Alice, or the Mysteries — Book 05

								

fly away after you have wasted a bucketful of salt on his tail."
"Very possibly," said Lord Raby, laughing,--"you know him better than I
do.  But there are many purposes to serve in this matter,--purposes too
provincial to interest you.  In the first place, we shall humble the
Nelthorpe interest, merely by showing that we do think of a new member;
secondly, we shall get up a manifestation of feeling that would be
impossible, unless we were provided with a centre of attraction; thirdly,
we shall rouse a certain emulation among other county gentlemen, and if
Maltravers decline, we shall have many applicants; and fourthly, suppose
Maltravers has not changed his opinions, we shall make him suspected by
the party he really does belong to, and which would be somewhat
formidable if he were to head them.  In fact, these are mere county
tactics that you can't be expected to understand."
"I see you are quite right: meanwhile you will at least have an
opportunity (though I say it, who should not say it) to present to the
county one of the prettiest young ladies that ever graced the halls of
Knaresdean."
"Ah, Miss Cameron!  I have heard much of her beauty: you are a lucky
fellow, Vargrave!  By the by, are we to say anything of the engagement?"
"Why, indeed, my dear lord, it is now so publicly known, that it would be
false delicacy to affect concealment."
"Very well; I understand."
"How long I have detained you--a thousand pardons!--I have but just time
to dress.  In four or five months I must remember to leave you a longer
time for your toilet."
"Me--how?"
"Oh, the Duke of ----- can't live long; and I always observe that when a
handsome man has the Garter, he takes a long time pulling up his
stockings."
"Ha, ha! you are so droll, Vargrave."
"Ha, ha!  I must be off."
"The more publicity is given to this arrangement, the more difficult for
Evelyn to shy at the leap," muttered Vargrave to himself as he closed the
door.  "Thus do I make all things useful to myself!"
The dinner party were assembled in the great drawing-room, when
Maltravers and Cleveland, also invited guests to the banquet, were
announced.  Lord Raby received the former with marked empressement; and
the stately marchioness honoured him with her most gracious smile.
Formal presentations to the rest of the guests were interchanged; and it
was not till the circle was fully gone through that Maltravers perceived,
seated by himself in a corner, to which he had shrunk on the entrance of
Maltravers, a gray-haired solitary man,--it was Lord Saxingham!  The last
time they had met was in the death-chamber of Florence; and the old man
forgot for the moment the anticipated dukedom, and the dreamed-of
premiership, and his heart flew back to the grave of his only child!
They saluted each other, and shook hands in silence.  And Vargrave--whose
eye was on them--Vargrave, whose arts had made that old man childless,
felt not a pang of remorse!  Living ever in the future, Vargrave almost