’MYDEARJOHN，’IammuchobligedtoyouforgoingtoJones’s。
Isendstampsfortwoshillingsandfourpence，whichiswhatIowetoyou。Itusedonlytobetwoshillingsandtwopence，buttheysayeverythinghasgottobedearernow，andIsupposepillsaswellasotherthings。OnlythinkofPritchardcomingtome，andsayingshewantedherwagesraised，afterlivingwithmefortwentyyears！Iwasveryangry，andscoldedherroundly；butassheacknowledged，shehadbeenwrong，andcriedandbeggedmypardon，Ididgivehertwoguineasayearmore。
’IsawdearLilyjustforamomentonSunday，anduponmywordIthinkshegrowsprettiereveryyear。Shehadayoungfriendwithher——aMissCrawley——who，Ibelieve，isthecousinIhaveheardyouspeakof。Whatisthissadstoryaboutherfather，theclergyman！Mindyoutellmeaboutit。
’ItisquitetruewhatItoldyouabouttheDeCourcys。OldLadyDeCourcyisinLondon，andMrCrosbieisgoingtolawwithherabouthiswife’smoney。HehasbeenatitinonewayortheothereversincepoorLadyAlexandrinadied。Iwishshehadlived，withallmyheart。ForthoughIfeelsurethatourLilywillneverwillinglyseehimagain，yetthetidingsofherdeathdisturbedher，andsetherthinkingofthingsthatwerefadingfromhermind。I
ratedhersoundly，notmentioningyourname，however；
butsheonlykissedme，andtoldmeinherquietdrollingwaythatIdidn’tmeanawordofwhatIsaid。
’YoucancomeherewheneveryoupleaseafterthetenthofJanuary。ButifyoucomeearlyJanuaryyoumustgotoyourmotherfirst，andcometomeforthelastweekofyourholiday。GotoBlackie’sinRegentStreet，andbringmedownallthecoloursinwoolI
ordered。Isaidyouwouldcall。AndtellthematDolland’sthelastspectaclesdon’tsuitatall，andI
won’tkeepthem，theyhadbettersendmedown，byyou，oneortwomorepairstotry。AndyouhadbetterseeSmithersandSmith，inLincoln’sInnFields，No57——
butyouhavebeentherebefore——andbegthemtoletmeknowhowmypoordearbrother’smattersaretobesettledatlast。AsfarasIcanseeIshallbedeadbeforeIshallknowwhatincomeIhavetospend。Astomycousinsatthemanor，Ineverseethem；andastotalkingtothemaboutbusiness，Ishouldnotdreamofit。Shehasn’tcometomesinceshefirstcalled，andshemaybequitesureIshan’tgotohertillshedoes。IndeedIthinkweshalllikeeachotherapartquiteasmuchasweshouldtogether。Soletmeknowwhenyou’recoming，andpraydon’tforgettocallatBlackie’s；noryetatDolland’s，whichismuchmoreimportantthanthewool，becausemyeyesaregettingsoweak。ButwhatIwantyouspeciallytorememberisaboutSmithersandSmith。Howisawomantoliveifshedoesn’tknowhowmuchshehasgottospend？
’Believemetobe，mydearJohn，’Yourmostsincerefriend，’JULIADEGUEST。’
LadyJuliaalwaysdirectedherlettersforheryoungfriendtohisoffice，andtherehereceivedtheonenowgiventothereader。Whenhehadreadithemadeamemorandumastothecommissions，andthenthrewhimselfbackinhisarm—chairtothinkoverthetidingscommunicatedtohim。Allthefactsstatedhehadknownbefore；thatLadyDeCourcywasinLondon，andthatherson—in—lawMrCrosbie，whosewife——LadyAlexandrina——haddiedsometwelvemonthssinceatBadenBaden，wasatvariancewithherrespectingmoneywhichhesupposedtobeduetohim。
ButtherewasthatLadyJulia’sletterthatwaswormwoodtohim。LilyDalewasagainthinkingofthisman，whomshehadlovedintheolddays，andwhohadtreatedherwithmonstrousperfidy！ItwasallverywellforLadyJuliatobesurethatLilyDalewouldneverdesiretoseeMrCrosbieagain；butJohnEameswasbynomeansequallycertainthatitwouldbeso。’Thetidingsofherdeathdisturbedher’！saidJohnny，repeatingcertainwordsoutoftheoldlady’sletter。’Iknowtheydisturbedme。Iwishshecouldhavelivedforever。IfheeverventurestoshowhimselfwithintenmilesofAllington，I’llseeifIcannotdobetterthanIdidthelasttimeImethim！’Thentherecameaknockatthedoor，andtheprivatesecretary，findinghimselftobesomewhatannoyedbythedisturbanceatsuchamoment，badetheintruderenterinanangryvoice。’Oh，it’syou，Cradell，isit？WhatcanIdoforyou？’
MrCradell，whonowentered，andwho，asbeforesaid，wasanoldallyofJohnEames，wasaclerkoflongerstandinginthedepartmentthanhisfriend。Inagehelookedmucholder，andhehadleftwithhimnoneofthatappearanceoftheglossofyouthwhichwillstickformanyyearstomenwhoarefortunateintheirworldaffairs。IndeeditmaybesaidthatMrCradellwasalmostshabbyinoutwardappearance，andhisbrowseemedtobeladenwithcare，andhiseyesweredullandheavy。
’IthoughtI’djustcomeinandaskyouhowyouare，’saidCradell。
’I’mprettywell，thankyou；andhowareyou？’
’Oh，I’mprettywell——inhealth，thatis。Youseeonehassomanythingstothinkofwhenonehasalargefamily。Uponmyword，Johnny，I
thinkyou’vebeenluckytokeepoutofit。’
’Ihavekeptoutofit，atanyrate；haven’tI？’
’Ofcourse；livingwithyouasmuchasIusedto，Iknowthewholestoryofwhatkeptyousingle。’
’Don’tmindaboutthat，Cradell；whatisityouwant？’
’Imustn’tletyousuppose，Johnny，thatI’mgrumblingaboutmylot。
NobodyknowsbetterthanyoudowhatatrumpIgotinmywife。’
’Ofcourseyoudid；——anexcellentwoman。’
’AndifIcutyououtalittlethere，I’msureyouneverfeltmaliceagainstmeforthat。’
’Neverforamoment，oldfellow。’
’Weallhaveourluck，youknow。’
’Yourluckhasbeenawifeandfamily。Myluckhasbeentobeabachelor。’
’Youmaysayafamily，’saidCradell。’I’msurethatAmeliadoesthebestshecan；butweadesperatelypushedsometimes——desperatelypushed。Ineverhaditsobad，Johnny，asIamnow。’
’Soyousaidlasttime。’
’DidI？Idon’trememberit。Ididn’tthinkIwassobadthen。But，Johnny，ifyoucanletmehaveonemorefivernowIhavemadearrangementswithAmeliahowI’mtopayyouoffbythirtyshillingsamonth——asIgetmysalary。IndeedIhave。Askherelse。’
’I’llbeshotifIdo。’
’Don’tsaythat，Johnny。’
’It’snogoodyourJohnnyingme，forIwon’tbeJohnnyedoutofanothershilling。Itcomestoooften，andthere’snoreasonwhyIshoulddoit。
Andwhat’smore，Ican’taffordit。I’vepeopleofmyowntohelp。’
’Butoh，Johnny，weallknowhowcomfortableyouare。AndI’msurenoonerejoicedasIdidwhenthemoneywaslefttoyou。IfithadbeenmyselfIcouldhardlyhavethoughtmoreofit。Uponmysolemnwordandhonourifyou’llletmehaveitthistime，itshallbethelast。’
’Uponmywordandhonourthen，Iwon’t。Theremustbeanendtoeverything。’
AlthoughMrCradellwouldprobably，ifpressed，haveadmittedthetruthofthislastassertion，hedidnotseemtothinkthattheendhadasyetcometohisfriend’sbenevolence。Itcertainlyhadnotcometohisownimportunity。’Don’tsaythat，Johnny；praydon’t。’
’ButIdosayit。’
’WhenItoldAmeliayesterdayeveningthatIdidn’tliketogottoyouagain，becauseofcourseamanhasfeelings，shetoldmetomentionhername。"I’msurehe’ddoitformysake，"’shesaid。
’Idon’tbelieveshesaidanythingofthekind。’
’Uponmywordshedid。Youaskher。’
’Andifshedid，sheoughtn’ttohavesaidit。’
’Oh，Johnny，don’tspeakinthatwayofher。She’smywife，andyouknowwhatyourownfeelingswereonce。Butlookhere——weareinthatstateathomeatthismoment，thatImustgetmoneysomewherebeforeI
gohome。Imust，indeed。Ifyou’llletmehavethreepoundsthisonce，I’llneveraskyouagain。I’llgiveyouawrittenpromiseifyoulike，andI’llpledgemyselftopayitbackbythirtyshillingsatimeoutofthenexttwomonths’salary。Iwill，indeed。’AndthenMrCradellbegantocry。ButwhenJohnnyatlasttookouthischeque—bookandwroteachequeforthreepounds，MrCradell’seyesglistenedwithjoy。’UponmywordIamsomuchobligedtoyou！Youarethebestfellowthateverlived。AndAmeliawillsaythesamewhenshehearsofit。’
’Idon’tbelieveshe’llsayanythingofthekind，Cradell。IfI
rememberanythingofher，shehasastouterheartthanthat。’Cradelladmittedthathiswifehadastou...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：