Part 174 (1/2)
”No. Pray tell him to rest and nurse himself. I should have liked him to witness his own triumph,--that is all. Say I will represent him at the polling-place. Gentlemen, are you ready? We will go on.”
The polling booth was erected in the centre of the marketplace. The voting had already commenced; and Mr. Avenel and Leonard were already at their posts, in order to salute and thank the voters in their cause who pa.s.sed before them. Randal and L'Estrange entered the booth amidst loud hurrahs, and to the national air of ”See the Conquering Hero comes.” The voters defiled in quick succession. Those who voted entirely according to principle or colour--which came to much the same thing--and were therefore above what is termed ”management,” flocked in first, voting straightforwardly for both Blues or both Yellows. At the end of the first half-hour the Yellows were About ten ahead of the Blues. Then sundry split votes began to perplex conjecture as to the result; and Randal, at the end of the first hour, had fifteen majority over Audley Egerton, two over d.i.c.k Avenel, Leonard Fairfield heading the poll by five. Randal owed his place in the lists to the voters that Harley's personal efforts had procured for him; and he was well pleased to see that Lord L'Estrange had not withdrawn from him a single promise so obtained. This augured well for Harley's ready belief in his appointed ”explanations.” In short, the whole election seemed going just as he had calculated. But by twelve o'clock there were some changes in the relative position of the candidates. d.i.c.k Avenel had gradually gained ground,--pa.s.sing Randal, pa.s.sing even Leonard. He stood at the head of the poll by a majority of ten. Randal came next. Audley was twenty behind Randal, and Leonard four behind Audley. More than half the const.i.tuency had polled, but none of the Committee on either side, nor one of the redoubted corps of a Hundred and Fifty.
The poll now slackened sensibly. Randal, looking round, and longing for an opportunity to ask d.i.c.k whether he really meant to return himself instead of his nephew, saw that Harley had disappeared; and presently a note was brought to him requesting his presence in the Committee-room.
Thither he hastened.
As he forced his way through the bystanders in the lobby, towards the threshold of the room, Levy caught hold of him and whispered, ”They begin to fear for Egerton. They want a compromise in order to secure him. They will propose to you to resign, if Avenel will withdraw Leonard. Don't be entrapped. L'Estrange may put the question to you; but--a word in your ear--he would be glad enough to throw over Egerton.
Rely upon this, and stand firm.”
Randal made no answer, but, the crowd giving way for him, entered the room. Levy followed. The doors were instantly closed. All the Blue Committee were a.s.sembled. They looked heated, anxious, eager. Lord L'Estrange, alone calm and cool, stood at the head of the long table.
Despite his composure, Harley's brow was thoughtful. ”Yes,” said he to himself, ”I will give this young man the fair occasion to prove grat.i.tude to his benefactor; and if he here acquit himself, I will spare him, at least, public exposure of his deceit to others. So young, he must have some good in him,--at least towards the man to whom he owes all.”
”Mr. Leslie,” said L'Estrange, aloud, ”you see the state of the poll.
Our Committee believe that, if you continue to stand, Egerton must be beaten. They fear that, Leonard Fairfield having little chance, the Yellows will not waste their second votes on him, but will transfer them to you, in order to keep out Egerton. If you retire, Egerton will be safe. There is reason to suppose that Leonard would, in that case, also be withdrawn.”
”You can hope and fear nothing more from Egerton,” whispered Levy. ”He is utterly ruined; and, if he lose, will sleep in a prison. The bailiffs are waiting for him.”
Randal was still silent, and at that silence an indignant murmur ran through the more influential members of the Committee. For, though Audley was not personally very popular, still a candidate so eminent was necessarily their first object, and they would seem very small to the Yellows, if their great man was defeated by the very candidate introduced to aid him,--a youth unknown. Vanity and patriotism both swelled that murmur. ”You see, young sir,” cried a rich, blunt master-butcher, ”that it was an honourable understanding that Mr.
Egerton was to be safe. You had no claim on us, except as fighting second to him. And we are all astonished that you don't say at once, 'Save Egerton, of course.' Excuse my freedom, sir. No time for palaver.”
”Lord L'Estrange,” said Randal, turning mildly from the butcher, ”do you, as the first here in rank and influence, and as Mr. Egerton's especial friend, call upon me to sacrifice my election, and what appear to be the inclinations of the majority of the const.i.tuents, in order to obtain what is, after all, a doubtful chance of returning Mr. Egerton in my room?
”I do not call upon you, Mr. Leslie. It is a matter of feeling or of honour, which a gentleman can very well decide for himself.”
”Was any such compact made between your Lords.h.i.+p and myself, when you first gave me your interest and canva.s.sed for me in person?”
”Certainly not. Gentlemen, be silent. No such compact was mentioned by me.”
”Neither was it by Mr. Egerton. Whatever might be the understanding spoken of by the respected elector who addressed me, I was no party to it. I am persuaded that Mr. Egerton is the last person who would wish to owe his election to a trick upon the electors in the midst of the polling, and to what the world would consider a very unhandsome treatment of myself, upon whom all the toil of the canva.s.s has devolved.”
Again the murmur rose; but Randal had an air so determined, that it quelled resentment, and obtained a continued, though most chilling and half-contemptuous hearing.
”Nevertheless,” resumed Randal, ”I would at once retire were I not under the firm persuasion that I shall convince all present, who now seem to condemn me, that I act precisely according to Mr. Egerton's own private inclinations. That gentleman, in fact, has never been amongst you, has not canva.s.sed in person, has taken no trouble, beyond a speech, that was evidently meant to be but a general defence of his past political career. What does this mean? Simply that his standing has been merely a form, to comply with the wish of his party, against his own desire.”
The Committee-men looked at each other amazed and doubtful. Randal saw he had gained an advantage; he pursued it with a tact and ability which showed that, in spite of his mere oratorical deficiencies, he had in him the elements of a dexterous debater. ”I will be plain with you, gentlemen. My character, my desire to stand well with you all, oblige me to be so. Mr. Egerton does not wish to come into parliament at present.
His health is much broken; his private affairs need all his time and attention. I am, I may say, as a son to him. He is most anxious for my success; Lord L'Estrange told me but last night, very truly, 'more anxious for my success than his own.' Nothing could please him more than to think I were serving in parliament, however humbly, those great interests which neither health nor leisure will, in this momentous crisis, allow himself to defend with his wonted energy. Later, indeed, no doubt, he will seek to return to an arena in which he is so distinguished; and when the popular excitement, which produces the popular injustice of the day, is over, what const.i.tuency will not be proud to return such a man? In support and proof of what I have thus said, I now appeal to Mr. Egerton's own agent,--a gentleman who, in spite of his vast fortune and the rank he holds in society, has consented to act gratuitously on behalf of that great statesman. I ask you, then, respectfully, Baron Levy, Is not Mr. Egerton's health much broken, and in need of rest?”
”It is,” said Levy.
”And do not his affairs necessitate his serious and undivided attention?”
”They do indeed,” quoth the baron. ”Gentlemen, I have nothing to urge in behalf of my distinguished friend as against the statement of his adopted son, Mr. Leslie.”
”Then all I can say,” cried the butcher, striking his huge fist on the table, ”is, that Mr. Egerton has behaved d---d unhandsome to us, and we shall be the laughing-stock of the borough.”
”Softly, softly,” said Harley. ”There is a knock at the door behind.
Excuse me.”
Harley quitted the room, but only for a minute or two. On his return he addressed himself to Randal.