THE ELECTION.
Mr. Alf's central committee-room was in Great George Street, and
there the battle was kept alive all the day. It had been decided, as
the reader has been told, that no direct advantage should be taken
of that loud blast of accusation which had been heard throughout the
town on the previous afternoon. There had not been sufficient time
for inquiry as to the truth of that blast. If there were just ground
for the things that had been said, Mr. Melmotte would no doubt soon
be in gaol, or would be--wanted. Many had thought that he would
escape as soon as the dinner was over, and had been disappointed
when they heard that he had been seen walking down towards his own
committee-room on the following morning. Others had been told that at
the last moment his name would be withdrawn,--and a question arose
as to whether he had the legal power to withdraw his name after a
certain hour on the day before the ballot. An effort was made to
convince a portion of the electors that he had withdrawn, or would
have withdrawn, or should have withdrawn. When Melmotte was at Covent
Garden, a large throng of men went to Whitehall Place with the view
of ascertaining the truth. He certainly had made no attempt at
withdrawal. They who propagated this report certainly damaged Mr.
Alf's cause. A second reaction set in, and there grew a feeling that
Mr. Melmotte was being ill-used. Those evil things had been said
of him,--many at least so declared,--not from any true motive, but
simply to secure Mr. Alf's return. Tidings of the speech in Covent
Garden were spread about at the various polling places, and did
good service to the so-called Conservative cause. Mr. Alf's friends,
hearing all this, instigated him also to make a speech. Something
should be said, if only that it might be reported in the newspapers,
to show that they had behaved with generosity, instead of having
injured their enemy by false attacks. Whatever Mr. Alf might say, he
might at any rate be sure of a favourable reporter.
About two o'clock in the day, Mr. Alf did make a speech,--and a very
good speech it was, if correctly reported in the "Evening Pulpit."
Mr. Alf was a clever man, ready at all points, with all his powers
immediately at command, and, no doubt, he did make a good speech.
But in this speech, in which we may presume that it would be his
intention to convince the electors that they ought to return him to
Parliament, because, of the two candidates, he was the fittest to
represent their views, he did not say a word as to his own political
ideas, not, indeed, a word that could be accepted as manifesting
his own fitness for the place which it was his ambition to fill. He
contented himself with endeavouring to show that the other man was
not fit;--and that he and his friends, though solicitous of proving
to the electors that Mr. Melmotte was about the most unfit man in the
world, had been guilty of nothing shabby in their manner of doing so.
"Mr. Melmotte," he said, "comes before you as a Conservative, and
has told us, by the mouths of his friends,--for he has not favoured
us with many words of his own,--that he is supported by the whole
Conservative party. That party is not my party, but I respect it.
Where, however, are these Conservative supporters? We have heard,
till we are sick of it, of the banquet which Mr. Melmotte gave
yesterday. I am told that very few of those whom he calls his
Conservative friends could be induced to attend that banquet. It is
equally notorious that the leading merchants of the City refused
to grace the table of this great commercial prince. I say that the
leaders of the Conservative party have at last found their candidate
out, have repudiated him;--and are seeking now to free themselves
from the individual shame of having supported the candidature of such
a man by remaining in their own houses instead of clustering round
the polling booths. Go to Mr. Melmotte's committee-room and inquire
if those leading Conservatives be there. Look about, and see whether
they are walking with him in the streets, or standing with him in
public places, or taking the air with him in the parks. I respect
the leaders of the Conservative party; but they have made a mistake
in this matter, and they know it." Then he ended by alluding to the
rumours of yesterday. "I scorn," said he, "to say anything against
the personal character of a political opponent, which I am not in
a position to prove. I make no allusion, and have made no allusion,
to reports which were circulated yesterday about him, and which I
believe were originated in the City. They may be false or they may
be true. As I know nothing of the matter, I prefer to regard them as
false, and I recommend you to do the same. But I declared to you long
before these reports were in men's mouths, that Mr. Melmotte was
not entitled by his character to represent you in parliament, and I
repeat that assertion. A great British merchant, indeed! How long, do
you think, should a man be known in this city before that title be
accorded to him? Who knew aught of this man two years since,--unless,
indeed, it be some one who had burnt his wings in trafficking with
him in some continental city? Ask the character of this great British
merchant in Hamburg and Vienna; ask it in Paris;--ask those whose
business here has connected them with the assurance companies of
foreign countries, and you will be told whether this is a fit man to
represent Westminster in the British parliament!" There was much more
yet; but such was the tone of the speech which Mr. Alf made with the
object of inducing the electors to vote for himself.
At two or three o'clock in the day, nobody knew how the matter was
going. It was supposed that the working-classes were in favour of
Melmotte, partly from their love of a man who spends a great deal of
money, partly from the belief that he was being ill-used,--partly, no
doubt, from that occult sympathy which is felt for crime, when the
crime committed is injurious to the upper classes. Masses of men will
almost feel that a certain amount of injustice ought to be inflicted
on their betters, so as to make things even, and will persuade
themselves that a criminal should be declared to be innocent, because
the crime committed has had a tendency to oppress the rich and pull
down the mighty from their seats. Some few years since, the basest
calumnies that were ever published in this country, uttered by one
of the basest men that ever disgraced the country, levelled, for the
most part, at men of whose characters and services the country was
proud, were received with a certain amount of sympathy by men not
themselves dishonest, because they who were thus slandered had
received so many good things from Fortune, that a few evil things
were thought to be due to them. There had not as yet been time
for the formation of such a feeling generally, in respect of Mr.
Melmotte. But there was a commencement of it. It had been asserted
that Melmotte was a public robber. Whom had he robbed? Not the poor.
There was not a man in London who caused the payment of a larger sum
in weekly wages than Mr. Melmotte.
About three o'clock, the editor of the "Morning Breakfast Table"
called on Lady Carbury. "What is it all about?" she asked, as soon
as her friend was seated. There had been no time for him to explain
anything at Madame Melmotte's reception, and Lady Carbury had as yet
failed in learning any certain news of what was going on.
"I don't know what to make of it," said Mr. Broune. "There is a story
abroad that Mr. Melmotte has forged some document with reference to
a purchase he made,--and hanging on to that story are other stories
as to moneys that he has raised. I should say that it was simply an
electioneering trick, and a very unfair trick, were it not that all
his own side seem to believe it."
"Do you believe it?"
"Ah,--I could answer almost any question sooner than that."
"Then he can't be rich at all."
"Even that would not follow. He has such large concerns in hand that
he might be very much pressed for funds, and yet be possessed of
immense wealth. Everybody says that he pays all his bills."
"Will he be returned?" she asked.
"From what we hear, we think not. I shall know more about it in an
hour or two. At present I should not like to have to publish an
opinion; but were I forced to bet, I would bet against him. Nobody is
doing anything for him. There can be no doubt that his own party are
ashamed of him. As things used to be, this would have been fatal to
him at the day of election; but now, with the ballot, it won't matter
so much. If I were a candidate, at present, I think I would go to bed
on the last day, and beg all my committee to do the same as soon as
they had put in their voting papers."
"I am glad Felix did not go to Liverpool," said Lady Carbury.
"It would not have made much difference. She would have been brought
back all the same. They say Lord Nidderdale still means to marry
her."
"I saw him talking to her last night."
"There must be an immense amount of property somewhere. No one doubts
that he was rich when he came to England two years ago, and they
say everything has prospered that he has put his hand to since. The
Mexican Railway shares had fallen this morning, but they were at £15
premium yesterday morning. He must have made an enormous deal out
of that." But Mr. Broune's eloquence on this occasion was chiefly
displayed in regard to the presumption of Mr. Alf. "I shouldn't think
him such a fool if he had announced his resignation of the editorship
when he came before the world as a candidate for parliament. But a
man must be mad who imagines that he can sit for Westminster and edit
a London daily paper at the same time."
"Has it never been done?"
"Never, I think;--that is, by the editor of such a paper as the
'Pulpit.' How is a man who sits in parliament himself ever to pretend
to discuss the doings of parliament with impartiality? But Alf
believes that he can do more than anybody else ever did, and he'll
come to the ground. Where's Felix now?"
"Do not ask me," said the poor mother.
"Is he doing anything?"
"He lies in bed all day, and is out all night."
"But that wants money." She only shook her head. "You do not give him
any?"
"I have none to give."
"I should simply take the key of the house from him,--or bolt the
door if he will not give it up."
"And be in bed, and listen while he knocks,--knowing that he must
wander in the streets if I refuse to let him in? A mother cannot do
that, Mr. Broune. A child has such a hold upon his mother. When her
reason has bade her to condemn him, her heart will not let her carry
out the sentence." Mr. Broune never now thought of kissing Lady
Carbury; but when she spoke thus, he got up and took her hand, and
she, as she pressed his hand, had no fear that she would be kissed.
The feeling between them was changed.
Melmotte dined at home that evening with no company but that of his
wife and daughter. Latterly one of the Grendalls had almost always
joined their party when they did not dine out. Indeed, it was an
understood thing, that Miles Grendall should dine there always,
unless he explained his absence by some engagement,--so that his
presence there had come to be considered as a part of his duty.
Not unfrequently "Alfred" and Miles would both come, as Melmotte's
dinners and wines were good, and occasionally the father would take
the son's place,--but on this day they were both absent. Madame
Melmotte had not as yet said a word to any one indicating her own
apprehension of any evil. But not a person had called to-day,--the
day after the great party,--and even she, though she was naturally
callous in such matters, had begun to think that she was deserted.
She had, too, become so used to the presence of the Grendalls, that
she now missed their company. She thought that on this day, of all
days, when the world was balloting for her husband at Westminster,
they would both have been with him to discuss the work of the day.
"Is not Mr. Grendall coming?" she asked, as she took her seat at the
table.
"No, he is not," said Melmotte.
"Nor Lord Alfred?"
"Nor Lord Alfred." Melmotte had returned home much comforted by the
day's proceedings. No one had dared to say a harsh word to his face.
Nothing further had reached his ears. After leaving the bank he had
gone back to his office, and had written letters,--just as if nothing
had happened; and, as far as he could judge, his clerks had plucked
up courage. One of them, about five o'clock, came into him with news
from the west, and with second editions of the evening papers. The
clerk expressed his opinion that the election was going well. Mr.
Melmotte, judging from the papers, one of which was supposed to be
on his side and the other of course against him, thought that his
affairs altogether were looking well. The Westminster election had
not the foremost place in his thoughts; but he took what was said on
that subject as indicating the minds of men upon the other matter. He
read Alf's speech, and consoled himself with thinking that Mr. Alf
had not dared to make new accusations against him. All that about
Hamburgh and Vienna and Paris was as old as the hills, and availed
nothing. His whole candidature had been carried in the face of that.
"I think we shall do pretty well," he said to the clerk. His very
presence in Abchurch Lane of course gave confidence. And thus, when
he came home, something of the old arrogance had come back upon him,
and he could swagger at any rate before his wife and servants. "Nor
Lord Alfred," he said with scorn. Then he added more. "The father and
son are two d---- curs." This of course frightened Madame Melmotte,
and she joined this desertion of the Grendalls to her own solitude
all the day.
"Is there anything wrong, Melmotte?" she said afterwards, creeping up
to him in the back parlour, and speaking in French.
"What do you call wrong?"
"I don't know;--but I seem to be afraid of something."
"I should have thought you were used to that kind of feeling by this
time."
"Then there is something."
"Don't be a fool. There is always something. There is always much.
You don't suppose that this kind of thing can be carried on as
smoothly as the life of an old maid with £400 a year paid quarterly
in advance."
"Shall we have to--move again?" she asked.
"How am I to tell? You haven't much to do when we move, and may get
plenty to eat and drink wherever you go. Does that girl mean to
marry Lord Nidderdale?" Madame Melmotte shook her head. "What a poor
creature you must be when you can't talk her out of a fancy for such
a reprobate as young Carbury. If she throws me over, I'll throw her
over. I'll flog her within an inch of her life if she disobeys me.
You tell her that I say so."
"Then he may flog me," said Marie, when so much of the conversation
was repeated to her that evening. "Papa does not know me if he thinks
that I'm to be made to marry a man by flogging." No such attempt was
at any rate made that night, for the father and husband did not again
see his wife or daughter.
Early the next day a report was current that Mr. Alf had been
returned. The numbers had not as yet been counted, or the books made
up;--but that was the opinion expressed. All the morning newspapers,
including the "Breakfast Table," repeated this report,--but each gave
it as the general opinion on the matter. The truth would not be known
till seven or eight o'clock in the evening. The Conservative papers
did not scruple to say that the presumed election of Mr. Alf was
owing to a sudden declension in the confidence originally felt in Mr.
Melmotte. The "Breakfast Table," which had supported Mr. Melmotte's
candidature, gave no reason, and expressed more doubt on the result
than the other papers. "We know not how such an opinion forms
itself," the writer said;--"but it seems to have been formed. As
nothing as yet is really known, or can be known, we express no
opinion of our own upon the matter."
Mr. Melmotte again went into the City, and found that things seemed
to have returned very much into their usual grooves. The Mexican
Railway shares were low, and Mr. Cohenlupe was depressed in spirits
and unhappy;--but nothing dreadful had occurred or seemed to be
threatened. If nothing dreadful did occur, the railway shares would
probably recover, or nearly recover, their position. In the course of
the day, Melmotte received a letter from Messrs. Slow and Bideawhile,
which, of itself, certainly contained no comfort;--but there was
comfort to be drawn even from that letter, by reason of what it did
not contain. The letter was unfriendly in its tone and peremptory. It
had come evidently from a hostile party. It had none of the feeling
which had hitherto prevailed in the intercourse between these two
well-known Conservative gentlemen, Mr. Adolphus Longestaffe and Mr.
Augustus Melmotte. But there was no allusion in it to forgery; no
question of criminal proceedings; no hint at aught beyond the not
unnatural desire of Mr. Longestaffe and Mr. Longestaffe's son to be
paid for the property at Pickering which Mr. Melmotte had purchased.
"We have to remind you," said the letter, in continuation of
paragraphs which had contained simply demands for the money, "that
the title-deeds were delivered to you on receipt by us of authority
to that effect from the Messrs. Longestaffe, father and son, on the
understanding that the purchase-money was to be at once paid to us
by you. We are informed that the property has been since mortgaged
by you. We do not state this as a fact. But the information, whether
true or untrue, forces upon us the necessity of demanding that you
should at once pay to us the purchase-money,--£80,000,--or else
return to us the title-deeds of the estate."
This letter, which was signed Slow and Bideawhile, declared
positively that the title-deeds had been given up on authority
received by them from both the Longestaffes,--father and son. Now
the accusation brought against Melmotte, as far as he could as yet
understand it, was that he had forged the signature to the young Mr.
Longestaffe's letter. Messrs. Slow and Bideawhile were therefore on
his side. As to the simple debt, he cared little comparatively about
that. Many fine men were walking about London who owed large sums of
money which they could not pay.
As he was sitting at his solitary dinner this evening,--for both his
wife and daughter had declined to join him, saying that they had
dined early,--news was brought to him that he had been elected for
Westminster. He had beaten Mr. Alf by something not much less than a
thousand votes.
It was very much to be member for Westminster. So much had at any
rate been achieved by him who had begun the world without a shilling
and without a friend,--almost without education! Much as he loved
money, and much as he loved the spending of money, and much as he had
made and much as he had spent, no triumph of his life had been so
great to him as this. Brought into the world in a gutter, without
father or mother, with no good thing ever done for him, he was now
a member of the British Parliament, and member for one of the first
cities in the empire. Ignorant as he was he understood the magnitude
of the achievement, and dismayed as he was as to his present
position, still at this moment he enjoyed keenly a certain amount
of elation. Of course he had committed forgery;--of course he had
committed robbery. That, indeed, was nothing, for he had been
cheating and forging and stealing all his life. Of course he was in
danger of almost immediate detection and punishment. He hardly hoped
that the evil day would be very much longer protracted, and yet he
enjoyed his triumph. Whatever they might do, quick as they might
be, they could hardly prevent his taking his seat in the House
of Commons. Then if they sent him to penal servitude for life,
they would have to say that they had so treated the member for
Westminster!
He drank a bottle of claret, and then got some brandy-and-water.
In such troubles as were coming upon him now, he would hardly
get sufficient support from wine. He knew that he had better not
drink;--that is, he had better not drink, supposing the world to
be free to him for his own work and his own enjoyment. But if the
world were no longer free to him, if he were really coming to penal
servitude and annihilation,--then why should he not drink while the
time lasted? An hour of triumphant joy might be an eternity to a man,
if the man's imagination were strong enough to make him so regard his
hour. He therefore took his brandy-and-water freely, and as he took
it he was able to throw his fears behind him, and to assure himself
that, after all, he might even yet escape from his bondages. No;--he
would drink no more. This he said to himself as he filled another
beaker. He would work instead. He would put his shoulder to the
wheel, and would yet conquer his enemies. It would not be so easy to
convict a member for Westminster,--especially if money were spent
freely. Was he not the man who, at his own cost, had entertained the
Emperor of China? Would not that be remembered in his favour? Would
not men be unwilling to punish the man who had received at his own
table all the Princes of the land, and the Prime Minister, and all
the Ministers? To convict him would be a national disgrace. He fully
realised all this as he lifted the glass to his mouth, and puffed out
the smoke in large volumes through his lips. But money must be spent!
Yes;--money must be had! Cohenlupe certainly had money. Though he
squeezed it out of the coward's veins he would have it. At any rate,
he would not despair. There was a fight to be fought yet, and he
would fight it to the end. Then he took a deep drink, and slowly,
with careful and almost solemn steps, he made his way up to his bed.