Part 52 (1/2)
The Prince returned home at a late hour, and immediately enquired for Vivian. During dinner, which he hastily despatched, it did not escape our hero's attention that his Highness was unusually silent, and, indeed, agitated.
”When we have finished our meal, my good friend,” at length said the Prince, ”I very much wish to consult with you on a most important business.” Since the explanation of last night, the Prince, in private conversation, had dropped his regal plural.
”I am ready at once,” said Vivian.
”You will think it strange, Mr. Grey, when you become acquainted with the nature of my communication; you will justly consider it most strange, most singular, that I should choose for a confidant and a counsellor in an important business a gentleman with whom I have been acquainted so short a time as yourself. But, sir, I have well weighed, at least I have endeavoured well to weigh, all the circ.u.mstances and contingencies which such a confidence would involve; and the result of my reflection is, that I will look to you as a friend and adviser, feeling a.s.sured that, both from your situation and your disposition, no temptation exists which can induce you to betray or to deceive me.”
Though the Prince said this with an appearance of perfect sincerity, he stopped and looked earnest in his guest's face, as if he would read his secret thoughts, or were desirous of now giving him an opportunity of answering.
”So far as the certainty of your confidence being respected,” answered Vivian, ”I trust your Highness may communicate to me with the most a.s.sured spirit. But while my ignorance of men and affairs in this country will ensure you from any treachery on my part, I very much fear that it will also preclude me from affording you any advantageous advice or a.s.sistance.”
”On that head,” replied the Prince, ”I am, of course, the best judge.
The friend whom I need is a man not ignorant of the world, with a cool head and an impartial mind. Though young, you have said and told me enough to prove that you are not unacquainted with mankind. Of your courage I have already had a convincing proof. In the business in which I require your a.s.sistance freedom from national prejudices will materially increase the value of your advice; and, therefore, I am far from being unwilling to consult a person ignorant, according to your own phrase, of men and affairs in this country. Moreover, your education as an Englishman has early led you to exercise your mind on political subjects; and it is in a political business that I require your aid.”
”Am I fated always to be the dry nurse of an embryo faction!” thought Vivian; and he watched earnestly the countenance of the Prince. In a moment he expected to be invited to become a counsellor of the leagued Princes. Either the lamp was burning dim, or the blazing wood fire had suddenly died away, or a mist was over Vivian's eyes; but for a moment he almost imagined that he was sitting opposite his old friend the Marquis of Carabas. The Prince's phrase had given rise to a thousand agonising a.s.sociations: in an instant Vivian had worked up his mind to a pitch of nervous excitement.
”Political business?” said Vivian, in an agitated voice. ”You could not address a more unfortunate person. I have seen, Prince, too much of politics ever to wish to meddle with them again.”
”You are too quick, my good friend,” continued his Highness. ”I may wish to consult you on political business, and yet have no intention of engaging you in politics, which, indeed, is quite a ridiculous idea. But I see that I was right in supposing that these subjects have engaged your attention.”
”I have seen, in a short time, something of the political world,”
answered Vivian, who was almost ashamed of his previous emotion; ”and I thank Heaven daily that I have no chance of again having any connection with it.”
”Well, well! that as it may be. Nevertheless, your experience is only another inducement to me to request your a.s.sistance. Do not fear that I wish to embroil you in politics; but I hope you will not refuse, although almost a stranger, to add to the great obligations which I am already under to you, and give me the benefit of your opinion.”
”Your Highness may speak with perfect unreserve, and reckon upon my delivering my genuine sentiments.”
”You have not forgotten, I venture to believe,” said the Prince, ”our short conversation of last night!”
”It was of too interesting a nature easily to escape my memory.”
”Before I can consult you on the subject which at present interests me, it is necessary that I should make you a little acquainted with the present state of public affairs here, and the characters of the princ.i.p.al individuals who control them.”
”So far as an account of the present state of political parties, the history of the Grand Duke's career, and that of his Minister, Mr.
Beckendorff, and their reputed characters, will form part of your Highness's narrative, by so much may its length be curtailed and your trouble lessened; for I have at different times picked up, in casual conversation, a great deal of information on these topics. Indeed, you may address me, in this respect, as you would any German gentleman who, not being himself personally interested in public life, is, of course, not acquainted with its most secret details.”
”I did not reckon on this,” said the Prince, in a cheerful voice. ”This is a great advantage, and another reason that I should no longer hesitate to develop to you a certain affair which now occupies my mind.
To be short,” continued the Prince, ”it is of the letter which I so mysteriously received last night, and which, as you must have remarked, very much agitated me; it is on this letter that I wish to consult you.
Bearing in mind the exact position, the avowed and public position, in which I stand, as connected with the Court, and having a due acquaintance, which you state you have, with the character of Mr.
Beckendorff, what think you of this letter?”
So saying, the Prince leant over the table, and handed to Vivian the following epistle:
”TO HIS HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF LITTLE LILLIPUT.
”I am commanded by his Royal Highness to inform your Highness that his Royal Highness has considered the request which was signed by your Highness and other n.o.blemen, and presented by you to his Royal Highness in a private interview. His Royal Highness commands me to state that that request will receive his most attentive consideration. At the same time, his Royal Highness also commands me to observe that, in bringing about the completion of a result desired by all parties, it is difficult to carry on the necessary communications merely by written doc.u.ments; and his Royal Highness has therefore commanded me to submit to your Highness the advisability of taking some steps in order to further the possibility of the occurrence of an oral interchange of the sentiments of the respective parties. Being aware, from the position which your Highness has thought proper at present to maintain, and from other causes which are of too delicate a nature to be noticed in any other way except by allusion, that your Highness may feel difficulty in personally communicating with his Royal Highness without consulting the wishes and opinions of the other Princes; a process to which, it must be evident to your Highness, his Royal Highness feels it impossible to submit; and, at the same time, desirous of forwarding the progress of those views which his Royal Highness and your Highness may conjunctively consider calculated to advance the well-being of the State, I have to submit to your Highness the propriety of considering the propositions contained in the enclosed paper; which, if your Highness keep unconnected with this communication, the purport of this letter will be confined to your Highness.
PROPOSITIONS.
'1st. That an interview shall take place between your Highness and myself, the object of which shall be the consideration of measures by which, when adopted, the various interests now in agitation shall respectively be regarded.