Sir Jasper Carew Part 48

"Not one, madam."

She whispered something here to the minister, who quickly said,--

"Certainly, if you wish it."

"Tell me, sir," said she, addressing me again, "who is this same Count de Gabriac, of whom mention is made here. Is he the person called Couvre-Tete in the circles of the Jacobins?"

"I never have heard him so called, madam."

"You know him at least to be of that party?"

"No, madam. The very little I do know of him personally would induce me to suppose the opposite."

She shook her head, and gave a faint supercilious smile, as though in total disbelief of my words.

"If you have read my memoir, madam," said I, hastily, "you will perceive how few have been the occasions of my meeting with the Count, and that, whatever his politics, I may be excused for not knowing them."

"You say that you went along with him to Paris?"

"Yes, madam, and never saw him afterwards."

"You have heard from him, however, and are, in fact, in correspondence with him?"

"No, madam, nothing of the kind."

As I said this, she threw the paper indignantly on the table, and walked away to the window. The minister followed her, and said something in a low whisper, to which she replied aloud,--

"Well, it's not my opinion. Time will tell which of us was more right."

"Tell me something of the condition of parties in France," said he, drawing his chair in front of mine. "Are the divisions as wide as heretofore?"

I will not go over the conversation that ensued, since I was myself the princ.i.p.al speaker. Enough if I say that I told him whatever I knew or had heard of the various subdivisions of party: of the decline of the terrorists, and the advent to power of men who, with equal determination and firmness, yet were resolute to uphold the laws and provide for the security of life and property. In the course of this I had to speak of the financial condition of the country; and in the few words that fell from me, came the glimpses of some of that teaching I had obtained from the Herr Robert.

"You appear to have devoted attention to these topics," said he, with a smile. "They are scarcely the subjects most attractive to youth. How came that to pa.s.s?"

"By an accident, sir, that made me acquainted with the son of one who, if not a great financier, was at least the most notorious one the world has ever seen,--Robert Law, of Lauriston." And at a sign from him to continue, I related the whole incident I referred to. He listened to me throughout with deep attention.

"These papers that you speak of," said he, interrupting, "would certainly be curious, if not actually valuable. They are still at the Rue Quincampoix?"

"I believe so, sir."

"Well, the day may come when they may be obtainable. Meanwhile, of this Count, this Monsieur de Gabriac,--for I want to hear more of him,--when did he arrive in England?"

"I did not know that he was here, sir."

He looked at me calmly, but with great intentness, as I said this; and then, as if satisfied with his scrutiny, drew a small case from his pocket, and, opening it, held it before me.

"Is this a portrait of the Count de Gabriac?"

"Yes, and a striking likeness," replied I, promptly.

"And you know his business in England, young man?" said the lady, turning suddenly from the window to address me.

"I do not, madam."

"Then I will tell you," said she.

"No, no, Hester," said the minister; "this is not necessary. You say that this is like him,--like enough to lead to his recognition; that is quite sufficient. Now, for yourself, Mr. Carew, for it is time I should speak of you. You have rendered a very considerable service to this Government, and I am ready to requite it. What are your own wishes in this respect?"

I bethought me for a moment what reply to make; but the more I considered, the more difficult became the reply. I might, by possibility, look too highly; or, by an equally probable error, I might place myself on too humble a level. He waited with courteous patience while this struggle lasted; and then, as if seeing all the force of my embarra.s.sment, he hastened to relieve it.

"My question was perhaps ill-judged," said he, kindly. "I should have remembered that your knowledge of this country and its habits is necessarily limited; and, consequently, that to choose a career in it must be difficult. If you will permit me, I will myself make the choice for you; meanwhile, and until the opportunity offer, I will employ you.

You speak foreign languages--at least, French and German--fluently.

Well, these are exactly the qualifications I desire to find at this moment."

He paused for a second or two, and then, as though abandoning some half-formed intention, he named a day for me to wait on him at his official residence, and dismissed me.

I have now come to a portion of my history of which I scruple to follow rigorously the details. I cannot speak of myself without introducing facts, and names, and events which became known to me, some in strict confidence, some under solemn pledges of secrecy, and some from the accident of my position. I have practised neither disguise nor mystery with my reader, nor do I desire to do so now. No false shame, as regards myself, would induce me to stoop to this. But as I glance over the notes and journals before me, as I read, at random, s.n.a.t.c.hes of the letters that litter my table, I half regret that I have been led into revelations which I must necessarily leave incomplete, or rashly involve myself in disclosures which I have no right to publish to the world.

So far as I can venture, however, I will dare to go. And to resume where I left off: From the time I saw the minister at Hounslow, I never beheld him again. A certain Mr. Addington--one of his secretaries, I believe--received me when I called, and was the means of intercourse between us. He was uniformly polite in his manner, but still cold and distant with me; treating me with courtesy, but strenuously declining all intimacy. For some weeks I continued to wait in expectancy of some employment. I sat my weary hours in the antechamber, and walked the lobbies with all the anxiety of a suitor; but to all appearance I was utterly forgotten, and the service I had rendered ignored. At last (it was about ten weeks after my interview), as I was proceeding one morning to my accustomed haunt,--hope had almost deserted me, and I persisted, more from habit than any prospect of success,--a servant, in the undress livery of one of the departments of state, met me in the street.

"Mr. Carew, I believe?" said he, touching his hat. "I have been over half the town this morning, sir, in search of you. You are wanted immediately, sir, at the Foreign Office."

How my heart jumped at the words! What a new spring of hope burst up within me! I questioned and cross-questioned the man, in the foolish expectation that he could tell me anything I desired to know; and in this eager pursuit of some clew to the future, I found myself ascending the stairs to Mr. Addington's office. No sooner had I appeared in the antechamber than I was ushered into the presence of the secretary. There were several persons--all strangers to me--present, who were conversing so eagerly together that my entrance was for some minutes unnoticed.

"Oh! here is Carew," said Mr. Addington, turning hastily from the rest.

"He can identify him at once."

A large elderly man, who I afterwards learned was a city magistrate, came up at this, and, regarding me steadily for a few seconds, said,--

"You are well acquainted with the person of a certain Count de Gabriac?"

"Yes, sir."

"And could swear to his ident.i.ty, if required?"

"I could."

How long I had known him, where, and under what circ.u.mstances, were also asked of me; and, finally, what s.p.a.ce of time had elapsed since I had last seen him.

While this inquiry was going forward, I was not unmindful of the remarks and observations around me, and, although apparently only occupied with my own examination, was shrewdly attending to every chance word that fell at either side of me. I collected quite enough from these to perceive that the Count was at that moment in England, and in custody under some very weighty charge; that the difficulty of identification was one of the obstacles to his committal; and that this was believed to be surmountable by my aid. Now, I never loved him, nor did he me; but yet I could not forget how every care of my infancy and childhood was owing to her who bore his name and shared his fortunes, and that for me to repay such kindness with an injury would have been the very blackest ingrat.i.tude.

These thoughts pa.s.sed rapidly through my mind, and as hastily I determined to act upon them. I asked Mr. Addington to give me a couple of minutes' audience in private, and he at once led me into an inner room. In scarcely more words than I have used here to mention the fact, I told him in what relationship I stood towards the Count, and how impossible it would be for me to use any knowledge I might possess, to his detriment.

"I don't think that you have much option in the matter, sir," was his cold reply. "You can be compelled to give the evidence in question, so that your very excellent scruples need in no wise be offended."

"Compelled to speak, sir!" cried I, in amazement.