Tales and Novels, Vol. VII by Maria Edgeworth

M >> Maria Edgeworth >> Tales and Novels, Vol. VII

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"No," said he to himself, "as a wife I cannot think of her: were the
Marquis of Twickenham out of the question, my wife she cannot be. Then
honour forbids me to trifle with her affections merely to gratify my vanity
or the feelings of the moment."

Captain Percy well knew that some men can satisfy their consciences by
calling a certain sort of treachery by the soft name of gallantry. He was
aware that he could, like many others in similar circumstances, deceive by
equivocal looks and expressions, and then throw the blame from themselves,
by asking why the woman was such a fool as to believe, protesting that they
never had a thought of her, and swearing that they had not the least idea
she had ever understood them to mean any thing serious; but Godfrey had too
much good feeling and good principle to follow such examples.

Miss Hauton had a copy of the new opera before her, and as she turned over
the leaves, she pointed out to him the passages that she liked. Some were
peculiarly applicable to her own situation, representing a heroine forced
to marry a man she hates, whilst she tenderly loves another. Godfrey could
not, or would not, understand the Italian. It was perfectly well explained
to him; and then, perceiving the applications made of certain lines by Miss
Hauton's voice and eyes, he had no resource but in a new singer, to whom
he became suddenly so attentive that nothing could distract him from the
stage. When the actress ceased to sing, he found means to engage the Miss
Falconers in a discussion of her merits, which, with all the nonsense and
compliments to their taste the occasion required, filled up the dangerous
interval till the opera was over; then--more dangerous still--waiting for
carriages in _the crush room_; but through all these perils, Godfrey passed
so dexterously, as to leave Miss Hauton in doubt whether she had been
understood or not. Thus he hoped that her conscience would in future, if
she should ever after her marriage reflect on the opera of this night, be
as much at ease as his own--though perhaps not with so good reason.

After this night, Godfrey would not expose himself to a repetition of
similar danger; and that he might avoid meeting this fair lady again, he
refused two invitations from Mrs. Falconer to a ball at her house, and to a
musical party.--This deserves to be recorded to his credit, because he was
very fond both of music and dancing.

The day before he was to leave town, at the hour and minute appointed,
Godfrey waited upon Lord Oldborough; but not such his reception now as
it had been on his first visit to this minister: he was kept two hours
waiting alone in an antechamber. At last the cabinet door opened, and Lord
Oldborough appeared with a dark cold countenance, and a haughty stiffness
in his whole frame. His lordship walked deliberately forward, till he
came within a yard of our young officer, and then, without speaking, bent
his head and body slowly, and so remained, as if waiting to be informed
who Captain Percy was, and what his business might be. Astonishment,
and offended pride, flashed successively in Godfrey's countenance. Lord
Oldborough, after fixing his interrogating eyes upon him ineffectually,
receiving no explanation, seemed to come a little to his recollection, and
condescended to say, "Captain Percy, I believe!--your commands with me,
Captain Percy."

"My lord, I have the honour to be here by your lordship's appointment on
Major Gascoigne's business."

"Sir, you had a note from me yesterday, I believe, which contained all that
I have it in my power to say on Major Gascoigne's business."

"Pardon me, my lord--I never had the honour of receiving any note from your
lordship."

"Very extraordinary! I sent it by my own man. You are at Batts' hotel,
sir?"

"No, my lord, at the British hotel."

"Ha!--that is the cause of the mistake. You will find my note, sir, at
Batts'."

Captain Percy bowed--Lord Oldborough bowed--not a word more passed. Lord
Oldborough walked on to his carriage, which rolled him away with glorious
rapidity, whilst Godfrey, his face flushed with resentment, looked after
him for an instant, then putting on his hat, which the porter held to him,
he walked off as fast as possible to Batts' hotel, impatient to see the
note which was to explain the meaning of this extraordinary conduct. The
note he found; but it threw little light upon the business. It was written
in Secretary Cunningham Falconer's hand, and was as follows:

"Lord Oldborough will inform Captain Percy when any thing shall be decided
upon relative to the business on which Captain Percy spoke to Lord
Oldborough: and as communication by letter will answer every purpose, his
lordship hopes that he shall not be the means of detaining Captain Percy
longer from his regiment.

"_Tuesday_, ----."

A civil dismission!--After three attempts Godfrey obtained a sight of
Secretary Cunningham, who, as he thought, was at the bottom of the affair;
but this suspicion was at first dissipated by the unusual openness
with which the secretary looked and spoke. Apparently without fear of
committing himself, he said at once that it was a very extraordinary
proceeding--that he could no way account for it, but by supposing that the
lieutenant-colonel in question had, through his relation, Lord Skreene,
influenced his Grace of Greenwich, and that Lord Oldborough could not, in
the present conjuncture, make any movement in direct opposition to the
duke.

"In all these things, in all transactions with politicians," said Godfrey,
"there are wheels within wheels, which we simple people never suspect; and
by awkwardly interfering with them when they are in motion, we are hurt, we
know not how or why."

Cunningham smiled significantly, but was silent--his air of frankness
vanished, and his solemn reserve returned. "Cunningham will never be hurt
in that way," thought Godfrey; "I never saw a fellow so careful of himself.
I am convinced he would not hazard his little finger to save the whole
British empire, much less to serve a private friend like me, or a poor
honest man like Gascoigne."

Godfrey was too proud to make any further attempts to interest his
diplomatic cousin in the affair. He rose, and bade the secretary adieu,
who, with proper smiles and bows, attended him to the very door.

"Thank Heaven!" thought Godfrey, as he left the secretary's office, "I
am not forced to dance attendance upon any great man, or any great man's
secretary. I am--like my father--independent, and will keep myself so; and
if ever I live upon a smile for years, it shall not be upon the smiles of a
minister, but on those of a fair lady."

Godfrey left town immediately, and returned to his regiment.

CHAPTER VIII.

Little versed in the ways of courts or courtiers, Godfrey had been easily
deceived by the apparent candour of Cunningham Falconer. The fact was, that
Cunningham, not directly from himself, but by means of persons of whom Lord
Oldborough could have no suspicion, had insinuated to his lordship that
Godfrey Percy was the secret cause of the aversion Miss Hauton showed to
the proposed match with the Marquis of Twickenham. This idea once suggested
was easily confirmed by the account of the young lady's behaviour at the
opera, which was reported to Lord Oldborough with proper exaggerations, and
with a total misrepresentation of Godfrey's conduct. The fainting at the
ball was also recollected, and many other little circumstances combined to
bring conviction to Lord Oldborough's mind. He was now persuaded that Major
Gascoigne's business was merely a pretence for Godfrey's coming to town:
apprehension of being disappointed in completing an alliance essential
to his ambitious views, pique at the idea of being deceived, and nearly
duped by a boy and girl, a rooted hatred and utter contempt for love and
love affairs, altogether produced that change in Lord Oldborough's manner
towards Captain Percy which had appeared so extraordinary.--Had Captain
Percy delayed to leave town, he would next day have received orders from
his commanding officer to join his regiment. As to Major Gascoigne's
business, it had made so little impression upon Lord Oldborough, that he
had totally forgotten the poor major's name till Godfrey repeated it to
him. Indeed, Godfrey himself could scarcely have blamed his lordship for
this, had he known how much business, how many cares pressed at this time
upon the mind of the unhappy statesman.--Besides a load of public business,
and all the open and violent attacks of opposition, which he had usually to
sustain, he was now under great and increasing anxiety from the discovery
of that plot against him, among his immediate associates in office, which
the Tourville papers, deciphered by Commissioner Falconer and Cunningham,
had but partially revealed. Lord Oldborough was in the condition of a
person apprised that he is standing upon ground that is undermined, but
who does not know exactly by what hand or at what moment the train that
may destroy him is to be set on fire. One word frequently recurred in
the Tourville papers, which puzzled Commissioner Falconer extremely, and
of which he was never able to make out the meaning; the word was Gassoc.
It was used thus: "We are sorry to find that the Gassoc has not agreed
to our proposal."--"No answer has been given to question No. 2 by the
Gassoc."--"With regard to the subsidy, of which 35,000_l._ have not been
sent or received, the Gassoc has never explained; in consequence, great
discontents here."--"If the Gassoc be finally determined against the
_Eagle_, means must be taken to accomplish the purposes alluded to in
paragraph 4, in green (of the 7th ult.), also those in No. B. in lemon
juice (of September last)."--"The Gassoc will take notes of the mining
tools forgotten--also bullets too large, and no flints (as per No. 9, in
sympathetic ink)--also the sea charts, sent instead of maps--consequent
delay in march of troops--loss of fortress--to be attributed to _the
Eagle_."

_The Eagle_, which at first had been taken for granted to be the Austrian
eagle, was discovered to be Lord Oldborough. An eagle was his lordship's
crest, and the sea-charts, and the mining-tools, brought the sense home to
him conclusively. It was plain that the Gassoc stood for some person who
was inimical to Lord Oldborough, but who it could be was the question.
Commissioner Falconer suggested, that for _Gassoc_, you should read
_Gosshawk_; then, said he, "by finding what nobleman or gentleman has a
gosshawk in his arms, you have the family name, and the individual is
afterwards easily ascertained." To the Heralds'-office the commissioner
went a gosshawking, but after spending a whole day with the assistance of
Garter king at arms, he could make nothing of his gosshawks, and he gave
them up.

He next presumed that there might be a mistake of one letter in the foreign
spelling of the word, and that _Gassoc_ should be _Cassock_, and might
then mean a certain bishop, who was known to be a particular enemy of Lord
Oldborough. But still there were things ascribed to the Gassoc, which
could not come within the jurisdiction or cognizance of the Cassock--and
the commissioner was reluctantly obliged to give up the church. He next
suggested, that not only one letter, but every letter in the word might be
mistaken in the foreign spelling, and that _Gassoc_ might be the French or
German written imitation of the oral sound of some English proper name. The
commissioner supported this opinion very plausibly by citing many instances
of the barbarous spelling of English names by foreigners: Bassompierre
writes Jorchaux for York-house, Innimthort for Kensington; even in the
polite memoirs of le Comte de Grammont, we have Soutkask for Southesk,
and Warmestre for some English name not yet deciphered. Upon this hint
the commissioner and Cunningham made anagrams of half the noble names in
England, but in vain.

Afterwards, recollecting that it was the fashion at one time even to pun in
the coats of arms of the nobility, and in the choice of their mottos, he
went to work again at the Heralds'-office, and tried a course of puns, but
to no purpose: the commissioner was mortified to find all his ingenuity at
fault.

Cunningham took care not to suggest anything, therefore he could never be
convicted of mistake. Nor was he in the least vexed by his father's or
his own fruitless labour, because he thought it might tend to his future
advancement.

Lord Oldborough had thrown out a hint that it would soon be necessary to
recall the present and send a new envoy or resident to the German court in
question; Cunningham nourished a hope of being chosen for this purpose,
as the Tourville papers were already known to him, and he could, under
private instructions, negotiate with M. de Tourville, and draw from him
an explanation. He did not, however, trust even his father with the hope
he had conceived, but relied on his own address, and continually strove,
by oblique hints, to magnify the danger of leaving any part of the plot
unravelled.

What effect these suggestions produced, or whether they produced
any, Cunningham was unable to judge from the minister's impenetrable
countenance. Lord Oldborough lost not a moment in repairing the mistake
about sea-charts, and the omission of mining tools, which he had discovered
from a paragraph in the Tourville papers; he stayed not to inquire whether
the error had been wilful or unintentional--_that_ he left for future
investigation. His next object was the subsidy. This day the Duke of
Greenwich gave a cabinet dinner. After dinner, when the servants had
retired, and when none of the company were prepared for such a stroke, Lord
Oldborough, in his decided, but very calm manner, began with, "My lords, I
must call your attention to an affair of some importance--the subsidy from
the secret service to our German ally."

All who had within them sins unwhipped of justice trembled.

"I have learned, no matter how," continued Lord Oldborough, "that, by some
strange mistake, 35,000_l_ of that subsidy were not remitted at the time
appointed by us, and that discontents, likely to be prejudicial to his
majesty's service, have arisen in consequence of this delay."

His lordship paused, and appeared to take no notice of the faces of feigned
astonishment and real consciousness by which he was surrounded. Each looked
at the other to inquire by what means this secret was divulged, and to
discover, if possible, how much more was known. Lord Skreene began at the
same moment with the Duke of Greenwich to suggest that some clerk or agent
must certainly be much to blame. Lord Oldborough, in his decided tone,
replied that it was indifferent to him what clerk, agent, or principal
was to blame in the business; but that if the money were not _bona fide_
remitted, and acknowledged by the court to which it was promised, and
before any disagreeable consequences should ensue, he must be under the
necessity of stating the affair to his majesty--of resigning his office,
and bringing the whole before parliament.

The terror of his voice, and lightning of his eye, the dread of his
determined spirit, operated powerfully. The subsidy was remitted the next
day, though at the expense of a service of plate which Lord Skreene had
bespoken for his mistress, and though Secretary Cope was compelled to sell
at some disadvantage a few of the very few remaining acres of his paternal
estate, to make good what had been borrowed from the secret service money.

At the cabinet dinner, the keen eye of Lord Oldborough had discerned
some displeasure lurking in the mind of the Duke of Greenwich--a man of
considerable political consequence from his rank and connexions, and from
the number of voices he could command or influence. Lord Oldborough knew
that, if he could regain the duke, he could keep in awe his other enemies.
His grace was a puzzle-headed, pompous fool, whom Heaven had cursed with
the desire to be a statesman. He had not more than four ideas; but to those
four, which he conceived to be his own, he was exclusively attached.--Yet a
person of address and cunning could put things into his head, which after
a time he would find there, believe to be his own, and which he would then
propose as new with great solemnity, and support with much zeal. Lord
Oldborough, however, was neither able nor willing to manage his grace in
this manner; he was too imperious; his pride of character was at continual
variance with the duke's pride of rank. The duke's was a sort of pride
which Lord Oldborough did not always understand, and which, when he did, he
despised--it was a species of pride that was perpetually taking offence at
trifling failures in etiquette, of which Lord Oldborough, intent upon great
objects, was sometimes guilty. There is a class of politicians who err by
looking for causes in too high a sphere, and by attributing the changes
which perplex states and monarchs to great passions and large motives.
Lord Oldborough was one of this class, and with all his talents would have
failed in every attempt to comprehend and conciliate the Duke of Greenwich,
had he not been assisted by the inferior genius of Commissioner Falconer.
While his lordship was thus searching far and wide among the reasonable
and probable causes for the duke's coldness, examining and re-examining
the bearings of every political measure, as it could affect his grace's
interest immediately or remotely, Commissioner Falconer sought for the
cause, and found it in the lowest scale of trifles--he made the discovery
by means which Lord Oldborough could not have devised, and would not
have used. The duke had a favourite under-clerk, who, for a valuable
consideration, disclosed the secret to the commissioner. Lord Oldborough
had sent his grace a note, written in his own hand, sealed with a wafer.
The clerk, who was present when the note was received, said that the duke's
face flushed violently, and that he flung the note immediately to his
secretary, exclaiming, "Open that, if you please, sir--_I wonder how any
man can have the impertinence to send me his spittle!_"

This nice offence, which bore so coarse a comment, had alienated the mind
of the Duke of Greenwich. When Commissioner Falconer had thus sagaciously
discovered the cause of the noble duke's displeasure, he with great
address applied a remedy. Without ever hinting that he knew of the
offensive circumstance, having some business to transact with the duke,
he contrived, as if undesignedly, to turn the conversation upon his friend
Lord Oldborough's strange and unaccountable negligence of common forms
and etiquette; as a proof of which he told the duke in confidence, and
in a very low voice, an anecdote, which he heard from his son Cunningham,
from Lord Oldborough's own secretary, or the commissioner protested that
he would not, he could not have believed it--his lordship had been once
actually upon the point of sealing a note with a wafer to one of the royal
dukes!--had the wafer absolutely on his lips, when Cunningham felt it his
duty to take the liberty of remonstrating. Upon which, Lord Oldborough, as
Commissioner Falconer said, looked with the utmost surprise, and replied,
"I have sealed with a wafer to the Duke of Greenwich, and _he_ was not
offended."

This anecdote, the truth of which it fortunately never occurred to the
duke to doubt, had an immediate and powerful effect upon his mind, as the
commissioner saw by the complacent smile that played on his countenance,
and still further by the condescending pity with which his grace observed,
that "Great geniuses never understand common things--but do every thing
awkwardly, whether they cut open a book, or seal a note."

Mr. Falconer having thus brought the duke into fine temper, left him in the
best dispositions possible towards Lord Oldborough, went to his lordship
to report progress, and to boast of his success; but he told only as much
of what had passed as he thought would suit the statesman's character,
and ensure his approbation.--The Duke of Greenwich was as much pleased by
this reconciliation as Lord Oldborough; for, though in a fit of offended
pride he had been so rash as to join his lordship's enemies, yet he had
always dreaded coming to open war with such an adversary. His grace
felt infinitely more safe and comfortable when he was leaning upon Lord
Oldborough than when he stood opposed to him, even in secret. There were
points in politics in which he and Lord Oldborough coincided, though they
had arrived at these by far different roads. They agreed in an overweening
love of aristocracy, and in an inclination towards arbitrary power; they
agreed in a hatred of innovation; they agreed in the principle that free
discussion should be discouraged, and that the country should be governed
with a high and strong hand. On these principles Lord Oldborough always
acted, but seldom spoke, and the Duke of Greenwich continually talked, but
seldom acted: in fact, his grace, "though he roared so loud, and looked
so wondrous grim," was, in action, afraid of every shadow. Right glad was
he to have his political vaunts made good by a coadjutor of commanding
talents, resource, and civil courage. Yet, as Lord Oldborough observed,
with a man of such wayward pride and weak understanding, there was no
security from day to day for the permanence of his attachment. It was then
that Commissioner Falconer, ever ready at expedients, suggested that an
alliance between his grace's family and his lordship's would be the best
possible security; and that the alliance might be easily effected, since
it was evident of late that the Marquis of Twickenham was much disposed to
admire the charms of his lordship's niece, Miss Hauton. Lord Oldborough
had not remarked that the marquis admired any thing but good wine; his
lordship's attention was not turned to these things, nor had he, in
general, much faith in friendships founded on family alliances; but
he observed that the duke was peculiarly tenacious of connexions and
relationships, and, therefore, this might be the best method of holding
him.

From the moment Lord Oldborough decided in favour of this scheme, Mr.
and Mrs. Falconer had done all in their power, with the utmost zeal and
address, to forward it, by contriving continual dancing-parties and musical
meetings, at their house, for the young people. Lady Oldborough, who was
sickly, whose manners were not popular, and who could not bear _to be put
out of her way_, was quite unsuited to this sort of business, and rejoiced
that the Falconers took it off her hands. Things were just in this state,
and Lord Oldborough had fixed his mind upon the match, when Godfrey Percy's
arrival in town had threatened disappointment. In consequence of this fear,
Lord Oldborough not only despatched Godfrey directly to his regiment, but,
to put an end to the danger at once, to banish the idea of seeing him
again completely out of the young lady's head, the cruel uncle and decided
politician had Godfrey's regiment ordered immediately to the West Indies.

LETTER FROM GODFREY PERCY TO HIS FATHER.

"My dear father,

"We have a new lieutenant-colonel. Lord Skreene has removed his precious
nephew to another regiment, and to punish us for not liking the pretty boy,
has ordered us all off to the West Indies: so ends our croaking. Our new
King Log we cannot complain of as too young, or too much on the _qui vive_:
he looks as if he were far gone in a lethargy, can hardly keep himself
awake while he is giving the word of command, and, instead of being a
martinet, I am sure he would not care if the whole corps wore their
regimentals the wrong side outwards.--Gascoigne will have all the
regimental business on his shoulders, and no man can do it better.--He is
now at my elbow, supplying four hundred men and forty officers with heads.
The noise of questions and commands, and the notes of preparation, are so
loud and dissonant, that I hardly know what I write. Gascoigne, though not
benefited, was obliged to me for my wrong-head-journey to London. Henry
was very angry with Lord Oldborough for jilting me--Gascoigne with much
ado kept him in proper manners towards the lieutenant-colonel, and I, in
admiration of Gascoigne, kept my temper miraculously. But there was an
impertinent puppy of an ensign, a partisan of the lieutenant-colonel,
who wanted, I'm convinced, to have the credit of fighting a duel for the
colonel, and he one day said, in Captain Henry's hearing, that 'it was no
wonder some men should rail against ministerial _influence_, who had no
friends to look to, and were men of no family.'--'Do you mean that for me,
sir?' said Henry. 'Judge for yourself, sir.' Poor Henry judged ill, and
challenged the ensign.--They fought, and the ensign was slightly wounded.
This duel has wakened curiosity again about Captain Henry's birth, and he
is in danger of being exposed continually to things he could not like,
and could not well resent. He consulted Gascoigne and me, and has told us
all he knows of his history.--Read what follows to yourself, for I have
permission to speak of his affairs only to you. Captain Henry assured us
that he really does not know to what family he belongs, nor who his father
and mother were; but he has reason to believe that they were Irish. He was
bred up in a merchant's house in Dublin. The merchant broke, and went off
with his family to America. Henry was at that time fifteen or sixteen. The
merchant then said, that Henry was not his nephew, nor any relation to him,
but hinted that he was the son of a Mr. Henry, who had taken an unfortunate
part in _the troubles_ of Ireland, and who had _suffered_--that his mother
had been a servant-maid, and that she was dead. The merchant added, that he
had taken care of Henry from regard to his father, but that, obliged by his
own failure in business to quit the country, he must thenceforward resign
the charge.--He farther observed, that the army was now the young man's
only resource, and, on taking leave, he put into Henry's hands a 50_l._
note, and an ensign's commission.--With his commission he joined his
regiment, which was at Cork. A few days after his arrival, a Cork banker
called upon him, and inquired whether he was Ensign Charles Henry; and upon
his answering in the affirmative, informed him that he had orders to pay
him 400_l._ a year in quarterly payments. The order came from a house in
Dublin, and this was all the banker knew. On Henry's application in Dublin,
he was told that they had direction to stop payment of the annuity if any
questions were asked.--Of course, Henry asked no more.--The annuity has
been regularly paid to him ever since--When he was scarcely seventeen, he
was pillaged of a couple of hundred pounds one night by a set of sharpers
at the gaming-table: this loss roused his prudence, and he has never
played since. He has for many years lived within his pay; for he prudently
considered, that the extraordinary supply might suddenly fail, and then he
might he left in debt and distress, and at the same time with habits of
extravagance.--Instead of which, he has laid up money every year, and has a
considerable sum. He wishes to quit the army, and to go into a mercantile
house, for which his early education has fitted him. He has a particular
talent for languages: speaks French and Italian accurately--Spanish and
Dutch well enough for all the purposes of commerce. So any mercantile
house, who wants a partner, agent, or _clerk for foreign affairs_ (perhaps
I am not correct in the technical terms), could not do better than to take
Charles Henry. For his integrity and honour I would answer with my life.
Now, my dear father, could you have the goodness to assist us so far as to
write and inquire about the partner in London of those Dutch merchants,
whom you had an opportunity of obliging at the time of the shipwreck?--I
cannot recollect their strange names, but if I am not mistaken, they left
you their address, and that of their London correspondent.--If this partner
should be a substantial man, perhaps our best plan would be to try to
get Henry into his house. You have certainly some claim there, and the
Dutchmen desired we would apply to them if ever they could do any thing
to serve us--we can but try. I am afraid you will say, '_This is like one
of Godfrey's wild schemes._' I am still more afraid that you should think
Henry's romantic story is _against him_--but such things are--that is all I
can say. Here is no motive for deception; and if you were to see the young
man, his countenance and manner would immediately persuade you of his
perfect truth and ingenuousness. I am aware that his romantic history would
not do for the Dutch merchants, or the London partner; they would probably
set him down directly for an adventurer, and refuse to have any thing to
do with him: so I see no necessity for beginning by stating it. I know you
hate, and I am sure so do I, all novel-like concealments and mysteries; but
because a man makes a bargain with another, he is not obliged to tell him
his whole history--because he takes him for his partner or his master, he
is not called upon to make him his confidant. All that the merchants can
want or have a right to know is forthcoming and clear--character and money.