the bedford-row conspiracy-第12章

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〃　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　Mr。　Crampton　was　conducting　this　intrigue；　which　was　to　bring　a　new　recruit　to　the　Ministerial　ranks；　his　mighty　spirit　condescended　to　ponder　upon　subjects　of　infinitely　less　importance；　and　to　arrange　plans　for　the　welfare　of　his　nephew　and　the　young　woman　to　whom　he　had　made　a　present　of　his　heart。　　These　young　persons；　as　we　said　before；　had　arranged　to　live　in　Mr。　Perkins's　own　house　in　Bedford　Row。　　It　was　of　a　peculiar　construction；　and　might　more　properly　be　called　a　house　and　a　half：　　for　a　snug　little　tenement　of　four　chambers　protruded　from　the　back　of　the　house　into　the　garden。　　These　rooms　communicated　with　the　drawing…rooms　occupied　by　Mr。　Scully；　and　Perkins；　who　acted　as　his　friend　and　secretary；　used　frequently　to　sit　in　the　one　nearest　the　Member's　study；　in　order　that　he　might　be　close　at　hand　to　confer　with　that　great　man。　　The　rooms　had　a　private　entrance　too；　were　newly　decorated；　and　in　them　the　young　couple　proposed　to　live；　the　kitchen　and　garrets　being　theirs　likewise。　　What　more　could　they　need？　　We　are　obliged　to　be　particular　in　describing　these　apartments；　for　extraordinary　events　occurred　therein。　To　say　the　truth；　until　the　present　period　Mr。　Crampton　had　taken　no　great　interest　in　his　nephew's　marriage；　or；　indeed；　in　the　young　man　himself。　　The　old　gentleman　was　of　a　saturnine　turn；　and　inclined　to　undervalue　the　qualities　of　Mr。　Perkins；　which　were　idleness；　simplicity；　enthusiasm；　and　easy　good…nature。　〃Such　fellows　never　do　anything　in　the　world；〃　he　would　say；　and　for　such　he　had　accordingly　the　most　profound　contempt。　　But　when；　after　John　Perkins's　repeated　entreaties；　he　had　been　induced　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　Miss　Gorgon；　he　became　instantly　charmed　with　her；　and　warmly　espoused　her　cause　against　her　overbearing　relations。　At　his　suggestion　she　wrote　back　to　decline　Sir　George　Gorgon's　peremptory　invitation；　and　hinted　at　the　same　time　that　she　had　attained　an　age　and　a　position　which　enabled　her　to　be　the　mistress　of　her　own　actions。　　To　this　letter　there　came　an　answer　from　Lady　Gorgon　which　we　shall　not　copy；　but　which　simply　stated　that　Miss　Lucy　Gorgon's　conduct　was　unchristian；　ungrateful；　unladylike；　and　immodest；　that　the　Gorgon　family　disowned　her　for　the　future；　and　left　her　at　liberty　to　form　whatever　base　connections　she　pleased。　〃A　pretty　world　this；〃　said　Mr。　Crampton；　in　a　great　rage；　when　the　letter　was　shown　to　him。　　〃This　same　fellow；　Scully；　dissuades　my　nephew　from　taking　a　place；　because　Scully　wants　it　for　himself。　This　prude　of　a　Lady　Gorgon　cries　out　shame；　and　disowns　an　innocent　amiable　girl：　　she　a　heartless　jilt　herself　once；　and　a　heartless　flirt　now。　　The　Pharisees；　the　Pharisees！　　And　to　call　mine　a　base　family；　too！〃　Now；　Lady　Gorgon　did　not　in　the　least　know　Mr。　Crampton's　connection　with　Mr。　Perkins；　or　she　would　have　been　much　more　guarded　in　her　language；　but　whether　she　knew　it　or　not；　the　old　gentleman　felt　a　huge　indignation；　and　determined　to　have　his　revenge。　〃That's　right；　Uncle！　　SHALL　I　call　Gorgon　out？〃　said　the　impetuous　youn