the bedford-row conspiracy-第3章
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And then； after a pause； 〃Gad！ I think I'll try。〃 〃Try what； sir？〃 〃She's a DEUCED fine woman！〃 burst out again the tender solicitor。 〃I WILL go。 Springer； tell the fiddlers to strike up。〃 Springer scuttled across the room； and gave the leader of the band a knowing nod。 Suddenly； 〃God save the King〃 ceased； and 〃Sir Roger de Coverley〃 began。 The rival forces eyed each other； Mr。 Scully； accompanied by his friend； came forward； looking very red； and fumbling two large kid gloves。 〃HE'S GOING TO ASK ME TO DANCE；〃 hissed out Lady Gorgon； with a dreadful intuition； and she drew back behind her lord。 〃D… it； madam； THEN DANCE with him！〃 said the General。 〃Don't you see that the scoundrel is carrying it all his own way！ … him！ and … him！ and … him！〃 （All of which dashes the reader may fill up with oaths of such strength as may be requisite）。 〃General！〃 cried Lady Gorgon； but could say no more。 Scully was before her。 〃Madam！〃 exclaimed the Liberal Member for Oldborough； 〃in a moment like thisI saythat isthat on the present occasionyour Ladyshipunaccustomed as I ampooh； pshaWILL your Ladyship give me the distinguished honour and pleasure of going down the country…dance with your Ladyship？〃 An immense heave of her Ladyship's ample chest was perceptible。 Yards of blond lace； which might be compared to a foam of the sea； were agitated at the same moment； and by the same mighty emotion。 The river of diamonds which flowed round her Ladyship's neck； seemed to swell and to shine more than ever。 The tall plumes on her ambrosial head bowed down beneath the storm。 In other words； Lady Gorgon； in a furious rage； which she was compelled to restrain； trembled； drew up； and bowing majestically； said； 〃Sir； I shall have much pleasure。〃 With this； she extended her hand。 Scully； trembling； thrust forward one of his huge kid…gloves； and led her to the head of the country…dance。 John Perkinswho I presume had been drinking pretty freely； so as to have forgotten his ordinary bashfulnesslooked at the three Gorgons in blue； then at the pretty smiling one in white； and stepping up to her； without the smallest hesitation； asked her if she would dance with him。 The young lady smilingly agreed。 The great example of Scully and Lady Gorgon was followed by all dancing men and women。 Political enmities were forgotten。 Whig voters invited Tory voters' wives to the dance。 The daughters of Reform accepted the hands of the sons of Conservatism。 The reconciliation of the Romans and Sabines was not more touching than this sweet fusion。 Whackwhack！ Springer clapped his hands； and the fiddlers adroitly obeying the cheerful signal； began playing 〃Sir Roger de Coverley〃 louder than ever。 I do not know by what extraordinary charm （nescio qua praeter solitum； etc。）； but young Perkins； who all his life had hated country…dances； was delighted with this one； and skipped and laughed； poussetting； crossing； down…the…middling； with his merry little partner； till every one of the bettermost sort of the thirty…nine couples had dropped panting away； and till the youngest Miss Gorgon； coming up to his partner； said in a loud hissing scornful whisper； 〃Lucy； Mamma thinks you have danced quite enough with thisthis person。〃 And Lucy； blushing； starting back； and looking at Perkins in a very melancholy way； made him a little curtsey； and went off to the Gorgonian party with her cousin。 Perkins was too frightened to lead her back to her placetoo frightened at first； and then too angry。 〃Person！〃 said he： his soul swelled with a desperate republicanism： he went back to his patron more of a Radical than ever。 He found that gentleman in the solitary tea…room； pacing up and down before the observant landlady and handmaidens of the 〃Gorgon Arms；〃 wiping his brows； gnawing his fingershis ears looming over his stiff white shirt…collar as red as fire。 Once more the great man seized John Perkins's hand as the latter came up。 〃D… the aristocrats！〃 roared the ex…follower of Squaretoes。 〃And so say I！ but what's the matter； sir？〃 〃What's the matter？Why； that womanthat infernal； haughty； straitlaced； cold…blooded brewer's daughter！ I loved that woman； sirI KISSED that woman； sir； twenty years ago： we were all but engaged； sir： we've walked for hours and hours； sirus and the governessI've got a lock of her hair； sir； among my papers now； and to…night； would you believe it？as soon as she got to the bottom of the set； away she wentnot one word would she speak to me all the way down： and when I wanted to lead her to her place； and asked her if she would have a glass of negus； 'Sir；' says she； 'I have done my duty； I bear no malice： but I consider you a traitor to Sir George Gorgon's familya traitor and an upstart！ I consider your speaking to me as a piece of insolent vulgarity； and beg you will leave me to myself！' There's her speech； sir。 Twenty people heard it； and all of her Tory set too。 I'll tell you what； Jack： at the next election I'll put YOU up。 Oh that woman！ that woman！… …and to think that I love her still！〃 Here Mr。 Scully paused； and fiercely consoled himself by swallowing three cups of Mrs。 Rincer's green tea。 The fact is； that Lady Gorgon's passion had completely got the better of her reason。 Her Ladyship was naturally cold； and artificially extremely squeamish； and when this great red…faced enemy of hers looked tenderly at her through his red little eyes； and squeezed her hand and attempted to renew old acquaintance； she felt such an intolerable disgust at his triumph； at his familiarity； and at the remembrance of her own former liking for him； that she gave utterance to the speech above correctly reported。 The Tories were delighted with her spirit； and Cornet Fitch； with much glee； told the story to the General； but that officer； who was at whist with some of his friends； flung down his cards； and coming up to his lady； said briefly； 〃Madam； you are a fool！〃 〃I will NOT stay here to be bearded by that disgusting man！Mr。 Fitch； call my people。Henrietta； bring Miss Lucy from that linendraper with whom she is dancing。 I will not stay； General； once for all。〃 Henrietta ranshe hated her cousin： Cornet Fitch was departing。 〃Stop； Fitch；〃 said Sir George； seizing him by the arm。 〃You are a fool； Lady Gorgon；〃 said he； 〃and I repeat ita … fool！ This fellow Scully is carrying all before him： he has talked with everybody； laughed with everybodyand you； with your infernal airsa brewer's daughter； by …； must sit like a queen and not speak to a soul！ You've lost me one seat of my borough； with your infernal pridefifteen hundred a year； by Jove！and you think you will bully me out of another。 No； madam； you SHALL stay； and stay supper too；and the girls shall dance with every cursed chimney…sweep and butcher in the room： they shallconfound me！〃 Her Ladyship saw that it was necessary to submit； and Mr。 Springer； the master of the ceremonies； was called； and requested to point out some eligible partners for the young ladies。 One went off with a Whig auctioneer； another figured in a quadrille with a very Liberal apothecary； and the third； Miss Henrietta； remained。 〃Hallo you； sir！〃 roared the little General to John Perkins； who was passing by。 John turned round and faced him。 〃You were dancing with my niece just nowshow us your skill now； and dance with one of my daughters。 Stand up； Miss Henrietta GorgonMr。 What's…your…name？〃 〃My name；〃 said John； with marked and majestic emphasis； 〃is PERKINS。〃 And he looked towards Lucy； who dared not look again。 〃Miss GorgonMr。 Perkins。 There； now go and dance。〃 〃Mr。 Perkins regrets； madam；〃 said John； making a bow to Miss Henrietta； 〃that he is not able to dance this evening。 I am this moment obliged to look to the supper； but you will find； no doubt； some other PERSON who will have much pleasure。〃 〃Go to …； sir！〃 screamed the General； starting up； and shaking his cane。 〃Calm yourself； dearest George；〃 said Lady Gorgon； clinging fondly to him。 Fitch twiddled his moustaches。 Miss Henrietta Gorgon stared with open mouth。 The silks of the surrounding dowagers rustledthe countenances of all looked grave。 〃I will follow you； sir； wherever you please； and you may hear of me whenever you like；〃 said Mr。 Perkins； bowing and retiring。 He heard little Lucy sobbing in a corner。 He was lost at oncelost in love； he felt as if he could combat fifty generals！ he never was so happy in his life。 The supper came； but as that meal cost five shillings a head； General Gorgon dismissed the four spinsters of his family homewards in the carriage； and so saved himself a pound。 This added to Jack Perkins's wrath； he had hoped to have seen Miss Lucy once more。 He was a steward； and； in the General's teeth； would have done his duty。 He was thinking how he would have helped her to the most delicate chicken…wings and blancmanges； how he WOULD have made her take champagne。 Under the noses of indignant aunt and uncle； what glorious fun it would have been！ Out of place as Mr。 Scully's present was； and though Lady Gorgon and her party sneered at the vulgar notion of venison and turtle for supper； all the world at Oldborough ate very greedily of those two substantial dishes； and the Mayor's wife became from that day forth a mortal enemy of the Gorgons： for； sitting near her Ladyship； who refused the proffered soup and meat； the Mayoress thought herself obliged to follow this disagreeable example。 She sent away the plate of turtle with a sigh； saying； however； to the baronet's lady； 〃I thought； mem； that the LORD MAYOR OF LONDON always had turtle to his supper？〃 〃And what if he didn't； Biddy？〃 said his Honour the Mayor； 〃a good thing's a good thing； and here goes！〃 wherewith he plunged his spoon into the savoury mess。 The Mayoress； as we have said； dared not； but she hated Lady Gorgon； and remembered it at the next election。 The pride； in fact； and insolence of the Gorgon party rendered every person in the room hostile to them； so soon as； gorged with meat； they began to find that courage which Britons invariably derive from their victuals。 The show of the Gorgon plate seemed to offend the people。 The Gorgon champagne was a long time； too； in making its appearance。 Arrive； however； it did。 The people were waiting for it； the young ladies； not accustomed to that drink； declined pledging their admirers until it was produced； the men； too； despised the bucellas and sherry； and were looking continually towards the door。 At last； Mr。 Rincer； the landlord； Mr。 Hock； Sir George's butler； and sundry others entered the room。 Bang！ went the corksfizz the foamy liquor sparkled into all sorts of glasses that were held out for its reception。 Mr。 Hock helped Sir George and his party； who drank with great gusto； the wine which was administered to the persons immediately around Mr。 Scully was likewise pronounced to be good。 But Mr。 Perkins； who had taken his seat among the humbler individuals； and in the very middle of the table； observed that all these persons； after drinking； made to each other very wry and ominous faces； and whispered much。 He tasted his wine： it was a villanous compound of sugar； vitriol； soda…water； and green gooseberries。 At this moment a great clatter of forks was made by the president's and vice…president's party。 Silence for a toast'twas silen
