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hard cash-第173章

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〃Ay; and a thousand more;〃 cried Julia; radiant; 〃and thank Heaven for them; they prove his sincerity。 You; who have thought proper to stay and hear me insult my betrothed; and put my superior on his defence; look how I receive his just rebuke: Dear; cruelly used Alfred; I never doubted you in my heart; no not for a moment; forgive me for taunting you to clear yourself; you who were always the soul of truth and honour。 Forgive me: I too have suffered; for I thought my Alfred was dead。 Forgive me。〃

And with this she was sinking slowly to her knees with the most touching grace; all blushes; tears; penitence; happiness; and love; but he caught her eagerly。 〃Oh! God forbid;〃 he cried: and in a moment her head was on his shoulder; and they mingled their tears together。

It was Julia who recovered herself first; and shrank from him a little; and murmured; 〃We are not alone。〃

The misgiving came rather late: and they were alone。

The other gentlemen had comprehended at last that it was indelicate to remain: they had melted quietly away; and Peterson rushed down the street; but Hurd hung disconsolate about that very entry; where Alfred had just desponded before him。


〃Sit by me; my poor darling; and tell me all;〃 said Julia。

He began; but; ere he had told her about his first day at his first asylum; she moaned and turned faint at the recital; and her lovely head sank on his shoulder。 He kissed her; and tried to comfort her; and said he would not tell her any more。

But she said somewhat characteristically; 〃I insist on your telling me allall。 It will kill me。〃 Which did not seem to Alfred a cogent reason for continuing his narrative。 He varied it by telling her that through all his misery the thought of her had sustained him。 Alas; in the midst of their Elysium a rough voice was heard in the passage inquiring for Mr。 Hardie。 Alfred started up in dismay: for it was Rooke's voice。 〃I am undone;〃 he cried。 〃They are coming to take me again; and; if they do; they will drug me; I am a dead man。〃

〃Fly!〃 cried Julia; 〃fly! upstairs: the leads。〃

He darted to the door; and out on the landing。

It was too late。 Rooke had just turned the corner of the stairs; and saw him。 He whistled and rushed after Alfred。 Alfred bounded up the next flight of stairs: but; even as he went; his fighting blood got up; he remembered his pistol: he drew it; turned on the upper landing; and levelled the weapon full at Rooke's forehead。 The man recoiled with a yell; and got to a respectful distance on the second landing。 There he began to parley。 〃Come; Mr。 Hardie; sir;〃 said he; 〃that is past a joke: would you murder a man?〃

〃It's no murder to kill an assassin in defence of life or liberty; and I'll kill you; Rooke; as I would kill a wasp; if you lay a finger on me。〃

〃Do you hear that?〃 shouted Rooke to some one below。

〃Ay; I hear;〃 replied the voice of Hayes。

〃Then loose the dog。 And run in after him。〃

There was a terrible silence; then a scratching was heard below: and; above; the deadly click of the pistol…hammers brought to full cock。

And then there was a heavy pattering rush; and Vulcan came charging up the stairs like a lion。 He was half…muzzled; but that Alfred did not know; he stepped forward and fired at the tremendous brute somewhat unsteadily; and missed him; by an inch; the bullet glanced off the stairs and entered the wall within a yard of Rooke's head: ere Alfred could fire again; the huge brute leaped on him; and knocked him down like a child; and made a grab at his throat; Alfred; with admirable presence of mind; seized a banister; and; drawing himself up; put the pistol to Vulcan's ear; and fired the other barrel just as Rooke rushed up the stairs to secure his prisoner; the dog bounded into the air and fell over dead with shattered skull; leaving Alfred bespattered with blood and brains; and half blinded: but he struggled up; and tore the banister out in doing so; just as a heavy body fell forward at his feet: it was Rooke stumbling over Vulcan's carcass so unexpectedly thrown in his path: Alfred cleared his eyes with his hand; and as Rooke struggled up; lifted the banister high above his head; and; with his long sinewy arm and elastic body; discharged a blow frightful to look at; for youth; strength; skill; and hate all swelled; and rose; and struck together in that one furious gesture。 If the wood had held; the skull must have gone。 As it was; the banister broke over' the man's head (and one half went spinning up to the ceiling)。 The man's head cracked under the banister like a glass bottle; and Rooke lay flat and mute; within the blood running from his nose and ears。 Alfred hurled the remnant of the banister down at Hayes and the others; and darted into a room (it was Julia's bedroom); and was heard to open the window; and then drag furniture to the door; and barricade it。 This done; he went to load his pistol; which he thought he had slipped into his pocket after felling Rooke。 He found to his dismay it was not there。 The fact was; it had slipped past his pocket and fallen down。

During the fight; shriek upon shriek issued from the drawing…room。 But now all was still。 On the stairs lay Vulcan dead; Rooke senseless: below; Julia in a dead faint。 And all in little more than a minute。

Dr。 Wolf arrived with the police and two more keepers; new ones in the place of Wales and Garrett discharged; and urged them to break into the bedroom and capture the maniac: but first he was cautious enough to set two of them to watch the back of the house。 〃There;〃 he said; 〃where that load of hay is going in: that is the way to it。 Now stand you in the yard and watch。〃

This last mandate was readily complied with; for there was not much to be feared on the stones below from a maniac self…immured on the second story。 But to break open that bedroom door was quite another thing。 The stairs were like a shambles alreadya chilling sight to the eyes of mercenary valour。

Rooke was but just sensible: the others hung back。 But presently the pistol was found sticking in a pool of gore。 This put a new face on the matter; and Dr。 Wolf himself showed the qualities of a commander。 He sent down word to his sentinels in the yard to he prepared for any attempt on Alfred's part; however desperate: and he sent a verbal message to a stately gentleman who was sitting anxious in lodgings over the way; after bribing high ad low; giving out money like water to secure the recapture; and so escape what he called his unnatural son's vengeance; for he knew him to be by nature bold and vindictive like himself。 After these preliminaries; Doctor Wolf headed his remaining forcesto wit; two keepers; and two policemen; and thundered at the bedroom door; and summoned Alfred to surrender。

Now among the spectators who watched and listened with bated breath; was one to whom this scene had an interest of its own。 Mr。 Hurd; disconcerted by Alfred's sudden reappearance; and the lovers' reconciliation; had hung about the entry very miserable; for he was sincerely attached to Julia。 But; while he was in this stupor; came the posse to recapture Alfred; and he heard them say so。 Then the shots were fired within; then Wolf and his men got in; and Mr。 Hurd;
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