The Way We Live Now

by Anthony Trollope

  CHAPTER XXXVII.

  THE BOARD-ROOM.

  On Friday, the 21st June, the Board of the South Central Pacificand Mexican Railway sat in its own room behind the Exchange, as wasthe Board's custom every Friday. On this occasion all the memberswere there, as it had been understood that the chairman was to makea special statement. There was the great chairman as a matter ofcourse. In the midst of his numerous and immense concerns he neverthrew over the railway, or delegated to other less experienced handsthose cares which the commercial world had intrusted to his own. LordAlfred was there, with Mr. Cohenlupe, the Hebrew gentleman, and PaulMontague, and Lord Nidderdale,--and even Sir Felix Carbury. Sir Felixhad come, being very anxious to buy and sell, and not as yet havinghad an opportunity of realising his golden hopes, although he hadactually paid a thousand pounds in hard money into Mr. Melmotte'shands. The secretary, Mr. Miles Grendall, was also present as amatter of course. The Board always met at three, and had generallybeen dissolved at a quarter past three. Lord Alfred and Mr. Cohenlupesat at the chairman's right and left hand. Paul Montague generallysat immediately below, with Miles Grendall opposite to him;--but onthis occasion the young lord and the young baronet took the nextplaces. It was a nice little family party, the great chairman withhis two aspiring sons-in-law, his two particular friends,--the socialfriend, Lord Alfred, and the commercial friend Mr. Cohenlupe,--andMiles, who was Lord Alfred's son. It would have been completein its friendliness, but for Paul Montague, who had lately madehimself disagreeable to Mr. Melmotte;--and most ungratefully so, forcertainly no one had been allowed so free a use of the shares as theyounger member of the house of Fisker, Montague, and Montague.

  The Board-room.]

  It was understood that Mr. Melmotte was to make a statement. LordNidderdale and Sir Felix had conceived that this was to be done asit were out of the great man's own heart, of his own wish, so thatsomething of the condition of the company might be made known to thedirectors of the company. But this was not perhaps exactly the truth.Paul Montague had insisted on giving vent to certain doubts at thelast meeting but one, and, having made himself very disagreeableindeed, had forced this trouble on the great chairman. On theintermediate Friday the chairman had made himself very unpleasant toPaul, and this had seemed to be an effort on his part to frightenthe inimical director out of his opposition, so that the promise ofa statement need not be fulfilled. What nuisance can be so great toa man busied with immense affairs, as to have to explain,--or toattempt to explain,--small details to men incapable of understandingthem? But Montague had stood to his guns. He had not intended, hesaid, to dispute the commercial success of the company. But he feltvery strongly, and he thought that his brother directors should feelas strongly, that it was necessary that they should know more thanthey did know. Lord Alfred had declared that he did not in the leastagree with his brother director. "If anybody don't understand, it'shis own fault," said Mr. Cohenlupe. But Paul would not give way, andit was understood that Mr. Melmotte would make a statement.

  The "Boards" were always commenced by the reading of a certain recordof the last meeting out of a book. This was always done by MilesGrendall; and the record was supposed to have been written by him.But Montague had discovered that this statement in the book wasalways prepared and written by a satellite of Melmotte's fromAbchurch Lane who was never present at the meeting. The adversedirector had spoken to the secretary,--it will be remembered thatthey were both members of the Beargarden,--and Miles had given asomewhat evasive reply. "A cussed deal of trouble and all that, youknow! He's used to it, and it's what he's meant for. I'm not goingto flurry myself about stuff of that kind." Montague after this hadspoken on the subject both to Nidderdale and Felix Carbury. "Hecouldn't do it, if it was ever so," Nidderdale had said. "I don'tthink I'd bully him if I were you. He gets L500 a-year, and if youknew all he owes, and all he hasn't got, you wouldn't try to rob himof it." With Felix Carbury Montague had as little success. Sir Felixhated the secretary, had detected him cheating at cards, had resolvedto expose him,--and had then been afraid to do so. He had told DollyLongestaffe, and the reader will perhaps remember with what effect.He had not mentioned the affair again, and had gradually fallen backinto the habit of playing at the club. Loo, however, had given way towhist, and Sir Felix had satisfied himself with the change. He stillmeditated some dreadful punishment for Miles Grendall, but, in themeantime, felt himself unable to oppose him at the Board. Since theday at which the aces had been manipulated at the club he had notspoken to Miles Grendall except in reference to the affairs of thewhist-table. The "Board" was now commenced as usual. Miles read theshort record out of the book,--stumbling over every other word, andgoing through the performance so badly that had there been anythingto understand no one could have understood it. "Gentlemen," saidMr. Melmotte, in his usual hurried way, "is it your pleasure that Ishall sign the record?" Paul Montague rose to say that it was not hispleasure that the record should be signed. But Melmotte had made hisscrawl, and was deep in conversation with Mr. Cohenlupe before Paulcould get upon his legs.

  Melmotte, however, had watched the little struggle. Melmotte,whatever might be his faults, had eyes to see and ears to hear. Heperceived that Montague had made a little struggle and had beencowed; and he knew how hard it is for one man to persevere againstfive or six, and for a young man to persevere against his elders.Nidderdale was filliping bits of paper across the table at Carbury.Miles Grendall was poring over the book which was in his charge.Lord Alfred sat back in his chair, the picture of a model director,with his right hand within his waistcoat. He looked aristocratic,respectable, and almost commercial. In that room he never by anychance opened his mouth, except when called on to say that Mr.Melmotte was right, and was considered by the chairman really toearn his money. Melmotte for a minute or two went on conversing withCohenlupe, having perceived that Montague for the moment was cowed.Then Paul put both his hands upon the table, intending to rise andask some perplexing question. Melmotte saw this also and was uponhis legs before Montague had risen from his chair. "Gentlemen," saidMr. Melmotte, "it may perhaps be as well if I take this occasion ofsaying a few words to you about the affairs of the company." Then,instead of going on with his statement, he sat down again, and beganto turn over sundry voluminous papers very slowly, whispering a wordor two every now and then to Mr. Cohenlupe. Lord Alfred never changedhis posture and never took his hand from his breast. Nidderdale andCarbury filliped their paper pellets backwards and forwards. Montaguesat profoundly listening,--or ready to listen when anything shouldbe said. As the chairman had risen from his chair to commence hisstatement, Paul felt that he was bound to be silent. When a speakeris in possession of the floor, he is in possession even though he besomewhat dilatory in looking to his references, and whispering tohis neighbour. And, when that speaker is a chairman, of course someadditional latitude must be allowed to him. Montague understood this,and sat silent. It seemed that Melmotte had much to say to Cohenlupe,and Cohenlupe much to say to Melmotte. Since Cohenlupe had sat at theBoard he had never before developed such powers of conversation.

  Nidderdale didn't quite understand it. He had been there twentyminutes, was tired of his present amusement, having been unable tohit Carbury on the nose, and suddenly remembered that the Beargardenwould now be open. He was no respecter of persons, and had got overany little feeling of awe with which the big table and the solemnityof the room may have first inspired him. "I suppose that's aboutall," he said, looking up at Melmotte.

  "Well;--perhaps as your lordship is in a hurry, and as my lord hereis engaged elsewhere,"--turning round to Lord Alfred, who had notuttered a syllable or made a sign since he had been in his seat,--"wehad better adjourn this meeting for another week."

  "I cannot allow that," said Paul Montague.

  "I suppose then we must take the sense of the Board," said theChairman.

  "I have been discussing certain circumstances with our friend andChairman," said Cohenlupe, "and I must say that it is not expedientjust at present to g
o into matters too freely."

  "My lords and gentlemen," said Melmotte. "I hope that you trust me."

  Lord Alfred bowed down to the table and muttered something which wasintended to convey most absolute confidence. "Hear, hear," said Mr.Cohenlupe. "All right," said Lord Nidderdale; "go on;" and he firedanother pellet with improved success.

  "I trust," said the Chairman, "that my young friend, Sir Felix,doubts neither my discretion nor my ability."

  "Oh dear, no;--not at all," said the baronet, much flattered at beingaddressed in this kindly tone. He had come there with objects of hisown, and was quite prepared to support the Chairman on any matterwhatever.

  "My Lords and Gentlemen," continued Melmotte, "I am delighted toreceive this expression of your confidence. If I know anything in theworld I know something of commercial matters. I am able to tell youthat we are prospering. I do not know that greater prosperity hasever been achieved in a shorter time by a commercial company. I thinkour friend here, Mr. Montague, should be as feelingly aware of thatas any gentleman."

  "What do you mean by that, Mr. Melmotte?" asked Paul.

  "What do I mean?--Certainly nothing adverse to your character, sir.Your firm in San Francisco, sir, know very well how the affairs ofthe Company are being transacted on this side of the water. No doubtyou are in correspondence with Mr. Fisker. Ask him. The telegraphwires are open to you, sir. But, my Lords and Gentlemen, I am ableto inform you that in affairs of this nature great discretion isnecessary. On behalf of the shareholders at large whose interestsare in our hands, I think it expedient that any general statementshould be postponed for a short time, and I flatter myself that inthat opinion I shall carry the majority of this Board with me." Mr.Melmotte did not make his speech very fluently; but, being accustomedto the place which he occupied, he did manage to get the words spokenin such a way as to make them intelligible to the company. "I nowmove that this meeting be adjourned to this day week," he added.

  "I second that motion," said Lord Alfred, without moving his handfrom his breast.

  "I understood that we were to have a statement," said Montague.

  "You've had a statement," said Mr. Cohenlupe.

  "I will put my motion to the vote," said the Chairman.

  "I shall move an amendment," said Paul, determined that he would notbe altogether silenced.

  "There is nobody to second it," said Mr. Cohenlupe.

  "How do you know till I've made it?" asked the rebel. "I shall askLord Nidderdale to second it, and when he has heard it I think thathe will not refuse."

  "Oh, gracious me! why me? No;--don't ask me. I've got to go away. Ihave indeed."

  "At any rate I claim the right of saying a few words. I do not saywhether every affair of this Company should or should not bepublished to the world."

  "You'd break up everything if you did," said Cohenlupe.

  "Perhaps everything ought to be broken up. But I say nothing aboutthat. What I do say is this. That as we sit here as directors andwill be held to be responsible as such by the public, we ought toknow what is being done. We ought to know where the shares reallyare. I for one do not even know what scrip has been issued."

  "You've bought and sold enough to know something about it," saidMelmotte.

  Paul Montague became very red in the face. "I, at any rate, began,"he said, "by putting what was to me a large sum of money into theaffair."

  "That's more than I know," said Melmotte. "Whatever shares you have,were issued at San Francisco, and not here."

  "I have taken nothing that I haven't paid for," said Montague. "Norhave I yet had allotted to me anything like the number of shareswhich my capital would represent. But I did not intend to speak of myown concerns."

  "It looks very like it," said Cohenlupe.

  "So far from it that I am prepared to risk the not improbable loss ofeverything I have in the world. I am determined to know what is beingdone with the shares, or to make it public to the world at largethat I, one of the directors of the Company, do not in truth knowanything about it. I cannot, I suppose, absolve myself from furtherresponsibility; but I can at any rate do what is right from this timeforward,--and that course I intend to take."

  "The gentleman had better resign his seat at this Board," saidMelmotte. "There will be no difficulty about that."

  "Bound up as I am with Fisker and Montague in California I fear thatthere will be difficulty."

  "Not in the least," continued the Chairman. "You need only gazetteyour resignation and the thing is done. I had intended, gentlemen, topropose an addition to our number. When I name to you a gentleman,personally known to many of you, and generally esteemed throughoutEngland as a man of business, as a man of probity, and as a man offortune, a man standing deservedly high in all British circles, Imean Mr. Longestaffe of Caversham--"

  "Young Dolly, or old?" asked Lord Nidderdale.

  "I mean Mr. Adolphus Longestaffe, senior, of Caversham. I am surethat you will all be glad to welcome him among you. I had thoughtto strengthen our number by this addition. But if Mr. Montagueis determined to leave us,--and no one will regret the loss ofhis services so much as I shall,--it will be my pleasing duty tomove that Adolphus Longestaffe, senior, Esquire, of Caversham, berequested to take his place. If on reconsideration Mr. Montague shalldetermine to remain with us,--and I for one most sincerely hope thatsuch reconsideration may lead to such determination,--then I shallmove that an additional director be added to our number, and thatMr. Longestaffe be requested to take the chair of that additionaldirector." The latter speech Mr. Melmotte got through very glibly,and then immediately left the chair, so as to show that the businessof the Board was closed for that day without any possibility ofreopening it.

  Paul went up to him and took him by the sleeve, signifying that hewished to speak to him before they parted. "Certainly," said thegreat man bowing. "Carbury," he said, looking round on the youngbaronet with his blandest smile, "if you are not in a hurry, wait amoment for me. I have a word or two to say before you go. Now, Mr.Montague, what can I do for you?" Paul began his story, expressingagain the opinion which he had already very plainly expressed at thetable. But Melmotte stopped him very shortly, and with much lesscourtesy than he had shown in the speech which he had made from thechair. "The thing is about this way, I take it, Mr. Montague;--youthink you know more of this matter than I do."

  "Not at all, Mr. Melmotte."

  "And I think that I know more of it than you do. Either of us maybe right. But as I don't intend to give way to you, perhaps theless we speak together about it the better. You can't be in earnestin the threat you made, because you would be making public thingscommunicated to you under the seal of privacy,--and no gentlemanwould do that. But as long as you are hostile to me, I can't helpyou;--and so good afternoon." Then, without giving Montague thepossibility of a reply, he escaped into an inner room which had theword "Private" painted on the door, and which was supposed to belongto the chairman individually. He shut the door behind him, and then,after a few moments, put out his head and beckoned to Sir FelixCarbury. Nidderdale was gone. Lord Alfred with his son were alreadyon the stairs. Cohenlupe was engaged with Melmotte's clerk on therecord-book. Paul Montague finding himself without support and alone,slowly made his way out into the court.

  Sir Felix had come into the city intending to suggest to the Chairmanthat having paid his thousand pounds he should like to have a fewshares to go on with. He was, indeed, at the present moment verynearly penniless, and had negotiated, or lost at cards, all theI.O.U.'s which were in any degree serviceable. He still had apocket-book full of those issued by Miles Grendall; but it was now anunderstood thing at the Beargarden that no one was to be called uponto take them except Miles Grendall himself;--an arrangement whichrobbed the card-table of much of its delight. Beyond this, also, hehad lately been forced to issue a little paper himself,--in doingwhich he had talked largely of his shares in the railway. His casecertainly was hard. He had actually paid a thousand pounds down inhard cash, a commercial transa
ction which, as performed by himself,he regarded as stupendous. It was almost incredible to himself thathe should have paid any one a thousand pounds, but he had done itwith much difficulty,--having carried Dolly junior with him all theway into the city,--in the belief that he would thus put himself inthe way of making a continual and unfailing income. He understoodthat as a director he would be always entitled to buy shares at par,and, as a matter of course, always able to sell them at the marketprice. This he understood to range from ten to fifteen and twenty percent. profit. He would have nothing to do but to buy and sell daily.He was told that Lord Alfred was allowed to do it to a small extent;and that Melmotte was doing it to an enormous extent. But before hecould do it he must get something,--he hardly knew what,--out ofMelmotte's hands. Melmotte certainly did not seem disposed to shunhim, and therefore there could be no difficulty about the shares. Asto danger;--who could think of danger in reference to money intrustedto the hands of Augustus Melmotte?

  "I am delighted to see you here," said Melmotte, shaking himcordially by the hand. "You come regularly, and you'll find that itwill be worth your while. There's nothing like attending to business.You should be here every Friday."

  "I will," said the baronet.

  "And let me see you sometimes up at my place in Abchurch Lane. I canput you more in the way of understanding things there than I canhere. This is all a mere formal sort of thing. You can see that."

  "Oh yes, I see that."

  "We are obliged to have this kind of thing for men like that fellowMontague. By-the-bye, is he a friend of yours?"

  "Not particularly. He is a friend of a cousin of mine; and the womenknow him at home. He isn't a pal of mine if you mean that."

  "If he makes himself disagreeable, he'll have to go to thewall;--that's all. But never mind him at present. Was your motherspeaking to you of what I said to her?"

  "No, Mr. Melmotte," said Sir Felix, staring with all his eyes.

  "I was talking to her about you, and I thought that perhaps she mighthave told you. This is all nonsense, you know, about you and Marie."Sir Felix looked into the man's face. It was not savage, as he hadseen it. But there had suddenly come upon his brow that heavy lookof a determined purpose which all who knew the man were wont to mark.Sir Felix had observed it a few minutes since in the Board-room,when the chairman was putting down the rebellious director. "Youunderstand that; don't you?" Sir Felix still looked at him, but madeno reply. "It's all d---- nonsense. You haven't got a brass farthing,you know. You've no income at all; you're just living on your mother,and I'm afraid she's not very well off. How can you suppose that Ishall give my girl to you?" Felix still looked at him but did notdare to contradict a single statement made. Yet when the man toldhim that he had not a brass farthing he thought of his own thousandpounds which were now in the man's pocket. "You're a baronet, andthat's about all, you know," continued Melmotte. "The Carburyproperty, which is a very small thing, belongs to a distant cousinwho may leave it to me if he pleases;--and who isn't very much olderthan you are yourself."

  "Oh, come, Mr. Melmotte; he's a great deal older than me."

  "It wouldn't matter if he were as old as Adam. The thing is out ofthe question, and you must drop it." Then the look on his brow becamea little heavier. "You hear what I say. She is going to marry LordNidderdale. She was engaged to him before you ever saw her. What doyou expect to get by it?"

  Sir Felix had not the courage to say that he expected to get the girlhe loved. But as the man waited for an answer he was obliged to saysomething. "I suppose it's the old story," he said.

  "Just so;--the old story. You want my money, and she wants you, justbecause she has been told to take somebody else. You want somethingto live on;--that's what you want. Come;--out with it. Is not thatit? When we understand each other I'll put you in the way of makingmoney."

  "Of course I'm not very well off," said Felix.

  "About as badly as any young man that I can hear of. You give me yourwritten promise that you'll drop this affair with Marie, and youshan't want for money."

  "A written promise!"

  "Yes;--a written promise. I give nothing for nothing. I'll put you inthe way of doing so well with these shares that you shall be able tomarry any other girl you please;--or to live without marrying, whichyou'll find to be better."

  There was something worthy of consideration in Mr. Melmotte'sproposition. Marriage of itself, simply as a domestic institution,had not specially recommended itself to Sir Felix Carbury. A fewhorses at Leighton, Ruby Ruggles or any other beauty, and life at theBeargarden were much more to his taste. And then he was quite aliveto the fact that it was possible that he might find himself possessedof the wife without the money. Marie, indeed, had a grand plan of herown, with reference to that settled income; but then Marie might bemistaken,--or she might be lying. If he were sure of making money inthe way Melmotte now suggested, the loss of Marie would not breakhis heart. But then also Melmotte might be--lying. "By-the-bye, Mr.Melmotte," said he, "could you let me have those shares?"

  "What shares?" And the heavy brow became still heavier.

  "Don't you know?--I gave you a thousand pounds, and I was to have tenshares."

  "You must come about that on the proper day, to the proper place."

  "When is the proper day?"

  "It is the twentieth of each month I think." Sir Felix looked veryblank at hearing this, knowing that this present was the twenty-firstof the month. "But what does that signify? Do you want a littlemoney?"

  "Well, I do," said Sir Felix. "A lot of fellows owe me money, butit's so hard to get it."

  "That tells a story of gambling," said Mr. Melmotte. "You think I'dgive my girl to a gambler?"

  "Nidderdale's in it quite as thick as I am."

  "Nidderdale has a settled property which neither he nor his fathercan destroy. But don't you be such a fool as to argue with me. Youwon't get anything by it. If you'll write that letter here now--"

  "What;--to Marie?"

  "No;--not to Marie at all; but to me. It need never be shown to her.If you'll do that I'll stick to you and make a man of you. And if youwant a couple of hundred pounds I'll give you a cheque for it beforeyou leave the room. Mind, I can tell you this. On my word of honouras a gentleman, if my daughter were to marry you, she'd never have asingle shilling. I should immediately make a will and leave all myproperty to St. George's Hospital. I have quite made up my mind aboutthat."

  "And couldn't you manage that I should have the shares before thetwentieth of next month?"

  "I'll see about it. Perhaps I could let you have a few of my own. Atany rate I won't see you short of money."

  The terms were enticing and the letter was of course written.Melmotte himself dictated the words, which were not romantic in theirnature. The reader shall see the letter.

  DEAR SIR,

  In consideration of the offers made by you to me, and on a clear understanding that such a marriage would be disagreeable to you and to the lady's mother, and would bring down a father's curse upon your daughter, I hereby declare and promise that I will not renew my suit to the young lady, which I hereby altogether renounce.

  I am, Dear Sir, Your obedient Servant,

  FELIX CARBURY.

  AUGUSTUS MELMOTTE, Esq., --, Grosvenor Square.

  The letter was dated 21st July, and bore the printed address of theoffices of the South Central Pacific and Mexican Railway.

  "You'll give me that cheque for L200, Mr. Melmotte?" The financierhesitated for a moment, but did give the baronet the cheque aspromised. "And you'll see about letting me have those shares?"

  "You can come to me in Abchurch Lane, you know." Sir Felix said thathe would call in Abchurch Lane.

  As he went westward towards the Beargarden, the baronet was not happyin his mind. Ignorant as he was as to the duties of a gentleman,indifferent as he was to the feelings of others, still he feltashamed of himself. He was treating the girl very badly. Even he knewthat he was behaving badly. He was
so conscious of it that he triedto console himself by reflecting that his writing such a letter asthat would not prevent his running away with the girl, should he, onconsideration, find it to be worth his while to do so.

  That night he was again playing at the Beargarden, and he lost agreat part of Mr. Melmotte's money. He did in fact lose much morethan the L200; but when he found his ready money going from him heissued paper.