the bedford-row conspiracy-第4部分

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rever　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　that　drink；　declined　pledging　their　admirers　until　it　was　produced；　the　men；　too；　despised　the　bucellas　and　sherry；　and　were　looking　continually　towards　the　door。　　At　last；　Mr。　Rincer；　the　landlord；　Mr。　Hock；　Sir　George's　butler；　and　sundry　others　entered　the　room。　　Bang！　went　the　corksfizz　the　foamy　liquor　sparkled　into　all　sorts　of　glasses　that　were　held　out　for　its　reception。　　Mr。　Hock　helped　Sir　George　and　his　party；　who　drank　with　great　gusto；　the　wine　which　was　administered　to　the　persons　immediately　around　Mr。　Scully　was　likewise　pronounced　to　be　good。　　But　Mr。　Perkins；　who　had　taken　his　seat　among　the　humbler　individuals；　and　in　the　very　middle　of　the　table；　observed　that　all　these　persons；　after　drinking；　made　to　each　other　very　wry　and　ominous　faces；　and　whispered　much。　　He　tasted　his　wine：　　it　was　a　villanous　compound　of　sugar；　vitriol；　soda…water；　and　green　gooseberries。　　At　this　moment　a　great　clatter　of　forks　was　made　by　the　president's　and　vice…president's　party。　　Silence　for　a　toast'twas　silence　all。　〃Landlord；〃　said　Mr。　Perkins；　starting　up　（the　rogue；　where　did　his　impudence　come　from？）　〃have　you　any　champagne　of　YOUR　OWN？〃　〃Silence！　down！〃　roared　the　Tories；　the　ladies　looking　aghast。　〃Silence；　sit　down　you！〃　shrieked　the　well…known　voice　of　the　General。　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　General；〃　said　young　John　Perkins；　〃but　where　COULD　you　have　bought　this　champagne？　　My　worthy　friend　I　know　is　going　to　propose　the　ladies；　let　us　at　any　rate　drink　such　a　toast　in　good　wine。〃　　（〃Hear；　hear！〃）　　〃Drink　her　Ladyship's　health　in　THIS　stuff？　　I　declare　to　goodness　I　would　sooner　drink　it　in　beer！〃　No　pen　can　describe　the　uproar　which　arose：　　the　anguish　of　the　Gorgonitesthe　shrieks；　jeers；　cheers；　ironic　cries　of　〃Swipes！〃　etc。；　which　proceeded　from　the　less　genteel　but　more　enthusiastic　Scullyites。　〃This　vulgarity　is　too　much；〃　said　Lady　Gorgon；　rising；　and　Mrs。　Mayoress　and　the　ladies　of　the　party　did　so　too。　The　General；　two　squires；　the　clergyman；　the　Gorgon　apothecary　and　attorney；　with　their　respective　ladies；　followed　her：　　they　were　plainly　beaten　from　the　field。　　Such　of　the　Tories　as　dared　remained；　and　in　inglorious　compromise　shared　the　jovial　Whig　feast。　〃Gentlemen　and　ladies；〃　hiccupped　Mr。　Heeltap；　〃I'll　give　you　a　toast。　　'Champagne　to　our　realhicfriends；'　no；　'Real　champagne　to　our　friends；'　andhicpooh！　'Champagne　to　our　friends；　and　real　pain　to　our　enemies；'huzzay！〃　The　Scully　faction　on　this　day　bore　the　victory　away；　and　if　the　polite　reader　has　been　shocked　by　certain　vulgarities　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Scully　and　his　friends；　he　must　remember　imprimis　that　Oldborough　was　an　inconsiderable　placethat　the　inhabitants　thereof　were　chiefly　tradespeople；　not　of　refined　habitsthat　Mr。　Scully　himself　had　only　for　three　months　mingled　among　the　aristocracy…　…that　his　young　friend　Perkins　was　violently　angryand　finally；　and　to　conclude；　that　the　proud　vulgarity　of　the　great　Sir　George　Gorgon　and　his　family　was　infinitely　more　odious　and　contemptible　than　the　mean　vulgarity　of　the　Scullyites　and　their　leader。　Immediately　after　this　event；　Mr。　Scully　and　his　young　friend　Perkins　returned　to　town；　the　latter　to　his　garrets　in　Bedford　Row　the　former　to　his　apartments　on　the　first　floor　of　the　same　house。　He　lived　here　to　superintend　his　legal　business：　　his　London　agents；　Messrs。　Higgs；　Biggs；　and　Blatherwick；　occupying　the　ground　floor；　the　junior　partner；　Mr。　Gustavus　Blatherwick；　the　second　flat　of　the　house。　　Scully　made　no　secret　of　his　profession　or　residence：　　he　was　an　attorney；　and　proud　of　it；　he　was　the　grandson　of　a　labourer；　and　thanked　God　for　it；　he　had　made　his　fortune　by　his　own　honest　labour；　and　why　should　he　be　ashamed　of　it？　And　now；　having　explained　at　full　length　who　the　several　heroes　and　heroines　of　this　history　were；　and　how　they　conducted　themselves　in　the　country；　let　us　describe　their　behaviour　in　London；　and　the　great　events　which　occurred　there。　You　must　know　that　Mr。　Perkins　bore　away　the　tenderest　recollections　of　the　young　lady　with　whom　he　had　danced　at　the　Oldborough　ball；　and；　having　taken　particular　care　to　find　out　where　she　dwelt　when　in　the　metropolis；　managed　soon　to　become　acquainted　with　Aunt　Biggs；　and　made　himself　so　amiable　to　that　lady；　that　she　begged　he　would　pass　all　his　disengaged　evenings　at　her　lodgings　in　Caroline　Place。　　Mrs。　Biggs　was　perfectly　aware　that　the　young　gentleman　did　not　come　for　her　bohea　and　muffins；　so　much　as　for　the　sweeter　conversation　of　her　niece；　Miss　Gorgon；　but　seeing　that　these　two　young　people　were　of　an　age　when　ideas　of　love　and　marriage　will　spring　up；　do　what　you　will；　seeing　that　her　niece　had　a　fortune；　and　Mr。　Perkins　had　the　prospect　of　a　place；　and　was　moreover　a　very　amiable　and　well…disposed　young　fellow；　she　thought　her　niece　could　not　do　better　than　marry　him；　and　Miss　Gorgon　thought　so　too。　　Now　the　public　will　be　able　to　understand　the　meaning　of　that　important　conversation　which　is　recorded　at　the　very　commencement　of　this　history。　Lady　Gorgon　and　her　family　were　likewise　in　town；　but；　when　in　the　metropolis；　they　never　took　notice　of　their　relative；　Miss　Lucy：　the　idea　of　acknowledging　an　ex…schoolmistress　living　in　Mecklenburgh　Square　being　much　too　preposterous　for　a　person　of　my　Lady　Gorgon's　breeding　and　fashion。　　She　did　not；　therefore；　know　of　the　progress　which　sly　Perkins　was　making　all　this　while；　for　Lucy　Gorgon　did　not　think　it　was　at　all　necessary　to　inform　her　Ladyship　how　deeply　she　was　smitten　by　the　wicked　young　gentleman　who　had　made　all　the　disturbance　at　the　Oldborough　ball。　The　intimacy　of　these　young　persons　had；　in　fact；　become　so　close；　that　on　a　certain　sunshiny　Sunday　in　December；　after　having　accompanied　Aunt　Biggs　to　church；　they　had　pursued　their　walk　as　far　as　that　rendezvous　of　lovers；　the　Regent's　Park；　and　were　talking　of　their　coming　marriage；　with　much　confidential　tenderness；　before　the　bears　in　the　Zoological　Gardens。　Miss　Lucy　was　ever　and　anon　feeding　those　interesting　animals　with　buns；　to　perform　which　act　of　charity　she　had　clambered　up　on　the　parapet　which　surrounds　their　den。　　Mr。　Perkins　was　below；　and　Miss　Lucy；　having　distributed　her　buns；　was　on　the　point　of　following；but　whether　from　timidity；　or　whether　from　a　desire　to　do　young　Perkins　an　essential　service；　I　know　not：　　however；　she　found　herself　quite　unwilling　to　jump　down　unaided。　〃My　dearest　John；〃　said　she；　〃I　never　can　jump　that。〃　Whereupon　John　stepped　up；　put　one　hand　round　Lucy's　waist；　and　as　one　of　hers　gently　fell　upon　his　shoulder；　Mr。　Perkins　took　the　other　and　said；　〃Now　jump。〃　Hoop！　jump　she　did；　and　so　excessively　active　and　clever　was　Mr。　John　Perkins；　that　he　jumped　Miss　Lucy　plump　into　the　middle　of　a　group　formed　of　Lady　Gorgon；　The　Misses　Gorgon；　Master　George　Augustus　Frederick　Grimsby　Gorgon；　And　a　footman；　poodle；　and　French　governess：　　who　had　all　been　for　two　or　three　minutes　listening　to　the　billings　and　cooings　of　these　imprudent　young　lovers。

CHAPTER　II。

SHOWS　HOW　THE　PLOT　BEGAN　TO　THICKEN　IN　OR　ABOUT　BEDFORD　ROW。　〃Miss　Lucy！〃　〃Upon　my　word！〃　〃I'm　hanged　if　it　arn't　Lucy！　　How　do；　Lucy？〃　uttered　Lady；　the　Misses；　and　Master　Gorgon　in　a　breath。　Lucy　came　forward；　bending　down　her　ambrosial　curls；　and　blushing；　as　a　modest　young　woman　should：　　for；　in　truth；　the　scrape　was　very　awkward。　　And　as　for　John　Perkins；　he　made　a　start；　and　then　a　step　forwards；　and　then　two　backwards；　and　then　began　laying　hands　upon　his　black　satin　stockin　short；　the　sun　did　not　shine　at　that　moment　upon　a　man　who　looked　so　exquisitely　foolish。　〃Miss　Lucy　Gorgon；　is　your　auntis　Mrs。　Briggs　here？〃　said　Lady　Gorgon；　drawing　herself　up　with　much　state。　〃Mrs。　Biggs；　Aunt？〃　said　Lucy　demurely。　〃Biggs　or　Briggs；　madam；　it　is　not　of　the　slightest　consequence。　　I　presume　that　persons　in　my　rank　of　life　are　not　expected　to　know　everybody's　name　in　Magdeburg　Square？〃　　（Lady　Gorgon　had　a　house　in　Baker　Street；　and　a　dismal　house　it　was。）　　〃NOT　here；〃　continued　she；　rightly　interpreting　Lucy's　silence；　〃NOT　here？and　may　I　ask　how　long　is　it　that　young　ladies　have　been　allowed　to　walk　abroad　without　chaperons；　and　toto　take　a　part　in　su