The Knight Of Gwynne Volume II Part 34

"Allied with deep knowledge of men and motives, my Lord," said Heffernan, catching up the sentence, "a practical acquaintance with the world in its widest sense; that cultivated keenness that smacks of reading intentions before they are avowed, and divining plans before they are more than conceived. These solid gifts are all essential to the man who would influence society, whether in a social circle or in the larger sphere of active life."

"Ah! but we were talking of merely social qualities," said Lord Castlereagh, stealing a cautious look of half malice, "the wit that sets the table in a roar."

"And which, like lightning, my Lord, must now and then prove dangerous, or men will cease to be dazzled by its brilliancy. Now, I rather incline to think that the Knight's pleasantry is like some of the claret we were drinking to-day, a little spoiled by age."

"I protest strongly against the judgment," said Lord Castlereagh, with energy; "the man who at his time of life consents to resume the toils and dangers of a soldier's career must not be accused of growing old."

"Perhaps your Lordship would rather shift the charge of senility against the Government which appoints such an officer," said Heffernan, maliciously.

"As to that," said Lord Castlereagh, laughingly, "I believe the whole thing was a mistake. Some jealous but indiscreet friend of Darcy's made an application in his behalf, and without his cognizance, pressing the claim of an old and meritorious officer, and directly asking for a rest.i.tution to his grade. This was backed by Lord Netherby, one of the lords in waiting, and without much inquiry--indeed, I fancy without any--he was named colonel, in exchange from the unattached list. The Knight was evidently flattered by so signal a mark of favor, and, if I read him aright, would not change his command for a brigade at home. In fact, he has already declined prospects not less certain of success."

"And is this really the mode in which officers are selected for an enterprise of hazard and importance?" said Heffernan, affecting a tone of startled indignation as he spoke.

"Upon my word, Heffernan," said Lord Castlereagh, subduing the rising tendency to laugh outright, "I fear it is too true. We live in days of backstairs and court favor. I saw an application for the office of Under Secretary for Ireland, so late as yesterday--"

"You did, my Lord!" interrupted Heffernan, with more warmth than he almost ever permitted himself to feel. "You did, from a man who has rendered more unrewarded services to the Government than any individual in the kingdom."

"The claim was a very suitable one," said Lord Castle-reagh, mildly.

"The gentleman who preferred it could point to a long list of successful operations, whose conduct rested mainly or solely on his own consummate skill and address; he could even allege the vast benefit of his advice to young and not over-informed Chief Secretaries---"

"I would beg to observe, my Lord---"

"Pray allow me to continue," said Lord Castlereagh, laying his hand gently on the other's arm. "As one of that helpless cla.s.s so feelingly alluded to, I am ready to evince the deepest sense of grateful acknowledgments. It may be that I would rather have been mentioned more flatteringly; that the applicant had spoken of me as an apter and more promising scholar---"

"My Lord, I must and will interrupt you. The memorial, which was presented in my name, was sent forward under the solemn pledge that it should meet the eyes of Mr. Pitt alone; that whether its prayer was declined or accorded, none, save himself, should have cognizance of it. If, after this, it was submitted to your Lordship's critical examination, I leave it to your good taste and your sense of decorum how far you can avow or make use of the knowledge so obtained."

"I was no party in the compact you allege, nor. I dare to say, was Mr.

Pitt," said Lord Castlereagh, proudly; but, momentarily resuming his former tone, he went on: "The Prime Minister, doubtless, knew how valuable the lesson might be to a young man entering on public life which should teach him not to lay too much store by his own powers of acuteness, not to trust too implicitly to his own qualities of shrewdness and perception; and that, by well reflecting on the aid he received from others, he might see how little the subtraction would leave for his own peculiar amount of skill. In this way I have to acknowledge myself greatly Mr. Heffernan's debtor, since, without the aid of this doc.u.ment, I should never have recognized how ignorant I was of every party and every public man in Ireland; how dependent on his good guidance; how I never failed save in rejecting, never succeeded save in profiting by his wise and politic counsels."

"Is your Lordship prepared to deny these a.s.sertions?" said Heffernan, with an imperturbable coolness.

"Am I not avowing my grateful sense of them?" said Lord Castlereagh, smiling blandly. "I feel only the more deeply your debtor, because, till now, I never knew the debt,--both princ.i.p.al and interest must be paid together; but seriously, Heffernan, if you wanted office, was I not the proper channel to have used in asking for it? Why disparage your pupil while extolling your system?"

"You did my system but little credit, my Lord," replied Heffernan, with an accent as unmoved as before; "you bought votes when you should have bought the voters themselves; you deemed the Bill of Union the consummation of Irish policy,--it is only the first act of the piece.

You were not the first general who thought he beat the enemy when he drove in the pickets."

"Would my tactics have been better had I made one of my spies a major-general, Mr. Heffernan?" said Lord Castlereagh, sneeringly.

"Safer, my lord,--far safer," said Heffernan, "for he might not have exposed you afterwards. But I think this is my hotel; and I must say it is the first time in my life that I have closed an interview with your Lordship without regret."

"Am I to hope it will be the last?" said Lord Castle-reagh, laughing.

"The last interview, my Lord, or the last occasion of regretting its shortness?" said Heffernan, with a slight anxiety of voice.

"Whichever Mr. Heffernan opines most to his advantage," was the cool reply.

"The former, with your permission, my Lord," said Heffernan, as a flush suffused his cheek. "I wish your Lordship a very good night."

"Good-night, good-night! Stay, Thomas, Mr. Heffernan has forgotten his gloves."

"Thanks, my Lord; they were not left as a gage of battle, I a.s.sure you."

"I feel certain of it," said Lord Castlereagh, laughing. "Good-night, once more."

The carriage rolled on, and Mr. Heffernan stood for an instant gazing after it through the gloom.

"I might have known it," muttered he to himself; "these lords are the only people who do stick to each other nowadays." Then, after a pause, he added, "Drogheda is right, by Jove! there 's no playing against 'four by honors.'"

And with this reflection he slowly entered the hotel, and repaired to his chamber.

CHAPTER XXI. A BIT OF B Y-P L A Y.

Reverses of fortune might be far more easily supported, if they did not entail, as their inevitable consequence, the a.s.sociation with those all of whose tastes, habits, and opinions run in a new and different channel. It is a terrible aggravation to the loss of those comforts which habit has rendered necessaries, to unlearn the usages of a certain condition, and adopt those of a cla.s.s beneath us,--or, what is still worse, engage in the daily, hourly conflict between our means and our requirements.

Perhaps Lady Eleanor Darcy and her daughter never really felt the meaning of their changed condition, nor understood its poignancy, till they saw themselves as residents of Mrs. Fumbally's boarding-house, whither Mr. Dempsey's polite attentions had conducted them. It was to no want of respect on that lady's part that any portion of this feeling could be traced. "The Panther" had really behaved with the most dignified consideration; and while her new guests were presented as Mrs. and Miss Gwynne, intimated, by a hundred little adroit devices of manner, that their real rank and t.i.tle were regarded by her as inviolable secrets,--not the less likely to be respected that she was herself ignorant of both. Heaven knows what secret anguish the retention of these facts cost poor Paul! secrecy being with him a quality something like Acres' courage, which "oozed out of his fingers' ends."

Mr. Dempsey hated those miserly souls that can treasure up a fact for their own personal enjoyment, and yet never invite a neighbor to partake of it; and it was a very inefficient consolation to him, in this instance, to throw a mysterious cloak over the strangers, and, by an air of profound consciousness, seek to impose on the other boarders. He made less scruple about what he deemed his own share of the mystery; and scarcely had Mrs. Fumbally performed the honors of the two small chambers destined for Lady Eleanor and Helen, than Paul followed her to the little apartment familiarly termed her "den," and shutting the door, with an appearance of deep caution, took his place opposite to her at the fire.

"Well, Mr. Dempsey," said Mrs. Fumbally, "now that all is done and settled,--now that I have taken these ladies into the 'Establishment,'"--a very favorite designation of Mrs. Fum's when she meant to be imposing,--"I hope I am not unreasonable iu expecting a full and complete account from you of who they are, whence they came, and, in fact, every particular necessary to satisfy me concerning them."

"Mrs. Gwynne! Miss Gwynne! mother and daughter--Captain Gwynne, the father, on the recruiting staff in the Isle of Skye, or, if you like it better, with his regiment at St. John's. Mrs. G------, a Miss Rickaby, one of the Rickabys of Pwhlmdlwmm, North Wales--ancient family--small estate--all spent--obliged to live retired--till--till--no matter what--a son comes of age--to sign something--or anything that way--"

"This is all fiddle-faddle, Mr. Dempsey," said Mrs. Fum, with an expression that seemed to say, "Take care how you trifle with me."

"To be sure it is," rejoined Paul; "all lies, every word of it. What do you say, then, if we have her the Widow Gwynne--husband shot at Bergen-op-Zoom--"

"I say, Mr. Dempsey, that if you wish me to keep your secret before the other boarders--"

"The best way is never to tell it to you--eh, Mrs. Fum? Well, come, I will be open. Name, Gwynne--place of abode unknown--family ditto--means supposed to be ample--daughter charming--so very much so, indeed, that if Paul Dempsey were only what he ought--the Dempsey of Dempsey's Grove--"

"Oh, is that it?" said Mrs. Fumbally, endeavoring to smile,-"is that it?"

"That's it," rejoined Paul, as he drew up his shirt-collar, and adjusted his cravat.

"Isn't she very young, Mr. Dempsey?" said Mrs. Fum, slyly.

"Twenty, or thereabouts, I take it," said Paul, carelessly,--"quite suitable as regards age."

"I never thought you 'd marry, Mr. Dempsey," said Mrs. Fum, with a languishing look, that contrasted strangely with the habitually shrewish expression of the "Pauther's" face.

"Can't help it, Mrs. Fum. The last of the Romans! No more Dempseys when I 'm gone, if I don't. Elder branch all dropped off,--last twig of the younger myself."

"Ah! these are considerations, indeed!" sighed the lady. "But don't you think that a person more like yourself in taste--more similar in opinion of the world? She looks proud, Mr. Dempsey; I should say, overbearingly proud."

"Rather proud myself, if that's all," said Dempsey, drawing himself up, and protruding his chin with a most comic imitation of dignity.