the bedford-row conspiracy-第7章
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pton 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 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 M
