CHAPTER XXVII. A VERY BRIEF INTERVIEW.
When Jack Massingbred found himself once more "in town," and saw thatthe tide of the mighty world there rolled on the same full, boilingflood he had remembered it of yore, he began to wonder where and howhe had latterly been spending his life. There were questions ofpolitics--mighty interests of which every one was talking--of which heknew nothing; party changes and new social combinations had arisen ofwhich he was utterly ignorant. But what he still more acutely deploredwas that he himself had, so to say, dropped out of the memory of hisfriends, who accosted him with that half-embarrassed air that says,"Have you been ill?--or in India?--or how is it that we have n't met youabout?" It was last session he had made a flash speech,--an effort thathis own party extolled to the skies, and even the Opposition could onlycriticise the hardihood and presumption of so very young a member of theHouse,--and now already people had ceased to bear him in mind.
The least egotistical of men--and Massingbred did not enter into thiscategory--find it occasionally very hard to bear the cool "go-by" theworld gives them whenever a chance interval has withdrawn them frompublic view. The stern truth of how little each atom of the socialscheme affects the working of the whole machinery is far from palatablein its personal application. Massingbred was probably sensitive enoughon this score, but too consummate a tactician to let any one guess hisfeelings; and so he lounged down to the "House," and lolled at his Club,and took his airings in the Park with all the seeming routine of one whohad never abdicated these enjoyments for a day.
He had promised, and really meant, to have looked after Martin's affairson his reaching London; but it was almost a week after his return thathe bethought him of his pledge, his attention being then called tothe subject by finding on his table the visiting-card of Mr. MauriceScanlan. Perhaps he was not sorry to have something to do; perhapshe had some compunctions of conscience for his forgetfulness; at allevents, he sent his servant at once to Scanlan's hotel, with a requestthat he would call upon him as early as might be. An answer was speedilyreturned that Mr. Scanlan was about to start for Ireland that sameafternoon, but would wait upon him immediately. The message was scarcelydelivered when Scanlan himself appeared.
Dressed in deep mourning, but with an easy complacency of manner thatindicated very little of real grief, he threw himself into a chair,saying, "I pledge you my word of honor, it is only to yourself I 'dhave come this morning, Mr. Massingbred, for I 'm actually killed withbusiness. No man would believe the letters I've had to read andanswer, the documents to examine, the deeds to compare, the papers toinvestigate--"
"Is the business settled, then--or in train of settlement?" broke inJack.
"I suppose it _is_ settled," replied Scanlan, with a slight laugh. "Ofcourse you know Mr. Martin is dead?"
"Dead! Good heavens! When did this occur?"
"We got the news--that is, Merl did--the day before yesterday. A friendof his who had remained at Baden to watch events started the moment hebreathed his last, and reached town thirty hours before the mail; not,indeed, that the Captain has yet written a line on the subject to anyone."
"And what of the arrangement? Had you come to terms previously withMerl?"
"No; he kept negotiating and fencing with us from day to day, nowasking for this, now insisting on that, till the evening of his friend'sarrival, when, by special appointment, I had called to confer with him.Then, indeed, he showed no disposition for further delay, but franklytold me the news, and said, 'The Conferences are over, Scanlan. I 'm theLord of Cro' Martin.'"
"And is this actually the case,--has he really established his claim insuch a manner as will stand the test of law and the courts?"
"He owns every acre of it; there's not a flaw in his title; he hasmanaged to make all Martin's debts assume the shape of advances in hardcash. There is no trace of play transactions throughout the whole. Imust be off, Mr. Massing-bred; there 's the chaise now at the door."
"Wait one moment, I entreat of you. Can nothing be done? Is it too lateto attempt any compromise?"
"To be sure it is. He has sent off instructions already to serve thenotice for ejectment. I 've got orders myself to warn the tenants not topay the last half-year, except into court."
"Why, are _you_ in Mr. Merl's service, then?" asked Jack, with one ofhis quiet laughs.
"I am, and I am not," said Scanlan, reddening. "You know the compact Imade with Lady Dorothea at Baden. Well, of course there is no longerany question about that. Still, if Miss Mary agrees to accept me, I 'llstand by the old family! There 's no end of trouble and annoyance wecould n't give Merl before he got possession. I know the estate well,and where the worst fellows on it are to be found! It's one thing tohave the parchments of a property, and it is another to be able togo live on it, and draw the rents. But I can't stay another minute.Good-bye, air. Any chance of seeing you in the West soon?"
"I 'm not sure I 'll not go over to-morrow," said Jack, musing.
"I suppose you are going to blarney the constituency?" said Maurice,laughing heartily at his coarse conceit. Then suddenly seeing thatMassingbred did not seem to relish the freedom, he hurriedly repeatedhis leave-takings, and departed.