the bedford-row conspiracy-第2章

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s　any　in　His　Majesty's　dominions。　　Five　feet　seven　in　height；　thirteen　stone；　her　own　teeth　and　hair；　she　looked　as　if　she　were　the　mother　of　a　regiment　of　Grenadier　Guards。　　She　had　three　daughters　of　her　own　size；　and　at　length；　ten　years　after　the　birth　of　the　last　of　the　young　ladies；　a　sonone　sonGeorge　Augustus　Frederick　Grimsby　Gorgon；　the　godson　of　a　royal　duke；　whose　steady　officer　in　waiting　Sir　George　had　been　for　many　years。　It　is　needless　to　say；　after　entering　so　largely　into　a　description　of　Lady　Gorgon；　that　her　husband　was　a　little　shrivelled　wizen…faced　creature；　eight　inches　shorter　than　her　Ladyship。　　This　is　the　way　of　the　world；　as　every　single　reader　of　this　book　must　have　remarked；　for　frolic　love　delights　to　join　giants　and　pigmies　of　different　sexes　in　the　bonds　of　matrimony。　　When　you　saw　her　Ladyship　in　flame…coloured　satin　and　gorgeous　toque　and　feathers；　entering　the　drawing…room；　as　footmen　along　the　stairs　shouted　melodiously；　〃Sir　George　and　Lady　Gorgon；〃　you　beheld　in　her　company　a　small　withered　old　gentleman；　with　powder　and　large　royal　household　buttons；　who　tripped　at　her　elbow　as　a　little　weak…legged　colt　does　at　the　side　of　a　stout　mare。　The　little　General　had　been　present　at　about　a　hundred　and　twenty　pitched　battles　on　Hounslow　Heath　and　Wormwood　Scrubs；　but　had　never　drawn　his　sword　against　an　enemy。　　As　might　be　expected；　therefore；　his　talk　and　tenue　were　outrageously　military。　　He　had　the　whole　Army　List　by　heartthat　is；　as　far　as　the　field…officers：　　all　below　them　he　scorned。　　A　bugle　at　Gorgon　Castle　always　sounded　at　breakfast；　and　dinner：　　a　gun　announced　sunset。　　He　clung　to　his　pigtail　for　many　years　after　the　army　had　forsaken　that　ornament；　and　could　never　be　brought　to　think　much　of　the　Peninsular　men　for　giving　it　up。　　When　he　spoke　of　the　Duke；　he　used　to　call　him　〃MY　LORD　WELLINGTONI　RECOLLECT　HIM　AS　CAPTAIN　WELLESLEY。〃　　He　swore　fearfully　in　conversation；　was　most　regular　at　church；　and　regularly　read　to　his　family　and　domestics　the　morning　and　evening　prayer；　he　bullied　his　daughters；　seemed　to　bully　his　wife；　who　led　him　whither　she　chose；　gave　grand　entertainments；　and　never　asked　a　friend　by　chance；　had　splendid　liveries；　and　starved　his　people；　and　was　as　dull；　stingy；　pompous；　insolent；　cringing；　ill…tempered　a　little　creature　as　ever　was　known。　With　such　qualities　you　may　fancy　that　he　was　generally　admired　in　society　and　by　his　country。　　So　he　was：　　and　I　never　knew　a　man　so　endowed　whose　way　through　life　was　not　safewho　had　fewer　pangs　of　consciencemore　positive　enjoymentsmore　respect　shown　to　himmore　favours　granted　to　him；　than　such　a　one　as　my　friend　the　General。　Her　Ladyship　was　just　suited　to　him；　and　they　did　in　reality　admire　each　other　hugely。　　Previously　to　her　marriage　with　the　baronet；　many　love…passages　had　passed　between　her　and　William　Pitt　Scully；　Esquire；　the　attorney；　and　there　was　especially　one　story；　a　propos　of　certain　syllabubs　and　Sally…Lunn　cakes；　which　seemed　to　show　that　matters　had　gone　very　far。　　Be　this　as　it　may；　no　sooner　did　the　General　（Major　Gorgon　he　was　then）　cast　an　eye　on　her；　than　Scully's　five　years'　fabric　of　love　was　instantly　dashed　to　the　ground。　　She　cut　him　pitilessly；　cut　Sally　Scully；　his　sister；　her　dearest　friend　and　confidante；　and　bestowed　her　big　person　upon　the　little　aide…de…camp　at　the　end　of　a　fortnight's　wooing。　　In　the　course　of　time　their　mutual　fathers　died；　the　Gorgon　estates　were　unencumbered：　　patron　of　both　the　seats　in　the　borough　of　Oldborough；　and　occupant　of　one；　Sir　George　Grimsby　Gorgon；　Baronet；　was　a　personage　of　no　small　importance。　He　was；　it　scarcely　need　to　be　said；　a　Tory；　and　this　was　the　reason　why　William　Pitt　Scully；　Esquire；　of　the　firm　of　Perkins　and　Scully；　deserted　those　principles　in　which　he　had　been　bred　and　christened；　deserted　that　church　which　he　had　frequented；　for　he　could　not　bear　to　see　Sir　George　and　my　Lady　flaunting　in　their　grand　pew；deserted；　I　say；　the　church；　adopted　the　conventicle；　and　became　one　of　the　most　zealous　and　eloquent　supporters　that　Freedom　has　known　in　our　time。　　Scully；　of　the　house　of　Scully　and　Perkins；　was　a　dangerous　enemy。　　In　five　years　from　that　marriage；　which　snatched　from　the　jilted　solicitor　his　heart's　young　affections；　Sir　George　Gorgon　found　that　he　must　actually　spend　seven　hundred　pounds　to　keep　his　two　seats。　　At　the　next　election；　a　Liberal　was　set　up　against　his　man；　and　actually　ran　him　hard；　and　finally；　at　the　end　of　eighteen　years；　the　rejected　Scullythe　mean　attorneywas　actually　the　FIRST　Member　for　Oldborough；　Sir　George　Grimsby　Gorgon；　Baronet；　being　only　the　second！　The　agony　of　that　day　cannot　be　imaginedthe　dreadful　curses　of　Sir　George；　who　saw　fifteen　hundred　a　year　robbed　from　under　his　very　nosethe　religious　resignation　of　my　Ladythe　hideous　window…smashing　that　took　place　at　the　〃Gorgon　Arms；〃　and　the　discomfiture　of　the　pelted　Mayor　and　Corporation。　　The　very　next　Sunday；　Scully　was　reconciled　to　the　church　（or　attended　it　in　the　morning；　and　the　meeting　twice　in　the　afternoon）；　and　as　Doctor　Snorter　uttered　the　prayer　for　the　High　Court　of　Parliament；　his　eye；　the　eye　of　his　whole　partyturned　towards　Lady　Gorgon　and　Sir　George　in　a　most　unholy　triumph。　　Sir　George　（who　always　stood　during　prayers；　like　a　military　man）　fairly　sank　down　among　the　hassocks；　and　Lady　Gorgon　was　heard　to　sob　as　audibly　as　ever　did　little　beadle…belaboured　urchin。　Scully；　when　at　Oldborough；　came　from　that　day　forth　to　church。　〃What；〃　said　he；　〃was　it　to　him？　were　we　not　all　brethren？〃　　Old　Perkins；　however；　kept　religiously　to　the　Squaretoes　congregation。　In　fact；　to　tell　the　truth；　this　subject　had　been　debated　between　the　partners；　who　saw　the　advantage　of　courting　both　the　Establishment　and　the　Dissentersa　manoeuvre　which；　I　need　not　say；　is　repeated　in　almost　every　country　town　in　England；　where　a　solicitor's　house　has　this　kind　of　power　and　connection。　Three　months　after　this　election　came　the　races　at　Oldborough；　and　the　race…ball。　　Gorgon　was　so　infuriated　by　his　defeat；　that　he　gave　〃the　Gorgon　cup　and　cover；〃　a　matter　of　fifteen　pounds。　　Scully；　〃although　anxious；〃　as　he　wrote　from　town；　〃anxious　beyond　measure　to　preserve　the　breed　of　horses　for　which　our　beloved　country　has　ever　been　famous；　could　attend　no　such　sports　as　these；　which　but　too　often　degenerated　into　vice。〃　　It　was　voted　a　shabby　excuse。　Lady　Gorgon　was　radiant　in　her　barouche　and　four；　and　gladly　became　the　patroness　of　the　ball　that　was　to　ensue；　and　which　all　the　gentry　and　townspeople；　Tory　and　Whig；　were　in　the　custom　of　attending。　　The　ball　took　place　on　the　last　day　of　the　races。　　On　that　day；　the　walls　of　the　market…house；　the　principal　public　buildings；　and　the　〃Gorgon　Arms　Hotel〃　itself；　were　plastered　with　the　following：　〃Letter　from　our　distinguished　representative；　William　P。　Scully；　Esquire；　etc。；　etc。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃HOUSE　OF　COMMONS：　　June　1；　18。　〃MY　DEAR　HEELTAP；You　know　my　opinion　about　horseracing；　and　though　I　blame　neither　you　nor　any　brother　Englishman　who　enjoys　that　manly　sport；　you　will；　I　am　sure；　appreciate　the　conscientious　motives　which　induce　me　not　to　appear　among　my　friends　and　constituents　on　the　festival　of　the　3rd；　4th；　and　5th　instant。　　If　_I_；　however；　cannot　allow　my　name　to　appear　among　your　list　of　stewards；　ONE　at　least　of　the　representatives　of　Oldborough　has　no　such　scruples。　Sir　George　Gorgon　is　among　you：　　and　though　I　differ　from　that　honourable　Baronet　on　more　than　ONE　VITAL　POINT；　I　am　glad　to　think　that　he　is　with　you。　　A　gentleman；　a　soldier；　a　man　of　property　in　the　county；　how　can　he　be　better　employed　than　in　forwarding　the　county's　amusements；　and　in　forwarding　the　happiness　of　all？　〃Had　I　no　such　scruples　as　those　to　which　I　have　just　alluded；　I　must　still　have　refrained　from　coming　among　you。　　Your　great　Oldborough　common…drainage　and　inclosure　bill　comes　on　to…morrow；　and　I　shall　be　AT　MY　POST。　　I　am　sure；　if　Sir　George　Gorgon　were　here；　he　and　I　should　on　this　occasion　vote　side　by　side；　and　that　party　strife　would　be　forgotten　in　the　object　of　our　common　interestOUR　DEAR　NATIVE　TOWN。　〃There　is；　however；　another　occasion　at　hand；　in　which　I　shall　be　proud　to　meet　him。　　Your　ball　is　on　the　nigh