the bedford-row conspiracy-第3章

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ifteen　pounds。　　Scully；　〃although　anxious；〃　as　he　wrote　from　town；　〃anxious　beyond　measure　to　preserve　the　breed　of　horses　for　which　our　beloved　country　has　ever　been　famous；　could　attend　no　such　sports　as　these；　which　but　too　often　degenerated　into　vice。〃　　It　was　voted　a　shabby　excuse。　Lady　Gorgon　was　radiant　in　her　barouche　and　four；　and　gladly　became　the　patroness　of　the　ball　that　was　to　ensue；　and　which　all　the　gentry　and　townspeople；　Tory　and　Whig；　were　in　the　custom　of　attending。　　The　ball　took　place　on　the　last　day　of　the　races。　　On　that　day；　the　walls　of　the　market…house；　the　principal　public　buildings；　and　the　〃Gorgon　Arms　Hotel〃　itself；　were　plastered　with　the　following：　〃Letter　from　our　distinguished　representative；　William　P。　Scully；　Esquire；　etc。；　etc。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃HOUSE　OF　COMMONS：　　June　1；　18。　〃MY　DEAR　HEELTAP；You　know　my　opinion　about　horseracing；　and　though　I　blame　neither　you　nor　any　brother　Englishman　who　enjoys　that　manly　sport；　you　will；　I　am　sure；　appreciate　the　conscientious　motives　which　induce　me　not　to　appear　among　my　friends　and　constituents　on　the　festival　of　the　3rd；　4th；　and　5th　instant。　　If　_I_；　however；　cannot　allow　my　name　to　appear　among　your　list　of　stewards；　ONE　at　least　of　the　representatives　of　Oldborough　has　no　such　scruples。　Sir　George　Gorgon　is　among　you：　　and　though　I　differ　from　that　honourable　Baronet　on　more　than　ONE　VITAL　POINT；　I　am　glad　to　think　that　he　is　with　you。　　A　gentleman；　a　soldier；　a　man　of　property　in　the　county；　how　can　he　be　better　employed　than　in　forwarding　the　county's　amusements；　and　in　forwarding　the　happiness　of　all？　〃Had　I　no　such　scruples　as　those　to　which　I　have　just　alluded；　I　must　still　have　refrained　from　coming　among　you。　　Your　great　Oldborough　common…drainage　and　inclosure　bill　comes　on　to…morrow；　and　I　shall　be　AT　MY　POST。　　I　am　sure；　if　Sir　George　Gorgon　were　here；　he　and　I　should　on　this　occasion　vote　side　by　side；　and　that　party　strife　would　be　forgotten　in　the　object　of　our　common　interestOUR　DEAR　NATIVE　TOWN。　〃There　is；　however；　another　occasion　at　hand；　in　which　I　shall　be　proud　to　meet　him。　　Your　ball　is　on　the　night　of　the　6th。　　Party　forgottenbrotherly　unioninnocent　mirthbeauty；　OUR　DEAR　TOWN'S　BEAUTY；　our　daughters　in　the　joy　of　their　expanding　loveliness；　our　matrons　in　the　exquisite　contemplation　of　their　children's　bliss　can　you；　can　I；　can　Whig　or　Tory；　can　any　Briton　be　indifferent　to　a　scene　like　this；　or　refuse　to　join　in　this　heart…stirring　festival？　If　there　BE　such　let　them　pardon　meI；　for　one；　my　dear　Heeltap；　will　be　among　you　on　Friday　nightay；　and　hereby　invite　all　pretty　Tory　Misses；　who　are　in　want　of　a　partner。　〃I　am　here　in　the　very　midst　of　good　things；　you　know；　and　we　old　folks　like　A　SUPPER　after　a　dance。　　Please　to　accept　a　brace　of　bucks　and　a　turtle；　which　come　herewith。　　My　worthy　colleague；　who　was　so　liberal　last　year　of　his　soup　to　the　poor；　will　not；　I　trust；　refuse　to　taste　a　little　of　Alderman　Birch's'tis　offered　on　my　part　with　hearty　goodwill。　　Hey　for　the　6th；　and　vive　la　joie！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Ever；　my　dear　Heeltap；　your　faithful　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃W。　PITT　SCULLY。　〃P。S。Of　course　this　letter　is　STRICTLY　PRIVATE。　　Say　that　the　venison；　etc。　came　from　a　WELL…WISHER　TO　OLDBOROUGH。〃　This　amazing　letter　was　published；　in　defiance　of　Mr。　Scully's　injunctions；　by　the　enthusiastic　Heeltap；　who　said；　bluntly；　in　a　preface；　〃that　he　saw　no　reason　why　Mr。　Scully　should　be　ashamed　of　his　action；　and　he；　for　his　part；　was　glad　to　let　all　friends　at　Oldborough　know　of　it。〃　The　allusion　about　the　Gorgon　soup　was　killing：　　thirteen　paupers　in　Oldborough　had；　it　was　confidently　asserted；　died　of　it。　　Lady　Gorgon；　on　the　reading　of　this　letter；　was　struck　completely　dumb；　Sir　George　Gorgon　was　wild。　　Ten　dozen　of　champagne　was　he　obliged　to　send　down　to　the　〃Gorgon　Arms；〃　to　be　added　to　the　festival。　　He　would　have　stayed　away　if　he　could；　but　he　dared　not。　At　nine　o'clock；　he　in　general's　uniform；　his　wife　in　blue　satin　and　diamonds；　his　daughters　in　blue　crape　and　white　roses；　his　niece；　Lucy　Gorgon；　in　white　muslin；　his　son；　George　Augustus　Frederick　Grimsby　Gorgon；　in　a　blue　velvet　jacket；　sugar…loaf　buttons；　and　nankeens；　entered　the　north　door　of　the　ballroom；　to　much　cheering；　and　the　sound　of　〃God　save　the　King！〃　At　that　very　same　moment；　and　from　the　south　door；　issued　William　Pitt　Scully；　Esquire；　M。P。；　and　his　staff。　　Mr。　Scully　had　a　brand…new　blue　coat　and　brass　buttons；　buff　waistcoat；　white　kerseymere　tights；　pumps　with　large　rosettes；　and　pink　silk　stockings。　〃This　wool；〃　said　he　to　a　friend；　〃was　grown　on　Oldborough　sheep；　this　cloth　was　spun　in　Oldborough　looms；　these　buttons　were　cast　in　an　Oldborough　manufactory；　these　shoes　were　made　by　an　Oldborough　tradesman；　this　HEART　first　beat　in　Oldborough　town；　and　pray　Heaven　may　be　buried　there！〃　Could　anything　resist　a　man　like　this？　　John　Perkins；　who　had　come　down　as　one　of　Scully's　aides…de…camp；　in　a　fit　of　generous　enthusiasm；　leaped　on　a　whist…table；　flung　up　a　pocket…handkerchief；　and　shrieked〃SCULLY　FOR　EVER！〃　Heeltap；　who　was　generally　drunk；　fairly　burst　into　tears；　and　the　grave　tradesmen　and　Whig　gentry；　who　had　dined　with　the　Member　at　his　inn；　and　accompanied　him　thence　to　the　〃Gorgon　Arms；〃　lifted　their　deep　voices　and　shouted　〃Hear！〃　〃Good！〃　〃Bravo！〃　〃Noble！〃　〃Scully　for　ever！〃　〃God　bless　him！〃　and　〃Hurrah！〃　The　scene　was　tumultuously　affecting；　and　when　young　Perkins　sprang　down　from　the　table　and　came　blushing　up　to　the　Member；　that　gentleman　said；　〃Thank　you；　Jack！　　THANK　you；　my　boy！　　THANK　you；〃　in　a　way　which　made　Perkins　think　that　his　supreme　cup　of　bliss　was　quaffed；　that　he　had　but　to　die：　　for　that　life　had　no　other　such　joy　in　store　for　him。　　Scully　was　Perkins's　Napoleonhe　yielded　himself　up　to　the　attorney；　body　and　soul。　Whilst　this　scene　was　going　on　under　one　chandelier　of　the　ballroom；　beneath　the　other　scarlet　little　General　Gorgon；　sumptuous　Lady　Gorgon；　the　daughters　and　niece　Gorgons；　were　standing　surrounded　by　their　Tory　court；　who　affected　to　sneer　and　titter　at　the　Whig　demonstrations　which　were　taking　place。　〃What　a　howwid　thmell　of　whithkey！〃　lisped　Cornet　Fitch；　of　the　Dragoons；　to　Miss　Lucy；　confidentially。　　〃And　thethe　are　what　they　call　Whigth；　are　they？　　He！　he！〃　〃They　are　drunk；　…　me；drunk；　by　…！〃　said　the　General　to　the　Mayor。　〃WHICH　is　Scully？〃　said　Lady　Gorgon；　lifting　her　glass　gravely　（she　was　at　that　very　moment　thinking　of　the　syllabubs）。　　〃Is　it　that　tipsy　man　in　the　green　coat；　or　that　vulgar　creature　in　the　blue　one？〃　〃Law；　my　Lady；〃　said　the　Mayoress；　〃have　you　forgotten　him？　　Why；　that's　him　in　blue　and　buff。〃　〃And　a　monthous　fine　man；　too；〃　said　Cornet　Fitch。　　〃I　wish　we　had　him　in　our　twoophe'th　thix　feet　thwee；　if　he'th　an　inch；　ain't　he；　Genewal？〃　No　reply。　〃And　heavens！　Mamma；〃　shrieked　the　three　Gorgons　in　a　breath；　〃see；　one　creature　is　on　the　whist…table。　　Oh；　the　wretch！　〃I'm　sure　he's　very　good…looking；〃　said　Lucy；　simply。　Lady　Gorgon　darted　at　her　an　angry　look；　and　was　about　to　say　something　very　contemptuous；　when；　at　that　instant；　John　Perkins's　shout　taking　effect；　Master　George　Augustus　Frederick　Grimsby　Gorgon；　not　knowing　better；　incontinently　raised　a　small