Alice, or the Mysteries — Book 07

								

bygones,--I bear no malice; your uncle was a good man: and if he had but
said to me, 'Winsley, don't say a word about Mrs. Butler,' he might have
reckoned on me just as much as when in his elections he used to put five
thousand pounds in my hands, and say, 'Winsley, no bribery,--it is
wicked; let this be given in charity.'  Did any one ever know how that
money went?  Was your uncle ever accused of corruption?  But, my lord,
surely you will take some refreshment?"
"No, indeed; but if you will let me dine with you tomorrow, you'll oblige
me much; and, whatever my uncle's faults (and latterly, poor man, he was
hardly in his senses; what a will he made!) let not the nephew suffer for
them.  Come, Mr. Winsley," and Lumley held out his hand with enchanting
frankness, "you know my motives are disinterested; I have no
parliamentary interest to serve, we have no constituents for our Hospital
of Incurables; and--oh! that's right,--we're friends, I see!  Now I must
go and look after my ward's houses.  Let me see, the agent's name
is--is--"
"Perkins, I think, my lord," said Mr. Winsley, thoroughly softened by the
charm of Vargrave's words and manner.  "Let me put on my hat, and show
you his house."
"Will you?  That's very kind; give me all the election news by the
way--you know I was once within an ace of being your member."
Vargrave learned from his new friend some further particulars relative to
Mrs. Butler's humble habits and homely mode of life at C-----, which
served completely to explain to him why his proud and worldly uncle had
so carefully abstained from all intercourse with that city, and had
prevented the nephew from standing for its vacant representation.  It
seemed, however, that Winsley--whose resentment was not of a very active
or violent kind--had not communicated the discovery he had made to his
fellow townspeople; but had contented himself with hints and aphorisms,
whenever he had heard the subject of Mr. Templeton's marriage discussed,
which had led the gossips of the place to imagine that he had made a much
worse selection than he really had.  As to the accuracy of Winsley's
assertion, Vargrave, though surprised at first, had but little doubt on
consideration, especially when he heard that Mrs. Butler's principal
patroness had been the Mrs. Leslie, now the intimate friend of Lady
Vargrave.  But what had been the career, what the earlier condition and
struggles of this simple and interesting creature?  With her appearance
at C-----, commenced all that surmise could invent.  Not greater was the
mystery that wrapped the apparition of Manco Capac by the lake Titiaca,
than that which shrouded the places and the trials whence the lowly
teacher of music had emerged amidst the streets of C------.
Weary, and somewhat careless, of conjecture, Lord Vargrave, in dining
with Mr. Winsley, turned the conversation upon the business on which he