the bedford-row conspiracy(百得福特娄阴谋)-第9节
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importance to me。 You know my idea of marrying？〃
〃Marry！〃 said Scully； 〃I thought you had given up that silly scheme。
And how； pray； do you intend to live？〃
〃Why； my intended has a couple of hundreds a year； and my clerkship
in the Tape and Sealing…Wax Office will be as much more。〃
〃ClerkshipTape and Sealing…Wax OfficeGovernment sinecure！
Why； good heavens！ John Perkins； you don't tell ME that you are going to
accept any such thing？〃
〃It is a very small salary； certainly；〃 said John； who had a decent
notion of his own merits； 〃but consider； six months vacation； two hours in
the day； and those spent over the newspapers。 After all； it's〃
〃After all it's a swindle；〃 roared out Mr。 Scully〃a swindle upon the
country； an infamous tax upon the people； who starve that you may fatten
in idleness。 But take this clerkship in the Tape and Sealing…Wax Office；〃
continued the patriot； his bosom heaving with noble indignation； and his
eye flashing the purest fire；〃TAKE this clerkship； John Perkins； and
sanction tyranny； by becoming one of its agents； sanction dishonesty by
sharing in its plunderdo this； BUT never more be friend of mine。 Had I
a child；〃 said the patriot； clasping his hands and raising his eyes to heaven；
〃I would rather see him dead； sirdead； dead at my feet； than the servant
of a Government which all honest men despise。〃 And here； giving a
searching glance at Perkins； Mr。 Scully began tramping up and down the
garden in a perfect fury。
〃Good heavens！〃 exclaimed the timid John Perkins〃don't say SO。
My dear Mr。 Scully； I'm not the dishonest character you suppose me to be…
…I never looked at the matter in this light。 I'llI'll consider of it。 I'll tell
Crampton that I will give up the place； but for Heaven's sake； don't let me
forfeit YOUR friendship； which is dearer to me than any place in the
world。〃
Mr。 Scully pressed his hand； and said nothing； and though their
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interview lasted a full half…hour longer； during which they paced up and
down the gravel walk； we shall not breathe a single syllable of their
conversation； as it has nothing to do with our tale。
The next morning； after an interview with Miss Lucy； John Perkins；
Esquire； was seen to issue from Mrs。 Biggs's house； looking particularly
pale； melancholy； and thoughtful； and he did not stop until he reached a
certain door in Downing Street； where was the office of a certain great
Minister； and the offices of the clerks in his Lordship's department。
The head of them was Mr。 Josiah Crampton； who has now to be
introduced to the public。 He was a little old gentleman； some sixty years
of age； maternal uncle to John Perkins； a bachelor； who had been about
forty…two years employed in the department of which he was now the
head。
After waiting four hours in an ante…room； where a number of Irishmen；
some newspaper editors； many pompous…looking political personages
asking for the 〃first lord；〃 a few sauntering clerks； and numbers of swift
active messengers passed to and fro；after waiting for four hours； making
drawings on the blotting…book； and reading the Morning Post for that day
week； Mr。 Perkins was informed that he might go into his uncle's room；
and did so accordingly。
He found a little hard old gentleman seated at a table covered with
every variety of sealing…wax； blotting…paper； envelopes； despatch…boxes；
green tapers； etc。 etc。 An immense fire was blazing in the grate； an
immense sheet…almanack hung over that； a screen； three or four chairs； and
a faded Turkey carpet； formed the rest of the furniture of this remarkable
roomwhich I have described thus particularly； because in the course of a
long official life； I have remarked that such is the invariable decoration of
political rooms。
〃Well； John；〃 said the little hard old gentleman； pointing to an arm…
chair； 〃I'm told you've been here since eleven。 Why the deuce do you
come so early？〃
〃I had important business；〃 answered Mr。 Perkins； stoutly； and as his
uncle looked up with a comical expression of wonder； John began in a
solemn tone to deliver a little speech which he had composed； and which
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proved him to be a very worthy； easy； silly fellow。
〃Sir；〃 said Mr。 Perkins； 〃you have known for some time past the nature
of my political opinions； and the intimacy which I have had the honour to
form with onewith some of the leading members of the Liberal party。〃
（A grin from Mr。 Crampton。） 〃When first； by your kindness； I was
promised the clerkship in the Tape and Sealing…Wax Office； my opinions
were not formed as they are now； and having taken the advice of the
gentlemen with whom I act；〃（an enormous grin）〃the advice； I say； of
the gentlemen with whom I act； and the counsel likewise of my own
conscience； I am compelled； with the deepest grief； to say； my dear uncle；
that II〃
〃That youwhat； sir？〃 exclaimed little Mr。 Crampton； bouncing off his
chair。 〃You don't mean to say that you are such a fool as to decline the
place？〃
〃I do decline the place；〃 said Perkins； whose blood rose at the word
〃fool。〃 〃As a man of honour； I cannot take it。〃
〃Not take it！ and how are you to live？ On the rent of that house of
yours？ For； by gad； sir； if you give up the clerkship； I never will give you
a shilling。〃
〃It cannot be helped；〃 said Mr。 Perkins； looking as much like a martyr
as he possibly could； and thinking himself a very fine fellow。 〃I have
talents； sir； which I hope to cultivate； and am member of a profession by
which a man may hope to rise to the very highest offices of the State。〃
〃Profession； talents； offices of the State！ Are you mad； John Perkins；
that you come to me with such insufferable twaddle as this？ Why； do you
think if you HAD been capable of rising at the bar； I would have taken so
much trouble about getting you a place？ No； sir； you are too fond of
pleasure； and bed； and tea…parties； and small…talk； and reading novels； and
playing the flute； and writing sonnets。 You would no more rise at the bar
than my messenger； sir。 It was because I knew your dispositionthat
hopeless； careless； irresolute good…humour of yoursthat I had determined
to keep you out of danger； by placing you in a snug shelter； where the
storms of the world would not come near you。 You must have principles
forsooth！ and you must marry Miss Gorgon； of course： and by the time
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you have gone ten circuits； and had six children； you will have eaten up
every shilling of your wife's fortune； and be as briefless as you are now。
Who the deuce has put all this nonsense into your head？ I think I know。〃
Mr。 Perkins's ears tingled as these hard words saluted them； and he
scarcely knew whether he ought to knock his uncle down； or fall at his feet
and say； 〃Uncle； I have been a； fool； and I know it。〃 The fact is； that in
his interview with Miss Gorgon and her aunt in the morning； when he
came to tell them of the resolution he had formed to give up the place；
both the ladies and John himself had agreed； with a thousand rapturous
tears and exclamations； that he was one of the noblest young men that ever
lived； had acted as became himself； and might with perfect propriety give
up the place； his talents being so prodigious that no power on earth could
hinder him from being Lord Chancellor。 Indeed； John and Lucy had
always thought the clerkship quite beneath him； and were not a little glad；
perhaps； at finding a pretext for decently refusing it。 But as Perkins was
a young gentleman whose candour was such that he was always s
