the bedford-row conspiracy-第6部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃JEMIMA　BIGGS。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃41　BAKER　STREET：　　11th　December。　〃MAJOR…GENERAL　SIR　GEORGE　GORGON　has　heard　with　the　utmost　disgust　and　surprise　of　the　engagement　which　Miss　Lucy　Gorgon　has　thought　fit　to　form。　〃The　Major…General　cannot　conceal　his　indignation　at　the　share　which　Miss　Biggs　has　taken　in　this　disgraceful　transaction。　〃Sir　George　Gorgon　puts　an　absolute　veto　upon　all　further　communication　between　his　niece　and　the　low…born　adventurer　who　has　been　admitted　into　her　society；　and　begs　to　say　that　Lieutenant　Fitch；　of　the　Lifeguards；　is　the　gentleman　who　he　intends　shall　marry　Miss　Gorgon。　〃It　is　the　Major…General's　wish；　that　on　the　28th　Miss　Gorgon　should　be　ready　to　come　to　his　house；　in　Baker　Street；　where　she　will　be　more　safe　from　impertinent　intrusions　than　she　has　been　in　Mucklebury　Square。　　　　　　　　〃MRS。　BIGGS；　　　　　　　　　　　〃Caroline　Place；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Mecklenburgh　Square。〃　When　poor　John　Perkins　read　this　epistle；　blank　rage　and　wonder　filled　his　soul；　at　the　audacity　of　the　little　General；　who　thus；　without　the　smallest　title　in　the　world；　pretended　to　dispose　of　the　hand　and　fortune　of　his　niece。　　The　fact　is；　that　Sir　George　had　such　a　transcendent　notion　of　his　own　dignity　and　station；　that　it　never　for　a　moment　entered　his　head　that　his　niece；　or　anybody　else　connected　with　him；　should　take　a　single　step　in　life　without　previously　receiving　his　orders；　and　Mr。　Fitch；　a　baronet's　son；　having　expressed　an　admiration　of　Lucy；　Sir　George　had　determined　that　his　suit　should　be　accepted；　and　really　considered　Lucy's　preference　of　another　as　downright　treason。　John　Perkins　determined　on　the　death　of　Fitch　as　the　very　least　reparation　that　should　satisfy　him；　and　vowed　too　that　some　of　the　General's　blood　should　be　shed　for　the　words　which　he　had　dared　to　utter。　We　have　said　that　William　Pitt　Scully；　Esquire；　M。P。；　occupied　the　first　floor　of　Mr。　Perkins's　house　in　Bedford　Row：　　and　the　reader　is　further　to　be　informed　that　an　immense　friendship　had　sprung　up　between　these　two　gentlemen。　　The　fact　is；　that　poor　John　was　very　much　flattered　by　Scully's　notice；　and　began　in　a　very　short　time　to　fancy　himself　a　political　personage；　for　he　had　made　several　of　Scully's　speeches；　written　more　than　one　letter　from　him　to　his　constituents；　and；　in　a　word；　acted　as　his　gratis　clerk。　　At　least　a　guinea　a　week　did　Mr。　Perkins　save　to　the　pockets　of　Mr。　Scully；　and　with　hearty　good　will　too；　for　he　adored　the　great　William　Pitt；　and　believed　every　word　that　dropped　from　the　pompous　lips　of　that　gentleman。　Well；　after　having　discussed　Sir　George　Gorgon's　letter；　poor　Perkins；　in　the　utmost　fury　of　mind　that　his　darling　should　be　slandered　so；　feeling　a　desire　for　fresh　air；　determined　to　descend　to　the　garden　and　smoke　a　cigar　in　that　rural　quiet　spot。　　The　night　was　very　calm。　　The　moonbeams　slept　softly　upon　the　herbage　of　Gray's　Inn　gardens；　and　bathed　with　silver　splendour　Theobald's　Row。　A　million　of　little　frisky　twinkling　stars　attended　their　queen；　who　looked　with　bland　round　face　upon　their　gambols；　as　they　peeped　in　and　out　from　the　azure　heavens。　　Along　Gray's　Inn　wall　a　lazy　row　of　cabs　stood　listlessly；　for　who　would　call　a　cab　on　such　a　night？　Meanwhile　their　drivers；　at　the　alehouse　near；　smoked　the　short　pipe　or　quaffed　the　foaming　beer。　　Perhaps　from　Gray's　Inn　Lane　some　broken　sounds　of　Irish　revelry　might　rise。　　Issuing　perhaps　from　Raymond　Buildings　gate；　six　lawyers'　clerks　might　whoop　a　tipsy　songor　the　loud　watchman　yell　the　passing　hour；　but　beyond　this　all　was　silence；　and　young　Perkins；　as　he　sat　in　the　summerhouse　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　and　contemplated　the　peaceful　heaven；　felt　some　influences　of　it　entering　into　his　soul；　and　almost　forgetting　revenge；　thought　but　of　peace　and　love。　Presently；　he　was　aware　there　was　someone　else　pacing　the　garden。　Who　could　it　be？Not　Blatherwick；　for　he　passed　the　Sabbath　with　his　grandmamma　at　Clapham；　not　Scully　surely；　for　he　always　went　to　Bethesda　Chapel；　and　to　a　select　prayer…meeting　afterwards。　　Alas！　it　WAS　Scully；　for　though　that　gentleman　SAID　that　he　went　to　chapel；　we　have　it　for　a　fact　that　he　did　not　always　keep　his　promise；　and　was　at　this　moment　employed　in　rehearsing　an　extempore　speech；　which　he　proposed　to　deliver　at　St。　Stephen's。　〃Had　I；　sir；〃　spouted　he；　with　folded　arms；　slowly　pacing　to　and　fro〃Had　I；　sir；　entertained　the　smallest　possible　intention　of　addressing　the　House　on　the　present　occasionhum；　on　the　present　occasionI　would　have　endeavoured　to　prepare　myself　in　a　way　that　should　have　at　least　shown　my　sense　of　the　greatness　of　the　subject　before　the　House's　consideration；　and　the　nature　of　the　distinguished　audience　I　have　the　honour　to　address。　　I　am；　sir；　a　plain　manborn　of　the　peoplemyself　one　of　the　people；　having　won；　thank　Heaven；　an　honourable　fortune　and　position　by　my　own　honest　labour；　and　standing　here　as　I　do〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　Here　Mr。　Scully　（it　may　be　said　that　he　never　made　a　speech　without　bragging　about　himself：　　and　an　excellent　plan　it　is；　for　people　cannot　help　believing　you　at　last）here；　I　say；　Mr。　Scully；　who　had　one　arm　raised；　felt　himself　suddenly　tipped　on　the　shoulder；　and　heard　a　voice　saying；　〃Your　money　or　your　life！〃　The　honourable　gentleman　twirled　round　as　if　he　had　been　shot；　the　papers　on　which　a　great　part　of　this　impromptu　was　written　dropped　from　his　lifted　hand；　and　some　of　them　were　actually　borne　on　the　air　into　neighbouring　gardens。　　The　man　was；　in　fact；　in　the　direst　fright。　〃It's　only　I；〃　said　Perkins；　with　rather　a　forced　laugh；　when　he　saw　the　effect　that　his　wit　had　produced。　〃Only　you！　　And　pray　what　the　devwhat　right　have　you　toto　come　upon　a　man　of　my　rank　in　that　way；　and　disturb　me　in　the　midst　of　very　important　meditations？〃　asked　Mr。　Scully；　beginning　to　grow　fierce。　〃I　want　your　advice；〃　said　Perkins；　〃on　a　matter　of　the　very　greatest　importance　to　me。　　You　know　my　idea　of　marrying？〃　〃Marry！〃　said　Scully；　〃I　thought　you　had　given　up　that　silly　scheme。　And　how；　pray；　do　you　intend　to　live？〃　〃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