal；　it　contained　a　letter　from　Jobson；　in　reply　to　the　editor。

Jobson　deplored　the　criminal　act；　admitted　that　the　two　Unions　had　decided　no　individual　could　be　a　forger；　a　handler；　and　a　cutler；　such　an　example　was　subversive　of　all　the　Unions　in　the　city；　based；　as　they　were；　on　subdivision　of　crafts。　　〃But；〃　said　Mr　Jobson；　〃we　were　dealing　with　the　matter　in　a　spirit　quite　inconsistent　with　outrages；　and　I　am　so　anxious　to　convince　the　public　of　this；　that　I　have　asked　a　very　experienced　gentleman　to　examine　our　minute…books；　and　report　accordingly。〃

This　letter　was　supplemented　by　one　from　Mr。　Grotait；　secretary　of　the　Saw…Grinders；　which　ran　thus：〃Messrs。　Parkin　and　Jobson　have　appealed　to　me　to　testify　to　certain　facts。　　I　was　very　reluctant　to　interfere；　for　obvious　reasons；　but　was；　at　last；　prevailed　on　to　examine　the　minute…books　of　those　two　Unions；　and　they　certainly　do　prove　that　on　the　very　evening　before　the　explosion；　those　trades　had　fully　discussed　Mr。　's　case〃　（the　real　name　was　put；　but　altered　by　the　editor）；　〃and　had　disposed　of　it　as　follows。　　They　agreed；　and　this　is　entered　accordingly；　to　offer　him　his　traveling　expenses　（first　class）　to　London；　and　one　pound　per　week；　from　their　funds；　until　such　time　as　he　should　obtain　employment。　　I　will　only　add；　that　both　these　secretaries　spoke　kindly　to　me　of　Mr。　；　and；　believing　them　to　be　sincere；　I　ventured　to　advise　them　to　mark　their　disapproval　of　the　criminal　act；　by　offering　him　two　pounds　per　week；　instead　of　one　pound；　which　advice　they　have　accepted　very　readily。〃

Henry　was　utterly　confounded　by　these　letters。

Holdfast　commented　on　them　thus：

〃Messrs。　Jobson　and　Parkin　virtually　say　that　if　A；　for　certain　reasons；　pushes　a　man　violently　out　of　Hillsborough；　and　B　draws　him　gently　out　of　Hillsborough　for　the　same　reasons；　A　and　B　can　not　possibly　be　co…oper