The Way We Live Now (71 page)

‘I don't know what there is to explain,' said Felix to his mother. She had asked him why he had not gone to Liverpool, whether he had been interrupted by Melmotte himself, whether news had reached him from Marie that she had been stopped, or whether – as might have been possible – Marie had changed her own mind. But he could not bring himself to tell the truth, or any story bordering on the truth. ‘It didn't come off,' he said, ‘and of course that knocked me off my legs. Well; yes. I did take some champagne when I found how it was. A fellow does get cut up by that kind of thing. Oh, I heard it at the club – that the whole thing was off. I can't explain anything more. And then I was so mad, I can't tell what I was after. I did get the ticket. There it was. That shows I was in earnest. I spent the thirty pounds in getting it. I suppose the change is there. Don't take it, for I haven't another shilling in the world.' Of course he said nothing of Marie's money, or of that which he had himself received from Melmotte. And as his mother had heard nothing of these sums she could not contradict what he said. She got from him no further statement, but she was sure that there was a story to be told which would reach her ears sooner or later.

That evening, about nine o'clock, Mr Broune called in Welbeck Street. He very often did call now, coming up in a cab, staying for a cup of tea, and going back in the same cab to the office of his newspaper. Since Lady Carbury had, so devotedly, abstained from accepting his offer, Mr Broune had become almost sincerely attached to her. There was certainly between them now more of the intimacy of real friendship than had ever existed in earlier days. He spoke to her more freely about his own affairs, and even she would speak to him with some attempt at truth. There was never between them now even a shade of love-making. She did not look into his eyes, nor did he hold her hand. As for kissing her – he thought no more of it than of kissing the maid-servant. But he spoke to her of the things that worried him – the unreasonable exactions of proprietors, and the perilous inaccuracy of contributors. He told her
of the exceeding weight upon his shoulders, under which an Atlas would have succumbed. And he told her something too of his triumphs – how he had had this fellow bowled over in punishment for some contradiction, and that man snuffed out for daring to be an enemy. And he expatiated on his own virtues, his justice and clemency. Ah – if men and women only knew his good nature and his patriotism – how he had spared the rod here, how he had made the fortune of a man there, how he had saved the country millions by the steadiness of his adherence to some grand truth! Lady Carbury delighted in all this and repaid him by flattery, and little confidences of her own. Under his teaching she had almost made up her mind to give up Mr Alf. Of nothing was Mr Broune more certain than that Mr Alf was making a fool of himself in regard to the Westminster election and those attacks on Melmotte. ‘The world of London generally knows what it is about,' said Mr Broune, ‘and the London world believes Mr Melmotte to be sound. I don't pretend to say that he has never done anything that he ought not to do. I am not going into his antecedents. But he is a man of wealth, power, and genius, and Alf will get the worst of it.' Under such teaching as this, Lady Carbury was almost obliged to give up Mr Alf.

Sometimes they would sit in the front room with Hetta, to whom also Mr Broune had become attached; but sometimes Lady Carbury would be in her own sanctum. On this evening she received him there, and at once poured forth all her troubles about Felix. On this occasion she told him everything, and almost told him everything truly. He had already heard the story. ‘The young lady went down to Liverpool, and Sir Felix was not there.'

‘He could not have been there. He has been in bed in this house all day. Did she go?'

‘So I am told – and was met at the station by the senior officer of the police at Liverpool, who brought her back to London without letting her go down to the ship at all. She must have thought that her lover was on board – probably thinks so now. I pity her.'

‘How much worse it would have been, had she been allowed to start,' said Lady Carbury.

‘Yes; that would have been bad. She would have had a sad journey to New York, and a sadder journey back. Has your son told you anything about money?'

‘What money?'

‘They say that the girl intrusted him with a large sum which she had taken from her father. If that be so he certainly ought to lose no time in
restoring it. It might be done through some friend. I would do it for that matter. If it be so – to avoid unpleasantness – it should be sent back at once. It will be for his credit' This Mr Broune said with a clear intimation of the importance of his advice.

It was dreadful to Lady Carbury. She had no money to give back, nor, as she was well aware, had her son. She had heard nothing of any money. What did Mr Broune mean by a large sum? ‘That would be dreadful,' she said.

‘Had you not better ask him about it?'

Lady Carbury was again in tears. She knew that she could not hope to get a word of truth from her son. ‘What do you mean by a large sum?'

‘Two or three hundred pounds, perhaps.'

‘I have not a shilling in the world, Mr Broune.' Then it all came out – the whole story of her poverty, as it had been brought about by her son's misconduct. She told him every detail of her money affairs from the death of her husband, and his will, up to the present moment.

‘He is eating you up, Lady Carbury.' Lady Carbury thought that she was nearly eaten up already, but she said nothing. ‘You must put a stop to this.'

‘But how?'

‘You must rid yourself of him. It is dreadful to say so, but it must be done. You must not see your daughter ruined. Find out what money he got from Miss Melmotte, and I will see that it is repaid. That must be done – and we will then try to get him to go abroad. No; – do not contradict me. We can talk of the money another time. I must be off now, as I have stayed too long. Do as I bid you. Make him tell you, and send me word down to the office. If you could do it early to-morrow, that would be best God bless you.' And so he hurried off.

Early on the following morning a letter from Lady Carbury was put into Mr Broune's hands, giving the story of the money as far as she had been able to extract it from Sir Felix. Sir Felix declared that Mr Melmotte had owed him £600, and that he had received £250 out of this from Miss Melmotte – so that there was still a large balance due to him. Lady Carbury went on to say that her son had at last confessed that he had lost this money at play. The story was fairly true; but Lady Carbury in her letter acknowledged that she was not justified in believing it because it was told to her by her son.

Melmotte had got back his daughter, and was half inclined to let the matter rest there. He would probably have done so had he not known that all his own household were aware that she had gone off to meet Sir Felix Carbury, and had he not also received the condolence of certain friends in the City. It seemed that about two o'clock in the day the matter was known to everybody. Of course Lord Nidderdale would hear of it, and if so all the trouble that he had taken in that direction would have been taken in vain. Stupid fool of a girl to throw away her chance – nay, to throw away the certainty of a brilliant career, in that way! But his anger against Sir Felix was infinitely more bitter than his anger against his daughter. The man had pledged himself to abstain from any step of this kind – had given a written pledge – had renounced under his own signature his intention of marrying Marie! Melmotte had of course learned all the details of the cheque for £250, how the money had been paid at the bank to Didon, and how Didon had given it to Sir Felix. Marie herself acknowledged that Sir Felix had received the money. If possible he would prosecute the baronet for stealing his money.

Had Melmotte been altogether a prudent man he would probably have been satisfied with getting back his daughter and would have allowed the money to go without further trouble. At this especial point in his career ready money was very valuable to him, but his concerns were of such magnitude that £250 could make but little difference. But there had grown upon the man during the last few months an arrogance, a self-confidence inspired in him by the worship of other men, which clouded his intellect, and robbed him of much of that power of calculation which undoubtedly he naturally possessed. He remembered perfectly his various little transactions with Sir Felix. Indeed it was one of his gifts to remember with accuracy all money transactions, whether great or small, and to keep an account book in his head, which was always totted up and balanced with accuracy. He knew exactly how he stood, even with the crossing-sweeper to whom he had given a penny last Tuesday, as with the Longestaffes, father and son, to whom he had not as yet made any payment on behalf of the purchase of Pickering.
But Sir Felix's money had been consigned into his hands for the purchase of shares – and that consignment did not justify Sir Felix in taking another sum of money from his daughter. In such a matter he thought that an English magistrate, and an English jury, would all be on his side – especially as he was Augustus Melmotte, the man about to be chosen for Westminster, the man about to entertain the Emperor of China!

The next day was Friday – the day of the railway board. Early in the morning he sent a note to Lord Nidderdale.

‘
MY DEAR NIDDERDALE
–

‘Pray come to the board to-day – or at any rate come to me in the City. I specially want to speak to you.

‘Yours,

‘A. M.'

This he wrote, having made up his mind that it would be wise to make a clear breast of it with his hoped-for son-in-law. If there was still a chance of keeping the young lord to his guns, that chance would be best supported by perfect openness on his part. The young lord would of course know what Marie had done. But the young lord had for some weeks past been aware that there had been a difficulty in regard to Sir Felix Carbury, and had not on that account relaxed his suit. It might be possible to persuade the young lord that as the young lady had now tried to elope and tried in vain, his own chance might on the whole be rather improved than injured.

Mr Melmotte on that morning had many visitors, among whom one of the earliest and most unfortunate was Mr Longestaffe. At that time there had been arranged at the offices in Abchurch Lane, a mode of double ingress and egress – a front stairs and a back stairs approach and exit, as is always necessary with very great men – in reference to which arrangement the honour and dignity attached to each is exactly contrary to that which generally prevails in the world; the front stairs being intended for everybody, and being both slow and uncertain, whereas the back stairs are quick and sure, and are used only for those who are favoured. Miles Grendall had the command of the stairs, and found that he had plenty to do in keeping people in their right courses. Mr Longestaffe reached Abchurch Lane before one – having altogether failed in getting a moment's private conversation with the big man on that other Friday, when he had come later. He fell at once into Miles's
hands, and was ushered through the front stairs passage and into the front stairs waiting-room, with much external courtesy. Miles Grendall was very voluble. Did Mr Longestaffe want to see Mr Melmotte? Oh – Mr Longestaffe wanted to see Mr Melmotte as soon as possible! Of course Mr Longestaffe should see Mr Melmotte. He, Miles, knew that Mr Melmotte was particularly desirous of seeing Mr Longestaffe. Mr Melmotte had mentioned Mr Longestaffe's name twice during the last three days. Would Mr Longestaffe sit down for a few minutes? Had Mr Longestaffe seen the
Morning Breakfast Table?
Mr Melmotte undoubtedly was very much engaged. At this moment a deputation from the Canadian Government was with him – and Sir Gregory Gribe was in the office waiting for a few words. But Miles thought that the Canadian Government would not be long – and as for Sir Gregory, perhaps his business might be postponed. Miles would do his very best to get an interview for Mr Longestaffe – more especially as Mr Melmotte was so very desirous himself of seeing his friend. It was astonishing that such a one as Miles Grendall should have learned his business so well and should have made himself so handy! We will leave Mr Longestaffe with the
Morning Breakfast Table
in his hands, in the front waiting-room, merely notifying the fact that there he remained for something over two hours.

In the meantime both Mr Broune and Lord Nidderdale came to the office, and both were received without delay. Mr Broune was the first. Miles knew who he was, and made no attempt to seat him in the same room with Mr Longestaffe. ‘I'll just send him a note,' said Mr Broune, and he scrawled a few words at the office counter. ‘I'm commissioned to pay you some money on behalf of Miss Melmotte.' Those were the words, and they at once procured him admission to the sanctum. The Canadian deputation must have taken its leave, and Sir Gregory could hardly have as yet arrived. Lord Nidderdale, who had presented himself almost at the same moment with the editor, was shown into a little private room – which was, indeed, Miles Grendall's own retreat. ‘What's up with the governor?' asked the young lord.

‘Anything particular do you mean?' said Miles. ‘There are always so many things up here.'

‘He has sent for me.'

‘Yes – you'll go in directly. There's that fellow who does the
Breakfast Table
in with him. I don't know what he's come about. You know what he has sent for you for?'

Lord Nidderdale answered this question by another. ‘I suppose all this about Miss Melmotte is true?'

‘She did go off yesterday morning,' said Miles, in a whisper.

‘But Carbury wasn't with her.'

‘Well, no – I suppose not. He seems to have mulled it.
¹
He's such a d— brute, he'd be sure to go wrong whatever he had in hand.'