In the meantime Tadpole11 and Taper12, who had never quitted for an instant the mysterious head-quarters of the late Opposition13, were full of hopes and fears, and asked many questions, which they chiefly answered themselves.
‘I wonder what Lord Lyndhurst will say to the king,’ said Taper.
‘He has plenty of pluck,’ said Tadpole.
‘I almost wish now that Rigby had breakfasted with him this morning,’ said Taper.
‘If the King be firm, and the country sound,’ said Tadpole, ‘and Lord Monmouth keep his boroughs, I should not wonder to see Rigby made a privy14 councillor.’
‘But we live in revolutionary times,’ said Tadpole.
‘Gentlemen,’ said the groom16 of the chambers17, in a loud voice, entering the room, ‘I am desired to state that the Duke of Wellington is with the King.’
‘There is a Providence18!’ exclaimed an agitated19 gentleman, the patent of whose intended peerage had not been signed the day that the Duke had quited office in 1830.
‘I always thought the King would be firm,’ said Mr. Tadpole.
‘I wonder who will have the India Board,’ said Taper.
At this moment three or four gentlemen entered the room in a state of great bustle20 and excitement; they were immediately surrounded.
‘Is it true?’ ‘Quite true; not the slightest doubt. Saw him myself. Not at all hissed21; certainly not hooted22. Perhaps a little hissed. One fellow really cheered him. Saw him myself. Say what they like, there is reaction.’ ‘But Constitution Hill, they say?’ ‘Well, there was a sort of inclination23 to a row on Constitution Hill; but the Duke quite firm; pistols, and carriage doors bolted.’
Such may give a faint idea of the anxious inquiries24 and the satisfactory replies that were occasioned by the entrance of this group.
Later in the afternoon, about five o’clock, the high change of political gossip, when the room was crowded, and every one had his rumour26, Mr. Rigby looked in again to throw his eye over the evening papers, and catch in various chit-chat the tone of public or party feeling on the ‘crisis.’ Then it was known that the Duke had returned from the King, having accepted the charge of forming an administration. An administration to do what? Portentous27 question! Were concessions28 to be made? And if so, what? Was it altogether impossible, and too late, ‘stare super vias antiquas?’ Questions altogether above your Tadpoles29 and your Tapers30, whose idea of the necessities of the age was that they themselves should be in office.
Lord Eskdale came up to Mr. Rigby. This peer was a noble Croesus, acquainted with all the gradations of life; a voluptuary who could be a Spartan32; clear-sighted, unprejudiced, sagacious; the best judge in the world of a horse or a man; he was the universal referee33; a quarrel about a bet or a mistress was solved by him in a moment, and in a manner which satisfied both parties. He patronised and appreciated the fine arts, though a jockey; respected literary men, though he only read French novels; and without any affectation of tastes which he did not possess, was looked upon by every singer and dancer in Europe as their natural champion. The secret of his strong character and great influence was his self-composure, which an earthquake or a Reform Bill could not disturb, and which in him was the result of temperament34 and experience. He was an intimate acquaintance of Lord Monmouth, for they had many tastes in common; were both men of considerable, and in some degree similar abilities; and were the two greatest proprietors35 of close boroughs in the country.
‘Do you dine at Monmouth House to-day?’ inquired Lord Eskdale of Mr. Rigby.
‘Where I hope to meet your lordship. The Whig papers are very subdued,’ continued Mr. Rigby.
‘Ah! they have not the cue yet,’ said Lord Eskdale.
‘And what do you think of affairs?’ inquired his companion.
‘I think the hounds are too hot to hark off now,’ said Lord Eskdale.
‘There is one combination,’ said Rigby, who seemed meditating36 an attack on Lord Eskdale’s button.
‘Give it us at dinner,’ said Lord Eskdale, who knew his man, and made an adroit37 movement forwards, as if he were very anxious to see the Globe newspaper.
In the course of two or three hours these gentlemen met again in the green drawing-room of Monmouth House. Mr. Rigby was sitting on a sofa by Lord Monmouth, detailing in whispers all his gossip of the morn: Lord Eskdale murmuring quaint31 inquiries into the ear of the Princess Lucretia.
Madame Colonna made remarks alternately to two gentlemen, who paid her assiduous court. One of these was Mr. Ormsby; the school, the college, and the club crony of Lord Monmouth, who had been his shadow through life; travelled with him in early days, won money with him at play, had been his colleague in the House of Commons; and was still one of his nominees38. Mr. Ormsby was a millionaire, which Lord Monmouth liked. He liked his companions to be very rich or very poor; be his equals, able to play with him at high stakes, or join him in a great speculation39; or to be his tools, and to amuse and serve him. There was nothing which he despised and disliked so much as a moderate fortune.
The other gentleman was of a different class and character. Nature had intended Lucian Gay for a scholar and a wit; necessity had made him a scribbler and a buffoon40. He had distinguished41 himself at the University; but he had no patrimony42, nor those powers of perseverance43 which success in any learned profession requires. He was good-looking, had great animal spirits, and a keen sense of enjoyment44, and could not drudge45. Moreover he had a fine voice, and sang his own songs with considerable taste; accomplishments46 which made his fortune in society and completed his ruin. In due time he extricated47 himself from the bench and merged48 into journalism49, by means of which he chanced to become acquainted with Mr. Rigby. That worthy50 individual was not slow in detecting the treasure he had lighted on; a wit, a ready and happy writer, a joyous51 and tractable52 being, with the education, and still the feelings and manners, of a gentleman. Frequent were the Sunday dinners which found Gay a guest at Mr. Rigby’s villa53; numerous the airy pasquinades which he left behind, and which made the fortune of his patron. Flattered by the familiar acquaintance of a man of station, and sanguine54 that he had found the link which would sooner or later restore him to the polished world that he had forfeited55, Gay laboured in his vocation56 with enthusiasm and success. Willingly would Rigby have kept his treasure to himself; and truly he hoarded57 it for a long time, but it oozed58 out. Rigby loved the reputation of possessing the complete art of society. His dinners were celebrated59 at least for their guests. Great intellectual illustrations were found there blended with rank and high station. Rigby loved to patronise; to play the minister unbending and seeking relief from the cares of council in the society of authors, artists, and men of science. He liked dukes to dine with him and hear him scatter60 his audacious criticisms to Sir Thomas or Sir Humphry. They went away astounded61 by the powers of their host, who, had he not fortunately devoted62 those powers to their party, must apparently63 have rivalled Vandyke, or discovered the safety-lamp.
Now in these dinners, Lucian Gay, who had brilliant conversational64 powers, and who possessed65 all the resources of boon66 companionship, would be an invaluable67 ally. He was therefore admitted, and inspired both by the present enjoyment, and the future to which it might lead, his exertions68 were untiring, various, most successful. Rigby’s dinners became still, more celebrated. It, however, necessarily followed that the guests who were charmed by Gay, wished Gay also to be their guest. Rigby was very jealous of this, but it was inevitable69; still by constant manoeuvre70, by intimations of some exercise, some day or other, of substantial patronage71 in his behalf, by a thousand little arts by which he carved out work for Gay which often prevented him accepting invitations to great houses in the country, by judicious72 loans of small sums on Lucian’s notes of hand and other analogous73 devices, Rigby contrived74 to keep the wit in a fair state of bondage75 and dependence76.
One thing Rigby was resolved on: Gay should never get into Monmouth House. That was an empyrean too high for his wing to soar in. Rigby kept that social monopoly distinctively77 to mark the relation that subsisted78 between them as patron and client. It was something to swagger about when they were together after their second bottle of claret. Rigby kept his resolution for some years, which the frequent and prolonged absence of the Marquess rendered not very difficult. But we are the creatures of circumstances; at least the Rigby race particularly. Lord Monmouth returned to England one year, and wanted to be amused. He wanted a jester: a man about him who would make him, not laugh, for that was impossible, but smile more frequently, tell good stories, say good things, and sing now and then, especially French songs. Early in life Rigby would have attempted all this, though he had neither fun, voice, nor ear. But his hold on Lord Monmouth no longer depended on the mere79 exercise of agreeable qualities, he had become indispensable to his lordship, by more serious if not higher considerations. And what with auditing80 his accounts, guarding his boroughs, writing him, when absent, gossip by every post and when in England deciding on every question and arranging every matter which might otherwise have ruffled81 the sublime82 repose83 of his patron’s existence, Rigby might be excused if he shrank a little from the minor84 part of table wit, particularly when we remember all his subterranean85 journalism, his acid squibs, and his malicious86 paragraphs, and, what Tadpole called, his ‘slashing articles.’
These ‘slashing articles’ were, indeed, things which, had they appeared as anonymous87 pamphlets, would have obtained the contemptuous reception which in an intellectual view no compositions more surely deserved; but whispered as the productions of one behind the scenes, and appearing in the pages of a party review, they were passed off as genuine coin, and took in great numbers of the lieges, especially in the country. They were written in a style apparently modelled on the briefs of those sharp attorneys who weary advocates with their clever commonplace; teasing with obvious comment, and torturing with inevitable inference. The affectation of order in the statement of facts had all the lucid88 method of an adroit pettifogger. They dealt much in extracts from newspapers, quotations89 from the Annual Register, parallel passages in forgotten speeches, arranged with a formidable array of dates rarely accurate. When the writer was of opinion he had made a point, you may be sure the hit was in italics, that last resource of the Forcible Feebles. He handled a particular in chronology as if he were proving an alibi90 at the Criminal Court. The censure91 was coarse without being strong, and vindictive92 when it would have been sarcastic93. Now and then there was a passage which aimed at a higher flight, and nothing can be conceived more unlike genuine feeling, or more offensive to pure taste. And yet, perhaps, the most ludicrous characteristic of these facetious94 gallimaufreys was an occasional assumption of the high moral and admonitory tone, which when we recurred95 to the general spirit of the discourse96, and were apt to recall the character of its writer, irresistibly97 reminded one of Mrs. Cole and her prayer-book.
To return to Lucian Gay. It was a rule with Rigby that no one, if possible, should do anything for Lord Monmouth but himself; and as a jester must be found, he was determined98 that his Lordship should have the best in the market, and that he should have the credit of furnishing the article. As a reward, therefore, for many past services, and a fresh claim to his future exertions, Rigby one day broke to Gay that the hour had at length arrived when the highest object of reasonable ambition on his part, and the fulfilment of one of Rigby’s long-cherished and dearest hopes, were alike to be realised. Gay was to be presented to Lord Monmouth and dine at Monmouth House.
The acquaintance was a successful one; very agreeable to both parties. Gay became an habitual99 guest of Lord Monmouth when his patron was in England; and in his absence received frequent and substantial marks of his kind recollection, for Lord Monmouth was generous to those who amused him.
In the meantime the hour of dinner is at hand. Coningsby, who had lost the key of his carpet-bag, which he finally cut open with a penknife that he found on his writing-table, and the blade of which he broke in the operation, only reached the drawing-room as the figure of his grandfather, leaning on his ivory cane100, and following his guests, was just visible in the distance. He was soon overtaken. Perceiving Coningsby, Lord Monmouth made him a bow, not so formal a one as in the morning, but still a bow, and said, ‘I hope you liked your drive.’
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收听单词发音
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1
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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pall
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| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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metropolitan
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| adj.大城市的，大都会的 | |
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boroughs
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| （尤指大伦敦的）行政区( borough的名词复数 )； 议会中有代表的市镇 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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rapacious
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| adj.贪婪的，强夺的 | |
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oligarchy
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| n.寡头政治 | |
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tadpole
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| n.[动]蝌蚪 | |
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taper
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| n.小蜡烛，尖细，渐弱；adj.尖细的；v.逐渐变小 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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privy
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| adj.私用的；隐密的 | |
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precedent
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| n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的 | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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hooted
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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concessions
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| n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权 | |
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tadpoles
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| n.蝌蚪( tadpole的名词复数 ) | |
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tapers
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| （长形物体的）逐渐变窄( taper的名词复数 )； 微弱的光； 极细的蜡烛 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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spartan
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| adj.简朴的，刻苦的；n.斯巴达；斯巴达式的人 | |
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referee
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| n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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proprietors
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| n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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adroit
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| adj.熟练的，灵巧的 | |
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nominees
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speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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buffoon
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| n.演出时的丑角 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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patrimony
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| n.世袭财产，继承物 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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drudge
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| n.劳碌的人；v.做苦工，操劳 | |
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accomplishments
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| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
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extricated
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| v.使摆脱困难，脱身( extricate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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merged
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| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
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journalism
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| n.新闻工作，报业 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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tractable
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| adj.易驾驭的；温顺的 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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hoarded
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| v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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oozed
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| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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scatter
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| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
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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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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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conversational
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| adj.对话的，会话的 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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manoeuvre
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| n.策略，调动；v.用策略，调动 | |
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patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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analogous
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| adj.相似的；类似的 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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dependence
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| n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属 | |
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distinctively
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| adv.特殊地，区别地 | |
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subsisted
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| v.（靠很少的钱或食物）维持生活，生存下去( subsist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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auditing
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| n.审计，查账，决算 | |
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ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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anonymous
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| adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的 | |
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lucid
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| adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的 | |
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quotations
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| n.引用( quotation的名词复数 )；[商业]行情（报告）；（货物或股票的）市价；时价 | |
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alibi
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| n.某人当时不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明；借口 | |
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censure
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| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
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vindictive
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| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
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sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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facetious
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| adj.轻浮的，好开玩笑的 | |
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95
recurred
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| 再发生，复发( recur的过去式和过去分词 )； 治愈 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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