CHAPTER XXIV.
THE RUSSIAN SPY.
When the baby died at Clavering Park, somebody hinted that Sir Hughwould certainly quarrel with his brother as soon as Archie shouldbecome the father of a presumptive heir to the title and property.That such would be the case those who best knew Sir Hugh would notdoubt. That Archie should have that of which he himself had beenrobbed, would of itself be enough to make him hate Archie. But,nevertheless, at this present time, he continued to instigate hisbrother in that matter of the proposed marriage with Lady Ongar.Hugh, as well as others, felt that Archie's prospects were nowimproved, and that he could demand the hand of a wealthy ladywith more of seeming propriety than would have belonged to such aproposition while the poor child was living. No one would understandthis better than Lady Ongar, who knew so well all the circumstancesof the family. The day after the funeral the two brothers returned toLondon together, and Hugh spoke his mind in the railway carriage. "Itwill be no good for you to hang on about Bolton Street, off and on,as though she were a girl of seventeen," he said.
"I'm quite up to that," said Archie. "I must let her know I'm thereof course. I understand all that."
"Then why don't you do it? I thought you meant to go to her at oncewhen we were talking about it before in London."
"So I did go to her, and got on with her very well, too, consideringthat I hadn't been there long when another woman came in."
"But you didn't tell her what you had come about?"
"No; not exactly. You see it doesn't do to pop at once to a widowlike her. Ongar, you know, hasn't been dead six months. One has to bea little delicate in these things."
"Believe me, Archie, you had better give up all notions of beingdelicate, and tell her what you want at once,--plainly and fairly.You may be sure that she will not think of her former husband, if youdon't."
"Oh! I don't think about him at all."
"Who was the woman you say was there?"
"That little Frenchwoman,--the sister of the man;--Sophie she callsher. Sophie Gordeloup is her name. They are bosom friends."
"The sister of that count?"
"Yes; his sister. Such a woman for talking! She said ever so muchabout your keeping Hermione down in the country."
"The devil she did. What business was that of hers? That is Julia'sdoing."
"Well; no, I don't think so. Julia didn't say a word about it. Infact, I don't know how it came up. But you never heard such a womanto talk,--an ugly, old, hideous little creature! But the two arealways together."
"If you don't take care you'll find that Julia is married to thecount while you are thinking about it."
Then Archie began to consider whether he might not as well tellhis brother of his present scheme with reference to Julia. Havingdiscussed the matter at great length with his confidential friend,Captain Boodle, he had come to the conclusion that his safest coursewould be to bribe Madame Gordeloup, and creep into Julia's favour bythat lady's aid. Now, on his return to London, he was about at onceto play that game, and had already provided himself with funds forthe purpose. The parting with ready money was a grievous thing toArchie, though in this case the misery would be somewhat palliated bythe feeling that it was a bona fide sporting transaction. He wouldbe lessening the odds against himself by a judicious hedging of hisbets. "You must stand to lose something always by the horse you meanto win," Doodles had said to him, and Archie had recognized thepropriety of the remark. He had, therefore, with some difficulty,provided himself with funds, and was prepared to set about hishedging operations as soon as he could find Madame Gordeloup on hisreturn to London. He had already ascertained her address throughDoodles, and had ascertained by the unparalleled acuteness of hisfriend that the lady was--a Russian spy. It would have been beautifulto have seen Archie's face when this information was whispered intohis ear, in private, at the club. It was as though he had then beenmade acquainted with some great turf secret, unknown to the sportingworld in general.
"Ah!" he said, drawing a long breath, "no;--by George, is she?"
The same story had been told everywhere in London of the little womanfor the last half dozen years, whether truly or untruly I am notprepared to say; but it had not hitherto reached Archie Clavering;and now, on hearing it, he felt that he was becoming a participatorin the deepest diplomatic secrets of Europe.
"By George," said he, "is she really?"
And his respect for the little woman rose a thousand per cent.
"That's what she is," said Doodles, "and it's a doosed fine thingfor you, you know! Of course you can make her safe, and that will beeverything."
Archie resolved at once that he would use the great advantage whichchance and the ingenuity of his friend had thrown in his way; butthat necessity of putting money in his purse was a sore grievanceto him, and it occurred to him that it would be a grand thing ifhe could induce his brother to help him in this special matter. Ifhe could only make Hugh see the immense advantage of an alliancewith the Russian spy, Hugh could hardly avoid contributing to theexpense,--of course on the understanding that all such moneys wereto be repaid when the Russian spy's work had been brought to asuccessful result. Russian spy! There was in the very sound of thewords something so charming that it almost made Archie in love withthe outlay. A female Russian spy too! Sophie Gordeloup certainlyretained but very few of the charms of womanhood, nor had herpresence as a lady affected Archie with any special pleasure; but yethe felt infinitely more pleased with the affair than he would havebeen had she been a man spy. The intrigue was deeper. His sense ofdelight in the mysterious wickedness of the thing was enhanced by anadditional spice. It is not given to every man to employ the servicesof a political Russian lady-spy in his love-affairs! As he thought ofit in all its bearings, he felt that he was almost a Talleyrand, or,at any rate, a Palmerston.
Should he tell his brother? If he could represent the matter in sucha light to his brother as to induce Hugh to produce the funds forpurchasing the Spy's services, the whole thing would be completewith a completeness that has rarely been equalled. But he doubted.Hugh was a hard man,--a hard, unimaginative man, and might possiblyaltogether refuse to believe in the Russian spy. Hugh believed inlittle but what he himself saw, and usually kept a very firm graspupon his money.
"That Madame Gordeloup is always with Julia," Archie said, trying theway, as it were, before he told his plan.
"Of course she will help her brother's views."
"I'm not so sure of that. Some of these foreign women ain't likeother women at all. They go deeper;--a doosed sight deeper."
"Into men's pockets, you mean."
"They play a deep game altogether. What do you suppose she is, now?"This question Archie asked in a whisper, bending his head forwardtowards his brother, though there was no one else in the carriagewith them.
"What she is? A thief of some kind probably. I've no doubt she's upto any roguery."
"She's a--Russian spy."
"Oh, I've heard of that for the last dozen years. All the ugly oldFrenchwomen in London are Russian spies, according to what peoplesay; but the Russians know how to use their money better than that.If they employ spies, they employ people who can spy something."
Archie felt this to be cruel,--very cruel, but he said nothingfurther about it. His brother was stupid, pigheaded, obstinate, andquite unfitted by nature for affairs of intrigue. It was, alas,certain that his brother would provide no money for such a purposeas that he now projected; but, thinking of this, he found someconsolation in the reflection that Hugh would not be a participatorwith him in his great secret. When he should have bought the Russianspy, he and Doodles would rejoice together in privacy without anythird confederate. Triumviri might be very well; Archie also hadheard of triumviri; but two were company, and three were none.Thus he consoled himself when his pigheaded brother expressed hisdisbelief in the Russian spy.
There was nothing more said between them in the railway carriage,and, as they parted at the door in Berkeley Square, Hugh swore tohimself t
hat this should be the last season in which he would harbourhis brother in London. After this he must have a house of his ownthere, or have no house at all. Then Archie went down to his club,and finally arranged with Doodles that the first visit to the Spyshould be made on the following morning. After much consultation itwas agreed between them that the way should be paved by a diplomaticnote. The diplomatic note was therefore written by Doodles and copiedby Archie.
"Captain Clavering presents his compliments to Madame Gordeloup,and proposes to call upon her to-morrow morning at twelve o'clock,if that hour will be convenient. Captain Clavering is desirousof consulting Madame Gordeloup on an affair of much importance.""Consult me!" said Sophie to herself, when she got the letter. "Forwhat should he consult me? It is that stupid man I saw with Julie.Ah, well; never mind. The stupid man shall come." The commissioner,therefore, who had taken the letter to Mount Street, returned to theclub with a note in which Madame Gordeloup expressed her willingnessto undergo the proposed interview. Archie felt that the letter,--aletter from a Russian spy addressed positively to himself,--gave himalready diplomatic rank, and he kept it as a treasure in his breastcoat-pocket.
It then became necessary that he and his friend should discuss themanner in which the Spy should be managed. Doodles had his misgivingsthat Archie would be awkward, and almost angered his friend by therepetition of his cautions. "You mustn't chuck your money at herhead, you know," said Doodles.
"Of course not; but when the time comes I shall slip the notes intoher hand,--with a little pressure perhaps."
"It would be better to leave them near her on the table."
"Do you think so?"
"Oh, yes; a great deal. It's always done in that way."
"But perhaps she wouldn't see them,--or wouldn't know where they camefrom."
"Let her alone for that."
"But I must make her understand what I want of her,--in return, youknow. I ain't going to give her twenty pounds for nothing."
"You must explain that at first; tell her that you expect her aid,and that she will find you a grateful friend,--a grateful friend,say;--mind you remember that."
"Yes; I'll remember that. I suppose it would be as good a way asany."
"It's the only way, unless you want her to ring for the servant tokick you out of the house. It's as well understood as A B C, amongthe people who do these things. I should say take jewellery insteadof money if she were anything but a Russian spy; but they understandthe thing so well, that you may go farther with them than withothers."
Archie's admiration for Sophie became still higher as he heard this."I do like people," said he, "who understand what's what, and nomistake."
"But even with her you must be very careful."
"Oh, yes; that's a matter of course."
"When I was declaring for the last time that she would find me agrateful friend, just at the word grateful, I would put down the fourfivers on the table, smoothing them with my hand like that." ThenDoodles acted the part, putting a great deal of emphasis on the wordgrateful, as he went through the smoothing ceremony with two or threesheets of club notepaper. "That's your game, you may be sure. If youput them into her hand she may feel herself obliged to pretend to beangry; but she can't be angry simply because you put your money onher table. Do you see that, old fellow?" Archie declared that he didsee it very plainly. "If she does not choose to undertake the job,she'll merely have to tell you that you have left something behindyou."
"But there's no fear of that, I suppose?"
"I can't say. Her hands may be full, you know, or she may think youdon't go high enough."
"But I mean to tip her again, of course."
"Again! I should think so. I suppose she must have about a couple ofhundred before the end of next month if she's to do any good. After abit you'll be able to explain that she shall have a sum down when themarriage has come off."
"She won't take the money and do nothing; will she?"
"Oh, no; they never sell you like that. It would spoil their ownbusiness if they were to play that game. If you can make it worthher while, she'll do the work for you. But you must be careful;--doremember that." Archie shook his head, almost in anger, and then wenthome for his night's rest.
On the next morning he dressed himself in his best, and presentedhimself at the door in Mount Street, exactly as the clock strucktwelve. He had an idea that these people were very punctilious asto time. Who could say but that the French ambassador might havean appointment with Madame Gordeloup at half-past one,--or perhapssome emissary from the Pope! He had resolved that he would not takehis left glove off his hand, and he had thrust the notes in underthe palm of his glove, thinking he could get at them easier fromthere, should they be wanted in a moment, than he could do from hiswaistcoat pocket. He knocked at the door, knowing that he trembled ashe did so, and felt considerable relief when he found himself to bealone in the room to which he was shown. He knew that men conversantwith intrigues always go to work with their eyes open, and,therefore, at once, he began to look about him. Could he not put themoney into some convenient hiding-place,--now at once? There, in onecorner, was the spot in which she would seat herself upon the sofa.He saw plainly enough, as with the eye of a Talleyrand, the marksthereon of her constant sitting. So he seized the moment to place achair suitable for himself, and cleared a few inches on the tablenear to it, for the smoothing of the bank-notes,--feeling, whileso employed, that he was doing great things. He had almost made uphis mind to slip one note between the pages of a book, not with anywell-defined plan as to the utility of such a measure, but because itseemed to be such a diplomatic thing to do! But while this grand ideawas still flashing backwards and forwards across his brain, the dooropened, and he found himself in the presence of--the Russian spy.
He at once saw that the Russian spy was very dirty, and that she worea nightcap, but he liked her the better on that account. A femaleRussian spy should, he felt, differ much in her attire from otherwomen. If possible, she should be arrayed in diamonds, and pearlear-drops, with as little else upon her as might be; but failingthat costume, which might be regarded as the appropriate evening spycostume,--a tumbled nightcap, and a dirty white wrapper, old clothslippers, and objectionable stockings were just what they should be.
"Ah!" said the lady, "you are Captain Clavering. Yes, I remember."
"I am Captain Clavering. I had the honour of meeting you at LadyOngar's."
"And now you wish to consult me on an affair of great importance.Very well. You may consult me. Will you sit down--there." And MadameGordeloup indicated to him a chair just opposite to herself, andfar removed from that convenient spot which Archie had prepared forthe smoothing of the bank-notes. Near to the place now assigned tohim there was no table whatever, and he felt that he would in thatposition be so completely raked by the fire of her keen eyes, that hewould not be able to carry on his battle upon good terms. In spite,therefore, of the lady's very plain instructions, he made an attemptto take possession of the chair which he had himself placed; but itwas an ineffectual attempt, for the Spy was very peremptory with him."There, Captain Clavering; there; there; you will be best there."Then he did as he was bid, and seated himself, as it were, quite outat sea, with nothing but an ocean of carpet around him, and with nopossibility of manipulating his notes except under the raking fire ofthose terribly sharp eyes. "And now," said Madame Gordeloup, "you cancommence to consult me. What is the business?"
Ah; what was the business? That was now the difficulty? In discussingthe proper way of tendering the bank-notes, I fear the two captainshad forgotten the nicest point of the whole negotiation. How was heto tell her what it was that he wanted to do himself, and what thatshe was to be required to do for him? It behoved him above all thingsnot to be awkward! That he remembered. But how not to be awkward?"Well!" she said; and there was something almost of crossness in hertone. Her time, no doubt, was valuable. The French ambassador mighteven now be coming. "Well?"
"I think, Madame Gordeloup, you know m
y brother's sister-in-law, LadyOngar?"
"What, Julie? Of course I know Julie. Julie and I are dear friends."
"So I supposed. That is the reason why I have come to you."
"Well;--well;--well?"
"Lady Ongar is a person whom I have known for a long time, and forwhom I have a great,--I may say a very deep regard."
"Ah! yes. What a jointure she has! and what a park! Thousands andthousands of pounds,--and so beautiful! If I was a man I should havea very deep regard too. Yes."
"A most beautiful creature;--is she not?"
"Ah; if you had seen her in Florence, as I used to see her, in thelong summer evenings! Her lovely hair was all loose to the wind, andshe would sit hour after hour looking, oh, at the stars! Have youseen the stars in Italy?"
Captain Clavering couldn't say that he had, but he had seen themuncommon bright in Norway, when he had been fishing there.
"Or the moon?" continued Sophie, not regarding his answer. "Ah; thatis to live! And he, her husband, the rich lord, he was dying,--in alittle room just inside, you know. It was very melancholy, CaptainClavering. But when she was looking at the moon, with her hair alldishevelled," and Sophie put her hands up to her own dirty nightcap,"she was just like a Magdalen; yes, just the same;--just the same."
The exact strength of the picture, and the nature of the comparisondrawn, were perhaps lost upon Archie; and indeed, Sophie herselfprobably trusted more to the tone of her words, than to any ideawhich they contained; but their tone was perfect, and she felt thatif anything could make him talk, he would talk now.
"Dear me! you don't say so. I have always admired her very much,Madame Gordeloup."
"Well?"
The French ambassador was probably in the next street already, and ifArchie was to tell his tale at all he must do it now.
"You will keep my secret if I tell it you?" he asked.
"Is it me you ask that? Did you ever hear of me that I tell agentleman's secret? I think not. If you have a secret, and will trustme, that will be good; if you will not trust me,--that will be goodalso."
"Of course I will trust you. That is why I have come here."
"Then out with it. I am not a little girl. You need not be bashful.Two and two make four. I know that. But some people want them to makefive. I know that too. So speak out what you have to say."
"I am going to ask Lady Ongar to--to--to--marry me."
"Ah, indeed; with all the thousands of pounds and the beautiful park!But the beautiful hair is more than all the thousands of pounds. Isit not so?"
"Well, as to that, they all go together, you know."
"And that is so lucky! If they was to be separated, which would youtake?"
The little woman grinned as she asked this question, and Archie, hadhe at all understood her character, might at once have put himselfon a pleasant footing with her; but he was still confused and ill atease, and only muttered something about the truth of his love forJulia.
"And you want to get her to marry you?"
"Yes; that's just it."
"And you want me to help you?"
"That's just it again."
"Well?"
"Upon my word, if you'll stick to me, you know, and see me throughit, and all that kind of thing, you'll find in me a most gratefulfriend;--indeed, a most grateful friend." And Archie, as from hisposition he was debarred from attempting the smoothing process, beganto work with his right forefinger under the glove on his left hand.
"What have you got there?" said Madame Gordeloup, looking at him withall her eyes.
Captain Clavering instantly discontinued the work with his finger,and became terribly confused. Her voice on asking the question hadbecome very sharp; and it seemed to him that if he brought outhis money in that awkward, barefaced way which now seemed to benecessary, she would display all the wrath of which a Russian spycould be capable. Would it not be better that he should let the moneyrest for the present, and trust to his promise of gratitude? Ah, howhe wished that he had slipped at any rate one note between the pagesof a book.
"What have you got there?" she demanded again, very sharply.
"Oh, nothing."
"It is not nothing. What have you got there? If you have got nothing,take off your glove. Come."
Captain Clavering became very red in the face, and was altogetherat a loss what to say or do. "Is it money you have got there?" sheasked. "Let me see how much. Come."
"It is just a few bank-notes I put in here to be handy," he said.
"Ah; that is very handy, certainly. I never saw that custom before.Let me look." Then she took his hand, and with her own hooked fingerclawed out the notes. "Ah! five, ten, fifteen, twenty pounds. Twentypounds is not a great deal, but it is very nice to have even thatalways handy. I was wanting so much money as that myself; perhaps youwill make it handy to me."
"Upon my word I shall be most happy. Nothing on earth would give memore pleasure."
"Fifty pounds would give me more pleasure; just twice as muchpleasure." Archie had begun to rejoice greatly at the safedisposition of the money, and to think how excellently well this spydid her business; but now there came upon him suddenly an idea thatspies perhaps might do their business too well. "Twenty pounds inthis country goes a very little way; you are all so rich," said theSpy.
"By George, I ain't. I ain't rich, indeed."
"But you mean to be--with Julie's money?"
"Oh--ah--yes; and you ought to know, Madame Gordeloup, that I am nowthe heir to the family estate and title."
"Yes; the poor little baby is dead, in spite of the pills and thepowders, the daisies and the buttercups! Poor little baby! I had ababy of my own once, and that died also." Whereupon Madame Gordeloup,putting up her hand to her eyes, wiped away a real tear with thebank-notes which she still held. "And I am to remind Julie that youwill be the heir?"
"She will know all about that already."
"But I will tell her. It will be something to say, at any rate,--andthat, perhaps, will be the difficulty."
"Just so! I didn't look at it in that light before."
"And am I to propose it to her first?"
"Well; I don't know. Perhaps as you are so clever, it might be aswell."
"And at once?"
"Yes, certainly; at once. You see, Madame Gordeloup, there may be somany buzzing about her."
"Exactly; and some of them perhaps will have more than twenty poundshandy. Some will buzz better than that."
"Of course I didn't mean that for anything more than just a littlecompliment to begin with."
"Oh, ah; just a little compliment for beginning. And when will it bemaking a progress and going on?"
"Making a progress!"
"Yes; when will the compliment become a little bigger? Twenty pounds!Oh! it's just for a few gloves, you know; nothing more."
"Nothing more than that, of course," said poor Archie.
"Well; when will the compliment grow bigger? Let me see. Julie hasseven thousands of pounds, what you call, per annum. And have youseen that beautiful park? Oh! And if you can make her to look at themoon with her hair down,--oh! When will that compliment grow bigger?Twenty pounds! I am ashamed, you know."
"When will you see her, Madame Gordeloup?"
"See her! I see her every day, always. I will be there to-day, andto-morrow, and the next day."
"You might say a word then at once,--this afternoon."
"What! for twenty pounds! Seven thousands of pounds per annum; andyou give me twenty pounds! Fie, Captain Clavering. It is only justfor me to speak to you,--this! That is all. Come; when will you bringme fifty?"
"By George--fifty!"
"Yes, fifty;--for another beginning. What; seven thousands of poundsper annum, and make difficulty for fifty pounds! You have a handy waywith your glove. Will you come with fifty pounds to-morrow?" Archie,with the drops of perspiration standing on his brow, and now desirousof getting out again into the street, promised that he would comeagain on the following day with the required sum.
"Just for another beginning! And now, good-morning, CaptainClavering. I will do my possible with Julie. Julie is very fond ofme, and I think you have been right in coming here. But twenty poundswas too little, even for a beginning." Mercenary wretch; hungry,greedy, ill-conditioned woman,--altogether of the harpy breed! AsArchie Clavering looked into her grey eyes, and saw there her greedand her hunger, his flesh crept upon his bones. Should he not succeedwith Julia, how much would this excellent lady cost him?
As soon as he was gone the excellent lady made an intolerablegrimace, shaking herself and shrugging her shoulders, and walkingup and down the room with her dirty wrapper held close round her."Bah," she said. "Bah!" And as she thought of the heavy stupidityof her late visitor she shrugged herself and shook herself againviolently, and clutched up her robe still more closely. "Bah!" It wasintolerable to her that a man should be such a fool, even though shewas to make money by him. And then, that such a man should conceiveit to be possible that he should become the husband of a woman withseven thousand pounds a year! Bah!
Archie, as he walked away from Mount Street, found it difficultto create a triumphant feeling within his own bosom. He had beenawkward, slow, and embarrassed, and the Spy had been too much forhim. He was quite aware of that, and he was aware also that even thesagacious Doodles had been wrong. There had, at any rate, been nonecessity for making a difficulty about the money. The Russian spyhad known her business too well to raise troublesome scruples onthat point. That she was very good at her trade he was prepared toacknowledge; but a fear came upon him that he would find the articletoo costly for his own purposes. He remembered the determined tonein which she had demanded the fifty pounds merely as a furtherbeginning.
And then he could not but reflect how much had been said at theinterview about money,--about money for her, and how very little hadbeen said as to the assistance to be given,--as to the return to bemade for the money. No plan had been laid down, no times fixed, nofacilities for making love suggested to him. He had simply paid overhis twenty pounds, and been desired to bring another fifty. The otherfifty he was to take to Mount Street on the morrow. What if she wereto require fifty pounds every day, and declare that she could notstir in the matter for less? Doodles, no doubt, had told him thatthese first-class Russian spies did well the work for which theywere paid; and no doubt, if paid according to her own tariff, MadameGordeloup would work well for him; but such a tariff as that wasaltogether beyond his means! It would be imperatively necessary thathe should come to some distinct settlement with her as to price. Thetwenty pounds, of course, were gone; but would it not be better thathe should come to some final understanding with her before he gaveher the further fifty? But then, as he thought of this, he was awarethat she was too clever to allow him to do as he desired. If he wentinto that room with the fifty pounds in his pockets, or in his glove,or, indeed, anywhere about his person, she would have it from him,let his own resolution to make a previous bargain be what it might.His respect for the woman rose almost to veneration, but with theveneration was mixed a strong feeling of fear.
But, in spite of all this, he did venture to triumph a little whenhe met Doodles at the club. He had employed the Russian spy, and hadpaid her twenty pounds, and was enrolled in the corps of diplomaticand mysterious personages, who do their work by mysterious agencies.He did not tell Doodles anything about the glove, or the way in whichthe money was taken from him; but he did say that he was to see theSpy again to-morrow, and that he intended to take with him anotherpresent of fifty pounds.
"By George, Clavvy, you are going it!" said Doodles, in a voice thatwas delightfully envious to the ears of Captain Archie. When he heardthat envious tone he felt that he was entitled to be triumphant.