Mr Palliser was chiefly known to the world as a rising politician. We may say that he had everything at his command, in the way of pleasure, that the world could offer him. He had wealth, position, power and the certainty of attaining the highest rank among, perhaps, the most brilliant nobility of the world. He was courted by all who could get near enough to court him. It is hardly too much to say that he might have selected a bride from all that was most beautiful and best among English women. If he would have bought race-horses, and have expended thousands on the turf, he would have gratified his uncle by doing so. He might have been the master of hounds, or the slaughterer of hecatombs5 of birds. But to none of these things would he devote himself. He had chosen to be a politician, and in that pursuit he laboured with a zeal and perseverance which would have made his fortune at any profession or in any trade. He was constant in committee-rooms up to the very middle of August. He was rarely absent from any debate of importance, and never from any important division. Though he seldom spoke, he was always ready to speak if his purpose required it. No man gave him credit for any great genius – few even considered that he could become either an orator or a mighty statesman. But the world said that he was a rising man, and old Nestor6 of the Cabinet looked on him as one who would be able, at some far future day, to come among them as a younger brother. Hitherto he had declined such inferior offices as has been offered to him, biding his time carefully; and he was as yet tied hand and neck to no party, though known to be liberal in all his political tendencies. He was a great reader – not taking up a book here, and another there, as chance brought books before him, but working through an enormous course of books, getting up the great subject of the world’s history – filling himself full of facts – though perhaps not destined to acquire the power of using those facts otherwise than as precedents. He strove also diligently to become a linguist – not without success, as far as a competent understanding of various languages. He was a thin-minded, plodding, respectable man, willing to devote all his youth to work, in order that in old age he might be allowed to sit among the Councillors of the State.
Hitherto his name had not been coupled by the world with that of any woman whom he had been supposed to admire; but latterly it had been observed that he had often been seen in the same room with Lady Dumbello. It had hardly amounted to more than this; but when it was remembered how undemonstrative were the two persons concerned – how little disposed was either of them to any strong display of feeling – even this was thought matter to be mentioned. He certainly would speak to her from time to time almost with an air of interest; and Lady Dumbello, when she saw that he was in the room, would be observed to raise her head with some little show of life, and to look round as though there were something there on which it might be worth her while to allow her eyes to rest. When such innuendoes were abroad, no one would probably make more of them than Lady De Courcy. Many, when they heard that Mr Palliser was to be at the castle, had expressed their surprise at her success in that quarter. Others, when they leaned that Lady Dumbello had consented to become her guest, had also wondered greatly. But when it was ascertained that the two were to be there together, her good-natured friends had acknowledged that she was a very clever woman. To have either Mr Palliser or Lady Dumbello would have been a feather in her cap; but to succeed in getting both, by enabling each to know that the other would be there, was indeed a triumph. As regards Lady Dumbello, however, the bargain was not fairly carried out; for, after all, Mr Palliser came to Courcy Castle only for two nights and a day, and during the whole of that day he was closeted with sundry large blue-books. As for Lady De Courcy, she did not care how he might be employed. Blue-books and Lady Dumbello were all the same to her. Mr Palliser had been at Courcy Castle, and neither enemy nor friend could deny the fact.
This was his second evening: and as he had promised to meet his constituents at Silverbridge at one P.M. on the following day, with the view of explaining to them his own conduct and the political position of the world in general; and as he was not return from Silverbridge to Courcy, Lady Dembello, if she made any way at all, must take advantage of the short gleam of sunshine which the present hour afforded her. No one, however, could say that she showed any active disposition to monopolize Mr Palliser’s attention. When he sauntered into the drawing-room she was sitting, alone, in a large, low chair, made without arms, so as to admit the full expansion of her dress, but hollowed and round at the back, so as to afford her the support that was necessary to her. She had barely spoken three words since she had left the dining-room, but the time had not passed heavily with her. Lady Julia had again attacked the countess about Lily Dale and Mr Crosbie, and Alexandrina, driven almost to rage, had stalked to the father end of the room, not concealing her special concern in the matter.
‘How I do wish they were married and done with,’ said the countess; ‘and then we should hear no more about them.’
All of which Lady Dumbello heard and understood; and in all of it she took a certain interest. She remembered such things, learning thereby who was who, and regulating her own conduct by what she learned. She was by no means idle at this or at other such times, going through, we may say, a considerable amount of really hard work in her manner of working. There she had sat speechless, unless when acknowledging by a low word of assent some expression of flattery from those around her. Then the door opened, and when Mr Palliser entered she raised her head and the faintest possible gleam of satisfaction might have been discerned upon her features. But she made no attempt to speak to him; and when, as he stood at the table, he took up a book and remained thus standing for a quarter of a hour, she neither showed nor felt any impatience. After that Lord Dumbello came in, and he stood at the table without a book. Even then Lady Dumbello felt no impatience.
Plantagenet Palliser skimmed through his little book, and probably learned something. When he put it down he sipped a cup of tea, and remarked to Lady De Courcy that he believed it was only twelve miles to Silverbridge.
‘I wish it was a hundred and twelve,’ said the countess.
‘In that case I should be forced tonight,’ said Mr Palliser.
‘Then I wish it was a thousand and twelve,’ said Lady De Courcy.
‘In that case I should not have come at all,’ said Mr Palliser. He did not mean to be uncivil, and had only stated a fact.
‘The young men are becoming absolute bears,’ said the countess to her daughter Margaretta.
He had been in the room nearly an hour when he did at last find himself standing close to Lady Dumbello: close to her, and without any other very near neighbour.
‘I should hardly have expected to find you here,’ he said.
‘Nor I you,’ she answered.
‘Though, for the matter of that, we are both near our own homes.’
‘I am not near mine.’
‘I meant Plumstead; your father’s place.’
‘Yes; that was my home once.’
‘I wish I could show you my uncle’s place. The castle is very fine, and he has some good pictures.’
‘So I have heard.’
‘Do you stay here long?’
‘Oh, no. I go to Cheshire the day after tomorrow. Lord Dumbello is always there when the hunting begins.’
‘Ah, yes; of course. What a happy fellow he is; never any work to do! His constituents never trouble him, I suppose?’
‘I don’t think they ever do, much.’
After that Mr Palliser sauntered away again, and Lady Dumbello passed the rest of the evening in silence. It is to be hoped that they both were rewarded by that ten minutes of sympathetic intercourse for the inconvenience which they had suffered in coming of Courcy Castle.
But that which seems so innocent to us had been looked on in a different light by the stern moralists of that house.
‘By Jove!’ said the Honourable George to his cousin, Mr Gresham, ‘I wonder how Dumbello likes it.’
‘It seems to me that Dumbello takes it very easil
y.’
‘There are some men who will take anything easily,’ said George, who, since his own marriage, had learned to have a holy horror of such wicked things.
‘She’s beginning to come out a little,’ said Lady Clandidlem to Lady De Courcy, when the two old women found themselves together over a fire in some back sitting-room. ‘Still waters always run deep, you know.’
‘I shouldn’t at all wonder if she were to go off with him,’ said Lady De Courcy.
‘He’ll never be such a fool as that,’ said Lady Clandidlem.
‘I believe men will be fools enough for anything,’ said Lady De Courcy. ‘But, of course if he did, it would come to nothing afterwards. I know one who would not be sorry. If ever a man was tired of a woman, Lord Dumbello is tired of her.’
But in this, as in almost everything else, the wicked old woman spoke scandal. Lord Dumbello was still proud of his wife, and as fond of her as a man can be of a woman whose fondness depends upon mere pride.
There had not been much that was dangerous in the conversation between Mr Palliser and Lady Dumbello, but I cannot say the same as to that which was going on at the same moment between Crosbie and Lady Alexandrian. She, as I have said, walked away in almost open dudgeon when Lady Julia recommenced her attack about poor Lily, nor did she return to the general circle during the evening. There were two large drawing-rooms at Courcy Castle, joined together by a narrow link of a room, which might have been called a passage, had it not been lighted by two window coming down to the floor, carpeted as were the drawing-rooms, and warmed with a separate fireplace. Hither she betook herself, and was soon followed by her married sister Amelia.
‘That woman almost drives me mad,’ said Alexandrina, as they stood together with their toes upon the fender.
‘But, my dear, you of all people should not allow yourself to be driven made on such a subject.’
‘That’s all very well, Amelia.’
‘The question is this, my dear – what does Mr Crosbie mean to do?’
‘How should I know?’
‘If you don’t know, it will be safer to suppose that he is going to marry this girl; and in that case –’
‘Well, what in that case? Are you going to be another Lady Julia? What do I care about the girl?’
‘I don’t suppose you care much about the girl; and if you care as little about Mr Crosbie, there’s an end of it; only in that case, Alexandrina –’
‘Well, what in that case?’
‘You know I don’t want to preach to you. Can’t you tell me at once whether you really like him? You and I have always been good friends.’ And the married sister put her arm affectionately round the waist of her who wished to be married.
‘I like him well enough.’
‘And has he made any declaration to you?’
‘In a sort of a way he has. Hark, here he is!’ And Crosbie, coming in from the larger room, joined the sisters at the fireplace.
‘We were driven away by the clack of Lady Julia’s tongue,’ said the elder.
‘I never met such a woman,’ said Crosbie.
‘There cannot well be many like her,’ said Alexandrina. And after that they all stood silent for a minute or two. Lady Amelia Gazebee was considering whether or not she would do well to go and leave the two together. If it were intended that Mr Crosbie should marry her sister, it would certainly be well to give him an opportunity of expressing such a wish on his part. But if Alexandrina was simply making a fool of herself, then it would be well for her to stay. ‘I suppose she would rather I should go,’ said the elder sister to herself; and then, obeying the rule which should guide all our actions from one to another, she went back and joined the crowd.
‘Will you come on into the other room?’ said Crosbie.
‘I think we are very well here,’ Alexandrina replied.
‘But I wish to speak to you – particularly,’ said he.
‘And cannot you speak here?’
‘No. They will be passing backwards and forwards.’ Lady Alexandrina said nothing further, but led the way into the other large room. That also was lighted, and there were in it four or five persons. Lady Rosina was reading a work on the millennium, with a light to herself in one corner. Her brother John was asleep in an arm-chair, and a young gentleman and lady were playing chess. There was, however, ample room for crosbie and Alexandrina to take up a position apart.
‘And now, Mr Crosbie, what have you got to say to me? But, first, I mean to repeat Lady Julia’s question, as I told you that I should do – When did you hear last from Miss Dale?’
‘It is cruel in you to ask me such a question, after what I have already told you. You know that I have given to Miss Dale a promise of marriage.’
‘Very well, sir. I don’t see why you should bring me in here to tell me anything that is so publicly known as that. With such a herald as Lady Julia it was quite unnecessary.’
‘If you can only answer me in that tone I will make an end of it at once. When I told you of my engagement, I told you also that another woman possessed my heart. Am I wrong to suppose that you knew to whom I alluded?’
‘Indeed, I did not, Mr Crosbie. I am no conjuror, and I have not scrutinized you so closely as your friend Lady Julia.’
‘It is you that I love. I am sure I need hardly say so now.’
‘Hardly, indeed – considering that you are engaged to Miss Dale.’
‘As to that I have, of course, to own that I have behaved foolishly – worse than foolishly, if you choose to say so. You cannot condemn me more absolutely than I condemn myself. But I have made up my mind as to one thing. I will not marry where I do not love.’ Oh, if Lily could have heard him as he then spoke! ‘It would be impossible for me to speak in terms too high of Miss Dale; but I am quite sure that could not make her happy as her husband.’
‘Why did you not think of that before you asked her?’ said Alexandrina. But there was very little of condemnation in her tone.
‘I ought to have done so; but it is hardly for you to blame me with severity. Had you, when we were last together in London – had you been less –’
‘Less what?’
‘Less defiant,’ said Crosbie, ‘all this might perhaps have been avoided.’
Lady Alexandrina could not remember that she had been defiant; but, however, she let that pass. ‘Oh, yes; of course it was my fault.’
‘I went down there to Allington with my heart ill at ease, and now I have fallen into this trouble. I tell you all as it has happened. It is impossible that I should marry Miss Dale. It would be wicked in me to do so, seeing that my heart belongs altogether to another. I have told you who is that other; and now may I hope for an answer?’
‘An answer to what?’
‘Alexandrina, will you be my wife?’
If it had been her object to bring him to a point-blank declaration and proposition of marriage, she had certainly achieved her object now. And she had that trust in her own power of management and in her mother’s, that she did not fear that in accepting him she would incur the risk of being served as he was serving Lily Dale. She knew her own position and his too well for that. If she accepted him she would in due course of time become his wife – let Miss Dale and all her friends say what they might to the contrary. As to that head she had no fear. But nevertheless she did not accept him at once. Though she wished for the prize, her woman’s nature hindered her from taking it when it was offered to her.
‘How long is it, Mr Crosbie,’ she said, ‘since you put the same question to Miss Dale?’
‘I have told you everything, Alexandrina – as I promised that I would do. If you intend to punish me for doing so –’
‘And I might ask another question. How long will it be before you put the same question to some other girl?’
He turned round as though to walk away from her in anger; but when he had gone half the distance to the door he returned.
‘By heaven!’ he said, and he spoke somewhat roughly, to
o, ‘I’ll have an answer. You at any rate have nothing with which to reproach me. All that I have done wrong, I have done through you, or on your behalf. You have heard my proposal. Do you intend to accept it?’
‘I declare you startle me. If you demanded my money or my life, you could not be more imperious.’
‘Certainly not more resolute in my determination.’
‘And if I decline the honour?’
‘I shall think you the most fickle of your sex.’
‘And if I were to accept it?’
‘I would swear that you were the best, the dearest, and the sweetest of women.’
‘I would rather have your good opinion than your bad, certainly,’ said Lady Alexandrina. And then it was understood by both of them that that affair was settled. Whenever she was called on in future to speak of Lily, she always called her, ‘that poor Miss Dale’, but she never again spoke a word of reproach to her future lord about that little adventure. ‘I shall tell mamma, tonight,’ she said to him, as she bade him good-night in some sequestered nook to which they had betaken themselves. Lady Julia’s eye was again on them as they came out from the sequestered nook, but Alexandrina no longer cared for Lady Julia.
‘George, I cannot quite understand about that Mr Palliser. Isn’t he to be a duke, and oughtn’t he to be a lord now?’ This question was asked by Mrs George De Courcy of her husband, when they found themselves together in the seclusion of the nuptial chamber.
The Small House at Allington Page 33
