CHAPTER X.
AFTER ALL HE ISN'T.
Six weeks passed by, and nothing special had yet been done to arrangeGeorge Roden's affairs for him in the manner suggested by LadyPersiflage. "It's a kind of thing that must be settled for a man by,by, by--those who know how to settle it." That had been her counselwhen she was advocating delay. No doubt "things" often do arrangethemselves better than men or women can arrange them. Objectionswhich were at first very strong gradually fade away. Ideas which wereout of the question become possible. Time quickly renders words andnames and even days habitual to us. In this Lady Persiflage had notbeen unwise. It was quite probable that a young man should becomeused to a grand name quicker than he had himself expected. Butnothing had as yet been done in the right direction when the 1st ofJune had come.
Attempts had been made towards increasing the young man'sself-importance, of which he himself had been hardly aware. LordPersiflage had seen Sir Boreas Bodkin, and Vivian had seen theprivate secretary of the Postmaster-General. As the first resultof these interviews our clerk was put to sit in a room by himself,and called upon to manage some separate branch of business in whichhe was free from contact with the Crockers and Bobbins of theDepartment. It might, it was thought, be possible to call a man aDuke who sat in a separate room, even though he were still a clerk.But, as Sir Boreas had observed, there were places to be given away,Secretaryships, Inspectorships, Surveyorships, and suchlike, intoone of which the Duke, if he would consent to be a Duke, might beinstalled before long. The primary measure of putting him into a roomby himself had already been carried out. Then a step was taken, ofwhich George Roden had ground to complain. There was a certain Clubin London called the Foreigners, made up half of Englishmen and halfof men of other nations, which was supposed to stand very high in theworld of fashion. Nearly every member was possessed of either grandtitles before his name, or of grand letters after it. Somethingwas said by Vivian to George Roden as to this club. But no actualsuggestion was made, and certainly no assent was given. Neverthelessthe name of the Duca di Crinola was put down in the Candidate Book,as proposed by Baron d'Ossi and seconded by Lord Persiflage. There itwas, so that all the world would declare that the young "Duca" wasthe "Duca." Otherwise the name would not have been inserted thereby the Italian Minister and British Secretary of State. WhereasGeorge Roden himself knew nothing about it. In this way attemptswere made to carry out that line of action which Lady Persiflage hadrecommended.
Letters, too, were delivered to Roden, addressed to the Duca diCrinola, both at Holloway and at the Post Office. No doubt he refusedthem when they came. No doubt they generally consisted of tradesmen'scirculars, and were probably occasioned by manoeuvres of which LadyPersiflage herself was guilty. But they had the effect of spreadingabroad the fact that George Roden was George Roden no longer, butwas the Duca di Crinola. "There's letters coming for the Duker everyday," said the landlady of the Duchess to Mrs. Duffer of ParadiseRow. "I see them myself. I shan't stand on any p's and q's. I shallcall him Duker to his face." Paradise Row determined generally tocall him Duker to his face, and did so frequently, to his greatannoyance.
Even his mother began to think that his refusal would be in vain. "Idon't see how you're to stand out against it, George. Of course ifit wasn't so you'd have to stand out against it; but as it is thefact--"
"It is no more a fact with me than with you," he said angrily.
"Nobody dreams of giving me a title. If all the world agrees, youwill have to yield."
Sir Boreas was as urgent. He had always been very friendly with theyoung clerk, and had now become particularly intimate with him. "Ofcourse, my dear fellow," he said, "I shall be guided entirely byyourself."
"Thank you, sir."
"If you tell me you're George Roden, George Roden you'll be to me.But I think you're wrong. And I think moreover that the good sense ofthe world will prevail against you. As far as I understand anythingof the theory of titles, this title belongs to you. The world neverinsists on calling a man a Lord or a Count for nothing. There's toomuch jealousy for that. But when a thing is so, people choose that itshall be so."
All this troubled him, though it did not shake his convictions. Butit made him think again and again of what Lady Persiflage had said tohim down at Castle Hautboy. "Will it be honest on your part to askher to abandon the rank which she will be entitled to expect fromyou?" If all the world conspired to tell him that he was entitledto take this name, then the girl whom he intended to marry wouldcertainly be justified in claiming it. It undoubtedly was the factthat titles such as these were dear to men,--and specially dear towomen. As to this girl, who was so true to him, was he justified insupposing that she would be different from others, simply because shewas true to him? He had asked her to come down as it were from thehigh pedestal of her own rank, and to submit herself to his lowlylot. She had consented, and there never had been to him a moment ofremorse in thinking that he was about to injure her. But as Chancehad brought it about in this way, as Fortune had seemed determinedto give back to her that of which he would have deprived her, was itright that he should stand in the way of Fortune? Would it be honeston his part to ask her to abandon these fine names which Chance wasputting in her way?
That it might be so, should he be pleased to accept what was offeredto him, did become manifest to him. It was within his power to callhimself and to have himself called by this new name. It was not onlythe party of the Crockers. Others now were urgent in persuading him.The matter had become so far customary to him as to make him feelthat if he would simply put the name on his card, and cause it tobe inserted in the Directories, and write a line to the officialssaying that for the future he would wish to be so designated, thething would be done. He had met Baron D'Ossi, and the Baron hadacknowledged that an Englishman could not be converted into anItalian Duke without his own consent,--but had used very strongarguments to show that in this case the Englishman ought to give hisconsent. The Baron had expressed his own opinion that the Signorinawould be very much ill-used indeed if she were not allowed to takeher place among the Duchessinas. His own personal feelings were inno degree mitigated. To be a Post Office clerk, living at Holloway,with a few hundreds a-year to spend,--and yet to be known all overthe world as the claimant of a magnificently grand title! It seemedas though a cruel fate had determined to crush him with a terriblepunishment because of his specially democratic views! That he of allthe world should be selected to be a Duke in opposition to his ownwishes! How often had he been heard to declare that all hereditarytitles were, of their very nature, absurd! And yet he was to beforced to become a penniless hereditary Duke!
Nevertheless he would not rob her whom he hoped to make his wife ofthat which would of right belong to her. "Fanny," he said to her oneday, "you cannot conceive how many people are troubling me about thistitle."
"I know they are troubling me. But I would not mind any ofthem;--only for papa."
"Is he very anxious about it?"
"I am afraid he is."
"Have I ever told you what your aunt said to me just before I leftCastle Hautboy?"
"Lady Persiflage, you mean. She is not my aunt, you know."
"She is more anxious than your father, and certainly uses the onlystrong argument I have heard."
"Has she persuaded you?"
"I cannot say that; but she has done something towards persuading me.She has made me half think that it may be my duty."
"Then I suppose you will take the name," she said.
"It shall depend entirely upon you. And yet I ought not to ask you. Iought to do as these people bid me without even troubling you for anexpression of your wish. I do believe that when you become my wife,you will have as complete a right to the title as has Lady Kingsburyto hers. Shall it be so?"
"No," she said.
"It shall not?"
"Certainly, no; if it be left to me."
"Why do you answer in that way when all your friends desire it?"
"Because I believe that there
is one friend who does not desire it.If you can say that you wish it on your own account, of course I willyield. Otherwise all that my friends may say on the matter can haveno effect on me. When I accepted the offer which you made me, I gaveup all idea of rank. I had my reasons, which I thought to be strongenough. At any rate I did so, and now because of this accident I willnot be weak enough to go back. As to what Lady Persiflage says aboutme, do not believe a word of it. You certainly will not make me happyby bestowing on me a name which you do not wish me to bear, and whichwill be distasteful to yourself."
After this there was no longer any hesitation on Roden's part, thoughhis friends, including Lord Persiflage, the Baron, Sir Boreas, andCrocker, were as active in their endeavours as ever. For some days hehad doubted, but now he doubted no longer. They might address to himwhat letters they would, they might call him by what nickname theypleased, they might write him down in what book they chose, he wouldstill keep the name of George Roden, as she had protested that shewas satisfied with it.
It was through Sir Boreas that he learnt that his name had beenwritten down in the club Candidate Book as "Duca di Crinola." SirBoreas was not a member of the club, but had heard what had beendone, probably at some club of which he was a member. "I am glad tohear that you are coming up at the Foreigners," said Aeolus.
"But I am not."
"I was told last night that Baron D'Ossi had put your name down asDuca di Crinola." Then Roden discovered the whole truth,--how theBaron had proposed him and the Foreign Secretary had seconded him,without even going through the ceremony of asking him. "Upon my wordI understood that you wished it," Vivian said to him. Upon this thefollowing note was written to the Foreign Secretary.
Mr. Roden presents his compliments to Lord Persiflage, and begs to explain that there has been a misunderstanding about the Foreigners' Club. Mr. Roden feels very much the honour that has been done him, and is much obliged to Lord Persiflage; but as he feels himself not entitled to the honour of belonging to the club, he will be glad that his name should be taken off. Mr. Roden takes the opportunity of assuring Lord Persiflage that he does not and never will claim the name which he understands to have been inscribed in the club books.
"He's a confounded ass," said Lord Persiflage to the Baron as hedid as he was bid at the club. The Baron shrugged his shoulders, asthough acknowledging that his young fellow-nobleman certainly was anass. "There are men, Baron, whom you can't help, let you struggleever so much. This man has had stuff enough in him to win for himselfa very pretty girl with a good fortune and high rank, and yet he issuch a fool that he won't let me put him altogether on his legs whenthe opportunity comes!"
Not long after this Roden called at the house in Park Lane, andasked to see the Marquis. As he passed through the hall he met Mr.Greenwood coming very slowly down the stairs. The last time he hadmet the gentleman had been in that very house when the gentlemanhad received him on behalf of the Marquis. The Marquis had notcondescended to see him, but had deputed his chaplain to give himwhatever ignominious answer might be necessary to his audaciousdemand for the hand of Lady Frances. On that occasion Mr. Greenwoodhad been very imperious. Mr. Greenwood had taken upon himself almostthe manners of the master of the house. Mr. Greenwood had crowed asthough the dunghill had been his own. George Roden even then had notbeen abashed, having been able to remember through the interview thatthe young lady was on his side; but he had certainly been severelytreated. He had wondered at the moment that such a man as LordKingsbury should confide so much of his family matters to sucha man as Mr. Greenwood. Since then he had heard something of Mr.Greenwood's latter history from Lady Frances. Lady Frances had joinedwith her brother in disliking Mr. Greenwood, and all that Hampsteadhad said to her had been passed on to her lover. Since that lastinterview the position of the two men had been changed. The chaplainhad been turned out of the establishment, and George Roden had beenalmost accepted into it as a son-in-law. As they met on the foot ofthe staircase, it was necessary that there should be some greeting.The Post Office clerk bowed very graciously, but Mr. Greenwood barelyacknowledged the salutation. "There," said he to himself, as hepassed on, "that's the young man that's done all the mischief. It'sbecause such as he are allowed to make their way in among noblemenand gentlemen that England is going to the dogs." Nevertheless, whenMr. Greenwood had first consented to be an inmate of the presentLord Kingsbury's house, Lord Kingsbury had, in spite of his Order,entertained very liberal views.
The Marquis was not in a good humour when Roden was shown into hisroom. He had been troubled by his late chaplain, and he was not ableto bear such troubles easily. Mr. Greenwood had said words to himwhich had vexed him sorely, and these words had in part referred tohis daughter and his daughter's lover. "No, I'm not very well," hesaid in answer to Roden's inquiries. "I don't think I ever shall bebetter. What is it about now?"
"I have come, my lord," said Roden, "because I do not like to be herein your house under a false pretence."
"A false pretence? What false pretence? I hate false pretences."
"So do I."
"What do you mean by a false pretence now?"
"I fear that they have told you, Lord Kingsbury, that should yougive me your daughter as my wife, you will give her to the Duca diCrinola." The Marquis, who was sitting in his arm-chair, shook hishead from side to side, and moved his hands uneasily, but made noimmediate reply. "I cannot quite tell, my lord, what your own ideasare, because we have never discussed the subject."
"I don't want to discuss it just at present," said the Marquis.
"But it is right that you should know that I do not claim the title,and never shall claim it. Others have done so on my behalf, but withno authority from me. I have no means to support the rank in thecountry to which it belongs; nor as an Englishman am I entitled toassume it here."
"I don't know that you're an Englishman," said the Marquis. "Peopletell me that you're an Italian."
"I have been brought up as an Englishman, and have lived as one forfive-and-twenty years. I think it would be difficult now to rob meof my rights. Nobody, I fancy, will try. I am, and shall be, GeorgeRoden, as I always have been. I should not, of course, trouble youwith the matter were it not that I am a suitor for your daughter'shand. Am I right in supposing that I have been accepted here byyou in that light?" This was a question which the Marquis was notprepared to answer at the moment. No doubt the young man had beenaccepted. Lady Frances had been allowed to go down to Castle Hautboyto meet him as her lover. All the family had been collected towelcome him at the London mansion. The newspapers had been fullof mysterious paragraphs in which the future happy bridegroom wassometimes spoken of as an Italian Duke and sometimes as an EnglishPost Office clerk. "Of course he must marry her now," the Marquishad said to his wife, with much anger. "It's all your sister'sdoings," he had said to her again. He had in a soft moment given hisaffectionate blessing to his daughter in special reference to herengagement. He knew that he couldn't go back from it now, and had itbeen possible, would have been most unwilling to give his wife such atriumph. But yet he was not prepared to accept the Post Office clerksimply as a Post Office clerk. "I am sorry to trouble you at thismoment, Lord Kingsbury, if you are not well."
"I ain't well at all. I am very far from well. If you don't mind I'drather not talk about it just at present. When I can see Hampstead,then, perhaps, things can be settled." As there was nothing furtherto be said George Roden took his leave.