the bedford-row conspiracy-第6章

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　it　that　young　ladies　have　been　allowed　to　walk　abroad　without　chaperons；　and　toto　take　a　part　in　such　scenes　as　that　which　we　have　just　seen　acted？〃　To　this　questionand　indeed　it　was　rather　difficult　to　answerMiss　Gorgon　had　no　reply。　　There　were　the　six　grey　eyes　of　her　cousins　glowering　at　her；　there　was　George　Augustus　Frederick　examining　her　with　an　air　of　extreme　wonder；　Mademoiselle　the　governess　turning　her　looks　demurely　away；　and　awful　Lady　Gorgon　glancing　fiercely　at　her　in　front。　　Not　mentioning　the　footman　and　poodle；　what　could　a　poor　modest　timid　girl　plead　before　such　an　inquisition；　especially　when　she　was　clearly　guilty？　　Add　to　this；　that　as　Lady　Gorgon；　that　majestic　woman；　always　remarkable　for　her　size　and　insolence　of　demeanour；　had　planted　herself　in　the　middle　of　the　path；　and　spoke　at　the　extreme　pitch　of　her　voice；　many　persons　walking　in　the　neighbourhood　had　heard　her　Ladyship's　speech　and　stopped；　and　seemed　disposed　to　await　the　rejoinder。　〃For　Heaven's　sake；　Aunt；　don't　draw　a　crowd　around　us；〃　said　Lucy；　who；　indeed；　was　glad　of　the　only　escape　that　lay　in　her　power。　　〃I　will　tell　you　of　theof　the　circumstances　ofof　my　engagement　with　this　gentlemanwith　Mr。　Perkins；〃　added　she；　in　a　softer　toneso　soft　that　the　'ERKINS　was　quite　inaudible。　〃A　Mr。　What？　　An　engagement　without　consulting　your　guardians！〃　screamed　her　Ladyship。　　〃This　must　be　looked　to！　　Jerningham；　call　round　my　carriage。　　Mademoiselle；　you　will　have　the　goodness　to　walk　home　with　Master　Gorgon；　and　carry　him；　if　you　please；　where　there　is　wet；　and；　girls；　as　the　day　is　fine；　you　will　do　likewise。　Jerningham；　you　will　attend　the　young　ladies。　　Miss　Gorgon；　I　will　thank　you　to　follow　me　immediately。〃　　And　so　saying；　and　looking　at　the　crowd　with　ineffable　scorn；　and　at　Mr。　Perkins　not　at　all；　the　lady　bustled　away　forwards；　the　files　of　Gorgon　daughters　and　governess　closing　round　and　enveloping　poor　Lucy；　who　found　herself　carried　forward　against　her　will；　and　in　a　minute　seated　in　her　aunt's　coach；　along　with　that　tremendous　person。　Her　case　was　bad　enough；　but　what　was　it　to　Perkins's？　　Fancy　his　blank　surprise　and　rage　at　having　his　love　thus　suddenly　ravished　from　him；　and　his　delicious　tete…a…tete　interrupted。　　He　managed；　in　an　inconceivably　short　space　of　time；　to　conjure　up　half…a…million　obstacles　to　his　union。　　What　should　he　do？　he　would　rush　on　to　Baker　Street；　and　wait　there　until　his　Lucy　left　Lady　Gorgon's　house。　He　could　find　no　vehicle　in　the　Regent's　Park；　and　was　in　consequence　obliged　to　make　his　journey　on　foot。　　Of　course；　he　nearly　killed　himself　with　running；　and　ran　so　quick；　that　he　was　just　in　time　to　see　the　two　ladies　step　out　of　Lady　Gorgon's　carriage　at　her　own　house；　and　to　hear　Jerningham's　fellow…footman　roar　to　the　Gorgonian　coachman；　〃Half…past　seven！〃　at　which　hour　we　are；　to　this　day；　convinced　that　Lady　Gorgon　was　going　out　to　dine。　Mr。　Jerningham's　associate　having　banged　to　the　door；　with　an　insolent　look　towards　Perkins；　who　was　prying　in　with　the　most　suspicious　and　indecent　curiosity；　retired；　exclaiming；　〃That　chap　has　a　hi　to　our　great…coats；　I　reckon！〃　and　left　John　Perkins　to　pace　the　street　and　be　miserable。　John　Perkins　then　walked　resolutely　up　and　down　dismal　Baker　Street；　determined　on　an　eclaircissement。　　He　was　for　some　time　occupied　in　thinking　how　it　was　that　the　Gorgons　were　not　at　church；　they　who　made　such　a　parade　of　piety；　and　John　Perkins　smiled　as　he　passed　the　chapel；　and　saw　that　two　CHARITY　SERMONS　were　to　be　preached　that　dayand　therefore　it　was　that　General　Gorgon　read　prayers　to　his　family　at　home　in　the　morning。　Perkins；　at　last；　saw　that　little　General；　in　blue　frock…coat　and　spotless　buff　gloves；　saunter　scowling　home；　and　half　an　hour　before　his　arrival　had　witnessed　the　entrance　of　Jerningham；　and　the　three　gaunt　Miss　Gorgons；　poodle；　son…and…heir；　and　French　governess；　protected　by　him；　into　Sir　George's　mansion。　〃Can　she　be　going　to　stay　all　night？〃　mused　poor　John；　after　being　on　the　watch　for　three　hours：　　when　presently；　to　his　inexpressible　delight；　he　saw　a　very　dirty　hackney…coach　clatter　up　to　the　Gorgon　door；　out　of　which　first　issued　the　ruby　plush　breeches　and　stalwart　calves　of　Mr。　Jerningham；　these　were　followed　by　his　body；　and　then　the　gentleman；　ringing　modestly；　was　admitted。　Again　the　door　opened：　　a　lady　came　out；　nor　was　she　followed　by　the　footman；　who　crossed　his　legs　at　the　door…post　and　allowed　her　to　mount　the　jingling　vehicle　as　best　she　might。　　Mr。　Jerningham　had　witnessed　the　scene　in　the　Park　Gardens；　had　listened　to　the　altercation　through　the　library　keyhole；　and　had　been　mighty　sulky　at　being　ordered　to　call　a　coach　for　this　young　woman。　　He　did　not　therefore　deign　to　assist　her　to　mount。　But　there　was　ONE　who　did！　　Perkins　was　by　the　side　of　his　Lucy：　　he　had　seen　her　start　back　and　cry；　〃La；　John！〃had　felt　her　squeeze　his　armhad　mounted　with　her　into　the　coach；　and　then　shouted　with　a　voice　of　thunder　to　the　coachman；　〃Caroline　Place；　Mecklenburgh　Square。〃　But　Mr。　Jerningham　would　have　been　much　more　surprised　and　puzzled　if　he　had　waited　one　minute　longer；　and　seen　this　Mr。　Perkins；　who　had　so　gallantly　escaladed　the　hackney…coach；　step　out　of　it　with　the　most　mortified；　miserable；　chap…fallen　countenance　possible。　The　fact　is；　he　had　found　poor　Lucy　sobbing　fit　to　break　her　heart；　and　instead　of　consoling　her；　as　he　expected；　he　only　seemed　to　irritate　her　further：　　for　she　said；　〃Mr。　PerkinsI　begI　insist；　that　you　leave　the　carriage。〃　　And　when　Perkins　made　some　movement　（which；　not　being　in　the　vehicle　at　the　time；　we　have　never　been　able　to　comprehend）；　she　suddenly　sprang　from　the　back…seat　and　began　pulling　at　a　large　piece　of　cord　which　communicated　with　the　wrist　of　the　gentleman　driving；　and；　screaming　to　him　at　the　top　of　her　voice；　bade　him　immediately　stop。　This　Mr。　Coachman　did；　with　a　curious；　puzzled；　grinning　air。　Perkins　descended；　and　on　being　asked；　〃Vere　ham　I　to　drive　the　young　'oman；　sir？〃　I　am　sorry　to　say　muttered　something　like　an　oath；　and　uttered　the　above…mentioned　words；　〃Caroline　Place；　Mecklenburgh　Square；〃　in　a　tone　which　I　should　be　inclined　to　describe　as　both　dogged　and　sheepishvery　different　from　that　cheery　voice　which　he　had　used　when　he　first　gave　the　order。　Poor　Lucy；　in　the　course　of　those　fatal　three　hours　which　had　passed　while　Mr。　Perkins　was　pacing　up　and　down　Baker　Street；　had　received　a　lecture　which　lasted　exactly　one　hundred　and　eighty　minutesfrom　her　aunt　first；　then　from　her　uncle；　whom　we　have　seen　marching　homewards；　and　often　from　both　together。　Sir　George　Gorgon　and　his　lady　poured　out　such　a　flood　of　advice　and　abuse　against　the　poor　girl；　that　she　came　away　from　the　interview　quite　timid　and　cowering；　and　when　she　saw　John　Perkins　（the　sly　rogue！　how　well　he　thought　he　had　managed　the　trick！）　she　shrank　from　him　as　if　he　had　been　a　demon　of　wickedness；　ordered　him　out　of　the　carriage；　and　went　home　by　herself；　convinced　that　she　had　committed　some　tremendous　sin。　While；　then；　her　coach　jingled　away　to　Caroline　Place；　Perkins；　once　more　alone；　bent　his　steps　in　the　same　direction。　　A　desperate；　heart…stricken　man；　he　passed　by　the　beloved's　door；　saw　lights　in　the　front　drawing…room；　felt　probably　that　she　was　there；　but　he　could　not　go　in。　　Moodily　he　paced　down　Doughty　Street；　and　turning　abruptly　into　Bedford　Row；　rushed　into　his　own　chambers；　where　Mrs。　Snooks；　the　laundress；　had　prepared　his　humble　Sabbath　meal。　A　cheerful　fire　blazed　in　his　garret；　and　Mrs。　Snooks　had　prepared　for　him　the　favourite　blade…bone　he　loved　（blest　four…days'　dinner　for　a　bachelorroast；　cold；　hashed；　grilled　bladebone；　the　fourth　being　better　than　the　first）；　but　although　he　usually　did　rejoice　in　this　mealordinarily；　indeed；　grumbling　that　there　was　not　enough　to　satisfy　himhe；　on　this　occasion；　after　two　mouthfuls；　flung　down　his　knife　and　fork；　and　buried　his　two　claws　in　his　hair。　〃Snooks；〃　said　he　at　last；　very　moodily；　〃remove　this　d　mutton；　give　me　my　writing　things；　and　some　hot　brandy…and…water。〃　This　was　done　without　much　alarm：　　for　you　must　know　that　Perkins　used　to　dabble　in　poetry；　and　ordinarily　prepare　himself　for　composition　by　this　kind　of　stimulus。　He　wrote　hastily　a　few　li