CHAPTER XI.
LADY PERSIFLAGE.
Hampstead rushed up to Hendon almost without seeing his stepmother,intent on making preparations for his sister, and then, beforeOctober was over, rushed back to fetch her. He was very great atrushing, never begrudging himself any personal trouble in what heundertook to do. When he left the house he hardly spoke to herladyship. When he took Lady Frances away he was of course bound tobid her adieu.
"I think," he said, "that Frances will be happy with me at Hendon."
"I have nothing to do with it,--literally nothing," said theMarchioness, with her sternest frown. "I wash my hands of the wholeconcern."
"I am sure you would be glad that she should be happy."
"It is impossible that any one should be happy who misconductsherself."
"That, I think, is true."
"It is certainly true, with misconduct such as this."
"I quite agree with what you said first. But the question remains asto what is misconduct. Now--"
"I will not hear you, Hampstead; not a word. You can persuade yourfather, I dare say, but you cannot persuade me. Fanny has divorcedherself from my heart for ever."
"I am sorry for that."
"And I'm bound to say that you are doing the same. It is better insome cases to be plain."
"Oh--certainly; but not to be irrational."
"I am not irrational, and it is most improper for you to speak to mein that way."
"Well, good-bye. I have no doubt it will come right some of thesedays," said Hampstead, as he took his leave. Then he carried hissister off to Hendon.
Previous to this there had been a great deal of unpleasantness inthe house. From the moment in which Lady Kingsbury had heard thather stepdaughter was to go to her brother she had refused even tospeak to the unfortunate girl. As far as it was possible she put herhusband also into Coventry. She held daily consultations with Mr.Greenwood, and spent most of her hours in embracing, coddling, andspoiling those three unfortunate young noblemen who were being socruelly injured by their brother and sister. One of her keenest pangswas in seeing how boisterously the three bairns romped with "Jack"even after she had dismissed him from her own good graces as utterlyunworthy of her regard. That night he positively brought Lord Gregorydown into the drawing-room in his night-shirt, having dragged thelittle urchin out of his cot,--as one might do who was on peculiarterms of friendship with the mother. Lord Gregory was in Elysium, butthe mother tore the child from the sinner's arms, and carried himback in anger to the nursery.
"Nothing does children so much good as disturbing them in theirsleep," said Lord Hampstead, turning to his father; but the anger ofthe Marchioness was too serious a thing to allow of a joke.
"From this time forth for evermore she is no child of mine," saidLady Kingsbury the next morning to her husband, as soon as thecarriage had taken the two sinners away from the door.
"It is very wrong to say that. She is your child, and must be yourchild."
"I have divorced her from my heart;--and also Lord Hampstead. Howcan it be otherwise, when they are both in rebellion against me? Nowthere will be this disgraceful marriage. Would you wish that I shouldreceive the Post Office clerk here as my son-in-law?"
"There won't be any disgraceful marriage," said the Marquis. "Atleast, what I mean is, that it will be much less likely at Hendonthan here."
"Less likely than here! Here it would have been impossible. Therethey will be all together."
"No such thing," said the Marquis. "Hampstead will see to that. Andshe too has promised me."
"Pshaw!" exclaimed the Marchioness.
"I won't have you say Pshaw to me when I tell you. Fanny always haskept her word to me, and I don't in the least doubt her. Had sheremained here your treatment would have induced her to run away withhim at the first word."
"Lord Kingsbury," said the offended lady, "I have always done my dutyby the children of your first marriage as a mother should do. I havefound them to be violent, and altogether unaware of the duties whichtheir position should impose upon them. It was only yesterday thatLord Hampstead presumed to call me irrational. I have borne a greatdeal from them, and can bear no more. I wish you would have foundsome one better able to control their conduct." Then, with a statelystep, she stalked out of the room. Under these circumstances, thehouse was not comfortable to any of the inhabitants.
As soon as her ladyship had reached her own apartments after thisrough interview she seated herself at the table, and commenced aletter to her sister, Lady Persiflage, in which she proceeded togive a detailed account of all her troubles and sufferings. LadyPersiflage, who was by a year or two the younger of the two, filleda higher position in society than that of the Marchioness herself.She was the wife only of an Earl; but the Earl was a Knight of theGarter, Lord Lieutenant of his County, and at the present momentSecretary of State for the Home Department. The Marquis had risen tono such honours as these. Lord Persiflage was a peculiar man. Nobodyquite knew of what his great gifts consisted. But it was acknowledgedof him that he was an astute diplomat; that the honour of England wassafe in his hands; and that no more perfect courtier ever gave adviceto a well-satisfied sovereign. He was beautiful to look at, with hissoft grey hair, his bright eyes, and well-cut features. He was muchof a dandy, and, though he was known to be nearer seventy than sixtyyears of age, he maintained an appearance of almost green juvenility.Active he was not, nor learned, nor eloquent. But he knew how to holdhis own, and had held it for many years. He had married his wife whenshe was very young, and she had become, first a distinguished beauty,and then a leader of fashion. Her sister, our Marchioness, had beenpast thirty when she married, and had never been quite so much in theworld's eye as her sister, Lady Persiflage. And Lady Persiflage wasthe mother of her husband's heir. The young Lord Hautboy, her eldestson, was now just of age. Lady Kingsbury looked upon him as allthat the heir to an earldom ought to be. His mother, too, was proudof him, for he was beautiful as a young Phoebus. The Earl, hisfather, was not always as well pleased, because his son had alreadyachieved a knack of spending money. The Persiflage estates weresomewhat encumbered, and there seemed to be a probability that LordHautboy might create further trouble. Such was the family to whomcollectively the Marchioness looked for support in her unhappiness.The letter which she wrote to her sister on the present occasion wasas follows;--
Trafford Park, Saturday, October 25th.
MY DEAR GERALDINE,--
I take up my pen to write to you with a heart laden with trouble. Things have become so bad with me that I do not know where to turn myself unless you can give me comfort. I am beginning to feel how terrible it is to have undertaken the position of mother to another person's children. God knows I have endeavoured to do my duty. But it has all been in vain. Everything is over now. I have divided myself for ever from Hampstead and from Fanny. I have felt myself compelled to tell their father that I have divorced them from my heart; and I have told Lord Hampstead the same. You will understand how terrible must have been the occasion when I found myself compelled to take such a step as this.
You know how dreadfully shocked I was when she first revealed to me the fact that she had promised to marry that Post Office clerk. The young man had actually the impudence to call on Lord Kingsbury in London, to offer himself as a son-in-law. Kingsbury very properly would not see him, but instructed Mr. Greenwood to do so. Mr. Greenwood has behaved very well in the matter, and is a great comfort to me. I hope we may be able to do something for him some day. A viler or more ill-conditioned young man he says that he never saw;--insolent, too, and talking as though he had as much right to ask for Fanny's hand as though he were one of the same class. As for that, she would deserve nothing better than to be married to such a man, were it not that all the world would know how closely she is connected with my own darling boys!
Then we took her off to Koenigsgraaf; and such a time as I had with her! She would write letter
s to this wretch, and contrived to receive one. I did stop that, but you cannot conceive what a life she led me. Of course I have felt from the first that she would be divided from her brothers, because one never knows how early bad morals may be inculcated! Then her papa came, and Hampstead,--who in all this has encouraged his sister. The young man is his friend. After this who will say that any nobleman ought to call himself what they call a Liberal? Then we came home; and what do you think has happened? Hampstead has taken his sister to live with him at Hendon, next door, as you may say, to the Post Office clerk, where the young man has made himself thoroughly at home;--and Kingsbury has permitted it! Oh, Geraldine, that is the worst of it! Am I not justified in declaring that I have divorced them from my heart?
You can hardly feel as I do, you, whose son fills so well that position which an eldest son ought to fill! Here am I with my darlings, not only under a shade, but with this disgrace before them which they will never be able altogether to get rid of. I can divorce Hampstead and his sister from my heart; but they will still be in some sort brother and sister to my poor boys. How am I to teach them to respect their elder brother, who I suppose must in course of time become Head of the House, when he is hand and glove with a dreadful young man such as that! Am I not justified in declaring that no communication shall be kept up between the two families? If she marries the man she will of course drop the name; but yet all the world will know because of the title. As for him, I am afraid that there is no hope;--although it is odd that the second son does so very often come to the title. If you look into it you will find that the second brother has almost a better chance than the elder,--although I am sure that nothing of the kind will ever happen to dear Hautboy. But he knows how to live in that state of life to which it has pleased God to call him! Do write to me at once, and tell me what I ought to do with a due regard to the position to which I have been called upon to fill in the world.
Your most affectionate sister,
CLARA KINGSBURY.
P.S.--Do remember poor Mr. Greenwood if Lord Persiflage should know how to do something for a clergyman. He is getting old, and Kingsbury has never been able to do anything for him. I hope the Liberals never will be able to do anything for anybody. I don't think Mr. Greenwood would be fit for any duty, because he has been idle all his life, and is now fond of good living; but a deanery would just suit him.
After the interval of a fortnight Lady Kingsbury received a replyfrom her sister which the reader may as well see at once.
Castle Hautboy, November 9th.
MY DEAR CLARA,--
I don't know that there is anything further to be done about Fanny. As for divorcing her from your heart, I don't suppose that it amounts to much. I advise you to keep on good terms with Hampstead, because if anything were to happen, it is always well for the Dowager to be friends with the heir. If Fanny will marry the man she must. Lady Di Peacocke married Mr. Billyboy, who was a clerk in one of the offices. They made him Assistant Secretary, and they now live in Portugal Street and do very well. I see Lady Diana about everywhere. Mr. Billyboy can't keep a carriage for her, but that of course is her look-out.
As to what you say about second sons succeeding, don't think of it. It would get you into a bad frame of mind, and make you hate the very person upon whom you will probably have to depend for much of your comfort.
I think you should take things easier, and, above all, do not trouble your husband. I am sure he could make himself very unpleasant if he were driven too far. Persiflage has no clerical patronage whatever, and would not interfere about Deans or Bishops for all the world. I suppose he could appoint a Chaplain to an Embassy, but your clergyman seems to be too old and too idle for that.
Your affectionate sister,
GERALDINE PERSIFLAGE.
This letter brought very little comfort to the distractedMarchioness. There was much in it so cold that it offended herdeeply, and for a moment prompted her almost to divorce also LadyPersiflage from her heart. Lady Persiflage seemed to think thatFanny should be absolutely encouraged to marry the Post Office clerk,because at some past period some Lady Diana, who at the time wasnear fifty, had married a clerk also. It might be that a Lady Dianashould have run away with a groom, but would that be a reason why somonstrous a crime should be repeated? And then in this letter therewas so absolute an absence of all affectionate regard for her ownchildren! She had spoken with great love of Lord Hautboy; but thenLord Hautboy was the acknowledged heir, whereas her own children werenobodies. In this there lay the sting. And then she felt herself tohave been rebuked because she had hinted at the possibility of LordHampstead's departure for a better world. Lord Hampstead was mortal,as well as others. And why should not his death be contemplated,especially as it would confer so great a benefit on the world atlarge? Her sister's letter persuaded her of nothing. The divorceshould remain as complete as ever. She would not condescend to thinkof any future advantages which might accrue to her from any intimacywith her stepson. Her dower had been regularly settled. Her dutywas to her own children,--and secondly to her husband. If she couldsucceed in turning him against these two wicked elder children, thenshe would omit to do nothing which might render his life pleasant tohim. Such were the resolutions which she formed on receipt of hersister's letter.
About this time Lord Kingsbury found it necessary to say a few wordsto Mr. Greenwood. There had not of late been much expression ofkindness from the Marquis to the clergyman. Since their return fromGermany his lordship had been either taciturn or cross. Mr. Greenwoodtook this very much to heart. For though he was most anxious toassure to himself the friendship of the Marchioness he did not atall wish to neglect the Marquis. It was in truth on the Marquis thathe depended for everything that he had in the world. The Marquiscould send him out of the house to-morrow,--and if this house wereclosed to him, none other, as far as he knew, would be open tohim except the Union. He had lived delicately all his life, andluxuriously,--but fruitlessly as regarded the gathering of any honeyfor future wants. Whatever small scraps of preferment might have comein his way had been rejected as having been joined with too muchof labour and too little of emolument. He had gone on hoping thatso great a man as the Marquis would be able to do something forhim,--thinking that he might at any rate fasten his patron closely tohim by bonds of affection. This had been in days before the comingof the present Marchioness. At first she had not created any specialdifficulty for him. She did not at once attempt to overthrow thesettled politics of the family, and Mr. Greenwood had been allowed tobe blandly liberal. But during the last year or two, great managementhad been necessary. By degrees he had found it essential to fall intothe conservative views of her ladyship,--which extended simply tothe idea that the cream of the earth should be allowed to be thecream of the earth. It is difficult in the same house to adhere totwo political doctrines, because the holders of each will requiresupport at all general meetings. Gradually the Marchioness had becomeexigeant, and the Marquis was becoming aware that he was being thrownover. A feeling of anger was growing up in his mind which he did nothimself analyze. When he heard that the clergyman had taken uponhimself to lecture Lady Frances,--for it was thus he read the fewwords which his son had spoken to him,--he carried his anger with himfor a day or two, till at last he found an opportunity of explaininghimself to the culprit.
"Lady Frances will do very well where she is," said the Marquis, inanswer to some expression of a wish as to his daughter's comfort.
"Oh, no doubt!"
"I am not sure that I am fond of too much interference in suchmatters."
"Have I interfered, my lord?"
"I do not mean to find any special fault on this occasion."
"I hope not, my lord."
"But you did speak to Lady Frances when I think it might have been aswell that you should have held your tongue."
"I had b
een instructed to see that young man in London."
"Exactly;--but not to say anything to Lady Frances."
"I had known her ladyship so many years!"
"Do not drive me to say that you had known her too long."
Mr. Greenwood felt this to be very hard;--for what he had said toLady Frances he had in truth said under instruction. That lastspeech as to having perhaps known the young lady too long seemed tocontain a terrible threat. He was thus driven to fall back upon hisinstructions. "Her ladyship seemed to think that perhaps a word inseason--"
The Marquis felt this to be cowardly, and was more inclined to beangry with his old friend than if he had stuck to that former pleaof old friendship. "I will not have interference in this house, andthere's an end of it. If I wish you to do anything for me I will tellyou. That is all. If you please nothing more shall be said about it.The subject is disagreeable to me."
* * * * * *
"Has the Marquis said anything about Lady Frances since she went?"the Marchioness asked the clergyman the next morning. How was he tohold his balance between them if he was to be questioned by bothsides in this way? "I suppose he has mentioned her?"
"He just mentioned the name one day."
"Well?"
"I rather think that he does not wish to be interrogated about herladyship."
"I dare say not. Is he anxious to have her back again?"
"That I cannot say, Lady Kingsbury. I should think he must be."
"Of course I shall be desirous to ascertain the truth. He has been sounreasonable that I hardly know how to speak to him myself. I supposehe tells you!"
"I rather think his lordship will decline to speak about her ladyshipjust at present."
"Of course it is necessary that I should know. Now that she haschosen to take herself off I shall not choose to live under the sameroof with her again. If Lord Kingsbury speaks to you on the subjectyou should make him understand that." Poor Mr. Greenwood felt thatthere were thorny paths before him, in which it might be verydifficult to guard his feet from pricks. Then he had to consider ifthere were to be two sides in the house, strongly opposed to eachother, with which would it be best for him to take a part? The housesof the Marquis, with all their comforts, were open for him; but theinfluence of Lord Persiflage was very great, whereas that of theMarquis was next to nothing.
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