William Delaware set out from Emberton, and arrived in London. His
next step was to send a note to Lord Ashborough, informing him of his
being in town, and requesting an interview the following morning; and
in answer he received a very polite though somewhat formal billet,
inviting him to breakfast in Grosvenor Square, and promising as long
an audience after that meal as he might think necessary.
At the appointed hour--for Captain Delaware never considered that
appointed hours mean nothing--he approached Lord Ashborough's house,
and was ushered up stairs, where he found housemaids and empty
drawing-rooms enow; and, planting himself at a window that looked out
into the square, he gazed forth with somewhat unpleasant anticipations
occupying his mind, and rendering his eye sightless as to all that was
passing before it.
In a few minutes the housemaids withdrew from the farther rooms, and
the whole suit became vacant for some time, till a light step caught
Captain Delaware's ear, and, turning round, he beheld a young lady
whom he had seen there before, when last he had visited London. At
that time he had found her surrounded by a whole bevy of strangers,
whose gay appearance and supercilious manner had somewhat repelled the
young sailor, although Miss Beauchamp herself. Lord Ashborough's
niece, had spoken to him with frank kindness, and claimed relationship
with him at once.
Miss Beauchamp now advanced towards him, while he acknowledged her
approach by a bow, which was stiff though not awkward. The young lady,
however, held out her hand with a gay smile, and, as he took it,
added, in a tone of playful sharpness, "Tell me, sir, are you my
cousin, or are you not?"
"I believe I have some right to claim that honour," replied Captain
Delaware.
"Well, then," continued the young lady, "lay aside, immediately, all
that stiff, chilly reserve, or I will disown you henceforth and for
ever." Captain Delaware smiled, and she continued. "I know that this
house has a very icy atmosphere; but that does not extend to my part
of it, and while my noble and stately uncle may be as frigid as
the north pole in his peculiar territories, the library and the
dining-room, I must have a pleasanter climate in my domains, the
drawing-rooms and breakfast-room."
"Your own presence must always produce such an atmosphere," replied
Captain Delaware. "But you must remember. Miss Beauchamp, that I have
been but a short time within its influence, so that I have scarcely
had leisure to get thawed."
"Oh, I must unfreeze you quite, erelong, my good cousin," replied Miss
Beauchamp, laughing. "But now, listen to me for five minutes, for I
have a great deal more to say to you than you know any thing about.
Calculating that you would come early, when I heard that my uncle had
asked you to breakfast, I determined to rise a full hour sooner than
usual, on purpose to give you your lesson for the day."
Captain Delaware expressed his thanks as warmly as possible,
acknowledging, however, that his gratitude was somewhat mingled with
surprise, to find that his fair cousin was prepared to be interested
in behalf of one, who, though akin by blood, was nearly a stranger as
far as acquaintance went.
"That would be a severe reproach to my forwardness, William Delaware,"
replied the young lady, "if I had not a good motive _in petto_.
Besides, I find, that in days of yore, when we were all children, and
my good father was alive, that you and I and Blanche, and my brother
Henry, have had many a rude game of play amongst the old trees of
Emberton Park. But, let us speak to the point, as we may have little
time to speak at all--An old friend of yours and mine, good Dr.
Wilton, has written to me a long letter, two or three days ago, giving
me an account of all this unfortunate business between your father and
my uncle, and desiring me, if you ever came to town again, to do my
best to forward your views. Now, the truth is, I have no more
influence with Lord Ashborough than that screen."
"With a thousand thanks for your kind interest," replied Captain
Delaware; "I should still be sorry to owe, even to your influence,
what I could not obtain from justice."
"Pride! Pride!" cried Miss Beauchamp, "the fault of men and angels!
But let me tell you, my dear cousin, that no man or men have any right
to be proud in a woman's presence; for ye are a mere race of bullies
at the best, and bow like the veriest slaves whenever we chose to
tyrannize over you. But to the point.--Listen to my sage advice. I was
saying, that I had no more influence with my Lord Ashborough than that
screen.--I am a mere piece of household furniture; and, I dare say,
that I am to be found, written down in the inventory thus:--'Front
drawing-room--Three tables, four-and-twenty chairs, four sofas, three
chaises longues, _a niece_.'--I do believe, my uncle, when I refused
the Honourable Mr. What's-his-name, the other day, which mortally
offended his lordship, thought of having me transferred to the
schedule of _fixtures_ forthwith. But, nevertheless, as I am a hearing
and seeing piece of furniture, I have learned that the only way to
manage the Earl of Ashborough, is to be firm, steady, somewhat
haughty, and a good deal stern. Remember all this, my dearly beloved
cousin, and make use of the hint. But I hear his lordship's morning
step, when the neat boot is first, for that day, fitted on to the neat
foot. So I will to the breakfast-room; and do not forget, when you
meet me, to wish me good-morrow in set form, and civil terms, and take
care that you do not look conscious."
Thus saying, the gay girl ran lightly through the long suite of rooms,
leaving Captain Delaware standing nearly where she had found him, with
a good deal of admiration at her beauty, and a good deal of surprise
at the mingling of kindness both with levity, and with the slightest
possible spice of coquetry, which she had displayed in their brief
conversation.
Ere she was well out of sight, the step that had been heard above,
might be distinguished descending the stairs. There is not a little
character in a step, and the sound of Lord Ashborough's was peculiar.
Perhaps the enfeebling power of time--which, what with one aid or
another, was not very apparent in his person--marked its progress more
decidedly in his step than in any thing else. There was a certain
degree of creaking feebleness in it, especially at an early hour of
the morning, when he was just out of bed, which, joined with a slow
precision of fall, indicated a declension in the firm and sturdy
manhood. His lordship felt it, and in society he covered the slight
falling off by an affectation of grave and thoughtful dignity of
movement,--but his valet-de-chambre knew better.
Captain Delaware, however, did not; and as the earl entered the room,
with a roll of papers in his hand, like Talma in Sylla--he acted a
good deal, by the way--his young relative thought him a very grave and
reverend signor; and would rather have lain for an hour along side an
enemy's frigate, yard-arm to yard-arm, than have grappled with so
stern and thoughtful a personage, on so disagreeable a business as
that which he came to discuss. He had undertaken it resolutely,
however, and he was not a man to flinch before any coward
apprehensions, moral or physical.
The first expression of his lordship's countenance, when his eyes fell
upon his visiter, was not certainly of a nature greatly to encourage
him. For a moment--a single instant--nature got the better, and a
slight shade of that loathing dislike, with which one regards some
poisonous reptile, or the object of some peculiar antipathy, passed
over Lord Ashborough's features. It was gone as quickly; and with a
much more condescending and agreeable smile than he had bestowed upon
him on his former visit, the earl advanced, and welcomed him to
London.
Captain Delaware was of course very well disposed to welcome any show
of kindness; and he said a few words in regard to his regret at having
to trouble Lord Ashborough again.
"Oh! we will speak of all that after breakfast," said the earl. "When
last I saw you I was hurried and fretted by a thousand things, and had
no opportunity of showing you any attention. Indeed, I have but little
leisure now, the duties of my office--he held a sinecure post, which
required him to sign his name twice a-year--the duties of my office
claiming great part of my time. But you must really, as long as you
remain in London, spend your days here; and my niece, Maria, who has
nothing to do, will show you all over the world, under the fair excuse
of your cousinship. But let us to breakfast. Maria will not be down
for this hour; but I never wait for that lazy girl."
Lord Ashborough was not a little surprised to find his niece in the
breakfast-room, and praised her ironically on her habits of early
rising; but Miss Beauchamp answered at once, "Oh! I had a reason for
getting up soon to-day, otherwise I should certainly not have done so.
To contemplate my dear uncle for an hour, with one foot crossed over
the other, letting his coffee get cold, and reading the newspaper, is
too great a treat to be indulged in every morning."
"And pray, my fair niece," demanded Lord Ashborough, smiling at a
picture of himself, which was not without the cold sort of importance
he chose to assume; "and pray, my fair niece, what was the particular
cause of your infringing your ancient and beloved habits this
morning?"
"First and foremost, of course," replied Miss Beauchamp, with a
graceful bend of the head to her cousin, "to see Captain Delaware,
whose visit you yesterday evening led me to expect; but, in the next
place, my full resolution and determination was to take possession of
your lordship during breakfast, and tease you in every sort of way,
till you agree to leave this horrid place London, now that you are
positively the last gentleman remaining in it, except the men in
red-coats that walk up and down St. James's Street, and look
disconsolate from June till January. But they are forced to stay, poor
fellows! You are not."
"There is no use of going out of town, Maria, to come up again the
next day," replied Lord Ashborough. "Parliament will certainly sit for
a few days this month, and I must be present. But, in regard to your
cousin, I intend to make him over to you for the whole day, as I have
some business to transact; and, therefore, you see you would not have
been deprived of his visit."
"Sad experience making me doubtful," replied Miss Beauchamp laughing,
"in regard to how far your lordship's civility might extend to your
kindred, I did not know whether I might ever see Captain Delaware
again."
She spoke in jest, but it cut home, and Lord Ashborough, reddening,
took his coffee and the newspaper, and left his cousin and his niece
to entertain themselves, while he soon became immersed in the idle
gossip of the day. After breakfast, he led the way to the library with
renewed complacence, and, begging Captain Delaware to be seated, he
listened to him calmly and good humouredly, while he spoke of the
cause of his coming. He then read attentively the first instructions
for the annuity deed, and returning the paper, fell--or affected to
fall--into deep thought.
"Why, this certainly does make a great difference," he replied at
length; "and I am sure, Captain Delaware, you will exculpate me from
any desire to take advantage either of an accident or a misfortune. My
plan through life has been to do clear and simple justice to all, and
never to fall into the absurd error of mingling all the feelings of
private life with matters of business. Matters of business should be
transacted as matters of business, and without the slightest regard to
whether you be my cousin or a perfect stranger. I can be generous when
it is necessary, as well as other men; but you applied to me not on a
point of generosity, but on a point of right and of justice, and
therefore in that light did I consider and decline your last proposal.
In the same light do I consider your present statement; but the paper
you have produced, according to my present views, so far alters the
question, that without returning you any direct answer at present, I
will, in going out, call upon my solicitor, consult with him, and, if
you will see him to-morrow at eleven o'clock, he shall tell you my
final views, and, depend upon it, they shall be those of substantial
justice."
Captain Delaware was somewhat disappointed; for, from the first
impression which the production of the paper he had shown Lord
Ashborough, had made upon that nobleman, he had concluded that the
matter would be settled at once. He saw, however, that it would be
useless to press the subject farther at the time; and, after promising
to spend his days, though not his nights, at the house of his noble
kinsman, during his stay in London, he left him in possession of the
library.
Lord Ashborough almost immediately after mounted his horse, and rode
slowly on down all those filthy streets and long, which conduct to
Clement's Inn; in one of the dark and dusty staircases of which,
stinking of parchment and red tape, he met the identical Mr. Peter
Tims, of whom he was in search, and who led him instantly into the
penetralia. Their conversation was keen and long, but a few sentences
of it will be sufficient here. After relating Captain Delaware's
visit, the earl demanded eagerly, "Now, Mr. Tims, can the matter be
done? Have you seen to it?"
"I have, my lord, and it can be done," replied the lawyer. "I have
this morning been at the house of Messrs. Steelyard and Wilkinson.
Both partners are out of town, but their head clerk was there, and I
have made the following arrangement with him"----
"You have not compromised my name, I hope," interrupted the earl.
"Not in the least, my lord," replied the other. "I explained
to the clerk that you would sell out at this moment to a great
disadvantage--that fourteen days would in all probability alter the
position of affairs--and that therefore your lordship would give a
bill at that date for the ten thousand pounds which you were to pay
them for Mr. Beauchamp.
"But how will that forward the matter?" demanded the earl. "It will
seem as if I were shuffling with my nephew concerning his money
matters, and not promote the other purpose."
"Your pardon, my lord--your pardon!" cried the lawyer. "You shall
demand of Sir Sidney Delaware to give you bills for the whole sum at a
fortnight's date, and give him up the annuity deed at once, and we
will arrange it so that you shall be out of town when the draft on you
becomes due, so as to stop the ten thousand pounds at the very nick."
"Ay, but Harry will write up to know whether it be paid!" said the
earl.
"I will write to him as soon as you have given the bill, my lord,
telling him that the money is paid," answered the lawyer; "and I will
direct the letter to his house in John Street, to be forwarded. I have
a good excuse for writing, in regard to this business of the valet he
kicked down stairs--so there will be no suspicion."
"You know that he is a good man of business, Mr. Tims," replied the
earl, doubtingly. "Do you think he will take your word without writing
to enquire?"
"Oh yes, my lord!" answered the lawyer boldly. "You know your own
plans, and therefore think he may suspect them. That is the way with
all gentlemen, when they first do any little business of this kind.
They always fancy that other people know that we are wanting to keep
them in the dark. Remember Mr. Beauchamp has no suspicion.--He does
not know that you know where he is.--He is not aware that you have
heard he is going to squander away his money at all; still less, that
you are good enough to take such pains to prevent him. He will believe
it at once, that the money is paid, and will simply give a draft for
it on Messrs. Steelyard and Wilkinson when the money is wanted.
Besides, from all I can learn, although he be in general a good man of
business enough, I hear he has got hold of one of those pieces of
business that put every thing else out of a man's head altogether."
"What do you mean, sir?" demanded the earl, in a strong tone of
aristocratical pride; for there was a sort of sneer upon the
countenance of Mr. Tims, which he did not at all admire, coupled with
the mention of his rich nephew--and here, be it remarked, that it made
a great difference in Lord Ashborough's estimation, whether the person
spoken of was a rich or a poor nephew. He had a sort of indescribable
loathing towards poverty, or rather towards poor people, which was
only increased by their being his relations. He hated poverty--he
could not bear it--in his eyes it was a disease--a pestilence--a vice;
and therefore--although, had his nephew been poor, Mr. Tims might have
sneered at him to all eternity--as he was rich, Lord Ashborough felt
very indignant at the least want of reverence towards him. The tone in
which he demanded, "What do you mean, sir?" frightened Mr. Tims, who
hastened to reply, that he had heard from his respected and
respectable relative in the country, that the Mr. Burrel who had
proposed to lend the money to Sir Sidney Delaware, was now continually
at Emberton Park; and that it was very well understood in the country
that he was to be married immediately to Miss Delaware.
Lord Ashborough gazed in the face of the lawyer, with that mingled
look of vacancy and horror, which we may picture to ourselves on the
countenance of a person suddenly blinded by lightning. When he had
collected his senses, it was but to give way to a more violent burst
of rage, and, with clenched hands and teeth, he stamped about the
office of the attorney, till the clerks in the outer room began to
think that he was breaking the hard head of their master against
the floor. A few words, however, served to give vocal vent to
his fury. "The hypocritical, artful, despicable race of beggarly
fortune-hunters!" he exclaimed; and, turning out of Mr. Tims's office,
impelled by the sole impetus of passion, he was standing by his horse
almost ere the attorney knew he was gone. The groom held the stirrup
tight, and Lord Ashborough had his foot on the iron, when cooler
thoughts returned, and, walking back to the chambers, he again entered
the lawyer's room.
"Do all that you proposed, Mr. Tims," he said; "get the bills--retard
the payment--arrest the old reptile--manage it so that he may not get
bail; and the day you lodge him in the King's Bench--if it can be
done--you receive a draft for a thousand pounds.--They must be
crushed, Mr. Tims," he continued, grasping him tight by the arm; "they
must be crushed--ground down into the earth--till their very name
be forgotten;--but mark me," he added, speaking through his set
teeth--"mark me--if you let them escape, my whole agency and business
goes to another for ever."
"Oh! no fear, my lord, no fear!" replied Mr. Tims, in a sharp,
secure tone, rubbing his little, fat, red hands, with some degree of
glee. "No fear, if your lordship will consent to leave it to my
guidance.--But I will send for a bill stamp, and we will draw up the
bill directly, send it to Messrs. Steelyard and Wilkinson, and then I
will give due notice to Mr. Beauchamp that the money is paid--which,
indeed, it may be said to be, when your lordship has given your bill
for it--you know."
"I care not, sir!" exclaimed Lord Ashborough, vehemently, "whether it
may be said to be so or not. My nephew must be saved from this cursed
entanglement, by any means or all means. I will do my part--see that
you do yours. Crush these mean-spirited vipers, somehow or another,
and that as soon as may be;--but mind," he added more quietly, "mind,
you are to do nothing beyond the law!"
"I will take care to do nothing that the law can take hold of,"
replied the lawyer. "But you cannot think, my lord, how many things
may be done lawfully when they are done cautiously, which might treat
one with a sight of New South Wales, if they were to be undertaken
without due consideration--but I will send for the bill, my lord."
The bill was accordingly sent for, drawn, and signed by Lord
Ashborough; and the attorney, after having despatched it to Mr.
Beauchamp's solicitor, wrote to that gentleman himself a letter, upon
the business to which he had referred, while speaking to Lord
Ashborough; and in a postscript, mentioned that he had handed over to
his agents a note for ten thousand pounds, on behalf of Lord
Ashborough. That nobleman stood by while all this proceeding was
taking place, and marked, with a well pleased smile, the double
language of the lawyer, and the quiet and careless manner in which he
contrived to offer a false impression in regard to the payment of the
money. When all was concluded, he paced slowly to the vacant park,
calmed his disturbed feelings by a quiet ride round its dusty roads,
and then returned with renewed self-command, to shower upon William
Delaware civilities, in proportion to his increased detestation.