the bedford-row conspiracy-第6章
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lent 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 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 ope
