CHAPTER XVIII. LORD CASTLEREAGH'S DINNER-PARTY.
The day of Lord Castlereagh's dinner-party had arrived, and the guests,all save Mr. Heffernan, were assembled in the drawing-room. The partywas small and select, and his Lordship had gone through the usualroutine of introducings, when Hamilton asked if he still expected anyone.
"Yes; Mr. Heffernan promised to make one of our twelve; he is generallypunctuality itself, and I cannot understand what detains him."
"He said he 'd call for me on his way," said Lord Beerhaven, "and Iwaited some time for him; but as I would not risk spoiling yourLordship's _entrees_, I came away at last."
This speech was made by one who felt no small uneasiness on his own partrespecting the cookery, and took the occasion of suggesting his fears,as a hint to order dinner.
"Shall we vote him present, then?" said Lord Castle-reagh, who saw thelook of dismay the further prospect of waiting threw over the party.
"By all means," said Lord Beerhaven; "Heffernan never eats soup."
"I don't think he cares much for fish, either," said Hamilton.
"I think our friend Con is fond of walnuts," said the Knight, dryly.
"Them 's the unwholesomest things he could eat," muttered old Hickman,who, although seated in a corner of the room, and partly masked by hisson and grandson, could not be altogether secluded from earshot.
"Are they indeed?" said the bishop, turning sharply round; for the themeof health was one that engaged all his sympathies; and although hisshort apron covered a goodly rotundity of form, eating exacted to thefull as many pains as it afforded pleasures to the Churchman.
"Yes, my Lord," said Hickman, highly gratified to obtain such exaltednotice; "there's an essential oil in them that destroys the mucousmembrane--"
"Destroys the mucous membrane!" said the bishop, interrupting him.
"Mine is pretty much in that way already," said Lord Beerhaven,querulously; "five-and-twenty minutes past six."
"No, no, my dear Darcy," said Lord Drogheda, who, having drawn theKnight aside, was speaking in an earnest but low tone, "I never waseasier in my life, on the score of money; don't let the thing give youany trouble; consult Gleeson about it, he's a clever fellow, and takeyour own time for the payment."
"Gleeson is a clever fellow, my Lord, but there are straits that provetoo much even for his ingenuity."
"Ah! I know what you mean," said Lord Drogheda, secretly, "you 've heardof that Spanish-American affair,--yes, he made a bad hit there; some sayhe'll lose fifty thousand by it."
Dinner was at this moment announced, and the Knight was unable to learnfurther on a subject the little he had heard of which gave him greatsorrow. Unfortunately, too, his position at table was opposite, notnext, to Lord Drogheda, and he was thus compelled to wait for anotheropportunity of interrogating him.
Lord Castlereagh has left behind him one reputation which no politicalor party animosity has ever availed to detract from, that of being themost perfect host that ever dispensed the honors of a table. Whateverseeming reserve or coldness he maintained at other times, here hewas courteous to cordiality; his manner, the happy union of thoroughgood-breeding and friendly ease. Gifted with a most retentive memory,and well versed on almost every topic that could arise, he possessedthat most difficult art, the power of developing the resources andinformation of others, without ever making any parade of his ownacquirements; or, what is still harder, without betraying the effortwhich, in hands less adroit, becomes the most vulgar of all tricks,called "drawing out."
With all these advantages, and well suited as he was to meet everyemergency of a social meeting, he felt on the present occasion farless at ease than was his wont. The party was one of Heffernan'scontriving,--the elements were such as he himself would never havedreamed of collecting together,--and he relied upon his "ancient" toconduct the plan he had so skilfully laid down. It was, as he mutteredto himself, "Heffernan's Bill," and he was not coming forward to explainits provisions or state its object.
Happily for the success of such meetings in general, the adjunctscontribute almost equally with the intellectual resources of the party;and here Heffernan, although absent, had left a trace of his skill. Thedinner was admirable. Lord Castlereagh knew nothing of such matters;the most simple, nay, the most ill-dressed, meats would have met equalapproval from him with the greatest triumphs of the art; and as to wine,he mixed up his madeira, his claret, and his burgundy together in afashion which sadly deteriorated him in the estimation of many of hismore cultivated acquaintances.
All the detail of the dinner was perfect, and Lord Beer-haven, hisfears on that score allayed, emerged from the cloud of his own drearyanticipations, and became one of the pleasantest of the party. And thusthe influence of good cheer and easy converse extended its happy swayuntil even Mr. Hickman O'Reilly began to suffer less anxiety respectinghis father's presence, and felt relieved at the preoccupation the goodthings of the table exacted from the old doctor.
The party was of that magnitude which, while enabling the guests to forminto the twos and threes of conversational intimacy, yet affords, fromtime to time, the opportunity of generalizing the subject discussed, anddrawing, as it were, into a common centre the social abilities of each.And there Lord Castlereagh shone conspicuously, for at the same timethat he called forth all the anecdotic stores of Lord Beerhaven, and thewitty repartee for which Hamilton was noted, he shrouded the obtrusiveold Hickman, or gave a character of quaint originality to remarks which,with less flattering introduction, had been deemed low-lived and vulgar.
The wine went freely round, and claret, whose flavor might have foundacceptance with the most critical, began to work its influence uponthe party, producing that pleasant amalgamation in which individualpeculiarities are felt to be the attractive, and not the repelling,properties of social intercourse.
"What splendid action that horse you drive has, Mr. Beecham O'Reilly,"said Lord Loughdooner, who had paid the most marked attention to himduring dinner. "That's the style of moving they 're so mad after inLondon,--high and fast at the same time."
"I gave three hundred and fifty for him," lisped out the youth,carelessly, "and think him cheap."
"Cheap at three hundred and fifty!" exclaimed old Hickman, who had heardthe fact for the first time. "May I never stir from the spot, but youtold me forty pounds."
"When you can pick up another at that price let me know, I beg you,"said Lord Loughdooner, coming to the rescue, and with a smile thatseemed to say, "How well you quizzed the old gentleman! I say, Hamilton,who bought your gray?"
"Ecclesmere bought him for his uncle."
"Why, he starts, or shies, or something of that sort, don't he?"
"No, my Lord, he 'comes down,' which is what the uncle does not; and ashe stands between Ecclesmere and the Marquisate--"
"That's what I've always maintained," said the bishop to LordCastlereagh. "The potato disposes to acidity. I know the poor peoplecorrect that by avoiding animal food,--a most invaluable fact."
"There are good grounds for your remark," said Lord Castlereagh to theKnight, while he smiled an easy assent to the bishop, without attendingto him, "and the social relations of the country will demand theearliest care of the Government whenever measures of immediateimportance permit this consideration. We have been unfortunate in notdrawing closer to us men who, like yourself, are thoroughly acquaintedwith the condition of the people generally. It is not too late--"
"Too late for what?" interrupted Lord Drogheda. "Not too late for moreclaret, I trust; and the decanter has been standing opposite to me theseten minutes."
"A thousand pardons!--O'Reilly, will you touch that bell? Thanks."
The tone of easy familiarity with which he spoke covered Hickman with aflush of ecstatic pleasure.
"They ginger them up so, nowadays," said Lord Loughdooner to BeechamO'Reilly.
"Ginger!" chimed in Hickman,--"the devil a finer thing for the stomach.I ask your pardon, my Lord, for saying his name, but I 'll give you arece
ipt for the windy bile worth a guinea-note."
"Take a pinch of snuff, Dr. Hickman," said Lord Castle-reagh, who sawthe mortification of the two generations at the old man's vulgarity.
"Thank you, my Lord. 'Tis blackguard I like best: them brown snuffsruins the nose entirely.--I was saying about the mixture," said he,addressing the bishop. "Take a pint of infusion of gentian, and put apinch of coriander seeds, and the peel of a Chaney orange--"
"I recommend a bumper of that claret, my Lord," said Lord Castlereagh,determined to cut short the prescription, which now was being listenedto by the whole board; "and when I add the health of the primate, I'm sure you 'll not refuse me." The toast was drunk with all suitablehonors, and the Secretary resumed in a whisper: "He wants our bestwishes on that score, poor fellow, if they could serve him. He's notlong to be with us, I fear."
"Indeed, my Lord!" said the bishop, eagerly.
"Alas! too true," sighed Lord Castlereagh; "he 'll be a severe loss,too. I wanted to have some minutes' talk with you on the matter. Theseare times of no common emergency, and the men we promote are of greatconsequence at this moment. Say to-morrow, about one."
"I 'll be punctual," said the bishop, taking out his tablets to make anote of what his memory would retain to the end of his life.
Lord Castlereagh caught the Knight's eye at the instant, and they bothsmiled, without being able to control their emotion.
"And so," said Lord Castlereagh, hastening to conceal his laugh, "myyoung relation continues to enjoy the hospitalities of your house.I don't doubt in the least that he reckons that wound the luckiestincident of his life."
"My friend Darcy paid even more dearly for it," said Lord Drogheda,overhearing the remark; "but for Heffernan's tidings, I should certainlyhave lost my wager."
"I assure you, Knight," broke in Hickman O'Reilly, "it was through nofault of mine that the altercation ended so seriously. I visited CaptainForester in his room, and thought I obtained his pledge to take nofurther notice of the affair."
"And I, too, told him the style of fellow MacDonough was," said Beecham,affectedly.
"I have heard honorable mention of both facts, gentlemen," said Darcy,dryly; "that nothing could have less contributed to a breach of thepeace than Mr. Beecham O'Reilly's conduct, my friend Daly is willing tovouch for."
"I wish his own had been equally prudent and pacific," said HickmanO'Reilly, reddening at the taunt conveyed in the Knight's speech.
"Daly is unquestionably the best friend on the ground--"
"On or off the ground, my Lord Loughdooner," interrupted the Knight,warmly; "he may be, now and then, somewhat hasty or rash; but rich asour country is in men of generous natures, Bagenal Daly is second tonone."
"I protest, gentlemen," said the bishop, gravely; "I wish I could hear abetter reason for the panegyric than his skill as a duellist."
"True for you, my Lord," muttered old Hickman, in a whisper; "he'sreadier with a pistol-bullet than with the interest on his bond."
"He 'd favor you with a discharge in full, sir, if he heard theobservation," said Hamilton, laughing.
"A letter, my Lord," said a servant, presenting a sealed epistle to theSecretary.
"Heffernan's writing, gentlemen, so I shall, with your permission, readit." He broke the seal, and read aloud: "'My dear Lord,--An adventure,which would be laughable if it were not so provoking, prevents my comingto dinner, so I must leave the menagerie--'" Here he dropped his voice,and, crumpling up the letter, laughingly remarked, "Oh, we shall hear itall later on, I 've no doubt."
"By the by, my Lord, there's a House to-night, is there not?"
"No, bishop; we moved an adjournment for to-morrow evening. You 'll comedown for the debate, won't you?"
The bishop nodded significantly, and sipped his wine. There was now apause. This was the great topic of the day, and yet, up to this moment,not even a chance allusion to politics had been dropped, and allrecoiled from adventuring, even by a word, on a theme which might leadto disagreement or discordance. Old Hickman, however, dated his originin life too far back for such scruples, and, leaning across the table,said, with an accent to which wine imparted a tone of peculiar cunning,"I wish you well through it, my Lord; for, by all accounts, it is dirtywork."
The roar of laughter that followed the speech actually shook the table,Lord Castlereagh giving way to it with as much zest as the gueststhemselves. Twice he essayed to speak, but each time a fresh burst ofmirth interrupted him, while old Hickman, unable to divine the source ofthe merriment, stared at each person in turn, and at last muttered hisconsolatory "Ay," but with a voice that showed he was far from feelingsatisfied.
"I wish you'd made that speech in the House, Mr. Hickman," saidLord Drogheda; "I do believe you'd have been the most popular man inIreland."
"I confess," said Lord Castlereagh, wiping his eyes, "I cannot conceivea more dangerous opponent to the Bill."
"If he held your own bill, with a protest on it," whispered Hamilton,"your opinion would not be easily gainsaid."
"May I ask for a cup of coffee?" said the bishop, rising, for he sawthat although as yet no untoward results had followed, at any momentsomething unpleasant might occur. The party rose with him, and adjournedto the drawing-room.
"Singular old man!" said Lord Castlereagh, in a whisper to the Knight."Shrewd and cunning, no doubt, but scarcely calculated, as our friendDrogheda thinks, to distinguish himself in the House of Commons."
"Do you think the Upper House would suit him better, my Lord?" saidDarcy, slyly.
"I see, Knight," said Lord Castlereagh, laughing, "you have caught upthe popular joke of the day."
"I trust, my Lord, it may be no more than a joke."
"Can you doubt it?"
"At the present moment," said the Knight, gravely, "I see no reasonfor doubting anything merely on the score of its unlikelihood; yourLordship's colleagues have given us some sharp lessons on the subject ofcredulity, and we should be more unteachable than the savage if we hadnot learnt something by this time."
Lord Castlereagh was about to answer, when Lord Drogheda came forwardto say "Good night." The others were going too, and in the bustle ofleave-taking some moments were passed.
"Your carriage has not come yet, sir," replied a servant to the Knight.
"Shall we take you home, Darcy," said Lord Drogheda; "or are you goingto the Club?"
"Let me say no to that offer, Knight," interposed Lord Castlereagh, "andgive me the pleasure of your company till the carriage arrives."
Darcy acceded to a request, the courteous mode of making which hadalready secured its acceptance, and the Knight sat down at the fire_tete-a-tete_ with the Secretary.
"I was most anxious for a moment like this," said Lord Castlereagh, withthe air of one abandoning himself to the full liberty of sincerity. "Itvery seldom happens to men placed like myself to have even a few briefminutes' intercourse with any out of the rank of partisans or opponents.
"I will not disguise from you how highly I should value the alliance ofyourself to our party; I place the greatest price upon such support, butthere is something better and more valuable than even a vote in a strongdivision, and that is, the candid judgment of a man who has enjoyedyour opportunities and your powers of forming an opinion. Tell me now,frankly,--for we are here in all freedom of intercourse,--what do youobject to? What do you fear from this contemplated enactment?"
"Let me rather hear," said the Knight, smiling, "what do you hope fromit,--how you propose it to become the remedy of our existing evils?Because I shall thereby see whether your Lordship and myself arelike-minded on the score of the disease, before we begin to discuss theremedy."
"Be it so, then," said the Secretary, gayly; and at once, withouthesitation, he commenced a short and most explicit statement ofthe Government intentions. Arguments that formed the staple of longParliamentary harangues he condensed into a sentence or two; views that,dilated upon, sufficed to fill the columns of a newspaper, he displayedpalpably and boldly, exhi
biting powers of clear and rapid eloquencefor which so few gave him credit in public life. Not an epithet noran expression could have been retrenched from a detail which denotedfaculties of admirable training, assisted by a memory almost miraculous.Stating in order the various objections to the measure, he answeredeach in turn; and wherever the reply was not sufficiently ample andconclusive, he adroitly took occasion to undervalue either the opinionor the source from which it originated, exhibiting, while restraining,considerable powers of sarcasm, and a thorough insight into thecharacter of the public men of the period.
If the Knight was unconvinced by the arguments, he was no lessastonished by the abilities of the Secretary. Up to that hour he hadbeen a follower of the popular notion of the Opposition party, whichagreed in decrying his talents, and making his displays as a speakerthe touchstone of his capacity. Darcy was too clever himself to lingerlonger in this delusion. He saw the great and varied resources ofthe youthful statesman tested by a question of no common difficulty, andhe could not control the temptation of telling him, as he concluded,--
"You have made me a convert to the union--"
"Have I, indeed?" cried the Secretary, in an ecstasy of pleasure.
"Hear me out, my Lord,--to the union of great political abilities withthe most captivating powers of conversation. Yes, my Lord, I amold enough to make such a remark without the hazard of being deemedimpertinent or a flatterer,--_your_ success in life is certain."
"But the Bill!" cried Lord Castlereagh, while his handsome face wasflushed between delight and eagerness,--"the Bill!"
"Is an admirable Bill for England, my Lord, and were there not twosides to a contract, would be perfect,--indeed, until I heard thelucid statement you have just made, I never saw one-tenth part of theadvantages it must render to your country, nor, consequently,--for wemove not in parallel lines,--the great danger with which it is fraughtto mine. Let me now explain more fully."
With these words the Knight entered upon the question of the Unionin all its relations to Ireland; and while never conceding, nor evenextenuating, the difficulties attendant upon a double legislature, heproceeded to show the probable train of events that must result on thepassing of the measure, strengthening his anticipations by facts derivedfrom deep knowledge of the country.
Far be it from us to endeavor to recapitulate his arguments: some ofthem, now forgotten, were difficult enough to answer; others, treasuredup, have been fashionable fallacies in our own day. Such as they were,they were the reasons why an Irish gentleman demurred to surrenderingprivileges that gave his own country rank, place, and preeminence,without the evidence of any certain or adequate compensation.
"Do not tell me, my Lord, that we shall hold our influence and ourstation in the Imperial Parliament. There are many reasons against sucha belief. We shall be in the minority, a great minority; a minoritybranded with provincialism as our badge, and accused of prejudice andnarrow-sightedness, from the very fact of our nationality. No, no; weshall occupy a very different position in your country: and who willtake our places here? That's a point your Lordship has not touched upon,but I 'll tell you. The demagogue, the public disturber, the licensedhawker of small grievances, every briefless lawyer of bad fortuneand worse language, every mendicant patriot that can minister to thepassions of a people deserted by their natural protectors,--the day willcome, my Lord, when these men will grow ambitious, their aspirings maybecome troublesome; if you coerce them, they are martyrs,--conciliatethem, and they are privileged. What will happen then? You will be askedto repeal the Union, you will be charged with all the venality by whichyou carried your Bill, every injustice with which it is chargeable, andwith a hundred other faults and crimes with which it is unconnected. Youwill be asked, I say, to repeal the Union, and make of this miserablerabble, these dregs and sweepings of party, a Parliament. You shake yourhead. No, no, it is by no means impossible,--nay, I don't think it evenremote. I speak as an old man, and age, if it have many deficiencies asregards the past, has at least some prophetic foresight for the future.You will be asked to repeal the Union, to give a Parliament to a countrywhich you have drained of its wealth, from which you have seduced thearistocracy; to restore a deliberative body to a land whose resourcesfor self-legislation you have studiously and industriously ruined.Think, then, twice of a measure from which, if it fail, there is noretreat, and the opposition to which may come in a worse form than avote in the House of Commons. I see you deem my anticipations have moregloom than truthfulness; I hope it may be so."
"The Knight of Gwynne's carriage," cried a servant, throwing wide thedoor.
"How opportune!" said Darcy, laughing; "it is so satisfactory to havethe last shot at the enemy."
"Pray don't go yet,--a few moments more."
"Not a second, my Lord; I dare not. The fact is, I have strenuouslyavoided this subject; an old friend of mine, Bagenal Daly, has weariedme of it,--he is an Anti-Unionist, but on grounds I scarcely concur in.Your Lordship's defence of the measure I also demur to. I am like poorold Murray, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, who, when called onfor his opinion in a case where Judge Wallace was in favor of a rule,and Judge Mayne against it, he said, 'I agree with my brother Mayne forthe cogent reasons laid down by my brother Wallace.'"
"So," said the Secretary, laughing heartily, "I have convinced youagainst myself."
"Exactly, my Lord. I came here this evening intending not to vote on theBill,--indeed, I accepted your Lordship's hospitality without a thoughtupon a party question; I am equally certain you will acquit me of beinga spy in the camp. To-morrow I intend to vote against you."
"I wish I could have the same esteem for my friends that I now pledgefor my--"
"Don't say 'enemy,' my Lord; we both aspire to the same end,--ourcountry's good. If we take different roads, it is because each thinkshis own path the shortest. Good night."
Lord Castlereagh accompanied the Knight to his carriage, and again shookhis hand cordially as they parted.
The Knight Of Gwynne, Vol. 1 (of 2) Page 20