CHAPTER LXVI.
LADY MACBETH.
'Here it is,' said the captain. 'Beaten'--then came an oath--'threevotes--how the devil was that?--there it is, by Jove--nomistake--majority against ministers, three! Is that the "Times?" Whatdoes _it_ say?'
'A long leader--no resignation--immediate dissolution. That is what Icollect from it.'
'How on earth could they have miscalculated so! Swivell, I see, voted inthe majority; that's very odd; and, by Jove, there's Surplice, too, andhe's good for seven votes. Why his own paper was backing the ministers!What a fellow that is! That accounts for it all. A difference of fourteenvotes.'
And thus we went on, discussing this unexpected turn of luck, and readingto one another snatches of the leading articles in different interestsupon the subject.
Then Lake, recollecting his letters, opened a large-sealed envelope, withS.C.G. in the corner.
'This is from Gybes--let us see. Oh! _before_ the division. "It looks alittle fishy," he says--well, so it does--"We may take the divisionto-night. Should it prove adverse, you are to expect an immediatedissolution; this on _the best authority_. I write to mention this, as Imay be too much hurried to-morrow."'
We were discussing this note when Wealdon arrived.
'Well, captain; great news, Sir. The best thing, I take it, could havehappened ministers, ha, ha, ha! A rotten house--down with it--blow itup--three votes only--but as good as three hundred for the purpose--ofthe three hundred, grant but three, you know--of course, they don't thinkof resigning.'
'Oh, dear, no--an immediate dissolution. Read that,' said Lake, tossingGybes' note to him.
'Ho, then, we'll have the writs down hot and heavy. We must be sharp. Thesheriff's all right; that's a point. You must not lose an hour in gettingyour committee together, and printing your address.'
'Who's on the other side?'
'You'll have Jennings, of course; but they are talking of four differentmen, already, to take Sir Harry Twisden's place. _He'll_ resign; that'spast a doubt now. He has his retiring address written; Lord Edward Mordunread it; and he told FitzStephen on Sunday, after church, that he'd neversit again.'
'Here, by Jove, is a letter from Mowbray,' said Lake, opening it. 'Allabout his brother George. Hears I'm up for the county. Lord George readyto join and go halves. What shall I say?'
'Could not have a better man. Tell him you desire no better, and willbring it at once before your committee; and let him know, the moment theymeet; and tell him _I_ say he knows Wealdon pretty well--he may look onit as settled. That will be a spoke in Sir Harry's wheel.'
'Sir Harry who?' said Lake.
'Bracton. I think it's only to spoil your game, you see,' answeredWealdon.
'Abundance of malice; but I don't think he's countenanced?'
'He'll try to get the start of you; and if he does, one or other must goto the wall; for Lord George is too strong to be shook out. Do _you_ getforward at once; that's your plan, captain.'
Then the captain recurred to his letters, which were a larger pack thanusual this morning, chatting all the time with Wealdon and me on thetremendous topic, and tossing aside every letter that did not bear on thecoming struggle.
'Who can this be?' said Lake, looking at the address of one of these.'Very like my hand,' and he examined the seal. It was only a largewafer-stamp, so he broke it open, and drew out a shabby, very ill-writtenscroll. He turned suddenly away, talking the while, but with his eyesupon the note, and then he folded, or rather crumpled it up, and stuffedit into his pocket, and continued his talk; but it was now plain to methere was something more on his mind, and he was thinking of the shabbyletter he had just received.
But, no matter; the election was the pressing topic, and Lake was soonengaged in it again.
There was now a grand _coup_ under discussion--the forestalling of allthe horses and vehicles along the line of railway, and in all theprincipal posting establishments throughout the county.
'They'll want to keep it open for a bid from the other side. It is aheavy item any way; and if you want to engage them now, you'll have togive double what they got last time.'
But Lake was not to be daunted. He wanted the seat, and would stick atnothing to secure it; and so, Wealdon got instructions, in his ownphrase, to go the whole animal.
As I could be of no possible use in local details, I left the council ofwar sitting, intending a stroll in the grounds.
In the hall, I met the mistress of the house, looking very handsome, butwith a certain witch-like beauty, very pale, something a little haggardin her great, dark eyes, and a strange, listening look. Was itwatchfulness? was it suspicion? She was dressed gravely but richly, andreceived me kindly--and, strange to say, with a smile that, yet, was notjoyful.
'I hope she is happy. Lake is such a beast; I hope he does not bullyher.'
In truth, there were in her exquisite features the traces of thatmysterious misery and fear which seemed to fall wherever Stanley Lake'sill-omened confidences were given.
I walked down one of the long alleys, with tall, close hedges of beech,as impenetrable as cloister walls to sight, and watched the tench baskingand flickering in the clear pond, and the dazzling swans sailingmajestically along.
What a strange passion is ambition, I thought. Is it really the passionof great minds, or of little. Here is Lake, with a noble old place,inexhaustible in variety; with a beautiful, and I was by this timesatisfied, a very singular and interesting woman for his wife, who musthave married him for love, pure and simple; a handsome fortune; the powerto bring his friends--those whom he liked, or who amused him--about him,and to indulge luxuriously every reasonable fancy, willing to forsakeall, and follow the beck of that phantom. Had he knowledge, publictalents, training? Nothing of the sort. Had he patriotism, any one noblemotive or fine instinct to prompt him to public life? The mere suggestionwas a sneer. It seemed to me, simply, that Stanley Lake was a lively,amusing, and even intelligent man, without any internal resource; vacant,peevish, with an unmeaning passion for corruption and intrigue, and thesort of egotism which craves distinction. So I supposed.
Yet, with all its weakness, there was a dangerous force in the characterwhich, on the whole, inspired an odd mixture of fear and contempt. I wasbitten, however, already, by the interest of the coming contest. It isvery hard to escape that subtle and intoxicating poison. I wondered whatfigure Stanley would make as a hustings orator, and what impression inhis canvass. The latter, I was pretty confident about. Altogether,curiosity, if no deeper sentiment, was highly piqued; and I was glad Ihappened to drop in at the moment of action, and wished to see the playout.
At the door of her boudoir, Rachel Lake met Dorcas.
'I am so glad, Radie, dear, you are come. You must take off your things,and stay. You must not leave me to-night. We'll send home for whateveryou want; and you won't leave me, Radie, I'm certain.'
'I'll stay, dear, as you wish it,' said Rachel, kissing her.
'Did you see Stanley? I have not seen him to-day,' said Dorcas.
'No, dear; I peeped into the library, but he was not there; and there aretwo men writing in the Dutch room, very busily,'
'It must be about the election.'
'What election, dear?' asked Rachel.
'There is going to be an election for the county, and--only think--heintends coming forward. I sometimes think he is mad, Radie.'
'I could not have supposed such a thing. If I were he, I think I shouldfly to the antipodes. I should change my name, sear my features withvitriol, and learn another language. I should obliterate my past selfaltogether; but men are so different, so audacious--some men, atleast--and Stanley, ever since his ill-omened arrival at Redman's Farm,last autumn, has amazed and terrified me.'
'I think, Radie, we have both courage--_you_ have certainly; you haveshown it, darling, and you must cease to blame yourself; I think you a_heroine_, Radie; but you know _I_ see with the wild eyes of theBrandons.'
'I am grateful, Dorcas, that you don't hate me
. Most women I am surewould abhor me--yes, Dorcas--_abhor_ me.'
'You and I against the world, Radie!' said Dorcas, with a wild smile anda dark admiration in her look, and kissing Rachel again. 'I used to thinkmyself brave; it belongs to women of our blood; but this is no commonstrain upon courage, Radie. I've grown to fear Stanley somehow like aghost; I fear it is even worse than he says,' and she looked with ahorrible enquiry into Rachel's eyes.
'So do _I_, Dorcas,' said Rachel, in a firm low whisper, returning herlook as darkly.
'What's done cannot be undone,' said Rachel, sadly, after a little pause,unconsciously quoting from a terrible soliloquy of Shakespeare.
'I know what you mean, Radie; and you warned me, with a strangesecond-sight, before the evil was known to either of us. It was anirrevocable step, and I took it, not seeing all that has happened, it istrue; but forewarned. And this I will say, Radie, if I _had_ known theworst, I think even that would not have deterred me. It was madness--it_is_ madness, for I love him still. Rachel, though I know him and hiswickedness, and am filled with horror--I love him desperately.'
'I am very glad,' said Rachel, 'that you do know everything. It is sogreat a relief to have companionship. I often thought I must go mad in mysolitude.'
'Poor Rachel! I think you wonderful--I think you a heroine--I do, Radie;you and I are made for one another--the same blood--something of the samewild nature; I can admire you, and understand you, and will always loveyou.'
'I've been with William Wylder and Dolly. That wicked attorney, Mr.Larkin, is resolved on robbing them. I wish they had anyone able toadvise them. Stanley I am sure could save them; but he does not choose todo it. He was always so angry when I urged him to help them, that I knewit would be useless asking him; I don't think he knows what Mr. Larkinhas been doing; but, Dorcas, I am afraid the very same thought has beenin his mind.'
'I hope not, Radie,' and Dorcas sighed deeply. 'Everything is sowonderful and awful in the light that has come.'
That morning, poor William Wylder had received a letter from Jos. Larkin,Esq., mentioning that he had found Messrs. Burlington and Smith anythingbut satisfied with him--the vicar. What exactly he had done to disobligethem he could not bring to mind. But Jos. Larkin told him that he haddone all in his power 'to satisfy them of the _bona fide_ character' ofhis reverend client's dealings from the first. But 'they still expressthemselves dissatisfied upon the point, and appear to suspect adisposition to shilly-shally.' I have said 'all I could to disabuse themof the unpleasant prejudice; but I think I should hardly be doing my dutyif I were not to warn you that you will do wisely to exhibit nohesitation in the arrangements by which your agreement is to be carriedout, and that in the event of your showing the slightest disposition toqualify the spirit of your strong note to them, or in anywisedisappointing their client, you must be prepared, from what I know of thefirm, for very sharp practice indeed.'
What could they do to him, or why should they hurt him, or what had hedone to excite either the suspicion or the temper of the firm? Theyexpected their client, the purchaser, in a day or two. He was alreadygrumbling at the price, and certainly would stand no trifling. Neitherwould Messrs. Burlington and Smith, who, he must admit, had gone to verygreat expense in investigating title, preparing deeds, &c., and who werenoted as a very expensive house. He was aware that they were in aposition to issue an execution on the guarantee for the entire amount oftheir costs; but he thought so extreme a measure would hardly becontemplated, notwithstanding their threats, unless the purchaser were towithdraw or the vendor to exhibit symptoms of--he would not repeat theirphrase--irresolution in his dealing. He had, however, placed the vicar'sletter in their hands, and had accompanied it with his own testimony tothe honour and character of the Rev. William Wylder, which he was happyto say seemed to have considerable weight with Messrs. Burlington andSmith. There was also this passage, 'Feeling acutely the anxiety intowhich the withdrawal of the purchaser must throw you--though I trustnothing of that sort may occur--I told them that rather than have youthrown upon your beam-ends by such an occurrence, I would myself step inand purchase on the terms agreed on. This will, I trust, quiet them onthe subject of their costs, and also prevent any low _dodging_ on thepart of the purchaser.'
This letter would almost seem to have been written with a supernaturalknowledge of what was passing in Gylingden, and was certainly wellcontrived to prevent the vicar from wavering.
But all this time the ladies are conversing in Dorcas's boudoir.
'This election frightens me, Radie--everything frightens me now--but thisis _so_ audacious. If there be powers either in heaven or hell, it seemslike a defiance and an invocation. I am glad you are here, Radie--I havegrown so nervous--so superstitious, I believe; watching always for signsand omens. Oh, darling, the world's ghastly for me now.'
'I wish, Dorcas, we were away--as you used to say--in some wild andsolitary retreat, living together--two recluses--but all that isvisionary--quite visionary now.'
Dorcas sighed.
'You know, Rachel, the world must not see this--we will carry our headshigh. Wicked men, and brave and suffering women--that is the history ofour family--and men and women always quite unlike the rest of theworld--unlike the human race; and somehow they interest me unspeakably. Iwish I knew more about those proud, forlorn beauties, whose portraits arefading on the walls. Their spirit, I am sure, is in us, Rachel; and theirpictures and traditions have always supported me. When I was a littlething, I used to look at them with a feeling of melancholy and mystery.They were in my eyes, reserved prophetesses, who could speak, if theywould, of my own future.'
'A poor support, Dorcas--a broken reed. I wish we could find another--thetrue one, in the present, and in the coming time.'
Dorcas smiled faintly, and I think there was a little gleam of a ghastlysatire in it. I am afraid that part of her education which deals withfuturity had been neglected.
'I am more likely to turn into a Lady Macbeth than a _devote_,' said she,coldly, with the same painful smile. 'I found myself last night sittingup in my bed, talking in the dark about it.'
There was a silence for a time, and Rachel said,--
'It is growing late, Dorcas.'
'But you must not go, Rachel--you _must_ stay and keep me company--youmust, _indeed_, Radie,' said Dorcas.
'So I will,' she answered; 'but I must send a line to old Tamar; and Ipromised Dolly to go down to her to-night, if that darling little boyshould be worse--I am very unhappy about him.'
'And is he in danger, the handsome little fellow?' said Dorcas.
'Very great danger, I fear,' said Rachel. 'Doctor Buddle has been verykind--but he is, I am afraid, more desponding than poor William or Dollyimagines--Heaven help them!'
'But children recover wonderfully. What is his ailment?'
'Gastric fever, the doctor says. I had a foreboding of evil the moment Isaw him--before the poor little man was put to his bed.'
Dorcas rang the bell.
'Now, Radie, if you wish to write, sit down here--or if you prefer amessage, Thomas can take one very accurately; and he shall call at thevicar's, and see Dolly, and bring us word how the dear little boy is. Anddon't fancy, darling, I have forgotten what you said to me aboutduty--though I would call it differently--only I feel so wild, I canthink of nothing clearly yet. But I am making up my mind to a great andbold step, and when I am better able, I will talk it over with you--myonly friend, Rachel.'
And she kissed her.
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