CHAPTER XXXV
DORMITAT HOMERUS
If Julia's return in the middle of the night balked the curiosity ofsome who would fain have had her set down at the door that they mightenjoy her confusion as she passed through the portico, it had theadvantage, appreciated by others, of leaving room for conjecture. Beforebreakfast her return was known from, one end of the Castle Inn to theother; within half an hour a score had private information. Sir Georgehad brought her back, after marrying her at Salisbury. The attorney hadbrought her back, and both were in custody, charged with stealing SirGeorge's title-deeds. Mr. Thomasson had brought her back; he had weddedher at Calne, the reverend gentleman himself performing the ceremonywith a curtain-ring at a quarter before midnight, in the presence of twochambermaids, in a room hung with drab moreen. Sir George's servant hadbrought her back; he was the rogue in the play; it was Lady HarrietWentworth and footman Sturgeon over again. She had come back in aFlemish hat and a white cloth Joseph with black facings; she had comeback in her night-rail; she had come back in a tabby gauze, with a lacehead and lappets. Nor were there wanting other rumours, of anafter-dinner Wilkes-and-Lord-Sandwich flavour, which we refrain fromdetailing; but which the Castle Inn, after the mode of the eighteenthcentury, discussed with freedom in a mixed company.
Of all these reports and the excitement which they created in anassemblage weary of waiting on the great man's recovery and in straitsfor entertainment, the attorney knew nothing until he set forth to keepthe appointment in Lord Chatham's apartments; which, long the object ofdesire, now set his teeth on edge. Nor need he have learned much of themthen; for he had only to cross the lobby of the east wing, and was inview of the hall barely three seconds. But, unluckily, Lady Dunborough,cackling shrewishly with a kindred dowager, caught sight of him as hepassed; and in a trice her old limbs bore her in pursuit. Mr. Fishwickheard his name called, had the weakness to turn, and too late found thathe had fallen into the clutches of his ancient enemy.
The absence of her son's name from the current rumours had relieved theViscountess of her worst fears, and left her free to enjoy herself.Seeing his dismay, 'La, man! I am not going to eat you!' she cried; forthe lawyer, nervous and profoundly dispirited, really shrank before her.'So you have brought back your fine madam, I hear? And made an honestwoman of her!'
Mr. Fishwick glared at her, but did not answer.
'I knew what would come of pushing out of your place, my lad!' shecontinued, nodding complacently. 'It wasn't likely she'd behave herself.When the master is away the man will play, and the maid too. I mind meperfectly of the groom. A saucy fellow and a match for her; 'tis to behoped he'll beat some sense into her. Was she tied up at Calne?'
'No!' Mr. Fishwick blurted, wincing under her words; which hurt him ahundred times more sharply than if the girl had been what he had thoughther. Then he might have laughed at the sneer and the spite that dictatedit. Now--something like this all the world would say.
The Viscountess eyed him cunningly, her head on one side. 'Was it atSalisbury, then?' she cried. 'Wherever 'twas. I hear she had need ofhaste. Or was it at Bristol? D'you hear me speak to you, man?' shecontinued impatiently. 'Out with it.'
'At neither,' he cried.
My lady's eyes sparkled with rage. 'Hoity-toity!' she answered. 'D'yousay No to me in that fashion? I'll thank you to mend your manners,Fishwick, and remember to whom you are speaking. Hark ye, sirrah, is sheSir George's cousin or is she not?'
'She is not, my lady,' the attorney muttered miserably.
'But she is married?'
'No,' he said; and with that, unable to bear more, he turned to fly.
She caught him by the sleeve. 'Not married?' she cried, grinning withill-natured glee. 'Not married? And been of three days with a man! Lord,'tis a story as bald as Granby! She ought to be whipped, the hussy! Doyou hear? She ought to the Roundhouse, and you with her, sirrah, forpassing her of on us!'
But that was more than the attorney, his awe of the peeragenotwithstanding, could put up with. 'God forgive you!' he cried. 'Godforgive you, ma'am, your hard heart!'
She was astonished. 'You impudent fellow!' she exclaimed. 'What do youknow of God? And how dare you name Him in the same breath with me? D'youthink He'd have people of quality be Methodists and live as the like ofyou? God, indeed! Hang your impudence! I say, she should to theRoundhouse--and you, too, for a vagabond! And so you shall!'
The lawyer shook with rage. 'The less your ladyship talks of theRoundhouse,' he answered, his voice trembling, 'the better! There's oneis in it now who may go farther and fare worse--to your sorrow,my lady!'
You rogue!' she cried. 'Do you threaten me?'
'I threaten no one,' he answered. 'But your son, Mr. Dunborough, killeda man last night, and lies in custody at Chippenham at this very time! Isay no more, my lady!'
He had said enough. My lady glared; then began to shake in her turn. Yether spirit was not easily quelled; 'You lie!' she cried shrilly, thestick, with which she vainly strove to steady herself, rattling on thefloor.' Who dares to say that my son has killed a man?'
'It is known,' the attorney answered.
'Who--who is it?'
'Mr. Pomeroy of Bastwick, a gentleman living near Calne.'
'In a duel! 'Twas in a duel, you lying fool!' she retorted hoarsely.'You are trying to scare me! Say 'twas in a duel and I--I'llforgive you.'
'They shut themselves up in a room, and there were no seconds,' thelawyer answered, beginning to pity her. 'I believe that Mr. Pomeroy gavethe provocation, and that may bring your ladyship's son off. But, on theother hand--'
'On the other hand, what? What?' she muttered.
'Mr. Dunborough had horsewhipped a man that was in the other's company.'
'A man?'
'It was Mr. Thomasson.'
Her ladyship's hands went up. Perhaps she remembered that but for herthe tutor would not have been there. Then 'Sink you! I wish he hadflogged you all!' she shrieked, and, turning stiffly, she went mumblingand cursing down the stairs, the lace lappets of her head trembling,and her gold-headed cane now thumping the floor, now waving uncertainlyin the air.
* * * * *
A quarter of an hour earlier, in the apartments for which Mr. Fishwickwas bound when her ladyship intercepted him, two men stood talking at awindow. The room was the best in the Castle Inn--a lofty panelledchamber with a southern aspect looking upon the smooth sward andsweet-briar hedges of Lady Hertford's terrace, and commanding beyondthese a distant view of the wooded slopes of Savernake. The men spoke insubdued tones, and more than once looked towards the door of an adjacentroom, as if they feared to disturb some one.
'My dear Sir George,' the elder said, after he had listened patiently toa lengthy relation, in the course of which he took snuff a dozen times,'your mind is quite made up, I suppose?'
'Absolutely.'
'Well, it is a remarkable series of events; a--most remarkable series,'Dr. Addington answered with professional gravity. 'And certainly, if thelady is all you paint her--and she seems to set you young bloods onfire--no ending could well be more satisfactory. With the addition of acomfortable place in the Stamps or the Pipe Office, if we can take hislordship the right way--it should do. It should do handsomely. But',with a keen glance at his companion, 'even without that--you know thathe is still far from well?'
'I know that all the world is of one of two opinions,' Sir Georgeanswered, smiling. 'The first, that his lordship ails nothing savepolitically; the other, that he is at death's door and will not haveit known.'
The physician shrugged his shoulders contemptuously. 'Neither is true,'he said. 'The simple fact is, he has the gout; and the gout is an oddthing, Sir George, as you'll know one of these days,' with another sharpglance at his companion. 'It flies here and there, and everywhere.'
'And where is it now?' Soane asked innocently.
'It has gone to his head,' Addington answered, in a tone so studiouslyjejune that Sir George glanced at him. The doctor,
however, appearedunaware of the look, and merely continued: 'So, if he does not takethings quite as you wish, Sir George, you'll--but here hislordship comes!'
The doctor thought that he had sufficiently prepared Soane for a changein his patron's appearance. Nevertheless, the younger man was greatlyshocked when through the door, obsequiously opened--and held open whilea man might count fifty, so that eye and mind grew expectant--the greatstatesman, the People's Minister at length appeared. For the stoopingfigure that moved to a chair only by virtue of a servant's arm, andseemed the taller for its feebleness, for dragging legs and shrunken,frame and features sharpened by illness and darkened by the great perukeit was the Earl's fashion to wear, he was in a degree prepared. But forthe languid expression of the face that had been so eloquent, for thelacklustre eyes and the dulness of mind that noticed little and heededless, he was not prepared; and these were so marked and so unlike thegreat minister--
'A daring pilot in extremity Pleased with the danger when the waves went high'
--so unlike the man whose eagle gaze had fluttered Courts and imposedthe law on Senates, that it was only the presence of Lady Chatham, whofollowed her lord, a book and cushion in her hands, that repressed theexclamation which rose to Sir George's lips. So complete was the changeindeed that, as far as the Earl was concerned, he might have uttered it!His lordship, led to the head of the table, sank without a word into thechair placed for him, and propping his elbow on the table and his headon his hand, groaned aloud.
Lady Chatham compressed her lips with evident annoyance as she took herstand behind her husband's chair; it was plain from the glance she castat Soane that she resented the presence of a witness. Even Dr.Addington, with his professional _sang-froid_ and his knowledge of theinvalid's actual state, was put out of countenance for a moment. Then hesigned to Sir George to be silent, and to the servant to withdraw.
At last Lord Chatham spoke. 'This business?' he said in a hollow voiceand without uncovering his eyes, 'is it to be settled now?'
'If your lordship pleases,' the doctor answered in a subdued tone.
'Sir George Soane is there?'
'Yes.'
'Sir George,' the Earl said with an evident effort, 'I am sorry I cannotreceive you better.'
'My lord, as it is I am deeply indebted to your kindness.'
'Dagge finds no flaw in their case,' Lord Chatham continuedapathetically. 'Her ladyship has read his report to me. If Sir Georgelikes to contest the claim, it is his right.'
'I do not propose to do so.'
Sir George had not this time subdued his voice to the doctor's pitch;and the Earl, whose nerves seemed alive to the slightest sound, wincedvisibly. 'That is your affair,' he answered querulously. 'At any ratethe trustees do not propose to do so.'
Sir George, speaking with more caution, replied that he acquiesced; andthen for a few seconds there was silence in the room, his lordshipcontinuing to sit in the same attitude of profound melancholy, and theothers to look at him with compassion, which they vainly strove todissemble. At last, in a voice little above a whisper, the Earl asked ifthe man was there.
'He waits your lordship's pleasure,' Dr. Addington answered. 'But beforehe is admitted,' the physician continued diffidently and with a manifesteffort, 'may I say a word, my lord, as to the position in which thisplaces Sir George Soane?'
'I was told this morning,' Lord Chatham answered, in the same muffledtone, 'that a match had been arranged between the parties, and thatthings would remain as they were. It seemed to me, sir, a prudentarrangement.'
Sir George was about to answer, but Dr. Addington made a sign to him tobe silent. 'That is so,' the physician replied smoothly. 'But yourlordship is versed in Sir George Soane's affairs, and knows that he mustnow go to his wife almost empty-handed. In these circumstances it hasoccurred rather to his friends than to himself, and indeed I speakagainst his will and by sufferance only, that--that, in a word,my lord--'
Lord Chatham lowered his hand as Dr. Addington paused. A faint flushdarkened his lean aquiline features, set a moment before in the mould ofhopeless depression. 'What?' he said. And he raised himself sharply inhis chair. 'What has occurred to his friends?'
'That some provision might be made for him, my lord.'
'From the public purse?' the Earl cried in a startling tone. 'Is thatyour meaning, sir?' And, with the look in his eyes which had been moredreaded by the Rigbys and Dodingtons of his party than the mostscathing rebuke from the lips of another, he fixed the unlucky doctorwhere he stood. 'Is that your proposal, sir?' he repeated.
The physician saw too late that he had ventured farther than hisinterest would support him; and he quailed. On the other hand, it ispossible he had been neither so confident before, nor was so entirelycrushed now, as appeared. 'Well, my lord, it did occur to me,' hestammered, 'as not inconsistent with the public welfare.'
'The public welfare!' the minister cried in biting accents. 'The publicplunder, sir, you mean! It were not inconsistent with that to quarter onthe nation as many ruined gentlemen as you please! But you mistake ifyou bring the business to me to do--you mistake. I have dispersedthirteen millions of His Majesty's money in a year, and would have spentas much again and as much to that, had the affairs of this nationrequired it; but the gentleman is wrong if he thinks it has gone to myfriends. My hands are clean,' his lordship continued with an expressivegesture. 'I have said, in another place, none of it sticks to them._Virtute me involvo_!' And then, in a lower tone, but still with a noteof austerity in his voice, M rejoice to think,' he continued, 'that thegentleman was not himself the author of this application. I rejoice tothink that it did not come from him. These things have been done freely;it concerns me not to deny it; but since I had to do with His Majesty'sexchequer, less freely. And that only concerns me!'
Sir George Soane bit his lip. He felt keenly the humiliation of hisposition. But it was so evident that the Earl was not himself--soevident that the tirade to which he had just listened was one of thoseoutbursts, noble in sentiment, but verging on the impracticable and theostentatious, in which Lord Chatham was prone to indulge in his weakermoments, that he felt little inclination to resent it. Yet to let itpass unnoticed was impossible.
'My lord,' he said firmly, but with respect, 'it is permitted to all tomake an application which the custom of the time has sanctioned. That isthe extent of my action--at the highest. The propriety of granting suchrequests is another matter and rests with your lordship. I have nothingto do with that.'
The Earl appeared to be as easily disarmed as he had been lightlyaroused. 'Good lad! good lad!' he muttered. 'Addington is a fool!' Thendrowsily, as his head sunk on his hand again, 'The man may enter. I willtell him!'
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