the bedford-row conspiracy-第8章

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Why；　my　intended　has　a　couple　of　hundreds　a　year；　and　my　clerkship　in　the　Tape　and　Sealing…Wax　Office　will　be　as　much　more。〃　〃ClerkshipTape　and　Sealing…Wax　OfficeGovernment　sinecure！Why；　good　heavens！　John　Perkins；　you　don't　tell　ME　that　you　are　going　to　accept　any　such　thing？〃　〃It　is　a　very　small　salary；　certainly；〃　said　John；　who　had　a　decent　notion　of　his　own　merits；　〃but　consider；　six　months　vacation；　two　hours　in　the　day；　and　those　spent　over　the　newspapers。　　After　all；　it's〃　〃After　all　it's　a　swindle；〃　roared　out　Mr。　Scully〃a　swindle　upon　the　country；　an　infamous　tax　upon　the　people；　who　starve　that　you　may　fatten　in　idleness。　　But　take　this　clerkship　in　the　Tape　and　Sealing…Wax　Office；〃　continued　the　patriot；　his　bosom　heaving　with　noble　indignation；　and　his　eye　flashing　the　purest　fire；〃TAKE　this　clerkship；　John　Perkins；　and　sanction　tyranny；　by　becoming　one　of　its　agents；　sanction　dishonesty　by　sharing　in　its　plunderdo　this；　BUT　never　more　be　friend　of　mine。　　Had　I　a　child；〃　said　the　patriot；　clasping　his　hands　and　raising　his　eyes　to　heaven；　〃I　would　rather　see　him　dead；　sirdead；　dead　at　my　feet；　than　the　servant　of　a　Government　which　all　honest　men　despise。〃　　And　here；　giving　a　searching　glance　at　Perkins；　Mr。　Scully　began　tramping　up　and　down　the　garden　in　a　perfect　fury。　〃Good　heavens！〃　exclaimed　the　timid　John　Perkins〃don't　say　SO。　　My　dear　Mr。　Scully；　I'm　not　the　dishonest　character　you　suppose　me　to　beI　never　looked　at　the　matter　in　this　light。　　I'llI'll　consider　of　it。　　I'll　tell　Crampton　that　I　will　give　up　the　place；　but　for　Heaven's　sake；　don't　let　me　forfeit　YOUR　friendship；　which　is　dearer　to　me　than　any　place　in　the　world。〃　Mr。　Scully　pressed　his　hand；　and　said　nothing；　and　though　their　interview　lasted　a　full　half…hour　longer；　during　which　they　paced　up　and　down　the　gravel　walk；　we　shall　not　breathe　a　single　syllable　of　their　conversation；　as　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　our　tale。　The　next　morning；　after　an　interview　with　Miss　Lucy；　John　Perkins；　Esquire；　was　seen　to　issue　from　Mrs。　Biggs's　house；　looking　particularly　pale；　melancholy；　and　thoughtful；　and　he　did　not　stop　until　he　reached　a　certain　door　in　Downing　Street；　where　was　the　office　of　a　certain　great　Minister；　and　the　offices　of　the　clerks　in　his　Lordship's　department。　The　head　of　them　was　Mr。　Josiah　Crampton；　who　has　now　to　be　introduced　to　the　public。　　He　was　a　little　old　gentleman；　some　sixty　years　of　age；　maternal　uncle　to　John　Perkins；　a　bachelor；　who　had　been　about　forty…two　years　employed　in　the　department　of　which　he　was　now　the　head。　After　waiting　four　hours　in　an　ante…room；　where　a　number　of　Irishmen；　some　newspaper　editors；　many　pompous…looking　political　personages　asking　for　the　〃first　lord；〃　a　few　sauntering　clerks；　and　numbers　of　swift　active　messengers　passed　to　and　fro；after　waiting　for　four　hours；　making　drawings　on　the　blotting…book；　and　reading　the　Morning　Post　for　that　day　week；　Mr。　Perkins　was　informed　that　he　might　go　into　his　uncle's　room；　and　did　so　accordingly。　He　found　a　little　hard　old　gentleman　seated　at　a　table　covered　with　every　variety　of　sealing…wax；　blotting…paper；　envelopes；　despatch…boxes；　green　tapers；　etc。　etc。　　An　immense　fire　was　blazing　in　the　grate；　an　immense　sheet…almanack　hung　over　that；　a　screen；　three　or　four　chairs；　and　a　faded　Turkey　carpet；　formed　the　rest　of　the　furniture　of　this　remarkable　roomwhich　I　have　described　thus　particularly；　because　in　the　course　of　a　long　official　life；　I　have　remarked　that　such　is　the　invariable　decoration　of　political　rooms。　〃Well；　John；〃　said　the　little　hard　old　gentleman；　pointing　to　an　arm…chair；　〃I'm　told　you've　been　here　since　eleven。　　Why　the　deuce　do　you　come　so　early？〃　〃I　had　important　business；〃　answered　Mr。　Perkins；　stoutly；　and　as　his　uncle　looked　up　with　a　comical　expression　of　wonder；　John　began　in　a　solemn　tone　to　deliver　a　little　speech　which　he　had　composed；　and　which　proved　him　to　be　a　very　worthy；　easy；　silly　fellow。　〃Sir；〃　said　Mr。　Perkins；　〃you　have　known　for　some　time　past　the　nature　of　my　political　opinions；　and　the　intimacy　which　I　have　had　the　honour　to　form　with　onewith　some　of　the　leading　members　of　the　Liberal　party。〃　　（A　grin　from　Mr。　Crampton。）　　〃When　first；　by　your　kindness；　I　was　promised　the　clerkship　in　the　Tape　and　Sealing…Wax　Office；　my　opinions　were　not　formed　as　they　are　now；　and　having　taken　the　advice　of　the　gentlemen　with　whom　I　act；〃（an　enormous　grin）〃the　advice；　I　say；　of　the　gentlemen　with　whom　I　act；　and　the　counsel　likewise　of　my　own　conscience；　I　am　compelled；　with　the　deepest　grief；　to　say；　my　dear　uncle；　that　II〃　〃That　youwhat；　sir？〃　exclaimed　little　Mr。　Crampton；　bouncing　off　his　chair。　　〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　you　are　such　a　fool　as　to　decline　the　place？〃　〃I　do　decline　the　place；〃　said　Perkins；　whose　blood　rose　at　the　word　〃fool。〃　　〃As　a　man　of　honour；　I　cannot　take　it。〃　〃Not　take　it！　and　how　are　you　to　live？　　On　the　rent　of　that　house　of　yours？　　For；　by　gad；　sir；　if　you　give　up　the　clerkship；　I　never　will　give　you　a　shilling。〃　〃It　cannot　be　helped；〃　said　Mr。　Perkins；　looking　as　much　like　a　martyr　as　he　possibly　could；　and　thinking　himself　a　very　fine　fellow。　　〃I　have　talents；　sir；　which　I　hope　to　cultivate；　and　am　member　of　a　profession　by　which　a　man　may　hope　to　rise　to　the　very　highest　offices　of　the　State。〃　〃Profession；　talents；　offices　of　the　State！　　Are　you　mad；　John　Perkins；　that　you　come　to　me　with　such　insufferable　twaddle　as　this？　Why；　do　you　think　if　you　HAD　been　capable　of　rising　at　the　bar；　I　would　have　taken　so　much　trouble　about　getting　you　a　place？　　No；　sir；　you　are　too　fond　of　pleasure；　and　bed；　and　tea…parties；　and　small…talk；　and　reading　novels；　and　playing　the　flute；　and　writing　sonnets。　　You　would　no　more　rise　at　the　bar　than　my　messenger；　sir。　It　was　because　I　knew　your　dispositionthat　hopeless；　careless；　irresolute　good…humour　of　yoursthat　I　had　determined　to　keep　you　out　of　danger；　by　placing　you　in　a　snug　shelter；　where　the　storms　of　the　world　would　not　come　near　you。　　You　must　have　principles　forsooth！　and　you　must　marry　Miss　Gorgon；　of　course：　　and　by　the　time　you　have　gone　ten　circuits；　and　had　six　children；　you　will　have　eaten　up　every　shilling　of　your　wife's　fortune；　and　be　as　briefless　as　you　are　now。　　Who　the　deuce　has　put　all　this　nonsense　into　your　head？　　I　think　I　know。〃　Mr。　Perkins's　ears　tingled　as　these　hard　words　saluted　them；　and　he　scarcely　knew　whether　he　ought　to　knock　his　uncle　down；　or　fall　at　his　feet　and　say；　〃Uncle；　I　have　been　a；　fool；　and　I　know　it。〃　　The　fact　is；　that　in　his　interview　with　Miss　Gorgon　and　her　aunt　in　the　morning；　when　he　came　to　tell　them　of　the　resolution　he　had　formed　to　give　up　the　place；　both　the　ladies　and　John　himself　had　agreed；　with　a　thousand　rapturous　tears　and　exclamations；　that　he　was　one　of　the　noblest　young　men　that　ever　lived；　had　acted　as　became　himself；　and　might　with　perfect　propriety　give　up　the　place；　his　talents　being　so　prodigious　that　no　power　on　earth　could　hinder　him　from　being　Lord　Chancellor。　　Indeed；　John　and　Lucy　had　always　thought　the　clerkship　quite　beneath　him；　and　were　not　a　little　glad；　perhaps；　at　finding　a　pretext　for　decently　refusing　it。　　But　as　Perkins　was　a　young　gentleman　whose　candour　was　such　that　he　was　always　swayed　by　the　opinions　of　the　last　speaker；　he　did　begin　to　feel　now　the　truth　of　his　uncle's　statements；　however　disagreeable　they　might　be。　Mr。　Crampton　continued：　〃I　think　I　know　the　cause　of　your　patriotism。　　Has　not　William　Pitt　Scully；　Esquire；　had　something　to　do　with　it？〃　Mr。　Perkins　COULD　not　turn　any　redder　than　he　was；　but　confessed　with　deep　humiliation　that　〃he　HAD　consulted　Mr。　Scully　among　other　friends。〃　Mr。　Crampton　smileddrew　a　letter　from　a　heap　before　him；　and　tearing　off　the　signature；　handed　over　the　document　to　his　nephew。　It　contained　the　following　paragraphs：　〃Hawksby　has　sounded　Scully：　　we　can　have　him　any　day　we　want　him。　He　talks　very　big　at　present；　and　says　he　would　not　take　anything　under　a。　。　。　　This　is　absurd。　　He　has　a　Yorkshire　nephew　coming　up　to　town；　and　wants　a　place　for　him。　　There　is　one　vacant　in　the　Tape　Office；　he　says：　　have　you　not　a　promise　of　it？〃　〃I　can'tI　can't　believe　it；〃　said　John；　〃this；　sir；　is　some　weak　invention　of　the　enemy。　　Scully　is　the　most　hon