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
