the bedford-row conspiracy-第9章

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ed　the　hottest　hue　of　crimson。　　She　thought　of　her　former　passages　with　Scully；　and　of　the　days　whenbut　never　mind　when：　　for　she　suffered　her　veil　to　fall；　and　buried　her　head　in　the　folds　of　her　handkerchief。　　Vain　folds！　The　wily　little　Mr。　Crampton　could　see　all　that　passed　behind　the　cambric；　and　continued　〃Yes；　madam；　we　know　the　absurd　hopes　that　were　formed　by　a　certain　attorney　twenty　years　since。　　We　know　how；　up　to　this　moment；　he　boasts　of　certain　walks〃　〃With　the　governesswe　were　always　with　the　governess！〃　shrieked　out　Lady　Gorgon；　clasping　her　hands。　　〃She　was　not　the　wisest　of　women。〃　〃With　the　governess；　of　course；〃　said　Mr。　Crampton；　firmly。　　〃Do　you　suppose　that　any　man　dare　breathe　a　syllable　against　your　spotless　reputation？　　Never；　my　dear　madam；　but　what　I　would　urge　is　this…　…you　have　treated　your　disappointed　admirer　too　cruelly。〃　〃What！　the　traitor　who　has　robbed　us　of　our　rights？〃　〃He　never　would　have　robbed　you　of　your　rights　if　you　had　been　more　kind　to　him。　　You　should　be　gentle；　madam；　you　should　forgive　him…　…you　should　be　friends　with　him。〃　〃With　a　traitor；　never！〃　〃Think　what　made　him　a　traitor；　Lady　Gorgon；　look　in　your　glass；　and　say　if　there　be　not　some　excuse　for　him？　　Think　of　the　feelings　of　the　man　who　saw　beauty　such　as　yoursI　am　a　plain　man　and　must　speakvirtue　such　as　yours；　in　the　possession　of　a　rival。　　By　heavens；　madam；　I　think　he　was　RIGHT　to　hate　Sir　George　Gorgon！　Would　you　have　him　allow　such　a　prize　to　be　ravished　from　him　without　a　pang　on　his　part？〃　〃He　was；　I　believe；　very　much　attached　to　me；〃　said　Lady　Gorgon；　quite　delighted；　〃but　you　must　be　aware　that　a　young　man　of　his　station　in　life　could　not　look　up　to　a　person　of　my　rank。〃　〃Surely　not：　　it　was　monstrous　pride　and　arrogance　in　Mr。　Scully。　But　que　voulez…vous？　　Such　is　the　world's　way。　　Scully　could　not　help　loving　youwho　that　knows　you　can？　　I　am　a　plain　man；　and　say　what　I　think。　　He　loves　you　still。　　Why　make　an　enemy　of　him；　who　would　at　a　word　be　at　your　feet？　　Dearest　Lady　Gorgon；　listen　to　me。　Sir　George　Gorgon　and　Mr。　Scully　have　already　mettheir　meeting　was　our　contrivance。　　It　is　for　our　interest；　for　yours；　that　they　should　be　friends。　　If　there　were　two　Ministerial　Members　for　Oldborough；　do　you　think　your　husband's　peerage　would　be　less　secure？　　I　am　not　at　liberty　to　tell　you　all　I　know　on　this　subject；　but　do；　I　entreat　you；　be　reconciled　to　him。〃　And　after　a　little　more　conversation；　which　was　carried　on　by　Mr。　Crampton　in　the　same　tender　way；　this　important　interview　closed；　and　Lady　Gorgon；　folding　her　shawl　round　her；　threaded　certain　mysterious　passages　and　found　her　way　to　her　carriage　in　Whitehall。　〃I　hope　you　have　not　been　listening；　you　rogue？〃　said　Mr。　Crampton　to　his　nephew；　who　blushed　most　absurdly　by　way　of　answer。　　〃You　would　have　heard　great　State　secrets；　if　you　had　dared　to　do　so。　That　woman　is　perpetually　here；　and　if　peerages　are　to　be　had　for　the　asking；　she　ought　to　have　been　a　duchess　by　this　time。　　I　would　not　have　admitted　her　but　for　a　reason　that　I　have。　　Go　you　now　and　ponder　upon　what　you　have　heard　and　seen。　　Be　on　good　terms　with　Scully；　and；　above　all；　speak　not　a　word　concerning　our　interviewno；　not　a　word　even　to　your　mistress。　　By　the　way；　I　presume；　sir；　you　will　recall　your　resignation？〃　The　bewildered　Perkins　was　about　to　stammer　out　a　speech；　when　his　uncle；　cutting　it　short；　pushed　him　gently　out　of　the　door。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　At　the　period　when　the　important　events　occurred　which　have　been　recorded　here；　parties　ran　very　high；　and　a　mighty　struggle　for　the　vacant　Speakership　was　about　to　come　on。　　The　Right　Honourable　Robert　Pincher　was　the　Ministerial　candidate；　and　Sir　Charles　Macabaw　was　patronised　by　the　Opposition。　　The　two　Members　for　Oldborough　of　course　took　different　sides；　the　baronet　being　of　the　Pincher　faction；　while　Mr。　William　Pitt　Scully　strongly　supported　the　Macabaw　party。　It　was　Mr。　Scully's　intention　to　deliver　an　impromptu　speech　upon　the　occasion　of　the　election；　and　he　and　his　faithful　Perkins　prepared　it　between　them：　　for　the　latter　gentleman　had　wisely　kept　his　uncle's　counsel　and　his　own　and　Mr。　Scully　was　quite　ignorant　of　the　conspiracy　that　was　brooding。　　Indeed；　so　artfully　had　that　young　Machiavel　of　a　Perkins　conducted　himself；　that　when　asked　by　his　patron　whether　he　had　given　up　his　place　in　the　Tape　and　Sealing　Wax　Office；　he　replied　that　〃he　HAD　tendered　his　resignation；〃　but　did　not　say　one　word　about　having　recalled　it。　〃You　were　right；　my　boy；　quite　right；〃　said　Mr。　Scully。　　〃A　man　of　uncompromising　principles　should　make　no　compromise。〃　　And　herewith　he　sat　down　and　wrote　off　a　couple　of　letters；　one　to　Mr。　Hawksby；　telling　him　that　the　place　in　the　Sealing…Wax　Office　was；　as　he　had　reason　to　know；　vacant；　and　the　other　to　his　nephew；　stating　that　it　was　to　be　his。　　〃Under　the　rose；　my　dear　Bob；〃　added　Mr。　Scully；　〃it　will　cost　you　five　hundred　pounds；　but　you　cannot　invest　your　money　better。〃　It　is　needless　to　state　that　the　affair　was　to　be　conducted　〃with　the　strictest　secresy　and　honour；〃　and　that　the　money　was　to　pass　through　Mr。　Scully's　hands。　While；　however；　the　great　Pincher　and　Macabaw　question　was　yet　undecided；　an　event　occurred　to　Mr。　Scully；　which　had　a　great　influence　upon　his　after…life。　　A　second　grand　banquet　was　given　at　the　Earl　of　Mantrap's：　　Lady　Mantrap　requested　him　to　conduct　Lady　Gorgon　to　dinner；　and　the　latter；　with　a　charming　timidity；　and　a　gracious　melancholy　look　into　his　face　（after　which　her　veined　eyelids　veiled　her　azure　eyes）；　put　her　hand　into　the　trembling　one　of　Mr。　Scully　and　said　as　much　as　looks　could　say；　〃Forgive　and　forget。〃　Down　went　Scully　to　dinner。　　There　were　dukes　on　his　right　hand　and　earls　on　his　left；　there　were　but　two　persons　without　title　in　the　midst　of　that　glittering　assemblage；　the　very　servants　looked　like　noblemen。　　The　cook　had　done　wonders；　the　wines　were　cool　and　rich；　and　Lady　Gorgon　was　splendid！　　What　attention　did　everybody　pay　to　her　and　to　him！　　Why　WOULD　she　go　on　gazing　into　his　face　with　that　tender　imploring　look？　　In　other　words；　Scully；　after　partaking　of　soup　and　fish　（he；　during　their　discussion；　had　been　thinking　over　all　the　former　love…and…hate　passages　between　himself　and　Lady　Gorgon）；　turned　very　red；　and　began　talking　to　her。　〃Were　you　not　at　the　opera　on　Tuesday？〃　began　he；　assuming　at　once　the　airs　of　a　man　of　fashion。　　〃I　thought　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　you　in　the　Duchess　of　Diddlebury's　box。〃　〃Opera；　Mr。　Scully？〃　（pronouncing　the　word　〃Scully〃　with　the　utmost　softness）。　　〃Ah；　no！　we　seldom　go；　and　yet　too　often。　　For　serious　persons　the　enchantments　of　that　place　are　too　dangerous。　　I　am　so　nervousso　delicate；　the　smallest　trifle　so　agitates；　depresses；　or　irritates　me；　that　I　dare　not　yield　myself　up　to　the　excitement　of　music。　　I　am　too　passionately　attached　to　it；　and；　shall　I　tell　you？　it　has　such　a　strange　influence　upon　me；　that　the　smallest　false　note　almost　drives　me　to　distraction；　and　for　that　very　reason　I　hardly　ever　go　to　a　concert　or　a　ball。〃　〃Egad；〃　thought　Scully；　〃I　recollect　when　she　would　dance　down　a　matter　of　five…and…forty　couple；　and　jingle　away　at　the　'Battle　of　Prague'　all　day。〃　She　continued：　　〃Don't　you　recollect；　I　do；　withoh；　what　regret！…　…that　day　at　Oldborough　race…ball；　when　I　behaved　with　such　sad　rudeness　to　you？　　You　will　scarcely　believe　me；　and　yet　I　assure　you　'tis　the　fact；　the　music　had　made　me　almost　mad。　　Do　let　me　ask　your　pardon　for　my　conduct。　　I　was　not　myself。　　Oh；　Mr。　Scully！　I　am　no　worldly　woman；　I　know　my　duties；　and　I　feel　my　wrongs。　　Nights　and　days　have　I　lain　awake　weeping　and　thinking　of　that　unhappy　day…　…that　I　should　ever　speak　so　to　an　old　friend；　for　we　WERE　old　friends；　were　we　not？〃　Scully　did　not　speak；　but　his　eyes　were　bursting　out　of　his　head；　and　his　face　was　the　exact　colour　of　a　deputy…lieutenant's　uniform。　〃That　I　should　ever　forget　myself　and　you　so！　　How　I　have　been　longing　for　this　opportunity　to　ask　you　to　forgive　me！　　I　asked　Lady　Mantrap；　when　I　heard　you　were　to　be　here；　to　invite　me　to　her　party。　　Come；　I　know　you　will　forgive　meyour　eyes　say　you　will。　You　used　to　look　so　in　old　days；　and　forgive　me　my　caprices　THEN。　Do　give　me　a　little　winewe　will　drink　to　the　memory　of　old　days。〃　Her　eyes　filled　with　tears；　and　poor　Scully's　hand　caused　such　a　rattling　and　trembling　of　the　glass　and　the　decanter　that　the　Duke　of　Doldrumwho　had　been；　during　the　course　of　this　whispered　sentimentality；　describing　a　famous　run　with　the　Queen's　hounds　at　the　top　of　his　voicestopped　at　the　jingling　of　the　glass；　and　his　tale　was　lost　for　ever。　　Scully　hastily　drank　his　wine；　and　Lady　Gorgon　turned　round　to　her　next　neighbour；　a　little　gentleman　in　black；　between　whom　and　herself　certain　conscious　looks　passed。　〃I　am　glad　poor　Sir　George　is　not　here；〃　said　he；　smiling。　Lady　Gorgon　said；　〃Pooh；　for　shame！〃　　The　little　gentleman　was　no　other　than　Josiah　Crampton；　Esquire；　that　eminent　financier；　and　he　was　now　going　through　the　curious　calculation　before　mentioned；　by　which　you　BUY　A　MAN　FOR　NOTHING。　　He　intended　to　pay　the　very　same　price　for　Sir　George　Gorgon；　too；　but　there　was　no　need　to　tell　the　baronet　so；　only　of　this　the　reader　must　be　made　aware。　While