the bedford-row conspiracy-第4章

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　the　pretty　smiling　one　in　white；　and　stepping　up　to　her；　without　the　smallest　hesitation；　asked　her　if　she　would　dance　with　him。　The　young　lady　smilingly　agreed。　　The　great　example　of　Scully　and　Lady　Gorgon　was　followed　by　all　dancing　men　and　women。　　Political　enmities　were　forgotten。　　Whig　voters　invited　Tory　voters'　wives　to　the　dance。　　The　daughters　of　Reform　accepted　the　hands　of　the　sons　of　Conservatism。　　The　reconciliation　of　the　Romans　and　Sabines　was　not　more　touching　than　this　sweet　fusion。　　Whackwhack！　　Springer　clapped　his　hands；　and　the　fiddlers　adroitly　obeying　the　cheerful　signal；　began　playing　〃Sir　Roger　de　Coverley〃　louder　than　ever。　I　do　not　know　by　what　extraordinary　charm　（nescio　qua　praeter　solitum；　etc。）；　but　young　Perkins；　who　all　his　life　had　hated　country…dances；　was　delighted　with　this　one；　and　skipped　and　laughed；　poussetting；　crossing；　down…the…middling；　with　his　merry　little　partner；　till　every　one　of　the　bettermost　sort　of　the　thirty…nine　couples　had　dropped　panting　away；　and　till　the　youngest　Miss　Gorgon；　coming　up　to　his　partner；　said　in　a　loud　hissing　scornful　whisper；　〃Lucy；　Mamma　thinks　you　have　danced　quite　enough　with　thisthis　person。〃　　And　Lucy；　blushing；　starting　back；　and　looking　at　Perkins　in　a　very　melancholy　way；　made　him　a　little　curtsey；　and　went　off　to　the　Gorgonian　party　with　her　cousin。　Perkins　was　too　frightened　to　lead　her　back　to　her　placetoo　frightened　at　first；　and　then　too　angry。　　〃Person！〃　said　he：　　his　soul　swelled　with　a　desperate　republicanism：　　he　went　back　to　his　patron　more　of　a　Radical　than　ever。　He　found　that　gentleman　in　the　solitary　tea…room；　pacing　up　and　down　before　the　observant　landlady　and　handmaidens　of　the　〃Gorgon　Arms；〃　wiping　his　brows；　gnawing　his　fingershis　ears　looming　over　his　stiff　white　shirt…collar　as　red　as　fire。　　Once　more　the　great　man　seized　John　Perkins's　hand　as　the　latter　came　up。　〃D…　the　aristocrats！〃　roared　the　ex…follower　of　Squaretoes。　〃And　so　say　I！　but　what's　the　matter；　sir？〃　〃What's　the　matter？Why；　that　womanthat　infernal；　haughty；　straitlaced；　cold…blooded　brewer's　daughter！　　I　loved　that　woman；　sirI　KISSED　that　woman；　sir；　twenty　years　ago：　　we　were　all　but　engaged；　sir：　　we've　walked　for　hours　and　hours；　sirus　and　the　governessI've　got　a　lock　of　her　hair；　sir；　among　my　papers　now；　and　to…night；　would　you　believe　it？as　soon　as　she　got　to　the　bottom　of　the　set；　away　she　wentnot　one　word　would　she　speak　to　me　all　the　way　down：　　and　when　I　wanted　to　lead　her　to　her　place；　and　asked　her　if　she　would　have　a　glass　of　negus；　'Sir；'　says　she；　'I　have　done　my　duty；　I　bear　no　malice：　　but　I　consider　you　a　traitor　to　Sir　George　Gorgon's　familya　traitor　and　an　upstart！　　I　consider　your　speaking　to　me　as　a　piece　of　insolent　vulgarity；　and　beg　you　will　leave　me　to　myself！'　　There's　her　speech；　sir。　　Twenty　people　heard　it；　and　all　of　her　Tory　set　too。　　I'll　tell　you　what；　Jack：　at　the　next　election　I'll　put　YOU　up。　　Oh　that　woman！　that　woman！…　…and　to　think　that　I　love　her　still！〃　　Here　Mr。　Scully　paused；　and　fiercely　consoled　himself　by　swallowing　three　cups　of　Mrs。　Rincer's　green　tea。　The　fact　is；　that　Lady　Gorgon's　passion　had　completely　got　the　better　of　her　reason。　　Her　Ladyship　was　naturally　cold；　and　artificially　extremely　squeamish；　and　when　this　great　red…faced　enemy　of　hers　looked　tenderly　at　her　through　his　red　little　eyes；　and　squeezed　her　hand　and　attempted　to　renew　old　acquaintance；　she　felt　such　an　intolerable　disgust　at　his　triumph；　at　his　familiarity；　and　at　the　remembrance　of　her　own　former　liking　for　him；　that　she　gave　utterance　to　the　speech　above　correctly　reported。　　The　Tories　were　delighted　with　her　spirit；　and　Cornet　Fitch；　with　much　glee；　told　the　story　to　the　General；　but　that　officer；　who　was　at　whist　with　some　of　his　friends；　flung　down　his　cards；　and　coming　up　to　his　lady；　said　briefly；　〃Madam；　you　are　a　fool！〃　〃I　will　NOT　stay　here　to　be　bearded　by　that　disgusting　man！Mr。　Fitch；　call　my　people。Henrietta；　bring　Miss　Lucy　from　that　linendraper　with　whom　she　is　dancing。　　I　will　not　stay；　General；　once　for　all。〃　Henrietta　ranshe　hated　her　cousin：　　Cornet　Fitch　was　departing。　〃Stop；　Fitch；〃　said　Sir　George；　seizing　him　by　the　arm。　　〃You　are　a　fool；　Lady　Gorgon；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　repeat　ita　…　fool！　　This　fellow　Scully　is　carrying　all　before　him：　　he　has　talked　with　everybody；　laughed　with　everybodyand　you；　with　your　infernal　airsa　brewer's　daughter；　by　…；　must　sit　like　a　queen　and　not　speak　to　a　soul！　　You've　lost　me　one　seat　of　my　borough；　with　your　infernal　pridefifteen　hundred　a　year；　by　Jove！and　you　think　you　will　bully　me　out　of　another。　　No；　madam；　you　SHALL　stay；　and　stay　supper　too；and　the　girls　shall　dance　with　every　cursed　chimney…sweep　and　butcher　in　the　room：　　they　shallconfound　me！〃　Her　Ladyship　saw　that　it　was　necessary　to　submit；　and　Mr。　Springer；　the　master　of　the　ceremonies；　was　called；　and　requested　to　point　out　some　eligible　partners　for　the　young　ladies。　　One　went　off　with　a　Whig　auctioneer；　another　figured　in　a　quadrille　with　a　very　Liberal　apothecary；　and　the　third；　Miss　Henrietta；　remained。　〃Hallo　you；　sir！〃　roared　the　little　General　to　John　Perkins；　who　was　passing　by。　　John　turned　round　and　faced　him。　〃You　were　dancing　with　my　niece　just　nowshow　us　your　skill　now；　and　dance　with　one　of　my　daughters。　　Stand　up；　Miss　Henrietta　GorgonMr。　What's…your…name？〃　〃My　name；〃　said　John；　with　marked　and　majestic　emphasis；　〃is　PERKINS。〃　　And　he　looked　towards　Lucy；　who　dared　not　look　again。　〃Miss　GorgonMr。　Perkins。　　There；　now　go　and　dance。〃　〃Mr。　Perkins　regrets；　madam；〃　said　John；　making　a　bow　to　Miss　Henrietta；　〃that　he　is　not　able　to　dance　this　evening。　　I　am　this　moment　obliged　to　look　to　the　supper；　but　you　will　find；　no　doubt；　some　other　PERSON　who　will　have　much　pleasure。〃　〃Go　to　…；　sir！〃　screamed　the　General；　starting　up；　and　shaking　his　cane。　〃Calm　yourself；　dearest　George；〃　said　Lady　Gorgon；　clinging　fondly　to　him。　　Fitch　twiddled　his　moustaches。　　Miss　Henrietta　Gorgon　stared　with　open　mouth。　　The　silks　of　the　surrounding　dowagers　rustledthe　countenances　of　all　looked　grave。　〃I　will　follow　you；　sir；　wherever　you　please；　and　you　may　hear　of　me　whenever　you　like；〃　said　Mr。　Perkins；　bowing　and　retiring。　　He　heard　little　Lucy　sobbing　in　a　corner。　　He　was　lost　at　oncelost　in　love；　he　felt　as　if　he　could　combat　fifty　generals！　he　never　was　so　happy　in　his　life。　The　supper　came；　but　as　that　meal　cost　five　shillings　a　head；　General　Gorgon　dismissed　the　four　spinsters　of　his　family　homewards　in　the　carriage；　and　so　saved　himself　a　pound。　　This　added　to　Jack　Perkins's　wrath；　he　had　hoped　to　have　seen　Miss　Lucy　once　more。　　He　was　a　steward；　and；　in　the　General's　teeth；　would　have　done　his　duty。　　He　was　thinking　how　he　would　have　helped　her　to　the　most　delicate　chicken…wings　and　blancmanges；　how　he　WOULD　have　made　her　take　champagne。　　Under　the　noses　of　indignant　aunt　and　uncle；　what　glorious　fun　it　would　have　been！　Out　of　place　as　Mr。　Scully's　present　was；　and　though　Lady　Gorgon　and　her　party　sneered　at　the　vulgar　notion　of　venison　and　turtle　for　supper；　all　the　world　at　Oldborough　ate　very　greedily　of　those　two　substantial　dishes；　and　the　Mayor's　wife　became　from　that　day　forth　a　mortal　enemy　of　the　Gorgons：　　for；　sitting　near　her　Ladyship；　who　refused　the　proffered　soup　and　meat；　the　Mayoress　thought　herself　obliged　to　follow　this　disagreeable　example。　　She　sent　away　the　plate　of　turtle　with　a　sigh；　saying；　however；　to　the　baronet's　lady；　〃I　thought；　mem；　that　the　LORD　MAYOR　OF　LONDON　always　had　turtle　to　his　supper？〃　〃And　what　if　he　didn't；　Biddy？〃　said　his　Honour　the　Mayor；　〃a　good　thing's　a　good　thing；　and　here　goes！〃　wherewith　he　plunged　his　spoon　into　the　savoury　mess。　　The　Mayoress；　as　we　have　said；　dared　not；　but　she　hated　Lady　Gorgon；　and　remembered　it　at　the　next　election。　The　pride；　in　fact；　and　insolence　of　the　Gorgon　party　rendered　every　person　in　the　room　hostile　to　them；　so　soon　as；　gorged　with　meat；　they　began　to　find　that　courage　which　Britons　invariably　derive　from　their　victuals。　　The　show　of　the　Gorgon　plate　seemed　to　offend　the　people。　　The　Gorgon　champagne　was　a　long　time；　too；　in　making　its　appearance。　　Arrive；　however；　it　did。　　The　people　were　waiting　for　it；　the　young　ladies；　not　accustomed　to