The real struggle, however, lay in the appropriate distribution of the Rattlers and the Robys, the Fitzgibbons and the Macphersons among the subordinate offices of State. Mr. Macpherson and Mr. Roby, with a host of others who had belonged to Mr. Daubeny, were prepared, as they declared from the first, to lend their assistance to the Duke. They had consulted Mr. Daubeny on the subject, and Mr. Daubeny told them that their duty lay in that direction. At the first blush of the matter the arrangement took the form of a gracious tender from themselves to a statesman called upon to act in very difficult circumstances,—and they were thanked accordingly by the Duke, with something of real cordial gratitude11. But when the actual adjustment of things was in hand, the Duke, having but little power of assuming a soft countenance12 and using soft words while his heart was bitter, felt on more than one occasion inclined to withdraw his thanks. He was astounded13 not so much by the pretensions14 as by the unblushing assertion of these pretensions in reference to places which he had been innocent enough to think were always bestowed15 at any rate without direct application. He had measured himself rightly when he told the older duke in one of those anxious conversations which had been held before the attempt was made, that long as he had been in office himself he did not know what was the way of bestowing16 office. "Two gentlemen have been here this morning," he said one day to the Duke of St. Bungay, "one on the heels of the other, each assuring me not only that the whole stability of the enterprise depends on my giving a certain office to him,—but actually telling me to my face that I had promised it to him!" The old statesman laughed. "To be told within the same half-hour by two men that I had made promises to each of them inconsistent with each other!"
"Who were the two men?"
"Mr. Rattler and Mr. Roby."
"I am assured that they are inseparable since the work was begun. They always had a leaning to each other, and now I hear they pass their time between the steps of the Carlton and Reform Clubs."
"But what am I to do? One must be Patronage17 Secretary, no doubt."
"They're both good, men in their way, you know."
"But why do they come to me with their mouths open, like dogs craving18 a bone? It used not to be so. Of course men were always anxious for office as they are now."
"Well; yes. We've heard of that before to-day, I think."
"But I don't think any man ever ventured to ask Mr. Mildmay."
"Time had done much for him in consolidating19 his authority, and perhaps the present world is less reticent20 in its eagerness than it was in his younger days. I doubt, however, whether it is more dishonest, and whether struggles were not made quite as disgraceful to the strugglers as anything that is done now. You can't alter the men, and you must use them." The younger Duke sat down and sighed over the degenerate21 patriotism22 of the age.
But at last even the Rattlers and Robys were fixed23, if not satisfied, and a complete list of the ministry24 appeared in all the newspapers. Though the thing had been long a-doing, still it had come suddenly,—so that at the first proposition to form a coalition25 ministry, the newspapers had hardly known whether to assist or to oppose the scheme. There was no doubt, in the minds of all these editors and contributors, the teaching of a tradition that coalitions26 of this kind have been generally feeble, sometimes disastrous27, and on occasions even disgraceful. When a man, perhaps through a long political life, has bound himself to a certain code of opinions, how can he change that code at a moment? And when at the same moment, together with the change, he secures power, patronage, and pay, how shall the public voice absolve28 him? But then again men, who have by the work of their lives grown into a certain position in the country, and have unconsciously but not therefore less actually made themselves indispensable either to this side in politics or to that, cannot free themselves altogether from the responsibility of managing them when a period comes such as that now reached. This also the newspapers perceived; and having, since the commencement of the Session, been very loud in exposing the disgraceful collapse29 of government affairs, could hardly refuse their support to any attempt at a feasible arrangement. When it was first known that the Duke of Omnium had consented to make the attempt, they had both on one side and the other been loud in his praise, going so far as to say that he was the only man in England who could do the work. It was probably this encouragement which had enabled the new Premier30 to go on with an undertaking31 which was personally distasteful to him, and for which from day to day he believed himself to be less and less fit. But when the newspapers told him that he was the only man for the occasion, how could he be justified32 in crediting himself in preference to them?
The work in Parliament began under the new auspices33 with great tranquillity34. That there would soon come causes of hot blood,—the English Church, the county suffrage35, the income tax, and further education questions,—all men knew who knew anything. But for the moment, for the month even, perhaps for the Session, there was to be peace, with full latitude36 for the performance of routine duties. There was so to say no opposition37, and at first it seemed that one special bench in the House of Commons would remain unoccupied. But after a day or two,—on one of which Mr. Daubeny had been seen sitting just below the gangway,—that gentleman returned to the place usually held by the Prime Minister's rival, saying with a smile that it might be for the convenience of the House that the seat should be utilised. Mr. Gresham at this time had, with declared purpose, asked and obtained the Speaker's leave of absence and was abroad. Who should lead the House? That had been a great question, caused by the fact that the Prime Minister was in the House of Lords;—and what office should the Leader hold? Mr. Monk38 had consented to take the Exchequer39, but the right to sit opposite to the Treasury40 Box and to consider himself for the time the principal spirit in that chamber41 was at last assigned to Sir Orlando Drought. "It will never do," said Mr. Rattler to Mr. Roby. "I don't mean to say anything against Drought, who has always been a very useful man to your party;—but he lacks something of the position."
"The fact is," said Roby, "that we've trusted to two men so long that we don't know how to suppose any one else big enough to fill their places. Monk wouldn't have done. The House doesn't care about Monk."
"I always thought it should be Wilson, and so I told the Duke. He had an idea that it should be one of your men."
"I think he's right there," said Roby. "There ought to be something like a fair division. Individuals might be content, but the party would be dissatisfied. For myself, I'd have sooner stayed out as an independent member, but Daubeny said that he thought I was bound to make myself useful."
"I told the Duke from the beginning," said Rattler, "that I didn't think that I could be of any service to him. Of course, I would support him, but I had been too thoroughly42 a party man for a new movement of this kind. But he said just the same!—that he considered I was bound to join him. I asked Gresham, and when Gresham said so too, of course I had no help for it."
Neither of these excellent public servants had told a lie in this. Some such conversations as those reported had passed;—but a man doesn't lie when he exaggerates an emphasis, or even when he gives by a tone a meaning to a man's words exactly opposite to that which another tone would convey. Or, if he does lie in doing so, he does not know that he lies. Mr. Rattler had gone back to his old office at the Treasury and Mr. Roby had been forced to content himself with the Secretaryship at the Admiralty. But, as the old Duke had said, they were close friends, and prepared to fight together any battle which might keep them in their present position.
Many of the cares of office the Prime Minister did succeed in shuffling43 off altogether on to the shoulders of his elder friend. He would not concern himself with the appointment of ladies, about whom he said he knew nothing, and as to whose fitness and claims he professed44 himself to be as ignorant as the office messenger. The offers were of course made in the usual form, as though coming direct from the Queen, through the Prime Minister;—but the selections were in truth effected by the old Duke in council with—an illustrious personage. The matter affected45 our Duke,—only in so far that he could not get out of his mind that strange application from his own wife. "That she should have even dreamed of it!" he would say to himself, not yet having acquired sufficient experience of his fellow creatures to be aware how wonderfully temptations will affect even those who appear to be least subject to them. The town horse, used to gaudy46 trappings, no doubt despises the work of his country brother; but yet, now and again, there comes upon him a sudden desire to plough. The desire for ploughing had come upon the Duchess, but the Duke could not understand it.
He perceived, however, in spite of the multiplicity of his official work, that his refusal sat heavily on his wife's breast, and that, though she spoke no further word, she brooded over her injury. And his heart was sad within him when he thought that he had vexed47 her,—loving her as he did with all his heart, but with a heart that was never demonstrative. When she was unhappy he was miserable48, though he would hardly know the cause of his misery49. Her ridicule50 and raillery he could bear, though they stung him; but her sorrow, if ever she were sorrowful, or her sullenness52, if ever she were sullen51, upset him altogether. He was in truth so soft of heart that he could not bear the discomfort53 of the one person in the world who seemed to him to be near to him. He had expressly asked her for her sympathy in the business he had on hand,—thereby going much beyond his usual coldness of manner. She, with an eagerness which might have been expected from her, had promised that she would slave for him, if slavery were necessary. Then she had made her request, had been refused, and was now moody54. "The Duchess of –––– is to be Mistress of the Robes," he said to her one day. He had gone to her, up to her own room, before he dressed for dinner, having devoted55 much more time than as Prime Minister he ought to have done to a resolution that he would make things straight with her, and to the best way of doing it.
"So I am told. She ought to know her way about the place, as I remember she was at the same work when I was a girl of eleven."
"That's not so very long ago, Cora."
"Silverbridge is older now than I was then, and I think that makes it a very long time ago." Lord Silverbridge was the Duke's eldest56 son.
"But what does it matter? If she began her career in the time of George the Fourth, what is it to you?"
"Nothing on earth,—only that she did in truth begin her career in the time of George the Third. I'm sure she's nearer sixty than fifty."
"I'm glad to see you remember your dates so well."
"It's a pity she should not remember hers in the way she dresses," said the Duchess.
This was marvellous to him,—that his wife, who as Lady Glencora Palliser had been so conspicuous57 for a wild disregard of social rules as to be looked upon by many as an enemy of her own class, should be so depressed58 by not being allowed to be the Queen's head servant as to descend59 to personal invective60! "I'm afraid," said he, attempting to smile, "that it won't come within the compass of my office to effect or even to propose any radical61 change in her Grace's apparel. But don't you think that you and I can afford to ignore all that?"
"I can certainly. She may be an antiquated62 Eve for me."
"I hope, Cora, you are not still disappointed because I did not agree with you when you spoke about the place for yourself."
"Not because you did not agree with me,—but because you did not think me fit to be trusted with any judgment63 of my own. I don't know why I'm always to be looked upon as different from other women,—as though I were half a savage64."
"You are what you have made yourself, and I have always rejoiced that you are as you are, fresh, untrammelled, without many prejudices which afflict65 other ladies, and free from bonds by which they are cramped66 and confined. Of course such a turn of character is subject to certain dangers of its own."
"There is no doubt about the dangers. The chances are that when I see her Grace I shall tell her what I think about her."
"You will I am sure say nothing unkind to a lady who is supposed to be in the place she now fills by my authority. But do not let us quarrel about an old woman."
"I won't quarrel with you even about a young one."
"I cannot be at ease within myself while I think you are resenting my refusal. You do not know how constantly I carry you about with me."
"You carry a very unnecessary burden then," she said. But he could tell at once from the altered tone of her voice, and from the light of her eye as he glanced into her face, that her anger about "The Robes" was appeased67.
"I have done as you asked about a friend of yours," he said. This occurred just before the final and perfected list of the new men had appeared in all the newspapers.
"What friend?"
"Mr. Finn is to go to Ireland."
"Go to Ireland!—How do you mean?"
"It is looked upon as being very great promotion68. Indeed I am told that he is considered to be the luckiest man in all the scramble69."
"You don't mean as Chief Secretary?"
"Yes, I do. He certainly couldn't go as Lord Lieutenant70."
"But they said that Barrington Erle was going to Ireland."
"Well; yes. I don't know that you'd be interested by all the ins and outs of it. But Mr. Erle declined. It seems that Mr. Erle is after all the one man in Parliament modest enough not to consider himself to be fit for any place that can be offered to him."
"Poor Barrington! He does not like the idea of crossing the Channel so often. I quite sympathise with him. And so Phineas is to be Secretary for Ireland! Not in the Cabinet?"
"No;—not in the Cabinet. It is not by any means usual that he should be."
"That is promotion, and I am glad! Poor Phineas! I hope they won't murder him, or anything of that kind. They do murder people, you know, sometimes."
"He's an Irishman himself."
"That's just the reason why they should. He must put up with that of course. I wonder whether she'll like going. They'll be able to spend money, which they always like, over there. He comes backwards71 and forwards every week,—doesn't he?"
"Not quite that, I believe."
"I shall miss her, if she has to stay away long. I know you don't like her."
"I do like her. She has always behaved well, both to me and to my uncle."
"She was an angel to him,—and to you too, if you only knew it. I dare say you're sending him to Ireland so as to get her away from me." This she said with a smile, as though not meaning it altogether, but yet half meaning it.
"I have asked him to undertake the office," said the Duke solemnly, "because I am told that he is fit for it. But I did have some pleasure in proposing it to him because I thought that it would please you."
"It does please me, and I won't be cross any more, and the Duchess of –––– may wear her clothes just as she pleases, or go without them. And as for Mrs. Finn, I don't see why she should be with him always when he goes. You can quite understand how necessary she is to me. But she is in truth the only woman in London to whom I can say what I think. And it is a comfort, you know, to have some one."
In this way the domestic peace of the Prime Minister was readjusted, and that sympathy and co-operation for which he had first asked was accorded to him. It may be a question whether on the whole the Duchess did not work harder than he did. She did not at first dare to expound72 to him those grand ideas which she had conceived in regard to magnificence and hospitality. She said nothing of any extraordinary expenditure73 of money. But she set herself to work after her own fashion, making to him suggestions as to dinners and evening receptions, to which he objected only on the score of time. "You must eat your dinner somewhere," she said, "and you need only come in just before we sit down, and go into your own room if you please without coming upstairs at all. I can at any rate do that part of it for you." And she did do that part of it with marvellous energy all through the month of May,—so that by the end of the month, within six weeks of the time at which she first heard of the Coalition Ministry, all the world had begun to talk of the Prime Minister's dinners, and of the receptions given by the Prime Minister's wife.
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1
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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chancellor
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| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
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chancellors
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| 大臣( chancellor的名词复数 )； （某些美国大学的）校长； （德国或奥地利的）总理； （英国大学的）名誉校长 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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professing
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| 声称( profess的现在分词 )； 宣称； 公开表明； 信奉 | |
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thrift
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| adj.节约，节俭；n.节俭，节约 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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inefficient
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| adj.效率低的，无效的 | |
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presumptuous
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| adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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consolidating
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| v.（使）巩固， （使）加强( consolidate的现在分词 )；（使）合并 | |
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reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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degenerate
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| v.退步，堕落；adj.退步的，堕落的；n.堕落者 | |
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patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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coalition
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| n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合 | |
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coalitions
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| 结合体，同盟( coalition的名词复数 )； （两党或多党）联合政府 | |
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disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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absolve
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| v.赦免，解除（责任等） | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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premier
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| adj.首要的；n.总理，首相 | |
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undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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auspices
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| n.资助，赞助 | |
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tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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suffrage
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latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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exchequer
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| n.财政部；国库 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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sullenness
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| n. 愠怒, 沉闷, 情绪消沉 | |
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discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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moody
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| adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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59
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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invective
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| n.痛骂，恶意抨击 | |
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radical
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| n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的 | |
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antiquated
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| adj.陈旧的，过时的 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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afflict
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| vt.使身体或精神受痛苦，折磨 | |
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66
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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67
appeased
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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68
promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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69
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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70
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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71
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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72
expound
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| v.详述；解释；阐述 | |
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expenditure
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| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
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