CHAPTER VII.
THE POST OFFICE.
When George Roden came home that evening the matter was discussedbetween him and his mother at great length. She was eager with him,if not to abandon his love, at any rate to understand how impossibleit was that he should marry Lady Frances. She was very tender withhim, full of feeling, full of compassion and sympathy; but shewas persistent in declaring that no good could come from such anengagement. But he would not be deterred in the least from hisresolution, nor would he accept it as possible that he should beturned from his object by the wishes of any person as long as LadyFrances was true to him. "You speak as if daughters were slaves," hesaid.
"So they are. So women must be;--slaves to the conventions of theworld. A young woman can hardly run counter to her family on aquestion of marriage. She may be persistent enough to overcomeobjections, but that will be because the objections themselves arenot strong enough to stand against her. But here the objections willbe very strong."
"We will see, mother," he said. She who knew him well perceived thatit would be vain to talk to him further.
"Oh, yes," he said, "I will go out to Hendon, perhaps on Sunday. ThatMr. Vivian is a pleasant fellow, and as Hampstead does not wish toquarrel with me I certainly will not quarrel with him."
Roden was generally popular at his office, and had contrived to makehis occupation there pleasant to himself and interesting; but he hadhis little troubles, as will happen to most men in all walks of life.His came to him chiefly from the ill-manners of a fellow-clerk whosat in the same room with him, and at the same desk. There were fivewho occupied the apartment, an elderly gentleman and four youngsters.The elderly gentleman was a quiet, civil, dull old man, who nevermade himself disagreeable, and was content to put up with thefrivolities of youth, if they did not become too uproarious orantagonistic to discipline. When they did, he had but one word ofrebuke. "Mr. Crocker, I will not have it." Beyond that he had neverbeen known to go in the way either of reporting the misconduct ofhis subordinates to other superior powers, or in quarrelling withthe young men himself. Even with Mr. Crocker, who no doubt wastroublesome, he contrived to maintain terms of outward friendship.His name was Jerningham, and next to Mr. Jerningham in age came Mr.Crocker, by whose ill-timed witticisms our George Roden was notunfrequently made to suffer. This had sometimes gone so far thatRoden had contemplated the necessity of desiring Mr. Crocker toassume that a bond of enmity had been established between them;--orin other words, that they were not "to speak" except on officialsubjects. But there had been an air of importance about such aproceeding of which Crocker hardly seemed to be worthy; and Rodenhad abstained, putting off the evil hour from day to day, but stillconscious that he must do something to stop vulgarities which weredistasteful to him.
The two other young men, Mr. Bobbin and Mr. Geraghty, who sat at atable by themselves and were the two junior clerks in that branch ofthe office, were pleasant and good-humoured enough. They were bothyoung, and as yet not very useful to the Queen. They were apt to comelate to their office, and impatient to leave it when the hour of fourdrew nigh. There would sometimes come a storm through the Department,moved by an unseen but powerful and unsatisfied Aeolus, in whichBobbin and Geraghty would be threatened to be blown into infinitespace. Minutes would be written and rumours spread about; punishmentswould be inflicted, and it would be given to be understood thatnow one and then the other would certainly have to return to hisdisconsolate family at the very next offence. There was a questionat this very moment whether Geraghty, who had come from the sisterisland about twelve months since, should not be returned to King'sCounty. No doubt he had passed the Civil Service examiners withdistinguished applause; but Aeolus hated the young Crichtons who cameto him with full marks, and had declared that Geraghty, though nodoubt a linguist, a philosopher, and a mathematician, was not worthhis salt as a Post Office clerk. But he, and Bobbin also, wereprotected by Mr. Jerningham, and were well liked by George Roden.
That Roden was intimate with Lord Hampstead had become known to hisfellow-clerks. The knowledge of this association acted somewhat tohis advantage and somewhat to his injury. His daily companions couldnot but feel a reflected honour in their own intimacy with the friendof the eldest son of a Marquis, and were anxious to stand well withone who lived in such high society. Such was natural;--but it wasnatural also that envy should show itself in ridicule, and that thelord should be thrown in the clerk's teeth when the clerk should bedeemed to have given offence. Crocker, when it first became certainthat Roden passed much of his time in company with a young lord, hadbeen anxious enough to foregather with the fortunate youth who satopposite to him; but Roden had not cared much for Crocker's society,and hence it had come to pass that Crocker had devoted himself tojeers and witticisms. Mr. Jerningham, who in his very soul respecteda Marquis, and felt something of genuine awe for anything thattouched the peerage, held his fortunate junior in unfeigned esteemfrom the moment in which he became aware of the intimacy. He did intruth think better of the clerk because the clerk had known how tomake himself a companion to a lord. He did not want anything forhimself. He was too old and settled in life to be desirous of newfriendships. He was naturally conscientious, gentle, and unassuming.But Roden rose in his estimation, and Crocker fell, when he becameassured that Roden and Lord Hampstead were intimate friends, and thatCrocker had dared to jeer at the friendship. A lord is like a newhat. The one on the arm the other on the head are no evidences ofmental superiority. But yet they are taken, and not incorrectlytaken, as signs of merit. The increased esteem shown by Mr.Jerningham for Roden should, I think, be taken as showing Mr.Jerningham's good sense and general appreciation.
The two lads were both on Roden's side. Roden was not a rose, but helived with a rose, and the lads of course liked the scent of roses.They did not particularly like Crocker, though Crocker had a dashabout him which would sometimes win their flattery. Crocker was braveand impudent and self-assuming. They were not as yet sufficientlyadvanced in life to be able to despise Crocker. Crocker imposed uponthem. But should there come anything of real warfare between Crockerand Roden, there could be no doubt but that they would side with LordHampstead's friend. Such was the state of the room at the Post Officewhen Crocker entered it, on the morning of Lord Hampstead's visit toParadise Row.
Crocker was a little late. He was often a little late,--a fact ofwhich Mr. Jerningham ought to have taken more stringent notice thanhe did. Perhaps Mr. Jerningham rather feared Crocker. Crocker hadso read Mr. Jerningham's character as to have become aware that hissenior was soft, and perhaps timid. He had so far advanced in thisreading as to have learned to think that he could get the better ofMr. Jerningham by being loud and impudent. He had no doubt hithertobeen successful, but there were those in the office who believed thatthe day might come when Mr. Jerningham would rouse himself in hiswrath.
"Mr. Crocker, you are late," said Mr. Jerningham.
"Mr. Jerningham, I am late. I scorn false excuses. Geraghty would saythat his watch was wrong. Bobbin would have eaten something that haddisagreed with him. Roden would have been detained by his friend,Lord Hampstead." To this Roden made no reply even by a look. "For me,I have to acknowledge that I did not turn out when I was called. Oftwenty minutes I have deprived my country; but as my country valuesso much of my time at only seven-pence-halfpenny, it is hardly worthsaying much about it."
"You are frequently late."
"When the amount has come up to ten pound I will send thePostmaster-General stamps to that amount." He was now standing athis desk, opposite to Roden, to whom he made a low bow. "Mr. GeorgeRoden," he said, "I hope that his lordship is quite well."
"The only lord with whom I am acquainted is quite well; but I do notknow why you should trouble yourself about him."
"I think it becoming in one who takes the Queen's pay to show abecoming anxiety as to the Queen's aristocracy. I have the greatestrespect for the Marquis of Kingsbury. Have not you, Mr. Jerningham?"
"Certainly I have. But if y
ou would go to your work instead oftalking so much it would be better for everybody."
"I am at my work already. Do you think that I cannot work and talkat the same time? Bobbin, my boy, if you would open that window, doyou think it would hurt your complexion?" Bobbin opened the window."Paddy, where were you last night?" Paddy was Mr. Geraghty.
"I was dining, then, with my sister's mother-in-law."
"What,--the O'Kelly, the great legislator and Home Ruler, whom hiscountry so loves and Parliament so hates! I don't think any HomeRuler's relative ought to be allowed into the service. Do you, Mr.Jerningham?"
"I think Mr. Geraghty, if he will only be a little more careful, willdo great credit to the service," said Mr. Jerningham.
"I hope that Aeolus may think the same." Aeolus was the name by whicha certain pundit was known at the office;--a violent and imperiousSecretary, but not in the main ill-natured. "Aeolus, when last Iheard of his opinion, seemed to have his doubts about poor Paddy."This was a disagreeable subject, and it was felt by them all thatit might better be left in silence. From that time the work of theday was continued with no more than moderate interruptions till thehour of luncheon, when the usual attendant entered with the usualmutton-chops. "I wonder if Lord Hampstead has mutton-chops forluncheon?" asked Crocker.
"Why should he not?" asked Mr. Jerningham, foolishly.
"There must be some kind of gilded cutlet, upon which the highermembers of the aristocracy regale themselves. I suppose, Roden, youmust have seen his lordship at lunch."
"I dare say I have," said Roden, angrily. He knew that he wasannoyed, and was angry with himself at his own annoyance.
"Are they golden or only gilded?" asked Crocker.
"I believe you mean to make yourself disagreeable," said the other.
"Quite the reverse. I mean to make myself agreeable;--only you havesoared so high of late that ordinary conversation has no charms foryou. Is there any reason why Lord Hampstead's lunch should not bementioned?"
"Certainly there is," said Roden.
"Then, upon my life, I cannot see it. If you talked of my mid-daychop I should not take it amiss."
"I don't think a fellow should ever talk about another fellow'seating unless he knows the fellow." This came from Bobbin, whointended it well, meaning to fight the battle for Roden as well as heknew how.
"Most sapient Bobb," said Crocker, "you seem to be unaware that oneyoung fellow, who is Roden, happens to be the peculiarly intimatefriend of the other fellow, who is the Earl of Hampstead. Thereforethe law, as so clearly laid down by yourself, has not been infringed.To return to our muttons, as the Frenchman says, what sort of lunchdoes his lordship eat?"
"You are determined to make yourself disagreeable," said Roden.
"I appeal to Mr. Jerningham whether I have said anything unbecoming."
"If you appeal to me, I think you have," said Mr. Jerningham.
"You have, at any rate, been so successful in doing it," continuedRoden, "that I must ask you to hold your tongue about Lord Hampstead.It has not been by anything I have said that you have heard of myacquaintance with him. The joke is a bad one, and will become vulgarif repeated."
"Vulgar!" cried Crocker, pushing away his plate, and rising from hischair.
"I mean ungentlemanlike. I don't want to use hard words, but I willnot allow myself to be annoyed."
"Hoity, toity," said Crocker, "here's a row because I made a chanceallusion to a noble lord. I am to be called vulgar because Imentioned his name." Then he began to whistle.
"Mr. Crocker, I will not have it," said Mr. Jerningham, assuming hismost angry tone. "You make more noise in the room than all the othersput together."
"Nevertheless, I do wonder what Lord Hampstead has had for hislunch." This was the last shot, and after that the five gentlemen didin truth settle down to their afternoon's work.
When four o'clock came Mr. Jerningham with praiseworthy punctualitytook his hat and departed. His wife and three unmarried daughterswere waiting for him at Islington, and as he was always in his seatpunctually at ten, he was justified in leaving it punctually at four.Crocker swaggered about the room for a minute or two with his hat on,desirous of showing that he was by no means affected by the rebukeswhich he had received. But he, too, soon went, not having summonedcourage to recur to the name of Roden's noble friend. The two ladsremained for the sake of saying a word of comfort to Roden, who stillsat writing at his desk. "I thought it was very low form," saidBobbin; "Crocker going on like that."
"Crocker's a baist," said Geraghty.
"What was it to him what anybody eats for his lunch?" continuedBobbin.
"Only he likes to have a nobleman's name in his mouth," saidGeraghty. "I think it's the hoighth of bad manners talking aboutanybody's friends unless you happen to know them yourself."
"I think it is," said Roden, looking up from his desk. "But I'll tellyou what shows worse manners;--that is, a desire to annoy anybody.Crocker likes to be funny, and he thinks there is no fun so goodas what he calls taking a rise. I don't know that I'm very fond ofCrocker, but it may be as well that we should all think no more aboutit." Upon this the young men promised that they, at least, wouldthink no more about it, and then took their departure. George Rodensoon followed them, for it was not the practice of anybody in thatdepartment to remain at work long after four o'clock.
Roden as he walked home did think more of the little affair than itdeserved,--more at least than he would acknowledge that it deserved.He was angry with himself for bearing it in mind, and yet he did bearit in mind. Could it be that a creature so insignificant as Crockercould annoy him by a mere word or two? But he was annoyed, and didnot know how such annoyance could be made to cease. If the man wouldcontinue to talk about Lord Hampstead there was nothing by which hecould be made to hold his tongue. He could not be kicked, or beaten,or turned out of the room. For any purpose of real assistance Mr.Jerningham was useless. As to complaining to the Aeolus of the officethat a certain clerk would talk about Lord Hampstead, that of coursewas out of the question. He had already used strong language, callingthe man vulgar and ungentlemanlike, but if a man does not regardstrong language what further can an angry victim do to him?
Then his thoughts passed on to his connexion with the Marquis ofKingsbury's family generally. Had he not done wrong, at any rate,done foolishly, in thus moving himself out of his own sphere? Atthe present moment Lady Frances was nearer to him even than LordHampstead,--was more important to him and more in his thoughts.Was it not certain that he would give rise to misery rather than tohappiness by what had occurred between him and Lady Frances? Was itnot probable that he had embittered for her all the life of the ladywhom he loved? He had assumed an assured face and a confident smilewhile declaring to his mother that no power on earth should standbetween him and his promised wife,--that she would be able to walkout from her father's hall and marry him as certainly as might thehousemaid or the ploughman's daughter go to her lover. But what wouldbe achieved by that if she were to walk out only to encounter misery?The country was so constituted that he and these Traffords were intruth of a different race; as much so as the negro is different fromthe white man. The Post Office clerk may, indeed, possibly become aDuke; whereas the negro's skin cannot be washed white. But while heand Lady Frances were as they were, the distance between them was sogreat that no approach could be made between them without disruption.The world might be wrong in this. To his thinking the world waswrong. But while the facts existed they were too strong to be setaside. He could do his duty to the world by struggling to propagatehis own opinions, so that the distance might be a little lessenedin his own time. He was sure that the distance was being lessened,and with this he thought that he ought to have been contented. Thejeering of such a one as Crocker was unimportant though disagreeable,but it sufficed to show the feeling. Such a friendship as his withLord Hampstead had appeared to Crocker to be ridiculous. Crockerwould not have seen the absurdity unless others had seen it also.Even his own mother saw it. Here in
England it was accounted sofoolish a thing that he, a Post Office clerk, should be hand andglove with such a one as Lord Hampstead, that even a Crocker couldraise a laugh against him! What would the world say when it shouldhave become known that he intended to lead Lady Frances to the"hymeneal altar?" As he repeated the words to himself there wassomething ridiculous even to himself in the idea that the hymenealaltar should ever be mentioned in reference to the adventures of sucha person as George Roden, the Post Office clerk. Thinking of allthis, he was not in a happy frame of mind when he reached his home inParadise Row.
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