CHAPTER XVII.
MADAME GOESLER'S STORY.
"After all that has come and gone, is it not odd that you and Ishould find ourselves riding about Broughton Spinnies together?" Thatwas the question which Madame Goesler asked Phineas Finn when theyhad both agreed that it was impossible to jump over the bank out ofthe wood, and it was, of course, necessary that some answer should begiven to it.
"When I saw you last in London," said Phineas, with a voice that wasgruff, and a manner that was abrupt, "I certainly did not think thatwe should meet again so soon."
"No;--I left you as though I had grounds for quarrelling; but therewas no quarrel. I wrote to you, and tried to explain that."
"You did;--and though my answer was necessarily short, I was verygrateful."
"And here you are back among us; and it does seem so odd. LadyChiltern never told me that I was to meet you."
"Nor did she tell me."
"It is better so, for otherwise I should not have come, and then,perhaps, you would have been all alone in your discomfiture at thebank."
"That would have been very bad."
"You see I can be quite frank with you, Mr. Finn. I am heartily gladto see you, but I should not have come had I been told. And whenI did see you, it was quite improbable that we should be throwntogether as we are now,--was it not? Ah;--here is a man, and he cantell us the way back to Copperhouse Cross. But I suppose we hadbetter ask for Harrington Hall at once."
The man knew nothing at all about Harrington Hall, and very littleabout Copperhouse; but he did direct them on to the road, and theyfound that they were about sixteen miles from Lord Chiltern's house.The hounds had gone away in the direction of Trumpeton Wood, and itwas agreed that it would be useless to follow them. The waggonettehad been left at an inn about two miles from Copperhouse Cross, butthey resolved to abandon that and to ride direct to Harrington Hall.It was now nearly three o'clock, and they would not be subjected tothe shame which falls upon sportsmen who are seen riding home veryearly in the day. To get oneself lost before twelve, and then to comehome, is a very degrading thing; but at any time after two you may besupposed to have ridden the run of the season, and to be returningafter an excellent day's work.
Then Madame Goesler began to talk about herself, and to give a shorthistory of her life during the last two-and-a-half years. She didthis in a frank natural manner, continuing her tale in a low voice,as though it were almost a matter of course that she should make therecital to so old a friend. And Phineas soon began to feel that itwas natural that she should do so. "It was just before you left us,"she said, "that the Duke took to coming to my house." The duke spokenof was the Duke of Omnium, and Phineas well remembered to have heardsome rumours about the Duke and Madame Max. It had been hinted to himthat the Duke wanted to marry the lady, but that rumour he had neverbelieved. The reader, if he has duly studied the history of the age,will know that the Duke did make an offer to Madame Goesler, pressingit with all his eloquence, but that Madame Goesler, on matureconsideration, thought it best to decline to become a duchess. Of allthis, however, the reader who understands Madame Goesler's characterwill be quite sure that she did not say a word to Phineas Finn. Sincethe business had been completed she had spoken of it to no one but toLady Glencora Palliser, who had forced herself into a knowledge ofall the circumstances while they were being acted.
"I met the Duke once at Matching," said Phineas.
"I remember it well. I was there, and first made the Duke'sacquaintance on that occasion. I don't know how it was that we becameintimate;--but we did, and then I formed a sort of friendship withLady Glencora; and somehow it has come about that we have been agreat deal together since."
"I suppose you like Lady Glencora?"
"Very much indeed,--and the Duke, too. The truth is, Mr. Finn, thatlet one boast as one may of one's independence,--and I very often doboast of mine to myself,--one is inclined to do more for a Duke ofOmnium than for a Mr. Jones."
"The Dukes have more to offer than the Joneses;--I don't mean in theway of wealth only, but of what one enjoys most in societygenerally."
"I suppose they have. At any rate, I am glad that you should makesome excuse for me. But I do like the man. He is gracious and noblein his bearing. He is now very old, and sinking fast into the grave;but even the wreck is noble."
"I don't know that he ever did much," said Phineas.
"I don't know that he ever did anything according to your idea ofdoing. There must be some men who do nothing."
"But a man with his wealth and rank has opportunities so great! Lookat his nephew!"
"No doubt Mr. Palliser is a great man. He never has a moment to speakto his wife or to anybody else; and is always thinking so much aboutthe country that I doubt if he knows anything about his own affairs.Of course he is a man of a different stamp,--and of a higher stamp,if you will. But I have an idea that such characters as those of thepresent Duke are necessary to the maintenance of a great aristocracy.He has had the power of making the world believe in him simplybecause he has been rich and a duke. His nephew, when he comes to thetitle, will never receive a tithe of the respect that has been paidto this old faineant."
"But he will achieve much more than ten times the reputation," saidPhineas.
"I won't compare them, nor will I argue; but I like the Duke. Nay;--Ilove him. During the last two years I have allowed the whole fashionof my life to be remodelled by this intimacy. You knew what were myhabits. I have only been in Vienna for one week since I last saw you,and I have spent months and months at Matching."
"What do you do there?"
"Read to him;--talk to him;--give him his food, and do all that inme lies to make his life bearable. Last year, when it was thoughtnecessary that very distinguished people should be entertained at thegreat family castle,--in Barsetshire, you know--"
"I have heard of the place."
"A regular treaty or agreement was drawn up. Conditions were sealedand signed. One condition was that both Lady Glencora and I shouldbe there. We put our heads together to try to avoid this; as, ofcourse, the Prince would not want to see me particularly,--and it wasaltogether so grand an affair that things had to be weighed. But theDuke was inexorable. Lady Glencora at such a time would have otherthings to do, and I must be there, or Gatherum Castle should not beopened. I suggested whether I could not remain in the background andlook after the Duke as a kind of upper nurse,--but Lady Glencora saidit would not do."
"Why should you subject yourself to such indignity?"
"Simply from love of the man. But you see I was not subjected. Fortwo days I wore my jewels beneath royal eyes,--eyes that will sooneror later belong to absolute majesty. It was an awful bore, and Iought to have been at Vienna. You ask me why I did it. The fact isthat things sometimes become too strong for one, even when there isno real power of constraint. For years past I have been used to havemy own way, but when there came a question of the entertainment ofroyalty I found myself reduced to blind obedience. I had to go toGatherum Castle, to the absolute neglect of my business; and I went."
"Do you still keep it up?"
"Oh, dear, yes. He is at Matching now, and I doubt whether he willever leave it again. I shall go there from here as a matter ofcourse, and relieve guard with Lady Glencora."
"I don't see what you get for it all."
"Get;--what should I get? You don't believe in friendship, then?"
"Certainly I do;--but this friendship is so unequal. I can hardlyunderstand that it should have grown from personal liking on yourside."
"I think it has," said Madame Goesler, slowly. "You see, Mr. Finn,that you as a young man can hardly understand how natural it is thata young woman,--if I may call myself young,--should minister to anold man."
"But there should be some bond to the old man."
"There is a bond."
"You must not be angry with me," said Phineas.
"I am not in the least angry."
"I should not venture to express any opinion, of co
urse,--only thatyou ask me."
"I do ask you, and you are quite welcome to express your opinion. Andwere it not expressed, I should know what you thought just the same.I have wondered at it myself sometimes,--that I should have become asit were engulfed in this new life, almost without will of my own. Andwhen he dies, how shall I return to the other life? Of course I havethe house in Park Lane still, but my very maid talks of Matching asmy home."
"How will it be when he has gone?"
"Ah,--how indeed? Lady Glencora and I will have to curtsey to eachother, and there will be an end of it. She will be a duchess then,and I shall no longer be wanted."
"But even if you were wanted--?"
"Oh, of course. It must last the Duke's time, and last no longer. Itwould not be a healthy kind of life were it not that I do my verybest to make the evening of his days pleasant for him, and in thatway to be of some service in the world. It has done me good to thinkthat I have in some small degree sacrificed myself. Let me see;--weare to turn here to the left. That goes to Copperhouse Cross, nodoubt. Is it not odd that I should have told you all this history?"
"Just because this brute would not jump over the fence."
"I dare say I should have told you, even if he had jumped over; butcertainly this has been a great opportunity. Do you tell your friendLord Chiltern not to abuse the poor Duke any more before me. I daresay our host is all right in what he says; but I don't like it.You'll come and see me in London, Mr. Finn?"
"But you'll be at Matching?"
"I do get a few days at home sometimes. You see I have escaped forthe present,--or otherwise you and I would not have come to grieftogether in Broughton Spinnies."
Soon after this they were overtaken by others who were returninghome, and who had been more fortunate than they in getting awaywith the hounds. The fox had gone straight for Trumpeton Wood, notdaring to try the gorse on the way, and then had been run to ground.Chiltern was again in a towering passion, as the earths, he said,had been purposely left open. But on this matter the men who hadovertaken our friends were both of opinion that Chiltern was wrong.He had allowed it to be understood that he would not draw TrumpetonWood, and he had therefore no right to expect that the earths shouldbe stopped. But there were and had been various opinions on thisdifficult point, as the laws of hunting are complex, recondite,numerous, traditional, and not always perfectly understood. Perhapsthe day may arrive in which they shall be codified under the care ofsome great and laborious master of hounds.
"And they did nothing more?" asked Phineas.
"Yes;--they chopped another fox before they left the place,--so thatin point of fact they have drawn Trumpeton. But they didn't mean it."
When Madame Max Goesler and Phineas had reached Harrington Hallthey were able to give their own story of the day's sport to LadyChiltern, as the remainder of the party had not as yet returned.
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