the bedford-row conspiracy-第13章

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e　not　too　old；　might　marry　a　gentleman　in　the　Treasury；　who　is　your　very　humble　servant。〃　　And　with　this　gallant　speech；　old　Mr。　Crampton　began　helping　everybody　to　sherry　and　cake。　As　for　William　Pitt　Scully；　he　had　disappeared；　evaporated；　in　the　most　absurd　sneaking　way　imaginable。　　Lady　Gorgon　made　good　her　retreat　presently；　with　much　dignity；　her　countenance　undismayed；　and　her　face　turned　resolutely　to　the　foe。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　About　five　days　afterwards；　that　memorable　contest　took　place　in　the　House　of　Commons；　in　which　the　partisans　of　Mr。　Macabaw　were　so　very　nearly　getting　him　the　Speakership。　　On　the　day　that　the　report　of　the　debate　appeared　in　the　Times；　there　appeared　also　an　announcement　in　the　Gazette　as　follows：　〃The　King　has　been　pleased　to　appoint　John　Perkins；　Esquire；　to　be　Deputy…Subcomptroller　of　His　Majesty's　Tape　Office　and　Custos　of　the　Sealing…Wax　Department。〃　Mr。　Crampton　showed　this　to　his　nephew　with　great　glee；　and　was　chuckling　to　think　how　Mr。　William　Pitt　Scully　would　be　annoyed；　who　had　expected　the　place；　when　Perkins　burst　out　laughing　and　said；　〃By　heavens；　here　is　my　own　speech！　　Scully　has　spoken　every　word　of　it；　he　has　only　put　in　Mr。　Pincher's　name　in　the　place　of　Mr。　Macabaw's。〃　〃He　is　ours　now；〃　responded　his　uncle；　〃and　I　told　you　WE　WOULD　HAVE　HIM　FOR　NOTHING。　　I　told　you；　too；　that　you　should　be　married　from　Sir　George　Gorgon's；　and　here　is　proof　of　it。〃　It　was　a　letter　from　Lady　Gorgon；　in　which　she　said　that；　〃had　she　known　Mr。　Perkins　to　be　a　nephew　of　her　friend　Mr。　Crampton；　she　never　for　a　moment　would　have　opposed　his　marriage　with　her　niece；　and　she　had　written　that　morning　to　her　dear　Lucy；　begging　that　the　marriage　breakfast　should　take　place　in　Baker　Street。〃　〃It　shall　be　in　Mecklenburgh　Square；〃　said　John　Perkins　stoutly；　and　in　Mecklenburgh　Square　it　was。　William　Pitt　Scully；　Esquire；　was；　as　Mr。　Crampton　said；　hugely　annoyed　at　the　loss　of　the　place　for　his　nephew。　　He　had　still；　however；　his　hopes　to　look　forward　to；　but　these　were　unluckily　dashed　by　the　coming　in　of　the　Whigs。　　As　for　Sir　George　Gorgon；　when　he　came　to　ask　about　his　peerage；　Hawksby　told　him　that　they　could　not　afford　to　lose　him　in　the　Commons；　for　a　Liberal　Member　would　infallibly　fill　his　place。　And　now　that　the　Tories　are　out　and　the　Whigs　are　in；　strange　to　say　a　Liberal　does　fill　his　place。　　This　Liberal　is　no　other　than　Sir　George　Gorgon　himself；　who　is　still　longing　to　be　a　lord；　and　his　lady　is　still　devout　and　intriguing。　　So　that　the　Members　for　Oldborough　have　changed　sides；　and　taunt　each　other　with　apostasy；　and　hate　each　other　cordially。　　Mr。　Crampton　still　chuckles　over　the　manner　in　which　he　tricked　them　both；　and　talks　of　those　five　minutes　during　which　he　stood　on　the　landing…place；　and　hatched　and　executed　his　〃Bedford…Row　Conspiracy。〃


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