Part 101 (1/2)
”He is acquainted with the count's kinsman; and perhaps from him you have learned to think so highly of that kinsman?”
The prince bowed, and answered as he moved away, ”When one man of high honour vouches for another, he commands the belief of all.”
”Certainly,” soliloquized Randal, ”I must not be precipitate. I was very near falling into a terrible trap. If I were to marry the girl, and only, by so doing, settle away her inheritance on Peschiera!--how hard it is to be sufficiently cautious in this world!”
While thus meditating, a member of parliament tapped him on the shoulder.
”Melancholy, Leslie! I lay a wager I guess your thoughts.”
”Guess,” answered Randal.
”You were thinking of the place you are so soon to lose.”
”Soon to lose!”
”Why, if ministers go out, you could hardly keep it, I suppose.”
This ominous and horrid member of parliament, Squire Hazeldean's favourite county member, Sir John, was one of those legislators especially odious to officials,--an independent ”large-acred” member, who would no more take office himself than he would cut down the oaks in his park, and who had no bowels of human feeling for those who had opposite tastes and less magnificent means.
”Hem!” said Randal, rather surlily. ”In the first place, Sir John, ministers are not going out.”
”Oh, yes, they will go. You know I vote with them generally, and would willingly keep them in; but they are men of honour and spirit; and if they can't carry their measures, they must resign; otherwise, by Jove, I would turn round and vote them out myself!”
”I have no doubt you would, Sir John; you are quite capable of it; that rests with you and your const.i.tuents. But even if ministers did go out, I am but a poor subaltern in a public office,--I am no minister. Why should I go out too?
”Why? Hang it, Leslie, you are laughing at me. A young fellow like you could never be mean enough to stay in, under the very men who drove out your friend Egerton?”
”It is not usual for those in the public offices to retire with every change of government.”
”Certainly not; but always those who are the relations of a retiring minister; always those who have been regarded as politicians, and who mean to enter parliament, as of course you will do at the next election.
But you know that as well as I do,--you who are so decided a politician, the writer of that admirable pamphlet! I should not like to tell my friend Hazeldean, who has a sincere interest in you, that you ever doubted on a question of honour as plain as your A, B, C.”
”Indeed, Sir John,” said Randal, recovering his suavity, while he inly breathed a dire anathema on his county member, ”I am so new to these things that what you say never struck me before. No doubt you must be right; at all events I cannot have a better guide and adviser than Mr.
Egerton himself.”
SIR JOHN.--”No, certainly; perfect gentleman, Egerton! I wish we could make it up with him and Hazeldean.”
RANDAL (sighing).--”Ah, I wish we could!”
SIR JOHN.--”And some chance of it now; for the time is coming when all true men of the old school must stick together.”
RANDAL.--”Wisely, admirably said, my dear Sir John. But, pardon me, I must pay my respects to the amba.s.sador.” Randal escaped, and pa.s.sing on, saw the amba.s.sador himself in the next room, conferring in a corner with Audley Egerton. The amba.s.sador seemed very grave, Egerton calm and impenetrable, as usual. Presently the count pa.s.sed by, and the amba.s.sador bowed to him very stiffly.
As Randal, some time later, was searching for his cloak below, Audley Egerton unexpectedly joined him.
”Ah, Leslie,” said the minister, with more kindness than usual, ”if you don't think the night air too cold for you, let us walk home together. I have sent away the carriage.”
This condescension in his patron was so singular, that it quite startled Randal, and gave him a presentiment of some evil. When they were in the street, Egerton, after a pause, began,