CHAPTER XXVI. "REVERSES"
Ours is a very practical age, and no matter how skilfully a man play thegame of life, there is but one test of his ability,--did he win? Ifthis condition attend him, his actions meet charitable construction. Hisdoings are all favorably regarded; and while his capacity is extolled,even his shortcomings are extenuated. We dread an unlucky man! Thereis a kind of contagion in calamity, and we shun him as though he wereplague-stricken. But with what flatteries we greet the successful one!That he reached the goal is the sure guarantee of his merits; and woeto him who would canvass the rectitude of his progress! Defeat is sucha leveller! Genius and dulness, courage and pusillanimity, high-heartedhope and wasting energy, are all confounded together by failure, andthe world would only smile at any effort to discriminate between them.Perhaps in the main the system works well. Perhaps mankind, incapableof judging motives, too impatient to investigate causes, is wise inadopting a short cut for its decisions. Certain it is, the rule isabsolute that proclaims Success to be Desert!
Lady Dorothea was now about to experience this severe lesson, andnot the less heavily that she never anticipated it. After a wearisomejourney the Martins arrived in Dublin. The apartments secured to them,by a previous letter, at Bilton's, were all in readiness for theirreception. The "Saunders" of the day duly chronicled their arrival;but there the great event seemed to terminate. No message fromher Ladyship's noble kinsman greeted their coming; no kind note ofwelcome,--not even a visit from Mr. Lawrence Belcour, the aide-de-campin waiting. The greatest of all moralists warns us against puttingconfidence in princes; and how doubly truthful is the adage whenextended to viceroys! Small as was the borough of Oughterard, andinsignificant as seemed the fact who should be its representative, theresult of the election was made a great matter at the "Castle." HisExcellency was told that the Martins had mismanaged everything. Theyhad gone to work in the old Tory cut-and-thrust fashion of formerdays--conciliated no interest, won over no antagonism; they had acted"precisely as if there had been no Relief Bill,"--we steal ColonelMassingbred's words,--and they were beaten--beaten in their own town--inthe person of one of their own family, and by a stranger! The Viceroywas vexed. They had misconstrued every word of his letter,--a letterthat, as he said, any child might have understood,--and there was a votelost to his party. It was in vain that the Chief Secretary assured hisExcellency "Jack was a clever fellow, who 'd put all to rights;" thatwith a little time and a little dexterity he 'd be able to vote with theMinistry on every important division; the great fact remained unatonedfor,--his family, his own connections, "had done nothing for him."
The first day in town dragged its length slowly over. Martin wasfatigued, and did not go abroad, and no one came to visit him. To do himjustice, he was patient under the neglect; to say more, he was gratefulfor it. It was so pleasant "to be let alone;" not even to be obligedto see Henderson, nor to be consulted about "Road Sessions" or "PoliceReports," but to have one's day in total unbroken listlessness; to havesimply to say, "We 'll dine at seven," and "I'm out for every one." Farotherwise fared it in my "Lady's chamber." All her plans had been basedupon the attentions she was so certain of receiving, but of which nownot a sign gave token. She passed the day in a state of almost feverishexcitement, the more painful from her effort to conceal and control it.Repton dined with them. He came that day "because, of course, hecould not expect to catch them disengaged on any future occasion." HerLadyship was furious at the speech, but smiled concurrence to it; whileMartin carelessly remarked, "From all that I see, we may enjoy the samepleasure very often." Never was the old lawyer so disagreeable whenexerting himself to be the opposite. He had come stored with all thedoings of the capital,--its dinners and evening parties, its _mots_ andits gossip. From the political rumors and the chit-chat of society, hewent on to speak of the viceregal court and its festivities.
"If there be anything I detest," said her Ladyship, at last, "it isthe small circle of a very small metropolis. So long as you look at itcarelessly, it is not so offensive; but when you stoop to consider andexamine it with attention, it reminds you of the hideous spectacle ofa glass of water as seen through a magnifier,--you detect a miniatureworld of monsters and deformities, all warring and worrying each other."And with this flattering exposition of her opinion, she arose speedilyafter dinner, and, followed by Miss Henderson, retired.
"I perceive that we had not the ear of the Court for our argument," saidRepton, as he resumed his place after conducting her to the door. Martinsipped his wine in silence. "I never expected she'd like Dublin; it onlysuits those who pass their lives in it; but I fancied that what withCastle civilities--"
"There 's the rub," broke in Martin, but in a voice subdued almost to awhisper. "They 've taken no notice of us. For my own part, I 'm heartilyobliged to them; and if they 'd condescend to feel offended with us, I'd only be more grateful; but my Lady--"
A long, low whistle from Repton implied that he had fully appreciatedthe "situation."
"Ah, I see it," cried he; "and this explains the meaning of an article Iread this morning in the 'Evening Post,'--the Government organ,--whereinit is suggested that country gentlemen would be more efficientsupporters of the administration if they lent themselves heartily tocomprehend the requirements of recent legislation, than by exactingheavy reprisals on their tenants in moments of defeat anddisappointment."
"Well, it is rather hard," said Martin, with more of energy than heusually spoke in,--"it _is_ hard! They first hounded us on to contestthe borough for them, and they now abuse us that we did not make acompromise with the opposite party. And as to measures of severity, youknow well I never concurred in them; I never permitted them."
"But they are mistaken, nevertheless. There are writs in preparation,and executions about to issue over fourteen town-lands. There will bea general clearance of the population at Kyle-a-Noe. You 'll not know aface there when you go back, Martin!"
"Who can say that I 'll ever go back?" said he, mournfully.
"Come, come, I trust you will. I hope to pass some pleasant days withyou there ere I die," said Repton, cheer-ingly. "Indeed, until you arethere again, I 'll never go farther west than Athlone on my circuit. I'd not like to, look at the old place without you!"
Martin nodded as he raised his glass, as if to thank him, and thendropped his head mournfully, and sat without speaking.
"Poor dear Mary!" said he, at last, with a heavy sigh. "Our desertion ofher is too bad. It's not keeping the pledge I made to Barry!"
"Well, well, there's nothing easier than the remedy. A week or so willsee you settled in some city abroad,--Paris, or Brussels, perhaps. Lether join you; I 'll be her escort. Egad! I'd like the excuse for theexcursion," replied Repton, gayly.
"Ay, Repton," said the other, pursuing his own thoughts and not heedingthe interruption, "and _you_ know what a brother he was. By Jove!" criedhe, aloud, "were Barry just to see what we 've done,--how we 've treatedthe place, the people, his daughter!--were he only to know how I 'vekept my word with him--Look, Repton," added he, grasping the other's armas he spoke, "there's not as generous a fellow breathing as Barry; thisworld has not his equal for an act of noble self-devotion and sacrifice.His life!--he 'd not think twice of it if I asked him to give it for me;but if he felt--if he could just awaken to the conviction that he wasunfairly dealt with, that when believing he was sacrificing to affectionand brotherly love he was made a dupe and a fool of--"
"Be cautious, Martin; speak lower--remember where you are," said Repton,guardedly.
"I tell you this," resumed the other, in a tone less loud but not lessforcible: "the very warmth of his nature--that same noble, generoussource that feeds every impulse of his life--would supply the force of atorrent to his passion; he 'd be a tiger if you aroused him!"
"Don't you perceive, my dear friend," said Repton, calmly, "how youare exaggerating everything,--not alone _your own_ culpability, but hisresentment! Grant that you ought not to have left Mary behind you,--I'm sure I said everything I could
against it,--what more easy than torepair the wrong?"
"No, no, Repton, you 're quite mistaken. Take my word for it, you don'tknow that girl. She has taught herself to believe that her placeis there,--that it is her duty to live amongst the people. She mayexaggerate to her own mind the good she does; she may fancy athousand things as to the benefit she bestows; but she cannot, by anyself-deception, over-estimate the results upon her own heart, which shehas educated to feel as only they do who live amongst the poor! To takeher away from this would be a cruel sacrifice; and for what?--a worldshe would n't care for, couldn't comprehend."
"Then what was to have been done?"
"I 'll tell you, Repton; if it was _her_ duty to stay there, it wasdoubly _ours_ to have remained also. When she married," added he, aftera pause,--"when she had got a home of her own,--then, of course, itwould have been quite different! Heaven knows," said he, sighing, "wehave little left to tie us to anything or anywhere; and as to myself, itis a matter of the most perfect indifference whether I drag out theyear or two that may remain to me on the shores of Galway or beside theAdriatic!"
"I can't bear this," cried Repton, angrily. "If ever there was a manwell treated by fortune, you are he."
"I 'm not complaining."
"Not complaining! but, hang it, sir, that is not enough! You should beoverflowing with gratitude; your life ought to be active withbenevolence; you should be up and doing, wherever ample means andhandsome encouragement could assist merit or cheer despondency. I likeyour notion that you don't complain! Why, if you did, what should bedone by those who really do travel the shady side of existence,--who areweighted with debt, bowed down with daily difficulties, crippled withthat penury that eats into a man's nature till his very affections growsordid, and his very dreams are tormented with his duns! Think of thepoor fellows with ailing wives and sickly children, toiling daily, notto give them luxuries,--not to supply them with what may alleviateweariness or distract suffering, but bare sustenance,--coarse diet andcoarser dress! Ah, my dear Martin, that Romanist plan of fasting one dayin the week would n't be a bad institution were we to introduce it intoour social code. If you and I could have, every now and then, ourfeelings of privation, just to teach us what others experience all theweek through, we 'd have, if not more sympathy with narrow fortune, atleast more thankfulness for its opposite."
"Her Ladyship begs you will read this note, sir," said a servant,presenting an open letter to Martin. He took it, and having perused it,handed it to Repton, who slowly read the following lines:--
"'The Lodge, Tuesday.
"'Madam,--I have his Excellency's commands to inquire on what day it will suit Mr. Martin and your Ladyship to favor him with your company at dinner? His Excellency would himself say Saturday, but any intermediate day more convenient to yourself will be equally agreeable to him.
"'I have the honor to remain, madam,
"'With every consideration, yours,
"'Lawrence Belcour, A.D.C.'"
"'With every consideration'!" repeated Repton. "Confound the puppy,and his Frenchified phraseology! Why is he not, as he ought to be, yourobedient servant?"
"It is a somewhat cold and formal invitation," said Martin, slowly. "I'll just see what she thinks of it;" and he arose and left the room. Hisabsence was fully of twenty minutes' duration, and when he did returnhis face betokened agitation.
"Here's more of it, Repton," said he, filling and drinking off hisglass. "It 's all _my_ fault, it seems. I ought to have gone out to the'Lodge' this morning, or called on somebody, or done something; in fact,I have been remiss, neglectful, deficient in proper respect--"
"So that you decline the invitation?" broke in Repton.
"Not a bit of it; we 're to accept it, man. That's what I cannotcomprehend. We are offended, almost outraged, but still we're to submit.Ah, Repton, I'll be really rejoiced when we leave this,--get away fromall these petty annoyances and small intriguings, and live amongststrangers!"
"Most patriotically spoken; but I'm not surprised at what you say. Haveyou made any resolve as to whither you mean to go?"
"No; we have so many plans, that the chances are we take none of them. I'm told--I know nothing of it myself--but I 'm told that we shall easilyfind--and in any part of the Continent--the few requirements wewant; which are, an admirable climate, great cheapness, and excellentsociety."
There was a slight twinkle in Martin's eye as he spoke, as if he were inreality relishing the absurdity of these expectations.
"Was it Kate Henderson who encouraged you to credit this flatteringpicture?"
"No; these are my Lady's own experiences, derived from a residence there'when George the Third was King.' As to Kate, the girl is by no meansdeficient in common sense; she has the frivolity of a Frenchwoman, andthat light, superficial tone foreign education imparts; but take my wordfor it, Repton, she has very fine faculties!"
"I will take your word for it, Martin. I think you do her no more thanjustice," said the old lawyer, sententiously.
"And I 'll tell you another quality she possesses," said Martin, in alower and more cautious tone, as though dreading to be overheard,--"sheunderstands my Lady to perfection,--when to yield and when to opposeher. The girl has an instinct about it, and does it admirably; and therewas poor dear Mary, with all her abilities, and she never could succeedin this! How strange, for nobody would think of comparing the twogirls!"
"Nobody!" dryly re-echoed Repton.
"I mean, of course, that nobody who knew the world could; for in allthe glitter and show-off of fashionable acquirement, poor Molly is theinferior."
Repton looked steadfastly at him for several seconds; he seemed as ifdeliberating within himself whether or not he'd undeceive him at once,or suffer him to dwell on an illusion so pleasant to believe. The latterfeeling prevailed, and he merely nodded slowly, and passed the decanteracross the table.
"Molly," continued Martin, with all the fluency of a weak man when hefancies he has got the better of an argument,--"Molly is her father allover. The same resolution, the same warmth of heart, and that readinessat an expedient which never failed poor Barry! What a clever fellow hewas! If he _had_ a fault, it was just being too clever."
"Too speculative, too sanguine," interposed Repton.
"That, if you like to call it so,--the weakness of genius."
Repton gave a long sigh, and crossing his arms, fell into a fit ofmusing, and so they both sat for a considerable time.
"Harry is coming home, you said?" broke in Repton at last.
"Yes; he is tired of India,--tired of soldiering, I believe. If he can'tmanage an exchange into some regiment at home, I think he 'll sell out."
"By Jove!" said the old lawyer, speaking to himself, but still aloud,"the world has taken a strange turn of late. The men that used to havedash and energy have become loungers and idlers, and the energy--thereal energy of the nation--has centred in the women,--the women and thepriests! If I'm not much mistaken, we shall see some rare specimens ofenthusiasm erelong. Such elements as these will not slumber nor sleep!"
While Martin was pondering over this speech, a servant entered tosay that Mr. Crow was without, and begged to know if he might pay hisrespects. "Ay, by all means. Tell him to come in," said Martin. And thewords were scarcely uttered when the artist made his appearance, infull dinner costume, and with a certain unsteadiness in his gait, anda restless look in his eyes, that indicated his having indulged freely,without, however, having passed the barrier of sobriety.
"You heard of our arrival, then?" said Martin, after the other had paidhis respects, and assumed a seat.
"Yes, sir. It was mentioned to-day at dinner, and so I resolved that,when I could manage to step away, I'd just drop in and ask how herLadyship and yourself were."
"Where did you dine, Crow?"
"At the Chief Secretary's, sir, in the Park," replied Crow, with amixture of pride and bash fulness.
"Ah, indeed. Was your party a large one?"
/> "There were fourteen of us, sir, but I only knew three or four of thenumber."
"And who were they, Crow?" said Repton, whose curiosity on all suchtopics was extreme.
"Young Nelligan was one. Indeed, it was through him I was asked myself.Colonel Massingbred was good enough to come over and have a look atmy Moses,--a favor I humbly hope you 'll do me, gentlemen, any sparemorning; for it's a new conception altogether, and I make the light comeout of the bulrushes, just as Caravaggio did with his Lazarus."
"Never mind Lazarus, Crow, but tell us of this dinner. Who were theothers?"
"Well, sir, there was Nelligan and me,--that's one; and TomMagennis,--two--"
"Our neighbor of Barnagheela?" exclaimed Martin, in amazement.
"The same, sir. I left him there at the port wine, and my word for it,but they 'll not get him away easily, though Father Rafferty will do hisbest--"
"And was the priest also of the party?"
"He was, sir; and sat at the Colonel's left, and was treated with everyhonor and distinction."
"Eh, Martin, am I a true prophet?--answer me that. Has Val Reptonforetold the course of events we are entering upon, or has he not?"
"But this is a regular outrage,--an open insult to us!" cried Martin."Here is a leading member of the Government entertaining the very menwho opposed and defeated us,--actually caressing the very party whichthey enlisted us to crush?"
"This game is within every child's comprehension!" said Repton. "If_you_, and men of your stamp and fortune, could have secured them aparliamentary majority, they 'd have preferred you. You 'd be pleasanterto deal with, less exacting, more gentlemanly in fact; but as you failedto do this,--as it was plain and clear you had not the people withyou,--why, they 've thrown you over without a scruple, and taken intotheir favor the men who can and will serve them. I don't mean to saythat the bargain is a good one,--nay, I believe the price of such aidwill be very costly; but what do they care? It is one of the blessingsof a representative government that Tories have to pay Whig debts, andWhigs are heirs to Tory defalcations."
"Were politics discussed at table?" asked Martin, half impatiently.
"All manner of subjects. We had law, and the assizes, and the grand-jurylists, and who ought to be high sheriffs, and who not. And youngMassingbred made a kind of a speech--"
"Was he there also?"
"That he was; and did the honors of the foot of the table, and madeit the pleasantest place too! The way he introduced a toast to theindependent and enlightened electors of Oughterard was as neat a thingas ever I heard."
"The devil take the whole batch of them!" cried Martin. "To think thatI 've spent nearly three thousand pounds for such a set of scoundrelsis past endurance. I 'll never set foot amongst them again; as long as Ilive I 'll never enter that town."
"Father Neal's own words," cried Crow. "'We done with Martin forever,'said he. 'This election was his Waterloo. He may abdicate now!'"
"And that sentiment was listened to by the Chief Secretary?" exclaimedMartin.
"If he wasn't deaf he couldn't help hearing it, for we all did; and whenI ventured to observe that a country was never the better for losing thepatrons of art, and the great families that could encourage a genius,young Massingbred, said, 'Give up Moses, Mr. Crow,--give up Moses, andpaint Daniel O'Connell, and you 'll never want admirers and supporters!'And they drowned me in a roar of laughter."
"I wish my Lady could only hear all this," said Rep ton, in a whisper toMartin.
"Always provided that I were somewhere else!" answered Martin. "But tobe serious, Repton, I 'll hold no intercourse with men who treat us inthis fashion. It is absurd to suppose that the Secretary could receiveat his table this rabble,--this herd of low, vulgar--"
"Eh--what!" broke in Crow, with an expression of such truly comic miseryas made Repton shake with laughter.
"I didn't mean _you_, Crow--I never thought of including you in suchcompany,--but if these be Colonel Massingbred's guests, I 'll swear thatGodfrey Martin shall not be my Lord Reckington's!" And with this boldresolve, uttered in a voice and manner of very unusual firmness, Martinarose and left the room.
"On the whole, then, your party was a pleasant one?" said Repton,anxious to lead Crow into some further details of the late dinner.
"Well, indeed it was, and it was not," said the artist, hesitatingly."It was like a picture with some fine bits in it,--a dash of rich colorhere and there,--but no keeping! no general effect! You understand? Imyself took no share in the talk. I never understood it; but I couldsee that they who did were somehow at cross-purposes,--all standingin adverse lights,--if I may use the expression. Whenever the Colonelhimself, or one of the 'swells' of the company, came out with a finesentiment about regenerated Ireland, happy and prosperous, and so forth,Magennis was sure to break in with some violent denunciation of theinfernal miscreants, as he called the landlords, or the greatest curseof the land,--the Law Church!"
"And how did Father Neal behave?"
"With great decorum,--the very greatest. He moderated all Tom'sviolence, and repeatedly said that he accepted no participation in suchilliberal opinions. 'We have grievances, it is true,' said he, 'but welive under a Government able and willing to redress them. It shall neverbe said of us that we were either impatient or intolerant.' 'With suchsupport, no Government was ever weak!' said the Colonel, and they tookwine together."
"That was very pleasant to see!" said Repton.
"So it was, sir," rejoined Crow, innocently; "and I thought to myself,if there was only an end of all their squabbling and fighting, they 'dhave time to cultivate the arts and cherish men of genius,--if they hadthem!" added he, after a pause.
"Father Neal, then, made a favorable impression, you 'd say?" askedRepton, half carelessly.
"I'd say, very favorable,--very favorable, indeed. I remarked that healways spoke so freely, so liberally. Twice or thrice, too, he said,'If the Papists do this, that, or t' other;' and when the Colonel askedwhether the Catholics of Ireland submitted implicitly to Rome in allthings, he laughed heartily, and said, 'About as much as we do to theCham of Tartary!'
"'I 'd like to examine our friend there before the Committee,' whisperedan old gentleman at the Colonel's right hand.
"'It was the very thing was passing through my own mind at the minute,'said the Colonel.
"'That's exactly the kind of thing we want,' said the old gentlemanagain,--'a bold, straightforward denial; something that would telladmirably with the House! Present me to your friend, Massingbred!'And then the Chief Secretary said, 'The Member for Strudeham--Mr.Crutch-ley--is very desirous of being known to you, Mr. Rafferty.' Andthere was great smiling, and bowing, and drinking wine together afterthat."
Martin now re-entered the room, and taking his place at the table, satfor some minutes in moody silence.
"Well," said Repton, "what does my Lady think of your tidings?"
"She says she does n't believe it!"
"Does n't believe that these people dined with Massingbred; that Crowsaw them, heard them, dined with them?"
"No, no,--not that," said Martin, gently, and laying his hand familiarlyon Crow's arm. "Don't mistake me; nor don't let Repton play the lawyerwith us, and pervert the evidence. Lady Dorothea can't believe that herdistinguished relative, the Viceroy, would ever countenance this game;that--that--in fact, we're to dine there, Repton, and see for ourselves!Though," added he, after a brief pause, "what we are to see, or what weare to do when we 've seen it, I wish anybody would tell me!"
"Then I 'll be that man!" said Repton, with a mock solemnity, andimitating the tone and manner of a judge delivering sentence. "You 'llgo from this place to the Lodge, where you 'll be fed 'to the neck,'feasted and flattered, and all your good resolves and high purposes willbe cut down, and your noble indignation buried within the precincts ofyour own hearts!"
And, so saying, he arose from the table and extended his hand to takeleave, with all the gravity of a solemn farewell.
"If you could say a w
ord to his Excellency about Moses," muttered Crow,as he was leaving the room, "it would be the making of me!" But Martinnever heeded the appeal; perhaps he never heard it.