the bedford-row conspiracy-第7章

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wards。　　Alas！　it　WAS　Scully；　for　though　that　gentleman　SAID　that　he　went　to　chapel；　we　have　it　for　a　fact　that　he　did　not　always　keep　his　promise；　and　was　at　this　moment　employed　in　rehearsing　an　extempore　speech；　which　he　proposed　to　deliver　at　St。　Stephen's。　〃Had　I；　sir；〃　spouted　he；　with　folded　arms；　slowly　pacing　to　and　fro〃Had　I；　sir；　entertained　the　smallest　possible　intention　of　addressing　the　House　on　the　present　occasionhum；　on　the　present　occasionI　would　have　endeavoured　to　prepare　myself　in　a　way　that　should　have　at　least　shown　my　sense　of　the　greatness　of　the　subject　before　the　House's　consideration；　and　the　nature　of　the　distinguished　audience　I　have　the　honour　to　address。　　I　am；　sir；　a　plain　manborn　of　the　peoplemyself　one　of　the　people；　having　won；　thank　Heaven；　an　honourable　fortune　and　position　by　my　own　honest　labour；　and　standing　here　as　I　do〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　Here　Mr。　Scully　（it　may　be　said　that　he　never　made　a　speech　without　bragging　about　himself：　　and　an　excellent　plan　it　is；　for　people　cannot　help　believing　you　at　last）here；　I　say；　Mr。　Scully；　who　had　one　arm　raised；　felt　himself　suddenly　tipped　on　the　shoulder；　and　heard　a　voice　saying；　〃Your　money　or　your　life！〃　The　honourable　gentleman　twirled　round　as　if　he　had　been　shot；　the　papers　on　which　a　great　part　of　this　impromptu　was　written　dropped　from　his　lifted　hand；　and　some　of　them　were　actually　borne　on　the　air　into　neighbouring　gardens。　　The　man　was；　in　fact；　in　the　direst　fright。　〃It's　only　I；〃　said　Perkins；　with　rather　a　forced　laugh；　when　he　saw　the　effect　that　his　wit　had　produced。　〃Only　you！　　And　pray　what　the　devwhat　right　have　you　toto　come　upon　a　man　of　my　rank　in　that　way；　and　disturb　me　in　the　midst　of　very　important　meditations？〃　asked　Mr。　Scully；　beginning　to　grow　fierce。　〃I　want　your　advice；〃　said　Perkins；　〃on　a　matter　of　the　very　greatest　importance　to　me。　　You　know　my　idea　of　marrying？〃　〃Marry！〃　said　Scully；　〃I　thought　you　had　given　up　that　silly　scheme。　And　how；　pray；　do　you　intend　to　live？〃　〃Why；　my　intended　has　a　couple　of　hundreds　a　year；　and　my　clerkship　in　the　Tape　and　Sealing…Wax　Office　will　be　as　much　more。〃　〃ClerkshipTape　and　Sealing…Wax　OfficeGovernment　sinecure！Why；　good　heavens！　John　Perkins；　you　don't　tell　ME　that　you　are　going　to　accept　any　such　thing？〃　〃It　is　a　very　small　salary；　certainly；〃　said　John；　who　had　a　decent　notion　of　his　own　merits；　〃but　consider；　six　months　vacation；　two　hours　in　the　day；　and　those　spent　over　the　newspapers。　　After　all；　it's〃　〃After　all　it's　a　swindle；〃　roared　out　Mr。　Scully〃a　swindle　upon　the　country；　an　infamous　tax　upon　the　people；　who　starve　that　you　may　fatten　in　idleness。　　But　take　this　clerkship　in　the　Tape　and　Sealing…Wax　Office；〃　continued　the　patriot；　his　bosom　heaving　with　noble　indignation；　and　his　eye　flashing　the　purest　fire；〃TAKE　this　clerkship；　John　Perkins；　and　sanction　tyranny；　by　becoming　one　of　its　agents；　sanction　dishonesty　by　sharing　in　its　plunderdo　this；　BUT　never　more　be　friend　of　mine。　　Had　I　a　child；〃　said　the　patriot；　clasping　his　hands　and　raising　his　eyes　to　heaven；　〃I　would　rather　see　him　dead；　sirdead；　dead　at　my　feet；　than　the　servant　of　a　Government　which　all　honest　men　despise。〃　　And　here；　giving　a　searching　glance　at　Perkins；　Mr。　Scully　began　tramping　up　and　down　the　garden　in　a　perfect　fury。　〃Good　heavens！〃　exclaimed　the　timid　John　Perkins〃don't　say　SO。　　My　dear　Mr。　Scully；　I'm　not　the　dishonest　character　you　suppose　me　to　beI　never　looked　at　the　matter　in　this　light。　　I'llI'll　consider　of　it。　　I'll　tell　Crampton　that　I　will　give　up　the　place；　but　for　Heaven's　sake；　don't　let　me　forfeit　YOUR　friendship；　which　is　dearer　to　me　than　any　place　in　the　world。〃　Mr。　Scully　pressed　his　hand；　and　said　nothing；　and　though　their　interview　lasted　a　full　half…hour　longer；　during　which　they　paced　up　and　down　the　gravel　walk；　we　shall　not　breathe　a　single　syllable　of　their　conversation；　as　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　our　tale。　The　next　morning；　after　an　interview　with　Miss　Lucy；　John　Perkins；　Esquire；　was　seen　to　issue　from　Mrs。　Biggs's　house；　looking　particularly　pale；　melancholy；　and　thoughtful；　and　he　did　not　stop　until　he　reached　a　certain　door　in　Downing　Street；　where　was　the　office　of　a　certain　great　Minister；　and　the　offices　of　the　clerks　in　his　Lordship's　department。　The　head　of　them　was　Mr。　Josiah　Crampton；　who　has　now　to　be　introduced　to　the　public。　　He　was　a　little　old　gentleman；　some　sixty　years　of　age；　maternal　uncle　to　John　Perkins；　a　bachelor；　who　had　been　about　forty…two　years　employed　in　the　department　of　which　he　was　now　the　head。　After　waiting　four　hours　in　an　ante…room；　where　a　number　of　Irishmen；　some　newspaper　editors；　many　pompous…looking　political　personages　asking　for　the　〃first　lord；〃　a　few　sauntering　clerks；　and　numbers　of　swift　active　messengers　passed　to　and　fro；after　waiting　for　four　hours；　making　drawings　on　the　blotting…book；　and　reading　the　Morning　Post　for　that　day　week；　Mr。　Perkins　was　informed　that　he　might　go　into　his　uncle's　room；　and　did　so　accordingly。　He　found　a　little　hard　old　gentleman　seated　at　a　table　covered　with　every　variety　of　sealing…wax；　blotting…paper；　envelopes；　despatch…boxes；　green　tapers；　etc。　etc。　　An　immense　fire　was　blazing　in　the　grate；　an　immense　sheet…almanack　hung　over　that；　a　screen；　three　or　four　chairs；　and　a　faded　Turkey　carpet；　formed　the　rest　of　the　furniture　of　this　remarkable　roomwhich　I　have　described　thus　particularly；　because　in　the　course　of　a　long　official　life；　I　have　remarked　that　such　is　the　invariable　decoration　of　political　rooms。　〃Well；　John；〃　said　the　little　hard　old　gentleman；　pointing　to　an　arm…chair；　〃I'm　told　you've　been　here　since　eleven。　　Why　the　deuce　do　you　come　so　early？〃　〃I　had　important　business；〃　answered　Mr。　Perkins；　stoutly；　and　as　his　uncle　looked　up　with　a　comical　expression　of　wonder；　John　began　in　a　solemn　tone　to　deliver　a　little　speech　which　he　had　composed；　and　which　proved　him　to　be　a　very　worthy；　easy；　silly　fellow。　〃Sir；〃　said　Mr。　Perkins；　〃you　have　known　for　some　time　past　the　nature　of　my　political　opinions；　and　the　intimacy　which　I　have　had　the　honour　to　form　with　onewith　some　of　the　leading　members　of　the　Liberal　party。〃　　（A　grin　from　Mr。　Crampton。）　　〃When　first；　by　your　kindness；　I　was　promised　the　clerkship　in　the　Tape　and　Sealing…Wax　Office；　my　opinions　were　not　formed　as　they　are　now；　and　having　taken　the　advice　of　the　gentlemen　with　whom　I　act；〃（an　enormous　grin）〃the　advice；　I　say；　of　the　gentlemen　with　whom　I　act；　and　the　counsel　likewise　of　my　own　conscience；　I　am　compelled；　with　the　deepest　grief；　to　say；　my　dear　uncle；　that　II〃　〃That　youwhat；　sir？〃　exclaimed　little　Mr。　Crampton；　bouncing　off　his　chair。　　〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　you　are　such　a　fool　as　to　decline　the　place？〃　〃I　do　decline　the　place；〃　said　Perkins；　whose　blood　rose　at　the　word　〃fool。〃　　〃As　a　man　of　honour；　I　cannot　take　it。〃　〃Not　take　it！　and　how　are　you　to　live？　　On　the　rent　of　that　house　of　yours？　　For；　by　gad；　sir；　if　you　give　up　the　clerkship；　I　never　will　give　you　a　shilling。〃　〃It　cannot　be　helped；〃　said　Mr。　Perkins；　looking　as　much　like　a　martyr　as　he　possibly　could；　and　thinking　himself　a　very　fine　fellow。　　〃I　have　talents；　sir；　which　I　hope　to　cultivate；　and　am　member　of　a　profession　by　which　a　man　may　hope　to　rise　to　the　very　highest　offices　of　the　State。〃　〃Profession；　talents；　offices　of　the　State！　　Are　you　mad；　John　Perkins；　that　you　come　to　me　with　such　insufferable　twaddle　as　this？　Why；　do　you　think　if　you　HAD　been　capable　of　rising　at　the　bar；　I　would　have　taken　so　much　trouble　about　getting　you　a　place？　　No；　sir；　you　are　too　fond　of　pleasure；　and　bed；　and　tea…parties；　and　small…talk；　and　reading　novels；　and　playing　the　flute；　and　writing　sonnets。　　You　would　no　more　rise　at　the　bar　than　my　messenger；　sir。　It　was　because　I　knew　your　dispositionthat　hopeless；　careless；　irresolute　good…humour　of　yoursthat　I　had　determined　to　keep　you　out　of　danger；　by　placing　you　in　a　snug　shelter；　where　the　storms　of　the　world　would　not　come　near　you。　　You　must　have　principles　forsooth！　and　you　must　marry　Miss　Gorgon；　of　course：　　and　by　the　time　you　have　gone　ten　circuits；　and　had　six　children；　you　will　have　eaten　up　every　shilling　of　your　wife's　fortune；　and　be　as　briefless　as　you　are　now。　　Who　the　deuce　has　put　all　this　nonsense　into　your　head？　　I　think　I　know。〃　Mr。　Perkins's　ears　tingled　as　these　hard　words　saluted　them；　and　he　scarcely　knew　whether　he　ought　to　knock　his　uncle　down；　or　fall　at　his　feet　and　say；　〃Uncle；　I　have　been　a；　fool；　and　I　know　it。〃　　The　fact　is；　that　in　his　interview　with　Miss　Gorgon　and　her　aunt　in　the　morning；　when　he　came　to　tell　them　of　the　resolution　he　had　formed　to　give　up　the　place；　both　the　ladies　and　John　himself　had　agreed；　with　a　thousand　rapturous　tears　and　exclamations；　that　he　was　one　of　the　noblest　young　men　that　ever　lived；　had　acted　as　became　himself；　and　might　with　perfect　propriety　give　up　the　place；　his　talents　being　so　prodigious　that　no　power　on　earth　could　hinder　him　from　being　Lord　Chancellor。　　Indeed；　John　and　Lucy　had　always　thought　the　clerkship　quite　beneath　him；　and　were　not　a　little　glad；　perhaps；　at　finding　a　pretext　for　decently　refusing　it。　　But　as　Perkins　was　a　young　gentleman　whose　candour　was　such　that　he　was　alwa