CHAPTER LIII.
Oh! I love!--Methinks This word of love is fit for all the world, Andthat for gentle hearts, another name Should speak of gentler thoughtsthan the world owns.--P. B. Shelley.
For me, I ask no more than honour gives, To think me yours, and rank mewith your friends,--Shakspeare
Callous and worldly as I may seem, from the tone of these memoirs, I cansay, safely, that one of the most delicious evenings I ever spent, wasthe first of my introduction to Miss Glanville. I went home intoxicatedwith a subtle spirit of enjoyment that gave a new zest and freshnessto life. Two little hours seemed to have changed the whole course of mythoughts and feelings.
There was nothing about Miss Glanville like a heroine--I hate yourheroines. She had none of that "modest ease," and "quiet dignity," and"English grace" (Lord help us!) of which certain writers speak withsuch applause. Thank Heaven, she was alive. She had great sense, butthe playfulness of a child; extreme rectitude of mind, but with thetenderness of a gazelle: if she laughed, all her countenance, lips,eyes, forehead, cheeks laughed too: "Paradise seemed opened in herface:" if she looked grave, it was such a lofty and upward, yet sweetand gentle gravity, that you might (had you been gifted with the leastimagination,) have supposed, from the model of her countenance, a neworder of angels between the cherubim and the seraphim, the angels ofLove and Wisdom. She was not, perhaps, quite so silent in society asmy individual taste would desire; but when she spoke, it was with apropriety of thought and diction which made me lament when her voicehad ceased. It was as if something beautiful in creation had stoppedsuddenly.
Enough of this now. I was lazily turning (the morning after LadyRoseville's) over some old books, when Vincent entered. I observed thathis face was flushed, and his eyes sparkled with more than their usualbrilliancy. He looked carefully round the room, and then approaching hischair towards mine, said, in a low tone--"Pelham, I have somethingof importance on my mind which I wish to discuss with you; but letme entreat you to lay aside your usual levity, and pardon me if I sayaffectation; meet me with the candour and plainness which are the realdistinctions of your character."
"My Lord Vincent," I replied, "there is, in your words, a depth andsolemnity which pierce me, through one of N--'s best stuffed coats, evento the very heart. Let me ring for my poodle and some eau de Cologne,and I will hear you as you desire, from the alpha to the omega of yourdiscourse."
Vincent bit his lip, but I rung, had my orders executed, and thensettling myself and my poodle on the sofa, I declared my readiness toattend to him.
"My dear friend," said he, "I have often seen that, in spite of all yourlove of pleasure, you have your mind continually turned towards higherand graver objects; and I have thought the better of your talents, andof your future success, for the little parade you make of the one, andthe little care you appear to pay to the other: for
"''tis a common proof, That lowliness is young Ambition's ladder.'
"I have also observed that you have, of late, been much to LordDawton's; I have even heard that you have been twice closeted withhim. It is well known that that person entertains hopes of leadingthe Opposition to the grata arva of the Treasury benches; andnotwithstanding the years in which the Whigs have been out of office,there are some persons who pretend to foresee the chance of a coalitionbetween them and Mr. Gaskell, to whose principles it is also added thatthey have been gradually assimilating."
Here Vincent paused a moment, and looked full at me. I met his eye witha glance as searching as his own. His look changed, and he continued.
"Now, listen to me, Pelham: such a coalition never can take place. Yousmile; I repeat it. It is my object to form a third party; perhaps whilethe two great sects 'anticipate the cabinet designs of fate,' there maysuddenly come by a third, 'to whom the whole shall be referred.' Saythat you think it not impossible that you may join us, and I will tellyou more."
I paused for three minutes before I answered Vincent. I then said--"Ithank you very sincerely for your proposal: tell me the names of two ofyour designed party, and I will answer you."
"Lord Lincoln and Lord Lesborough."
"What!" said I--"the Whig, who says in the Upper House, that whatevermay be the distresses of the people, they shall not be gratified at thecost of one of the despotic privileges of the aristocracy. Go to!--Iwill have none of him. As to Lesborough, he is a fool and a boaster--whois always puffing his own vanity with the windiest pair of oratoricalbellows that ever were made by air and brass, for the purpose ofsound and smoke, 'signifying nothing.' Go to!--I will have none of himeither."
"You are right in your judgment of my confreres," answered Vincent; "butwe must make use of bad tools for good purposes."
"No--no!" said I; "the commonest carpenter will tell you the reverse."
Vincent eyed me suspiciously. "Look you!" said he: "I know well thatno man loves better than you place, power, and reputation. Do you grantthis?"
"I do!" was my reply.
"Join with us; I will place you in the House of Commons immediately: ifwe succeed, you shall have the first and the best post I can give you.Now--'under which king, Bezonian, speak or die!'"
"I answer you in the words of the same worthy you quote," said I--"'Afoutra for thine office.'--Do you know, Vincent, that I have, strange asit may seem to you, such a thing as a conscience? It is true I forget itnow and then; but in a public capacity, the recollection of otherswould put me very soon in mind of it. I know your party well. I cannotimagine--forgive me--one more injurious to the country, nor one morerevolting to myself; and I do positively affirm, that I would soonerfeed my poodle on paunch and liver, instead of cream and fricassee, thanbe an instrument in the hands of men like Lincoln and Lesborough; whotalk much, who perform nothing--who join ignorance of every principleof legislation to indifference for every benefit to the people:--who arefull of 'wise saws,' but empty of 'modern instances'--who level upwards,and trample downwards--and would only value the ability you are pleasedto impute to me, in the exact proportion that a sportsman values theferret, that burrows for his pleasure, and destroys for his interest.Your party sha'n't stand!"
Vincent turned pale--"And how long," said he, "have you learnt 'theprinciples of legislation,' and this mighty affection for the 'benefitof the people?'"
"Ever since," said I, coldly, "I learnt any thing! The first piece ofreal knowledge I ever gained was, that my interest was incorporated withthat of the beings with whom I had the chance of being cast: if I injurethem, I injure myself: if I can do them any good, I receive the benefitin common with the rest. Now, as I have a great love for that personagewho has now the honour of addressing you, I resolved to be honest forhis sake. So much for my affection for the benefit of the people. As tothe little knowledge of the principles of legislation, on which you arekind enough to compliment me, look over the books on this table, or thewritings in this desk, and know, that ever since I had the misfortune ofparting from you at Cheltenham, there has not been a day in which I havespent less than six hours reading and writing on that sole subject. Butenough of this--will you ride to-day?"
Vincent rose slowly--
"'Gli arditi (said he) tuoi voti Gia noti mi sono; Ma inveno a queltrono, Tu aspiri con me Trema per te!'"
"'Io trema' (I replied out of the same opera)--'Io trema--di te!'"
"Well," answered Vincent, and his fine high nature overcame hismomentary resentment and chagrin at my reception of his offer--"Well,I honour your for your sentiments, though they are opposed to my own. Imay depend on your secrecy?"
"You may," said I.
"I forgive you, Pelham," rejoined Vincent: "we part friends."
"Wait one moment," said I, "and pardon me, if I venture to speak in thelanguage of caution to one in every way so superior to myself. No one,(I say this with a safe conscience, for I never flattered my friend inmy life, though I have often adulated my enemy)--no one has a greateradmiration for your talents than myself; I desire eagerly to see you inthe station most fit for their display; p
ause one moment before you linkyourself, not only to a party, but to principles that cannot stand. Youhave only to exert yourself, and you may either lead the opposition,or be among the foremost in the administration. Take something certain,rather than what is doubtful; or at least stand alone:--such is mybelief in your powers, if fairly tried, that if you were not united tothose men, I would promise you faithfully to stand or fall by you alone,even if we had not through all England another soldier to our standard;but--"
"I thank you, Pelham," said Vincent, interrupting me; "till we meetin public as enemies, we are friends in private--I desire nomore.--Farewell."