NEGOTIATION.
[Illustration]
The major and Captain Costigan were old soldiers and accustomed
to face the enemy, so we may presume that they retained their presence
of mind perfectly; but the rest of the party assembled in Cos's
sitting-room were, perhaps, a little flurried at Pendennis's apparition.
Miss Fotheringay's slow heart began to beat, no doubt, for her
cheek flushed up with a great healthy blush, as Lieutenant Sir Derby
Oaks looked at her with a scowl. The little crooked old man in the
window-seat, who had been witnessing the fencing-match between the two
gentlemen (whose stamping and jumping had been such as to cause him
to give up all attempts to continue writing the theater music, in the
copying of which he had been engaged) looked up eagerly toward the new
comer as the major of the well-blacked boots entered the apartment
distributing the most graceful bows to every body present.
"Me daughter--me friend, Mr. Bows--me gallant young pupil and friend, I
may call 'um, Sir Derby Oaks," said Costigan splendidly waving his hand,
and pointing each of these individuals to the major's attention. "In one
moment, meejor, I'm your humble servant," and to dash into the little
adjoining chamber where he slept, to give a twist to his lank hair with
his hair-brush (a wonderful and ancient piece), to tear off his old
stock and put on a new one which Emily had constructed for him, and to
assume a handsome clean collar, and the new coat which had been ordered
upon the occasion of Miss Fotheringay's benefit, was with the still
active Costigan the work of a minute.
After him, Sir Derby entered, and presently emerged from the same
apartment, where he also cased himself in his little shell-jacket, which
fitted tightly upon the young officer's big person; and which he, and
Miss Fotheringay, and poor Pen too, perhaps, admired prodigiously.
Meanwhile conversation was engaged between the actress and the
new comer; and the usual remarks about the weather had been interchanged
before Costigan re-entered in his new "shoot," as he called it.
"I needn't apologize to ye, meejor," he said, in his richest and most
courteous manner, "for receiving ye in me shirt-sleeves."
"An old soldier can't be better employed than in teaching a young one
the use of his sword," answered the major, gallantly. "I remember in old
times hearing that you could use yours pretty well, Captain Costigan."
"What, ye've heard of Jack Costigan, major," said the other, greatly.
The major had, indeed; he had pumped his nephew concerning his new
friend, the Irish officer; and whether he had no other knowledge of the
captain than what he had thus gained, or whether he actually remembered
him, we can not say. But Major Pendennis was a person of honor and
undoubted veracity, and said that he perfectly well recollected meeting
Mr. Costigan, and hearing him sing, at Sir Richard Strachan's table at
Walcheren.
At this information, and the bland and cordial manner in which it was
conveyed, Bows looked up, entirely puzzled. "But we will talk of these
matters another time," the major continued, perhaps not wishing to
commit himself; "it is to Miss Fotheringay that I came to pay my
respects to-day;" and he performed another bow for her, so courtly and
gracious, that if she had been a duchess he could not have made it more
handsome.
"I had heard of your performances from my nephew, madam," the major
said, "who raves about you, as I believe you know pretty well. But
Arthur is but a boy, and a wild enthusiastic young fellow, whose
opinions one must not take _au pied de la lettre_; and I confess I was
anxious to judge for myself. Permit me to say your performance delighted
and astonished me. I have seen our best actresses, and, on my word,
I think you surpass them all. You are as majestic as Mrs. Siddons."
"Faith, I always said so," Costigan said, winking at his daughter;
"Major take a chair." Milly rose at this hint, took an unripped satin
garment off the only vacant seat, and brought the latter to Major
Pendennis with one of her finest courtesies.
"You are as pathetic as Miss O'Neill," he continued, bowing and seating
himself; "your snatches of song reminded me of Mrs. Jordan in her best
time, when we were young men, Captain Costigan; and your manner reminded
me of Mars. Did you ever see the Mars, Miss Fotheringay?"
"There was two Mahers in Crow-street," remarked Miss Emily; "Fanny was
well enough, but Biddy was no great things."
"Sure, the major means the god of war, Milly, my dear," interposed the
parent.
"It is not that Mars I meant, though Venus, I suppose, may be pardoned
for thinking about him;" the major replied, with a smile directed in
full to Sir Derby Oaks, who now re-entered in his shell-jacket, but
the lady did not understand the words of which he made use, nor did the
compliment at all pacify Sir Derby, who, probably, did not understand it
either, and at any rate received it with great sulkiness and stiffness;
scowling uneasily at Miss Fotheringay, with an expression which seemed
to ask, "What the deuce does this man here?"
Major Pendennis was not in the least annoyed by the gentleman's
ill-humor. On the contrary, it delighted him. "So," thought he, "a rival
is in the field;" and he offered up vows that Sir Derby might be, not
only a rival, but a winner too, in this love-match in which he and Pen
were engaged.
"I fear I interrupted your fencing lesson; but my stay in Chatteries
is very short, and I was anxious to make myself known to my old
fellow-campaigner Captain Costigan, and to see a lady nearer who had
charmed me so much from the stage. I was not the only man _epris_ last
night, Miss Fotheringay (if I must call you so, though your own family
name is a very ancient and noble one). There was a reverend friend of
mine, who went home in raptures with Ophelia; and I saw Sir Derby Oaks
fling a bouquet, which no actress ever merited better. I should have
brought one myself, had I known what I was going to see. Are not those
the very flowers in a glass of water on the mantle-piece yonder?"
"I am very fond of flowers," said Miss Fotheringay, with a languishing
ogle at Sir Derby Oaks--but the baronet still scowled sulkily.
"Sweets to the sweet--isn't that the expression of the play?" Mr.
Pendennis asked, bent upon being good-humored.
"'Pon my life, I don't know. Very likely it is. I ain't much of a
literary man," answered Sir Derby.
"Is it possible?" the major continued, with an air of surprise. "You
don't inherit your father's love of letters, then, Sir Derby? He was a
remarkably fine scholar, and I had the honor of knowing him very well."
"Indeed," said the other, and gave a sulky wag of his head.
"He saved my life," continued Pendennis.
"Did he now?" cried Miss Fotheringay, rolling her eyes first upon the
major with surprise, then toward Sir Derby with gratitude--but the
latter was proof against those glances; and far from appearing to
be pleased that the apothecary, his father, should have saved Major
Pendennis's life, the young man actually looked as if he wished the
event had turned the other way.
"My father, I believe, was a very good doctor," the young gentleman
said, by way of reply. "I'm not in that line myself. I wish you good
morning, sir. I've got an appointment--Cos, by-by--Miss Fotheringay,
good morning." And, in spite of the young lady's imploring looks and
appealing smiles, the dragoon bowed stiffly out of the room, and the
clatter of his saber was heard as he strode down the creaking stair;
and the angry tones of his voice as he cursed little Tom Creed, who
was disporting in the passage, and whose peg-top Sir Derby kicked away
with an oath into the street.
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The major did not smile in the least, though he had every reason to be
amused. "Monstrous handsome young man that--as fine a looking soldier
as ever I saw," he said to Costigan.
"A credit to the army and to human nature in general," answered
Costigan. "A young man of refoined manners, polite affabilitee, and
princely fortune. His table is sumptuous: he's adawr'd in the regiment:
and he rides sixteen stone."
"A perfect champion," said the major, laughing. "I have no doubt all the
ladies admire him."
"He's very well in spite of his weight, now he's young," said Milly;
"but he's no conversation."
"He's best on horseback," Mr. Bows said: on which Milly replied,
that the baronet had ridden third in the steeple-chase on his horse
Tareaways, and the major began to comprehend that the young lady herself
was not of a particular genius, and to wonder how she should be so
stupid and act so well.
Costigan, with Irish hospitality, of course pressed refreshment upon his
guest: and the major, who was no more hungry than you are after a Lord
Mayor's dinner, declared that he should like a biscuit and a glass of
wine above all things, as he felt quite faint from long fasting--but he
knew that to receive small kindnesses flatters the donors very much, and
that people must needs grow well disposed toward you as they give you
their hospitality.
"Some of the old Madara, Milly, love," Costigan said, winking to his
child--and that lady, turning to her father a glance of intelligence,
went out of the room, and down the stair, where she softly summoned
her little emissary Master Tommy Creed; and giving him a piece of
money, ordered him to go buy a pint of Madara wine at the Grapes, and
sixpennyworth of sorted biscuits at the baker's, and to return in a
hurry, when he might have two biscuits for himself.
While Tommy Creed was gone on this errand, Miss Costigan sate below with
Mrs. Creed, telling her landlady how Mr. Arthur Pendennis's uncle, the
major, was above stairs; a nice, soft-spoken old gentleman: that butter
wouldn't melt in his mouth; and how Sir Derby had gone out of the room
in a rage of jealousy, and thinking what must be done to pacify both of
them.
"She keeps the keys of the cellar, major," said Mr. Costigan, as the
girl left the room.
"Upon my word you have a very beautiful butler," answered Pendennis,
gallantly, "and I don't wonder at the young fellows raving about her.
When we were of their age, Captain Costigan, I think plainer women would
have done our business."
"Faith, and ye may say that, sir--and lucky is the man who gets her. Ask
me friend Bob Bows here whether Miss Fotheringay's moind is not even
shuparior to her person, and whether she does not possess a cultiveated
intellect, a refoined understanding, and an emiable disposition?"
"O, of course," said Mr. Bows, rather drily. "Here comes Hebe blushing
from the cellar. Don't you think it is time to go to rehearsal, Miss
Hebe? You will be fined if you are later"--and he gave the young lady a
look, which intimated that they had much better leave the room and the
two elders together.
At this order Miss Hebe took up her bonnet and shawl, looking uncommonly
pretty, good-humored, and smiling; and Bows gathered up his roll of
papers, and hobbled across the room for his hat and cane.
"Must you go?" said the major. "Can't you give us a few minutes more,
Miss Fotheringay? Before you leave us, permit an old fellow to shake you
by the hand, and believe that I am proud to have had the honor of making
your acquaintance, and am most sincerely anxious to be your friend."
Miss Fotheringay made a low courtesy at the conclusion of this gallant
speech, and the major followed her retreating steps to the door, where
he squeezed her hand with the kindest and most paternal pressure. Bows
was puzzled with this exhibition of cordiality: "The lad's relatives
can't be really wanting to marry him to her," he thought--and so they
departed.
"Now for it," thought Major Pendennis: and as for Mr. Costigan he
profited instantaneously by his daughter's absence to drink up the rest
of the wine; and tossed off one bumper after another of the Madeira from
the Grapes, with an eager, shaking hand. The major came up to the table,
and took up his glass and drained it with a jovial smack. If it had been
Lord Steyne's particular, and not public-house Cape, he could not have
appeared to relish it more.
"Capital Madeira, Captain Costigan," he said. "Where do you get it? I
drink the health of that charming creature in a bumper. Faith, captain,
I don't wonder that the men are wild about her. I never saw such eyes in
my life, or such a grand manner. I am sure she is as intellectual as she
is beautiful; and I have no doubt she's as good as she is clever."
"A good girl, sir--a good girl, sir," said the delighted father; "and
I pledge a toast to her with all my heart. Shall I send to the--to the
cellar for another pint? It's handy by. No? Well, indeed, sir, ye may
say she is a good girl, and the pride and glory of her father--honest
old Jack Costigan. The man who gets her will have a jew'l to a wife,
sir; and I drink his health, sir, and ye know who I mean, major."
"I am not surprised at young or old falling in love with her," said the
major, "and frankly must tell you, that though I was very angry with my
poor nephew Arthur, when I heard of the boy's passion--now I have seen
the lady I can pardon him any extent of it. By George, I should like to
enter for the race myself, if I wern't an old fellow and a poor one."
"And no better man, major, I'm sure," cried Jack, enraptured. "Your
friendship, sir, delights me. Your admiration for my girl brings tears
to me eyes--tears, sir--manlee tears--and when she leaves me humble home
for your own more splendid mansion, I hope she'll keep a place for her
poor old father, poor old Jack Costigan."--The captain suited the action
to the word, and his blood-shot eyes were suffused with water, as he
addressed the major.
"Your sentiments do you honor," the other said. "But, Captain Costigan,
I can't help smiling at one thing you have just said."
"And what's that, sir?" asked Jack, who was at a too heroic and
sentimental pitch to descend from it.
"You were speaking about our splendid mansion--my sister's house, I
mean."
"I mane the park and mansion of Arthur Pendennis, Esquire, of Fairoaks
Park, whom I hope to see a Mimber of Parliament for his native town of
Clavering, when he is of ege to take that responsible stetion," cried
the captain, with much dignity.
The major smiled as he recognized a shaft out of his own bow. It
was he who had set Pen upon the idea of sitting in parliament for the
neighboring borough--and the poor lad had evidently been bragging on the
subject to Costigan and the lady of his affections. "Fairoaks Park, my
dear sir," he said. "Do you know our history? We are of excessively
ancient family certainly, but I began life with scarce enough money to
purchase my commission, and my eldest brother was a country apothecary;
who made every shilling he died possessed of out of his pestle and
mortar."
"I have consented to waive that objection, sir," said Costigan
majestically, "in consideration of the known respectability of your
family."
"Curse your impudence," thought the major; but he only smiled and bowed.
"The Costigans, too, have met with misfortunes; and our house of Castle
Costigan is by no manes what it was. I have known very honest men
apothecaries, sir, and there's some in Dublin that has had the honor of
dining at the Lord Leftenant's teeble."
"You are very kind to give us the benefit of your charity," the major
continued: "but permit me to say that is not the question. You spoke
just now of my little nephew as heir of Fairoaks Park, and I don't know
what besides."
"Funded property, I've no doubt, meejor, and something handsome
eventually from yourself."
"My good sir, I tell you the boy is the son of a country apothecary,"
cried out Major Pendennis; "and that when he comes of age he won't have
a shilling."
"Pooh, major, you're laughing at me," said Mr. Costigan, "me young
friend, I make no doubt, is heir to two thousand pounds a year."
"Two thousand fiddlesticks! I beg your pardon, my dear sir; but has the
boy been humbugging you?--it is not his habit. Upon my word and honor,
as a gentleman and an executor to my brother's will too, he left little
more than five hundred a year behind him."
"And with aconomy, a handsome sum of money too, sir," the captain
answered. "Faith, I've known a man drink his clar't, and drive his
coach-and-four on five hundred a year and strict aconomy, in Ireland,
sir. We'll manage on it, sir--trust Jack Costigan for that."
"My dear Captain Costigan--I give you my word that my brother did not
leave a shilling to his son Arthur."
"Are ye joking with me, Meejor Pendennis?" cried Jack Costigan. "Are ye
thrifling with the feelings of a father and a gentleman?"
"I am telling you the honest truth," said Major Pendennis. "Every
shilling my brother had, he left to his widow: with a partial reversion,
it is true, to the boy. But she is a young woman, and may marry if he
offends her--or she may outlive him, for she comes of an uncommonly
long-lived family. And I ask you, as a gentleman and a man of the world,
what allowance can my sister, Mrs. Pendennis, make to her son out of
five hundred a year, which is all her fortune--that shall enable him
to maintain himself and your daughter in the rank befitting such an
accomplished young lady?"
"Am I to understand, sir, that the young gentleman, your nephew, and
whom I have fosthered and cherished as the son of me bosom, is an
imposther who has been thrifling with the affections of me beloved
child?" exclaimed the general, with an outbreak of wrath.--"Have you
yourself been working upon the feelings of the young man's susceptible
nature to injuice him to break off an engagement, and with it me adored
Emily's heart? Have a care, sir, how you thrifle with the honor of John
Costigan. If I thought any mortal man meant to do so, be heavens I'd
have his blood, sir--were he old or young."
"Mr. Costigan!" cried out the major.
"Mr. Costigan can protect his own and his daughter's honor, and will,
sir," said the other. "Look at that chest of dthrawers, it contains
heaps of letthers that that viper has addressed to that innocent child.
There's promises there, sir, enough to fill a band-box with; and when I
have dragged the scoundthrel before the courts of law, and shown up his
perjury and his dishonor, I have another remedy in yondther mahogany
case, sir, which shall set me right, sir, with any individual--ye mark
me words, Major Pendennis--with any individual who has counseled your
nephew to insult a soldier and a gentleman. What? Me daughter to be
jilted, and me gray hairs dishonored by an apothecary's son. By the
laws of heaven, sir, I should like to see the man that shall do it."
"I am to understand, then, that you threaten in the first place to
publish the letters of a boy of eighteen to a woman of eight-and-twenty:
and afterward to do me the honor of calling me out," the major said,
still with perfect coolness.
"You have described my intentions with perfect accuracy, Meejor
Pendennis," answered the captain, as he pulled his ragged whiskers over
his chin.
"Well, well; these shall be the subjects of future arrangements, but
before we come to powder and ball, my good sir--do have the kindness to
think with yourself in what earthly way I have injured you? I have told
you that my nephew is dependent upon his mother, who has scarcely more
than five hundred a year."
"I have my own opinion of the correctness of that assertion," said the
captain.
"Will you go to my sister's lawyers, Messrs. Tatham here, and satisfy
yourself?"
"I decline to meet those gentlemen," said the captain, with rather a
disturbed air. "If it be as you say, I have been athrociously deceived
by some one, and on that person I'll be revenged."
"Is it my nephew?" cried the major, starting up and putting on his hat.
"Did he ever tell you that his property was two thousand a year? If he
did, I'm mistaken in the boy. To tell lies has not been a habit in our
family, Mr. Costigan, and I don't think my brother's son has learned
it as yet. Try and consider whether you have not deceived yourself; or
adopted extravagant reports from hearsay. As for me, sir, you are at
liberty to understand that I am not afraid of all the Costigans in
Ireland and know quite well how to defend myself against any threats
from any quarter. I come here as the boy's guardian to protest against
a marriage, most absurd and unequal, that can not but bring poverty and
misery with it; and in preventing it I conceive I am quite as much your
daughter's friend (who I have no doubt is an honorable young lady), as
the friend of my own family; and prevent the marriage I will, sir, by
every means in my power. There, I have said my say, sir."
"But I have not said mine, Major Pendennis--and ye shall hear more from
me," Mr. Costigan said, with a look of tremendous severity.
"'Sdeath, sir, what do you mean?" the major asked, turning round on the
threshold of the door, and looking the intrepid Costigan in the face.
"Ye said, in the coorse of conversation, that ye were at the George
Hotel, I think," Mr. Costigan said, in a stately manner. "A friend shall
wait upon ye there before ye leave town, sir."
"Let him make haste, Mr. Costigan," cried out the major, almost beside
himself with rage. "I wish you a good morning, sir." And Captain
Costigan, bowed a magnificent bow of defiance to Major Pendennis over
the landing-place as the latter retreated down the stairs.