TWO YOUNG GENTLEMEN.
Lady Valentine was the widow of a baronet of good family and respectable
means; the one was to be continued and the other absorbed by her son,
young Sir Walter, now an Oxford undergraduate and just turned twenty-one
years of age. Lady Valentine had a jointure, and Marjory a pretty face.
The remaining family assets were a country-house of moderate dimensions
in the neighbourhood of Maidenhead, and a small flat in Cromwell Road.
Lady Valentine deplored the rise of the plutocracy, and had sometimes
secretly hoped that a plutocrat would marry her daughter. In other
respects she was an honest and unaffected woman.
Young Sir Walter, however, had his own views for his sister, and young
Sir Walter, when he surveyed the position which the laws and customs of
the realm gave him, was naturally led to suppose that his opinion had
some importance. He was hardly responsible for the error, and very
probably Mr. Ruston would have been better advised had his bearing
towards the young man not indicated so very plainly that the error was
an error. But in the course of the visits to Cromwell Road, which Ruston
found time to pay in the intervals of floating the Omofaga Company--and
he was a man who found time for many things--this impression of his made
itself tolerably evident, and, consequently, Sir Walter entertained
grave doubts whether Ruston were a gentleman. And, if a fellow is not a
gentleman, what, he asked, do brains and all the rest of it go for?
Moreover, how did the chap live? To which queries Marjory answered that
"Oxford boys" were very silly--a remark which embittered, without in the
least elucidating, the question.
Almost everybody has one disciple who looks up to him as master and
mentor, and, ill as he was suited to such a post, Evan Haselden filled
it for Walter Valentine. Evan had been in his fourth year when Walter
was a freshman, and the reverence engendered in those days had been
intensified when Evan had become, first, secretary to a minister and
then, as he showed diligence and aptitude, a member of Parliament. Evan
was a strong Tory, but payment of members had an unholy attraction for
him; this indication of his circumstances may suffice. Men thought him a
promising youth, women called him a nice boy, and young Sir Walter held
him for a statesman and a man of the world.
Seeing that what Sir Walter wanted was an unfavourable opinion of
Ruston, he could not have done better than consult his respected friend.
Juggernaut--Adela Ferrars was pleased with the nickname, and it began to
be repeated--had been crushing Evan in one or two little ways lately,
and he did it with an unconsciousness that increased the brutality.
Besides displacing him from the position he wished to occupy at more
than one social gathering, Ruston, being in the Lobby of the House one
day (perhaps on Omofaga business), had likened the pretty (it was his
epithet) young member, as he sped with a glass of water to his party
leader, to Ganymede in a frock coat--a description, Evan felt, injurious
to a serious politician.
"A gentleman?" he said, in reply to young Sir Walter's inquiry. "Well,
everybody's a gentleman now, so I suppose Ruston is."
"I call him an unmannerly brute," observed Walter, "and I can't think
why mother and Marjory are so civil to him."
Evan shook his head mournfully.
"You meet the fellow everywhere," he sighed.
"Such an ugly mug as he's got too," pursued young Sir Walter. "But
Marjory says it's full of character."
"Character! I should think so. Enough to hang him on sight," said Evan
bitterly.
"He's been a lot to our place. Marjory seems to like him. I say,
Haselden, do you remember what you spoke of after dinner at the Savoy
the other day?"
Evan nodded, looking rather embarrassed; indeed he blushed, and little
as he liked doing that, it became him very well.
"Did you mean it? Because, you know, I should like it awfully."
"Thanks, Val, old man. Oh, rather, I meant it."
Young Sir Walter lowered his voice and looked cautiously round--they
were in the club smoking-room.
"Because I thought, you know, that you were rather--you know--Adela
Ferrars?"
"Nothing in that, only _pour passer le temps_," Evan assured him with
that superb man-of-the-worldliness.
It was a pity that Adela could not hear him. But there was more to
follow.
"The truth is," resumed Evan--"and, of course, I rely on your discretion,
Val--I thought there might be a--an obstacle."
Young Sir Walter looked knowing.
"When you were good enough to suggest what you did--about your sister--I
doubted for a moment how such a thing would be received by--well, at a
certain house."
"Oh!"
"I shouldn't wonder if you could guess."
"N--no, I don't think so."
"Well, it doesn't matter where."
"Oh, but I say, you might as well tell me. Hang it, I've learnt to hold
my tongue."
"You hadn't noticed it? That's all right. I'm glad to hear it," said
Evan, whose satisfaction was not conspicuous in his tone.
"I'm so little in town, you see," said Walter tactfully.
"Well--for heaven's sake, don't let it go any farther--Curzon Street."
"What! Of course! Mrs.----"
"All right, yes. But I've made up my mind. I shall drop all that. Best,
isn't it?"
Walter nodded a sagacious assent.
"There was never anything in it, really," said Evan, and he was not
displeased with his friend's incredulous expression. It is a great
luxury to speak the truth and yet not be believed.
"Now, what you propose," continued Evan, "is most--but, I say, Val, what
does she think?"
"She likes you--and you'll have all my influence," said the Head of the
Family in a tone of importance.
"But how do you know she likes me?" insisted Evan, whose off-hand air
gave place to a manner betraying some trepidation.
"I don't know for certain, of course. And, I say, Haselden, I believe
mother's got an idea in her head about that fellow Ruston."
"The devil! That brute! Oh, hang it, Val, she can't--your sister, I
mean--I tell you what, I shan't play the fool any longer."
Sir Walter cordially approved of increased activity, and the two young
gentlemen, having settled one lady's future and disposed of the claims
of two others to their complete satisfaction, betook themselves to
recreation.
Evan was not, however, of opinion that anything in the conversation
above recorded, imposed upon him the obligation of avoiding entirely
Mrs. Dennison's society. On the contrary, he took an early opportunity
of going to see her. His attitude towards her was one of considerably
greater deference than Sir Walter understood it to be, and he had a high
idea of the value of her assistance. And he did not propose to deny
himself such savour of sentiment as the lady would allow; and she
generally allowed a little. He intended to say nothing about Ruston, but
as it happened that Mrs. Dennison's wishes set in an opposing direction,
he had not been long in the drawing room at Curzon Street before he
found himself again with the name of his enemy on his lips. He spoke
with refreshing frankness and an engaging confidence in his hostess'
sympathy. Mrs. Dennison had no difficulty in seeing that he had a
special reason for his bitterness.
"Is it only because he called you Ganymede? And it's a very good name
for you, Mr. Haselden."
To be compared to Ganymede in private by a lady and in public by a
scoffer, are things very different. Evan smiled complacently.
"There's more than that, isn't there?" asked Mrs. Dennison.
Evan admitted that there was more, and, in obedience to some skilful
guidance, he revealed what there was more--what beyond mere offended
dignity--between himself and Mr. Ruston. He had to complain of no lack
of interest on the part of his listener. Mrs. Dennison questioned him
closely as to his grounds for anticipating Ruston's rivalry. The idea
was evidently quite new to her; and Evan was glad to detect her
reluctance to accept it--she must think as he did about Willie Ruston.
The tangible evidence appeared on examination reassuringly small, and
Evan, by a strange conversion, found himself driven to defend his
apprehensions by insisting on just that power of attraction in his foe
which he had begun by denying altogether. But that, Mrs. Dennison
objected, only showed, even if it existed, that Marjory might like
Ruston, not that Ruston would return her liking. On the whole Mrs.
Dennison comforted him, and, dismissing Ruston from the discussion, said
with a smile,
"So you're thinking of settling down already, are you?"
"I say, Mrs. Dennison, you've always been awfully good to me; I wonder
if you'd help me in this?"
"How could I help you?"
"Oh, lots of ways. Well, for instance, old Lady Valentine doesn't ask me
there often. You see, I haven't got any money."
"Poor boy! Of course you haven't. Nice young men never have any money."
"So I don't get many chances of seeing her."
"And I might arrange meetings for you? That's how I could help? Now, why
should I help?"
Evan was encouraged by this last question, put in his friend's
doubtfully-serious doubtfully-playful manner.
"It needn't," he said, in a tone rather more timid than young Sir Walter
would have expected, "make any difference to our friendship, need it? If
it meant that----"
The sentence was left in expressive incompleteness.
Mrs. Dennison wanted to laugh; but why should she hurt his feelings? He
was a pleasant boy, and, in spite of his vanity, really a clever one. He
had been a little spoilt; that was all. She turned her laugh in another
direction.
"Berthe Cormack would tell you that it would be sure to intensify it,"
she said. "Seriously, I shan't hate you for marrying, and I don't
suppose Marjory will hate me."
"Then" (Mrs. Dennison had to smile at that little word), "you'll help
me?"
"Perhaps," said Mrs. Dennison, allowing her smile to become manifest.
"You won't be against me?"
"Perhaps not."
"Good-bye," said Evan, pressing her hand.
He had enjoyed himself very much, and Mrs. Dennison was glad that she
had been good-natured, and had not laughed.
"Good-bye, and I hope you'll be very happy, if you succeed.
And--Evan--don't kill Mr. Ruston!"
The laugh came at last, but he was out of the door in time, and Mrs.
Dennison had no leisure to enjoy it fully, for, the moment her visitor
was gone, Mr. Belford and Lord Semingham were announced. They came
together, seeking Harry Dennison. There was a "little hitch" of some
sort in the affairs of the Omofaga Company--nothing of consequence, said
Mr. Belford reassuringly. Mrs. Dennison explained that Harry Dennison
had gone off to call on Mr. Ruston.
"Oh, then he knows by now," said Semingham in a tone of relief.
"And it'll be all right," added Belford contentedly.
"Mr. Belford," said Mrs. Dennison, "I'm living in an atmosphere of
Omofaga. I eat it, and drink it, and wear it, and breathe it. And, what
in the end, is it?"
"Ask Ruston," interposed Semingham.
"I did; but I don't think he told me."
"But surely, my dear Mrs. Dennison, your husband takes you into his
confidence?" suggested Mr. Belford.
Mrs. Dennison smiled, as she replied,
"Oh, yes, I know what you're doing. But I want to know why you're doing
it. I don't believe you'll ever get anything out of it, you know."
"Oh, directors always get something," protested Semingham. "Penal
servitude sometimes, but always something."
"I've never had such implicit faith in any undertaking in my life,"
asserted Mr. Belford. "And I know that your husband shares my views.
It's bound to be the greatest success of the day. Ah, here's Dennison!"
Harry came in wiping his brow. Belford rushed to him, and drew him to
the window, button-holing him with decision. Lord Semingham smiled
lazily and pulled his whisker.
"Don't you want to hear the news?" Mrs. Dennison asked.
"No! He's been to Ruston."
Mrs. Dennison looked at him for an instant with something rather like
scorn in her eye. Lord Semingham laughed.
"I'm not quite as bad as that, really," he said.
"And the others?" she asked, leaning forward and taking care that her
voice did not reach the other pair.
"He turns Belford round his fingers."
"And Mr. Carlin?"
"In his pocket."
Mrs. Dennison cast a glance towards the window.
"Don't go on," implored Semingham, half-seriously.
"And my husband?" she asked in a still lower voice.
Lord Semingham protested with a gesture against such cross-examination.
"Surely it's a good thing for me to know?" she said.
"Well--a great influence."
"Thank you."
There was a pause for an instant. Then she rose with a laugh and rang
the bell for tea.
"I hope he won't ruin us all," she said.
"I've got Bessie's settlement," observed Lord Semingham; and he added
after a moment's pause, "What's the matter? I thought you were a
thoroughgoing believer."
"I'm a woman," she answered. "If I were a man----"
"You'd be the prophet, not the disciple, eh?"
She looked at him, and then across to the couple by the window.
"To do Belford justice," remarked Semingham, reading her glance, "he
never admits that he isn't a great man--though surely he must know it."
"Is it better to know it, or not to know it?" she asked, restlessly
fingering the teapot and cups which had been placed before her. "I
sometimes think that if you resolutely refuse to know it, you can alter
it."
Belford's name had been the only name mentioned in the conversation; yet
Semingham knew that she was not thinking of Belford nor of him.
"I knew it about myself very soon," he said. "It makes a man better to
know it, Mrs. Dennison."
"Oh, yes--better," she answered impatiently.
The two men came and joined them. Belford accepted a cup of tea, and, as
he took it, he said to Harry, continuing their conversation,
"Of course, I know his value; but, after all, we must judge for
ourselves."
"Of course," acquiesced Harry, handing him bread-and-butter.
"We are the masters," pursued Belford.
Mrs. Dennison glanced at him, and a smile so full of meaning--of meaning
which it was as well Mr. Belford should not see--appeared on her face,
that Lord Semingham deftly interposed his person between them, and said,
with apparent seriousness,
"Oh, he mustn't think he can do just what he likes with us."
"I am entirely of your opinion," said Belford, with a weighty nod.
After tea, Lord Semingham walked slowly back to his own house. He had a
trick of stopping still, when he fell into thought, and he was
motionless on the pavement of Piccadilly more than once on his way home.
The last time he paused for nearly three minutes, till an acquaintance,
passing by, clapped him on the back, and inquired what occupied his
mind.
"I was thinking," said Semingham, laying his forefinger on his friend's
arm, "that if you take what a clever man really is, and add to it what a
clever woman who is interested in him thinks he is, you get a most
astonishing person."
The friend stared. The speculation seemed hardly pressing enough to
excuse a man for blocking the pavement of Piccadilly.
"If, on the other hand," pursued Semingham, "you take what an ordinary
man isn't, and add all that a clever woman thinks he isn't, you get----"
"Hadn't we better go on, old fellow?" asked the friend.
"No, I think we'd better not," said Semingham, starting to walk again.