Alice, or the Mysteries — Book 05

								

"Will you join us, Sir John?"
Sir John bowed.
"Certainly," he resumed, "Vargrave is a pleasant man and a good speaker;
but still they say he is far from rich,--embarrassed, indeed.  However,
when he marries Miss Cameron it may make a great difference,--give him
more respectability; do you know what her fortune is--something immense?"
"Yes, I believe so; I don't know."
"My brother says that Vargrave is most amiable.  The young lady is very
handsome, almost too handsome for a wife--don't you think so?  Beauties
are all very well in a ballroom; but they are not calculated for domestic
life.  I am sure you agree with me.  I have heard, indeed, that Miss
Cameron is rather learned; but there is so much scandal in a country
neighbourhood,--people are so ill-natured.  I dare say she is not more
learned than other young ladies, poor girl!  What do you think?"
"Miss Cameron is--is very accomplished, I believe.  And so you think the
Government cannot stand?"
"I don't say that,--very far from it; but I fear there must be a change.
However, if the country gentlemen hold together, I do not doubt but what
we shall weather the storm.  The landed interest, Mr. Maltravers, is the
great stay of this country,--the sheet-anchor, I may say.  I suppose Lord
Vargrave, who seems, I must say, to have right notions on this head, will
invest Miss Cameron's fortune in land.  But though one may buy an estate,
one can't buy an old family, Mr. Maltravers!--you and I may be thankful
for that.  By the way, who was Miss Cameron's mother, Lady
Vargrave?--something low, I fear; nobody knows."
"I am not acquainted with Lady Vargrave; your sister-in-law speaks of her
most highly.  And the daughter in herself is a sufficient guarantee for
the virtues of the mother."
"Yes; and Vargrave on one side, at least, has himself nothing in the way
of family to boast of."
The ladies left the hall, the gentlemen re-seated themselves.  Lord Raby
made some remark on politics to Sir John Merton, and the whole round of
talkers immediately followed their leader.
"It is a thousand pities, Sir John," said Lord Raby, "that you have not a
colleague more worthy of you; Nelthorpe never attends a committee, does
he?"
"I cannot say that he is a very active member; but he is young, and we
must make allowances for him," said Sir John, discreetly; for he had no
desire to oust his colleague,--it was agreeable enough to be the
efficient member.
"In these times," said Lord Raby, loftily, "allowances are not to be made
for systematic neglect of duty; we shall have a stormy session; the
Opposition is no longer to be despised; perhaps a dissolution may be
nearer at hand than we think for.  As for Nelthorpe, he cannot come in
again."
"That I am quite sure of," said a fat country gentleman of great weight
in the county; "he not only was absent on the great Malt question, but he
never answered my letter respecting the Canal Company."