the bedford-row conspiracy-第8章

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　decently　refusing　it。　　But　as　Perkins　was　a　young　gentleman　whose　candour　was　such　that　he　was　always　swayed　by　the　opinions　of　the　last　speaker；　he　did　begin　to　feel　now　the　truth　of　his　uncle's　statements；　however　disagreeable　they　might　be。　Mr。　Crampton　continued：　〃I　think　I　know　the　cause　of　your　patriotism。　　Has　not　William　Pitt　Scully；　Esquire；　had　something　to　do　with　it？〃　Mr。　Perkins　COULD　not　turn　any　redder　than　he　was；　but　confessed　with　deep　humiliation　that　〃he　HAD　consulted　Mr。　Scully　among　other　friends。〃　Mr。　Crampton　smileddrew　a　letter　from　a　heap　before　him；　and　tearing　off　the　signature；　handed　over　the　document　to　his　nephew。　It　contained　the　following　paragraphs：　〃Hawksby　has　sounded　Scully：　　we　can　have　him　any　day　we　want　him。　He　talks　very　big　at　present；　and　says　he　would　not　take　anything　under　a。　。　。　　This　is　absurd。　　He　has　a　Yorkshire　nephew　coming　up　to　town；　and　wants　a　place　for　him。　　There　is　one　vacant　in　the　Tape　Office；　he　says：　　have　you　not　a　promise　of　it？〃　〃I　can'tI　can't　believe　it；〃　said　John；　〃this；　sir；　is　some　weak　invention　of　the　enemy。　　Scully　is　the　most　honourable　man　breathing。〃　〃Mr。　　Scully　is　a　gentleman　in　a　very　fair　way　to　make　a　fortune；〃　answered　Mr。　Crampton。　　〃Look　you；　Johnit　is　just　as　well　for　your　sake　that　I　should　give　you　the　news　a　few　weeks　before　the　papers；　for　I　don't　want　you　to　be　ruined；　if　I　can　help　it；　as　I　don't　wish　to　have　you　on　my　hands。　　We　know　all　the　particulars　of　Scully's　history。　　He　was　a　Tory　attorney　at　Oldborough；　he　was　jilted　by　the　present　Lady　Gorgon；　turned　Radical；　and　fought　Sir　George　in　his　own　borough。　　Sir　George　would　have　had　the　peerage　he　is　dying　for；　had　he　not　lost　that　second　seat　（by…the…by；　my　Lady　will　be　here　in　five　minutes）；　and　Scully　is　now　quite　firm　there。　　Well；　my　dear　lad；　we　have　bought　your　incorruptible　Scully。　　Look　here；〃and　Mr。　Crampton　produced　three　Morning　Posts。　〃'THE　HONOURABLE　HENRY　HAWKSBY'S　DINNER…PARTY。Lord　So…and…SoDuke　of　So…and…SoW。　Pitt　Scully；　Esq。　M。P。'　〃Hawksby　is　our　neutral；　our　dinner…giver。　〃'LADY　DIANA　DOLDRUM'S　ROUT。W。　Pitt　Scully；　Esq；'　again。　〃'THE　EARL　OF　MANTRAP'S　GRAND　DINNER。'A　Dukefour　Lords'Mr。　Scully；　and　Sir　George　Gorgon。'〃　〃Well；　but　I　don't　see　how　you　have　bought　him；　look　at　his　votes。〃　〃My　dear　John；〃　said　Mr。　Crampton；　jingling　his　watch…seals　very　complacently；　〃I　am　letting　you　into　fearful　secrets。　　The　great　common　end　of　party　is　to　buy　your　opponentsthe　great　statesman　buys　them　for　nothing。〃　Here　the　attendant　genius　of　Mr。　Crampton　made　his　appearance；　and　whispered　something；　to　which　the　little　gentleman　said；　〃Show　her　Ladyship　in；〃when　the　attendant　disappeared。　〃John；〃　said　Mr。　Crampton；　with　a　very　queer　smile；　〃you　can't　stay　in　this　room　while　Lady　Gorgon　is　with　me；　but　there　is　a　little　clerk's　room　behind　the　screen　there；　where　you　can　wait　until　I　call　you。〃　John　retired；　and　as　he　closed　the　door　of　communication；　strange　to　say；　little　Mr。　Crampton　sprang　up　and　said；　〃Confound　the　young　ninny；　he　has　shut　the　door！〃　Mr。　Crampton　then；　remembering　that　he　wanted　a　map　in　the　next　room；　sprang　into　it；　left　the　door　half　open　in　coming　out；　and　was　in　time　to　receive　Her　Ladyship　with　smiling　face　as　she；　ushered　by　Mr。　Strongitharm；　majestically　sailed　in。

CHAPTER　III。

BEHIND　THE　SCENES。　In　issuing　from　and　leaving　open　the　door　of　the　inner　room；　Mr。　Crampton　had　bestowed　upon　Mr。　Perkins　a　look　so　peculiarly　arch；　that　even　he；　simple　as　he　was；　began　to　imagine　that　some　mystery　was　about　to　be　cleared　up；　or　some　mighty　matter　to　be　discussed。　Presently　he　heard　the　well…known　voice　of　Lady　Gorgon　in　conversation　with　his　uncle。　　What　could　their　talk　be　about？　　Mr。　Perkins　was　dying　to　know；　andshall　we　say　it？advanced　to　the　door　on　tiptoe　and　listened　with　all　his　might。　Her　Ladyship；　that　Juno　of　a　woman；　if　she　had　not　borrowed　Venus's　girdle　to　render　herself　irresistible；　at　least　had　adopted　a　tender；　coaxing；　wheedling；　frisky　tone；　quite　different　from　her　ordinary　dignified　style　of　conversation。　　She　called　Mr。　Crampton　a　naughty　man；　for　neglecting　his　old　friends；　vowed　that　Sir　George　was　quite　hurt　at　his　not　coming　to　dinenor　fixing　a　day　when　he　would　comeand　added；　with　a　most　engaging　ogle；　that　she　had　three　fine　girls　at　home；　who　would　perhaps　make　an　evening　pass　pleasantly；　even　to　such　a　gay　bachelor　as　Mr。　Crampton。　〃Madam；〃　said　he；　with　much　gravity；　〃the　daughters　of　such　a　mother　must　be　charming；　but　I；　who　have　seen　your　Ladyship；　am；　alas！　proof　against　even　them。〃　Both　parties　here　heaved　tremendous　sighs　and　affected　to　be　wonderfully　unhappy　about　something。　〃I　wish；〃　after　a　pause；　said　Lady　Gorgon〃I　wish；　dear　Mr。　Crampton；　you　would　not　use　that　odious　title　'my　Ladyship：'　　you　know　it　always　makes　me　melancholy。〃　〃Melancholy；　my　dear　Lady　Gorgon；　and　why？〃　〃Because　it　makes　me　think　of　another　title　that　ought　to　have　been　mineours　（I　speak　for　dear　Sir　George's　and　my　darling　boy's　sake；　Heaven　knows；　not　mine）。　　What　a　sad　disappointment　it　has　been　to　my　husband；　that　after　all　his　services；　all　the　promises　he　has　had；　they　have　never　given　him　his　peerage。　　As　for　me；　you　know〃　〃For　you；　my　dear　madam；　I　know　quite　well　that　you　care　for　no　such　bauble　as　a　coronet；　except　in　so　far　as　it　may　confer　honour　upon　those　most　dear　to　youexcellent　wife　and　noble　mother　as　you　are。　Heigho！　what　a　happy　man　is　Sir　George！〃　Here　there　was　another　pause；　and　if　Mr。　Perkins　could　have　seen　what　was　taking　place　behind　the　screen；　he　would　have　beheld　little　Mr。　Crampton　looking　into　Lady　Gorgon's　face；　with　as　love…sick　a　Romeo…gaze　as　he　could　possibly　counterfeit；　while　her　Ladyship；　blushing　somewhat　and　turning　her　own　grey　gogglers　up　to　heaven；　received　all　his　words　for　gospel；　and　sat　fancying　herself　to　be　the　best；　most　meritorious；　and　most　beautiful　creature　in　the　three　kingdoms。　〃You　men　are　terrible　flatterers；〃　continued　she；　〃but　you　say　right：　　for　myself　I　value　not　these　empty　distinctions。　　I　am　growing　old；　Mr。　Crampton；yes；　indeed；　I　am；　although　you　smile　so　incredulously；and　let　me　add；　that　MY　thoughts　are　fixed　upon　HIGHER　things　than　earthly　crowns。　　But　tell　me；　you　who　are　all　in　all　with　Lord　Bagwig；　are　we　never　to　have　our　peerage？　　His　Majesty；　I　know；　is　not　averse；　the　services　of　dear　Sir　George　to　a　member　of　His　Majesty's　august　family；　I　know；　have　been　appreciated　in　the　highest　quarter。　　Ever　since　the　peace　we　have　had　a　promise。　Four　hundred　pounds　has　Sir　George　spent　at　the　Heralds'　Office　（I　myself　am　of　one　of　the　most　ancient　families　in　the　kingdom；　Mr。　Crampton）；　and　the　poor　dear　man's　health　is　really　ruined　by　the　anxious　sickening　feeling　of　hope　so　long　delayed。〃　Mr。　Crampton　now　assumed　an　air　of　much　solemnity。　〃My　dear　Lady　Gorgon；〃　said　he；　〃will　you　let　me　be　frank　with　you；　and　will　you　promise　solemnly　that　what　I　am　going　to　tell　you　shall　never　be　repeated　to　a　single　soul？〃　Lady　Gorgon　promised。　〃Well；　then；　since　the　truth　you　must　know；　you　yourselves　have　been　in　part　the　cause　of　the　delay　of　which　you　complain。　　You　gave　us　two　votes　five　years　ago；　you　now　only　give　us　one。　　If　Sir　George　were　to　go　up　to　the　Peers；　we　should　lose　even　that　one　vote；　and　would　it　be　common　sense　in　us　to　incur　such　a　loss？　　Mr。　Scully；　the　Liberal；　would　return　another　Member　of　his　own　way　of　thinking；　and　as　for　the　Lords；　we　have；　you　know；　a　majority　there。〃　〃Oh；　that　horrid　man！〃　said　Lady　Gorgon；　cursing　Mr。　Scully　in　her　heart；　and　beginning　to　play　a　rapid　tattoo　with　her　feet；　〃that　miscreant；　that　traitor；　thatthat　attorney　has　been　our　ruin。〃　〃Horrid　man；　if　you　please；　but　give　me　leave　to　tell　you　that　the　horrid　man　is　not　the　sole　cause　of　your　ruinif　ruin　you　will　call　it。　　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　I　do　candidly　think　Ministers　believe　that　Sir　George　Gorgon　has　lost　his　influence　in　Oldborough　as　much　through　his　own　fault　as　through　Mr。　Scully's　cleverness。〃　〃Our　own　fault！　Good　heavens！　Have　we　not　done　everythingeverything　that　persons　of　our　station　in　the　county　could　do；　to　keep　those　misguided　men？　　Have　we　not　remonstrated；　threatened；　taken　away　our　custom　from　the　Mayor；　established　a　Conservative　apothecaryin　fact；　done　all　that　gentlemen　could　do？　But　these　are　such　times；　Mr。　Crampton：　　the　spirit　of　revolution　is　abroad；　and　the　great　families　of　England　are　menaced　by　democratic　insolence。〃　This　was　Sir　George　Gorgon's　speech　always　after　dinner；　and　was　delivered　by　his　lady　with　a　great　deal　of　stateliness。　　Somewhat；　perhaps；　to　her　annoyance；　Mr。　Crampton　only　smiled；　shook　his　head；　and　said　〃Nonsense；　my　dear　Lady　Gorgonpardon　the　phrase；　but　I　am　a　plain　old　man；　and　call　things　by　their　names。　　Now；　will　you　let　me　whisper　in　your　ear　one　word　of　truth？　　You　have　tried　all　sorts　of　remonstrances；　and　exerted　yourself　to　maintain　your　influence　in　every　way；　except　the　right　one；　and　that　is〃　〃What；　in　Heaven's　name？〃　〃Conciliation。　　We　know　your　situation　in　the　borough。　　Mr。　Scully's　whole　history；　and；　pardon　me　for　saying　so　（but　we　men　in　office　know　everything）；　yours〃　Lady　Gorgon's　ears　and　cheeks　now　assumed　the　hottest　hue　of　crimson。　　She　thought　of　her　former　passages　with　Scully；　and　of　the　days　when