On Randal's return to town, he heard mixed and contradictory rumors in
the streets, and at the clubs, of the probable downfall of the
Government at the approaching session of Parliament. These rumors had
sprung up suddenly, as if in an hour. True that, for some time, the
sagacious had shaken their heads and said, "Ministers could not last."
True that certain changes in policy, a year or two before, had divided
the party on which the Government depended, and strengthened that which
opposed it. But still its tenure in office had been so long, and there
seemed so little power in the Opposition to form a cabinet of names
familiar to official ears, that the general public had anticipated, at
most, a few partial changes. Rumor now went far beyond this. Randal,
whose whole prospects at present were but reflections from the greatness
of his patron, was alarmed. He sought Egerton, but the minister was
impenetrable, and seemed calm, confident, and imperturbed. Somewhat
relieved, Randal then set himself to work to find a safe home for
Riccabocca; for the greater need to succeed in obtaining fortune there,
if he failed in getting it through Egerton. He found a quiet house,
detached and secluded, in the neighborhood of Norwood. No vicinity more
secure from espionage and remark. He wrote to Riccabocca, and
communicated the address, adding fresh assurances of his own power to be
of use. The next morning he was seated in his office, thinking very
little of the details, that he mastered, however, with mechanical
precision, when the minister who presided over that department of the
public service sent for him into his private room, and begged him to
take a letter to Egerton, with whom he wished to consult relative to a
very important point to be decided in the cabinet that day. "I want you
to take it," said the minister smiling (the minister was a frank, homely
man), "because you are in Mr. Egerton's confidence, and he may give you
some verbal message besides a written reply. Egerton is often _over_
cautious and brief in the _litera scripta_."
Randal went first to Egerton's neighboring office--he had not been
there that day. He then took a cabriolet and drove to Grosvenor Square.
A quiet-looking chariot was at the door. Mr. Egerton was at home; but
the servant said, "Dr. F. is with him, sir; and perhaps he may not like
to be disturbed."
"What, is your master ill?"
"Not that I know of, sir. He never says he is ill. But he has looked
poorly the last day or two."
Randal hesitated a moment; but his commission might be important, and
Egerton was a man who so held the maxim, that health and all else must
give way to business, that he resolved to enter; and, unannounced, and
unceremoniously, as was his wont, he opened the door of the library. He
started as he did so. Audley Egerton was leaning back on the sofa, and
the doctor, on his knees before him, was applying the stethoscope to his
breast. Egerton's eyes were partially closed as the door opened. But at
the noise he sprang up, nearly oversetting the doctor. "Who's that?--How
dare you!" he exclaimed, in a voice of great anger. Then recognizing
Randal, he changed color, bit his lip, and muttered drily, "I beg pardon
for my abruptness; what do you want, Mr. Leslie?"
"This letter from Lord ----; I was told to deliver it immediately into
your own hands; I beg pardon--"
"There is no cause," said Egerton, coldly. "I have had a slight attack
of bronchitis; and as Parliament meets so soon, I must take advice from
my doctor, if I would be heard by the reporters. Lay the letter on the
table, and be kind enough to wait for my reply."
Randal withdrew. He had never seen a physician in that house before, and
it seemed surprising that Egerton should even take a medical opinion
upon a slight attack. While waiting in the ante-room there was a knock
at the street door, and presently a gentleman, exceedingly well dressed,
was shown in, and honored Randal with an easy and half familiar bow.
Randal remembered to have met this personage at dinner, and at the house
of a young nobleman of high fashion, but had not been introduced to him,
and did not even know him by name. The visitor was better informed.
"Our friend Egerton is busy, I hear, Mr. Leslie," said he, arranging the
camelia in his button-hole.
"Our friend Egerton!" It must be a very great man to say, "Our friend
Egerton."
"He will not be engaged long, I dare say," returned Randal, glancing his
shrewd, inquiring eye over the stranger's person.
"I trust not: my time is almost as precious as his own. I was not so
fortunate as to be presented to you when we met at Lord Spendquick's.
Good fellow, Spendquick: and decidedly clever."
Lord Spendquick was usually esteemed a gentleman without three ideas.
Randal smiled.
In the meanwhile the visitor had taken out a card from an embossed
morocco case, and now presented it to Randal, who read thereon "Baron
Levy, No --, Bruton-street."
The name was not unknown to Randal. It was a name too often on the lips
of men of fashion not to have reached the ears of an _habitue_ of good
society.
Mr. Levy had been a solicitor by profession. He had of late years
relinquished his ostensible calling; and not long since, in consequence
of some services toward the negotiation of a loan, had been created a
baron by one of the German kings. The wealth of Mr. Levy was said to be
only equaled by his good nature to all who were in want of a temporary
loan, and with sound expectations of repaying it some day or other.
You seldom saw a finer-looking man than Baron Levy--about the same age
as Egerton, but looking younger: so well preserved--such magnificent
black whiskers--such superb teeth! Despite his name and his dark
complexion, he did not, however, resemble a Jew--at least externally;
and, in fact, he was not a Jew on the father's side, but the natural son
of a rich English _grand seigneur_, by a Hebrew lady of distinction--in
the opera. After his birth, this lady had married a German trader of her
own persuasion, and her husband had been prevailed upon, for the
convenience of all parties, to adopt his wife's son, and accord to him
his own Hebrew name. Mr. Levy senior was soon left a widower, and then
the real father, though never actually owning the boy, had shown him
great attention--had him frequently at his house--initiated him betimes
into his own high-born society, for which the boy showed great taste.
But when my lord died, and left but a moderate legacy to the younger
Levy, who was then about eighteen, that ambiguous person was articled to
an attorney by his putative sire, who shortly afterward returned to his
native land, and was buried at Prague, where his tombstone may yet be
seen. Young Levy, however, continued to do very well without him. His
real birth was generally known, and rather advantageous to him in a
social point of view. His legacy enabled him to become a partner where
he had been a clerk, and his practice became great among the fashionable
classes of society. Indeed he was so useful, so pleasant, so much a man
of the world, that he grew intimate with his clients--chiefly young men
of rank; was on good terms with both Jew and Christian; and being
neither one nor the other, resembled (to use Sheridan's incomparable
simile) the blank page between the Old and the New Testament.
Vulgar, some might call Mr. N. Levy, from his assurance, but it was not
the vulgarity of a man accustomed to low and coarse society--rather the
_mauvais ton_ of a person not sure of his own position, but who has
resolved to swagger into the best one he can get. When it is remembered
that he had made his way in the world, and gleaned together an immense
fortune, it is needless to add that he was as sharp as a needle, and as
hard as a flint. No man had had more friends, and no man had stuck by
them more firmly--as long as there was a pound in their pockets!
Something of this character had Randal heard of the Baron, and he now
gazed, first at his card, and then at him, with--admiration.
"I met a friend of yours at Borrowwell's the other day," resumed the
Baron--"Young Hazeldean. Careful fellow--quite a man of the world."
As this was last praise poor Frank deserved, Randal again smiled.
The Baron went on--"I hear, Mr. Leslie, that you have much influence
over this same Hazeldean. His affairs are in a sad state. I should be
very happy to be of use to him, as a relation of my friend Egerton's;
but he understands business so well that he despises my advice."
"I am sure you do him injustice."
"Injustice! I honor his caution. I say to every man, 'Don't come to
me--I can get you money on much easier terms than any one else;' and
what's the result? You come so often that you ruin yourself; whereas a
regular usurer without conscience frightens you. 'Cent. per cent.,' you
say; 'oh, I must pull in.' If you have influence over your friend, tell
him to stick to his bill-brokers, and have nothing to do with Baron
Levy."
Here the minister's bell rung, and Randal, looking through the window,
saw Dr. F. walking to his carriage, which had made way for Baron Levy's
splendid cabriolet--a cabriolet in the most perfect taste--Baron's
coronet on the dark brown panels--horse black, with such
action!--harness just relieved with plating. The servant now entered,
and requested Randal to step in; and addressing the Baron, respectfully
assured him that he would not be detained a minute.
"Leslie," said the minister, sealing a note, "take this back to
Lord ----, and say that I shall be with him in an hour."
"No other message?--he seemed to expect one."
"I dare say he did. Well, my letter is official, my message is not; beg
him to see Mr. ---- before we meet--he will understand--all rests upon
that interview."
Egerton then, extending the letter, resumed gravely, "Of course you will
not mention to any one that Dr. F. was with me: the health of public men
is not to be suspected. Hum--were you in your own room or the
ante-room?"
"The ante-room, sir."
Egerton's brow contracted slightly.
"And Mr. Levy was there, eh?"
"Yes--the Baron."
"Baron! true. Come to plague me about the Mexican loan, I suppose. I
will keep you no longer."
Randal, much meditating, left the house, and re-entered his hack cab.
The Baron was admitted to the statesman's presence.