Phineas Redux
Page 16
CHAPTER XIV.
TRUMPETON WOOD.
In the meantime the hunting season was going on in the Brake countrywith chequered success. There had arisen the great Trumpeton Woodquestion, about which the sporting world was doomed to hear so muchfor the next twelve months,--and Lord Chiltern was in an unhappystate of mind. Trumpeton Wood belonged to that old friend of ours,the Duke of Omnium, who had now almost fallen into second childhood.It was quite out of the question that the Duke should himselfinterfere in such a matter, or know anything about it; but LordChiltern, with headstrong resolution, had persisted in writing to theDuke himself. Foxes had always hitherto been preserved in TrumpetonWood, and the earths had always been stopped on receipt of due noticeby the keepers. During the cubbing season there had arisen quarrels.The keepers complained that no effort was made to kill the foxes.Lord Chiltern swore that the earths were not stopped. Then there cametidings of a terrible calamity. A dying fox, with a trap to its pad,was found in the outskirts of the Wood; and Lord Chiltern wrote tothe Duke. He drew the Wood in regular course before any answer couldbe received,--and three of his hounds picked up poison, and diedbeneath his eyes. He wrote to the Duke again,--a cutting letter; andthen came from the Duke's man of business, Mr. Fothergill, a veryshort reply, which Lord Chiltern regarded as an insult. Hitherto theaffair had not got into the sporting papers, and was simply a matterof angry discussion at every meet in the neighbouring counties. LordChiltern was very full of wrath, and always looked as though hedesired to avenge those poor hounds on the Duke and all belongingto him. To a Master of Hounds the poisoning of one of his pack ismurder of the deepest dye. There probably never was a Master who inhis heart of hearts would not think it right that a detected culpritshould be hung for such an offence. And most Masters would go furtherthan this, and declare that in the absence of such detection theowner of the covert in which the poison had been picked up should beheld to be responsible. In this instance the condition of ownershipwas unfortunate. The Duke himself was old, feeble, and almostimbecile. He had never been eminent as a sportsman; but, in a notenergetic manner, he had endeavoured to do his duty by the country.His heir, Plantagenet Palliser, was simply a statesman, who, asregarded himself, had never a day to spare for amusement; and who, inreference to sport, had unfortunate fantastic notions that pheasantsand rabbits destroyed crops, and that foxes were injurious to oldwomen's poultry. He, however, was not the owner, and had refusedto interfere. There had been family quarrels too, adverse to thesporting interests of the younger Palliser scions, so that theshooting of this wood had drifted into the hands of Mr. Fothergilland his friends. Now, Lord Chiltern had settled it in his own mindthat the hounds had been poisoned, if not in compliance with Mr.Fothergill's orders, at any rate in furtherance of his wishes,and, could he have had his way, he certainly would have sent Mr.Fothergill to the gallows. Now, Miss Palliser, who was still stayingat Lord Chiltern's house, was niece to the old Duke, and first cousinto the heir. "They are nothing to me," she said once, when LordChiltern had attempted to apologise for the abuse he was heaping onher relatives. "I haven't seen the Duke since I was a little child,and I shouldn't know my cousin were I to meet him."
"So much the more gracious is your condition," said LadyChiltern,--"at any rate in Oswald's estimation."
"I know them, and once spent a couple of days at Matching with them,"said Lord Chiltern. "The Duke is an old fool, who always gave himselfgreater airs than any other man in England,--and as far as I can see,with less to excuse them. As for Planty Pall, he and I belong soessentially to different orders of things, that we can hardly bereckoned as being both men."
"And which is the man, Lord Chiltern?"
"Whichever you please, my dear; only not both. Doggett was over thereyesterday, and found three separate traps."
"What did he do with the traps?" said Lady Chiltern.
"I wasn't fool enough to ask him, but I don't in the least doubt thathe threw them into the water--or that he'd throw Palliser there tooif he could get hold of him. As for taking the hounds to Trumpetonagain, I wouldn't do it if there were not another covert in thecountry."
"Then leave it so, and have done with it," said his wife. "I wouldn'tfret as you do for what another man did with his own property, forall the foxes in England."
"That is because you understand nothing of hunting, my dear. A man'sproperty is his own in one sense, but isn't his own in another. A mancan't do what he likes with his coverts."
"He can cut them down."
"But he can't let another pack hunt them, and he can't hunt themhimself. If he's in a hunting county he is bound to preserve foxes."
"What binds him, Oswald? A man can't be bound without a penalty."
"I should think it penalty enough for everybody to hate me. What areyou going to do about Phineas Finn?"
"I have asked him to come on the 1st and stay till Parliament meets."
"And is that woman coming?"
"There are two or three women coming."
"She with the German name, whom you made me dine with in Park Lane?"
"Madame Max Goesler is coming. She brings her own horses, and theywill stand at Doggett's."
"They can't stand here, for there is not a stall."
"I am so sorry that my poor little fellow should incommode you," saidMiss Palliser.
"You're a licensed offender,--though, upon my honour, I don't knowwhether I ought to give a feed of oats to any one having a connectionwith Trumpeton Wood. And what is Phineas to ride?"
"He shall ride my horses," said Lady Chiltern, whose presentcondition in life rendered hunting inopportune to her.
"Neither of them would carry him a mile. He wants about as good ananimal as you can put him upon. I don't know what I'm to do. It's allvery well for Laura to say that he must be mounted."
"You wouldn't refuse to give Mr. Finn a mount!" said Lady Chiltern,almost with dismay.
"I'd give him my right hand to ride, only it wouldn't carry him. Ican't make horses. Harry brought home that brown mare on Tuesday withan overreach that she won't get over this season. What the deuce theydo with their horses to knock them about so, I can't understand. I'vekilled horses in my time, and ridden them to a stand-still, but Inever bruised them and battered them about as these fellows do."
"Then I'd better write to Mr. Finn, and tell him," said LadyChiltern, very gravely.
"Oh, Phineas Finn!" said Lord Chiltern; "oh, Phineas Finn! what apity it was that you and I didn't see the matter out when we stoodopposite to each other on the sands at Blankenberg!"
"Oswald," said his wife, getting up, and putting her arm over hisshoulder, "you know you would give your best horse to Mr. Finn,as long as he chose to stay here, though you rode upon a donkeyyourself."
"I know that if I didn't, you would," said Lord Chiltern. And so thematter was settled.
At night, when they were alone together, there was further discussionas to the visitors who were coming to Harrington Hall. "Is GerardMaule to come back?" asked the husband.
"I have asked him. He left his horses at Doggett's, you know."
"I didn't know."
"I certainly told you, Oswald. Do you object to his coming? You can'treally mean that you care about his riding?"
"It isn't that. You must have some whipping post, and he's as goodas another. But he shilly-shallies about that girl. I hate all thatstuff like poison."
"All men are not so--abrupt shall I say?--as you were."
"I had something to say, and I said it. When I had said it a dozentimes, I got to have it believed. He doesn't say it as though hemeant to have it believed."
"You were always in earnest, Oswald."
"I was."
"To the extent of the three minutes which you allowed yourself. Itsufficed, however;--did it not? You are glad you persevered?"
"What fools women are."
"Never mind that. Say you are glad. I like you to tell me so. Let mebe a fool if I will."
"What made you so obstinate?"
"I've no doubt it was all right;--only you very nearly made me shoota fellow, and now I've got to find horses for him. I wonder whetherhe could ride Dandolo?"
"Don't put him up on anything very hard."
"Why not? His wife is dead, and he hasn't got a child, nor yet anacre of property. I don't know who is entitled to break his neck ifhe is not. And Dandolo is as good a horse as there is in the stable,if you can once get him to go. Mind, I have to start to-morrow atnine, for it's all eighteen miles." And so the Master of the BrakeHounds took himself to his repose.
Lady Laura Kennedy had written to Barrington Erle respecting herfriend's political interests, and to her sister-in-law, LadyChiltern, as to his social comfort. She could not bear to think thathe should be left alone in London till Parliament should meet, andhad therefore appealed to Lady Chiltern as to the memory of many pastevents. The appeal had been unnecessary and superfluous. It cannotbe said that Phineas and his affairs were matters of as close aninterest to Lady Chiltern as to Lady Laura. If any woman loved herhusband beyond all things Lord Chiltern's wife did, and ever had doneso. But there had been a tenderness in regard to the young IrishMember of Parliament, which Violet Effingham had in old days sharedwith Lady Laura, and which made her now think that all good thingsshould be done for him. She believed him to be addicted to hunting,and therefore horses must be provided for him. He was a widower, andshe remembered of old that he was fond of pretty women, and she knewthat in coming days he might probably want money;--and therefore shehad asked Madame Max Goesler to spend a fortnight at Harrington Hall.Madame Max Goesler and Phineas Finn had been acquainted before, asLady Chiltern was well aware. But perhaps Lady Chiltern, when shesummoned Madame Max into the country, did not know how close theacquaintance had been.
Madame Max came a couple of days before Phineas, and was taken outhunting on the morning after her arrival. She was a lady who couldride to hounds,--and who, indeed, could do nearly anything to whichshe set her mind. She was dark, thin, healthy, good-looking, clever,ambitious, rich, unsatisfied, perhaps unscrupulous,--but not withouta conscience. As has been told in a former portion of this chronicle,she could always seem to be happy with her companion of the day, andyet there was ever present a gnawing desire to do something more andsomething better than she had as yet achieved. Of course, as he tookher to the meet, Lord Chiltern told her his grievance respectingTrumpeton Wood. "But, my dear Lord Chiltern, you must not abuse theDuke of Omnium to me."
"Why not to you?"
"He and I are sworn friends."
"He's a hundred years old."
"And why shouldn't I have a friend a hundred years old? And asfor Mr. Palliser, he knows no more of your foxes than I know ofhis taxes. Why don't you write to Lady Glencora? She understandseverything."
"Is she a friend of yours, too?"
"My particular friend. She and I, you know, look after the poor dearDuke between us."
"I can understand why she should sacrifice herself."
"But not why I do. I can't explain it myself; but so it has cometo pass, and I must not hear the Duke abused. May I write to LadyGlencora about it?"
"Certainly,--if you please; but not as giving her any message fromme. Her uncle's property is mismanaged most damnably. If you chooseto tell her that I say so you can. I'm not going to ask anything as afavour. I never do ask favours. But the Duke or Planty Palliser amongthem should do one of two things. They should either stand by thehunting, or they should let it alone;--and they should say what theymean. I like to know my friends, and I like to know my enemies."
"I am sure the Duke is not your enemy, Lord Chiltern."
"These Pallisers have always been running with the hare and huntingwith the hounds. They are great aristocrats, and yet are alwaysgoing in for the people. I'm told that Planty Pall calls fox-huntingbarbarous. Why doesn't he say so out loud, and stub up Trumpeton Woodand grow corn?"
"Perhaps he will when Trumpeton Wood belongs to him."
"I should like that much better than poisoning hounds and trappingfoxes." When they got to the meet, conclaves of men might beseen gathered together here and there, and in each conclave theywere telling something new or something old as to the iniquitiesperpetrated at Trumpeton Wood.
On that evening before dinner Madame Goesler was told by herhostess that Phineas Finn was expected on the following day. Thecommunication was made quite as a matter of course; but Lady Chilternhad chosen a time in which the lights were shaded, and the room wasdark. Adelaide Palliser was present, as was also a certain LadyBaldock,--not that Lady Baldock who had abused all Papists to poorPhineas, but her son's wife. They were drinking tea together overthe fire, and the dim lights were removed from the circle. This, nodoubt, was simply an accident; but the gloom served Madame Goeslerduring one moment of embarrassment. "An old friend of yours is cominghere to-morrow," said Lady Chiltern.
"An old friend of mine! Shall I call my friend he or she?"
"You remember Mr. Finn?"
That was the moment in which Madame Goesler rejoiced that no strongglare of light fell upon her face. But she was a woman who would notlong leave herself subject to any such embarrassment. "Surely," shesaid, confining herself at first to the single word.
"He is coming here. He is a great friend of mine."
"He always was a good friend of yours, Lady Chiltern."
"And of yours, too, Madame Max. A sort of general friend, I think,was Mr. Finn in the old days. I hope you will be glad to see him."
"Oh, dear, yes."
"I thought him very nice," said Adelaide Palliser.
"I remember mamma saying, before she was mamma, you know," said LadyBaldock, "that Mr. Finn was very nice indeed, only he was a Papist,and only he had got no money, and only he would fall in love witheverybody. Does he go on falling in love with people, Violet?"
"Never with married women, my dear. He has had a wife himself sincethat, Madame Goesler, and the poor thing died."
"And now here he is beginning all over again," said Lady Baldock.
"And as pleasant as ever," said her cousin. "You know he has done allmanner of things for our family. He picked Oswald up once after oneof those terrible hunting accidents; and he saved Mr. Kennedy whenmen were murdering him."
"That was questionable kindness," said Lady Baldock.
"And he sat for Lord Brentford's borough."
"How good of him!" said Miss Palliser.
"And he has done all manner of things," said Lady Chiltern.
"Didn't he once fight a duel?" asked Madame Goesler.
"That was the grandest thing of all," said his friend, "for hedidn't shoot somebody whom perhaps he might have shot had he beenas bloodthirsty as somebody else. And now he has come back toParliament, and all that kind of thing, and he's coming here to hunt.I hope you'll be glad to see him, Madame Goesler."
"I shall be very glad to see him," said Madame Goesler, slowly; "Iheard about his success at that town, and I knew that I should meethim somewhere."