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第13章The£1,000,000Bank-Note
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&wenty-sevenyearsold,Iwasamining-broker'sSanFrandaiailsofstocktraffic.Iwasaloheworld,andhadnothingtodependuponbutmywitsaation;buttheseweresettiheroadtoeventualfortune,andIwastwiththeprospect.
Mytimewasmyowernoonboard,Saturdays,andIwasaedtoputitinonalittlesail-boatonthebay.OnedayIveoofar,andwascarriedouttosea.Justatnightfall,whenhopewasaboutgone,IickedupbyasmallbrigwhichwasboundforLondon.Itwasalongandste,andtheymademeworkmypassagewithoutpay,asaonsailor.WhenIsteppedashoreinLondonmycledandshabby,andIhadonlyadollarihismoneyfedawenty-fthey-fourIwentwithoutfoodaer.
Aboutteno'thefoll,seedyandhungry,IwasdraggingmyselfalongPortlandPlaachildthatassing,towedbyaossedalusciousbigpear-miothegutter.Istopped,ofdfastenedmydesirimuddytreasure.Mymouthwateredforit,mystomachcravedit,mywholebei.ButeverytimeImadeamovetogetitsomepassiedmypurpose,andofcourseIstraightehen,andlookedi,aIhadn'tbeenthinkingaboutthepearatall.Thissamethihappeningandhappening,andIp;apos;tgetthepear.Iwasjustgettieenoughtobravealltheshame,a,behindmewasraised,alemaofit,saying:
"Stepi;
Iwasadmittedbyageousflunkey,andshotuousroomleeiheservant,adown.Theyhadjustfiheirbreakfast,aoftheremainsofitalmostoverpoweredme.Icouldhardlykeepmywitstogetherinthepresefood,butasIwasosampleit,IhadtobearmytroubleasbestIcould.
hinghadbeeherealittlebefore,whiotknowanythingaboutuntilagoodmanydaysafterwards,butIwilltellyouaboutitwooldbrothershadbeenhaviargumentacoupleofdaysbefore,andhadendedbyagreeibyabet,whichistheEnglishwayofsettlihing.
YouwillrememberthattheBankofEnglawonotesofamillioobeusedforaspecialpurposeectedwithsomepublisawithafnereasonorotherohesehadbeenusedaherstilllayisoftheBahebrothers,galotwhatmightbethefateofaperfeestastrangerwhoshouldbeturinLondonwithoutafriend,andwithhatmillion-poundbank-note,andnowaytoatforhisbeinginpossessionofit.BrotherAsaidhewouldstarvetodeath;BrotherBsaidheos;t.BrotherAsaidhep;apos;tofferitatabankoranywhereelse,becausehewouldbearrestedo.SotheywentondisputingtillBrotherBsaidhewouldbettwentythousandpoundsthatthemanwouldlivethirtydays,anyway,onthatmillioofjail,too.BrotherAtookhimup.BrotherBwentdowntotheBankandboughtthatlikeanEnglishmaothebae.Theedaletter,whieofhisclerkswroteoutiifulroundhawobrotherssatattheholedaywatgfhtmao.
Theysawmafacesgobythatwereenough;maelligent,butenough;mah,butthepossessorswerenh,h,wereners.TherewasalwaysadefetilIg;buttheyagreedthatIfilledthebillallarouedmeunanimously,andthereIaitingtoknoas.Theybegantoaskmequestionsaboutmyself,aysoontheyhadmystory.FioldmeIwouldaheirpurpose.IsaidIwassincerelyglad,awas.Thehemhandedmeanenvelope,andsaidIwouldfiioninside.Iwasgoihesaidomylodgings,andlookitovercarefully,ayorrash.Iuzzled,aodiscussthematteralittlefurther,buttheydidn't;soItookmyleave,feelinghurtaobemadethebuttofarentlysomekindofapracticaljoke,aobligedtoputupwithit,notbeingincestoresentaffrontsfromridstrongfolk.
Iickedupthepearbeforealltheworld,butitwasgone;soIhadlostthatbythisunluess,aofitdidnotsofteowardsthosemen.AssoonasIwasoutofsightofthathouseIopenedmyenvelope,andsawthatitoney!Myopinionofthosepeopleged,Itellyou!Ilostshovednoteaomyvestpodbrokefortheinghouse.Well,howIdideat!WhenatlastIp;apos;tholdaookoutmymoneyaookoneglimpseandnearlyfainted.Fivemillionsofdollars!Why,itmademyheadswi
ImusthavesattherestunnedandblinkieasmuchasaminutebeforeIcamerightlytomyselfagaihingIhen,wasthelandlord.Hiseyewasoe,arified.Heing,withallhisbodyandsoul,buthelookedasifhep;apos;tstirhandorfoot.Itookmyamoment,aionalthiodo.Ireaotetowardshim,andsaid,carelessly:
"Givemethege,please."
Theoredtohisnormaladeathousandapologiesfornotbeiobreakthebill,andIp;apos;tgethimtotouchit.Hewaolookatit,andkeeponlookingatit;hep;apos;tseemtogetenoughofittoqueofhiseye,butheshrankfromtougitasifithadbeeoosacredforpooronclaytohandle.Isaid:
"IamsorryifitisaniImustinsist.Pleasegeit;Ihaven'ta;Buthesaidthatos;tanymatter;hewasquitewilliriflestaillaime.IsaidImightnotbeinhisneighbainfoodwhile;buthesaiditwasofnoce,hecouldwait,and,moreover,IcouldhaveanythiimeIdlettheaaslongasIpleased.Hesaidhehopedheos;tafraidtotrustasritlemanasIwas,merelybecauseIwasofamerrydisposition,aoplaylarksonthepublithematterofdress.Bythistimeaomerwasentering,andthelandlordhihemoofsight;thenhebowedmeallthewaytothedoor,andIstartedstraightforthathouseahers,tocorrectthemistakewhichhadbeehepoliceshouldhuntmeup,a.Irettynervous;iybadlyfrightehough,ofcourse,Iwasnowayinfault;butIknewmeoknowthatwhehey'vegivenatrampamillion-poundbillwheitouheyareinafrahiminsteadwiththeirhtedheyought.AsIapproachedthehousemyextbegantoabate,forallwasquietthere,whichmademefeelprettysurethebludiscoveredyet.Irang.Thesameservantappeared.Iaskedfentlemen.
&quohisiy,coldwayofthatfelloos;stribe.
"Gone?Go;
"O;
"Butwhereabouts?"
"Tothet,Ithink."
"Thet?"
"Yes,sir."
"hatroute?"
"I'tsay,sir."
"Whenwilltheybeback?"
"Inamonth,theysaid."
"Amonth!Oh,thisisawful!GivemesomesortofideaofhowtogetawordtotheIt'softhelastimporta;
"I't,indeed.I'vehey'vegone,sir."
"ThenImustseesomememberofthefamily."
"Family'saway,too;beenabroadmoandIndia,Ithink."
"Man,there'sbeeakemade.They'llbebackbefht.WillyoutellthemI'vebeeIwillkeepingtillit'sallmaderight,andtheyneedn'tbeafraid?""I'lltellthem,iftheyeback,butIamheTheysaidyouwouldbehereinanhourtomakeiImusttellyouit&apht,they'llbehereontimeayou."SoIhadtogiveitupandgoaway.Whatariddleitallwas!Iwasliketolosemymind.Theywouldbehere"o;.Whatcouldthatmeaerwouldexplain,maybe.Ihadfotteer;Igotitoutahisis>
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