Sybil, or the Two Nations Part 58

"You amaze me," said Morley, looking with an astonished expression on the person who had just delivered himself of these suggestive details with the same coolness and arid accuracy that he would have entered into the details of a pedigree.

"'Tis a practical view of the case," remarked Mr Hatton.

Morley paced the chamber disturbed; Hatton remained silent and watched him with a scrutinizing eye.

"Are you certain of your facts?" at length said Morley abruptly stopping.

"Quite so; Lord de Mowbray informed me of the circ.u.mstances himself before I left London, and I came down here in consequence."

"You know him?"

"No one better."

"And these doc.u.ments--some of them I suppose," said Morley with a cynical look, "were once in your own possession then?"

"Possibly. Would they were now! But it is a great thing to know where they may be found."

"Then they once were the property of Gerard?"

"Hardly that. They were gained by my own pains, and often paid for with my own purse. Claimed by no one, I parted with them to a person to whom they were valuable. It is not merely to serve Gerard that I want them now, though I would willingly serve him. I have need of some of these papers with respect to an ancient t.i.tle, a claim to which by a person in whom I am interested they would substantiate. Now listen, good friend Morley; moral force is a fine thing especially in speculation, and so is a community of goods especially when a man has no property, but when you have lived as long as I have and have tasted of the world's delight, you'll comprehend the rapture of acquisition, and learn that it is generally secured by very coa.r.s.e means. Come, I have a mind that you should prosper. The public spirit is inflamed here; you are a leader of the people. Let us have another meeting on the Moor, a preconcerted outbreak; you can put your fingers in a trice on the men who will do our work. Mowbray Castle is in their possession; we secure our object. You shall have ten thousand pounds on the nail, and I will take you back to London with me besides and teach you what is fortune."

"I understand you," said Morley. "You have a clear brain and a bold spirit; you have no scruples, which indeed are generally the creatures of perplexity rather than of principle. You ought to succeed."

"We ought to succeed you mean," said Hatton, "for I have long perceived that you only wanted opportunity to mount."

"Yesterday was a great burst of feeling occasioned by a very peculiar cause," said Morley musingly; "but it must not mislead us. The discontent here is not deep. The people are still employed, though not fully. Wages have fallen, but they must drop more. THE PEOPLE are not ripe for the movement you intimate. There are thousands who would rush to the rescue of the castle. Besides there is a priest here, one St Lys, who exercises a most pernicious influence over the people. It will require immense efforts and great distress to root him out. No; it would fail."

"Then we must wait awhile," said Hatton, "or devise some other means."

"'Tis a very impracticable case," said Morley.

"There is a combination for every case," said Hatton. "Ponder and it comes. This seemed simple; but you think, you really think it would not answer?"

"At this moment, not; that is my conviction."

"Well suppose instead of an insurrection we have a burglary. Can you a.s.sist me to the right hands here?"

"Not I indeed!"

"What is the use then of this influence over the people of which you and Gerard are always talking? After yesterday I thought here you could do anything."

"We have not hitherto had the advantage of your worldly knowledge; in future we shall be wiser."

"Well then," said Hatton, "we must now think of Gerard's defence. He shall have the best counsel. I shall retain Kelly specially. I shall return to town to-morrow morning. You will keep me alive to the state of feeling here, and if things get more mature drop me a line and I will come down."

"This conversation had better not be mentioned to Gerard."

"That is obvious; it would only disturb him. I did not preface it by a stipulation of confidence because that is idle. Of course you will keep the secret; it is your interest; it is a great possession. I know very well you will be most jealous of sharing it. I know it is as safe with you as with myself."

And with these words Hatton wished him a hearty farewell and withdrew.

"He is right," thought Morley; "he knows human nature well. The secret is safe. I will not breathe it to Gerard. I will treasure it up. It is knowledge; it is power: great knowledge, great power. And what shall I do with it? Time will teach me."

END OF THE FIFTH BOOK

BOOK VI

Book 6 Chapter 1

"Another week," exclaimed a gentleman in Downing Street on the 5th of August, 1842, "and we shall be prorogued. You can surely keep the country quiet for another week."

"I cannot answer for the public peace for another four-and-twenty hours," replied his companion.

"This business at Manchester must be stopped at once; you have a good force there?"

"Manchester is nothing; these are movements merely to distract. The serious work is not now to be apprehended in the cotton towns. The state of Staffords.h.i.+re and Warwicks.h.i.+re is infinitely more menacing. Ches.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re alarm me. The accounts from Scotland are as bad as can be.

And though I think the sufferings of '39 will keep Birmingham and the Welch collieries in check, we cannot venture to move any of our force from those districts."

"You must summon a council for four o'clock. I have some deputations to receive which I will throw over; but to Windsor I must go. Nothing has yet occurred to render any notice of the state of the country necessary in the speech from the Throne."

"Not yet," said his companion; "but what will to-morrow bring forth?"

"After all it is only a turn-out. I cannot recast her Majesty's speech and bring in rebellion and closed mills, instead of loyalty and a good harvest."

"It would be a bore. Well, we will see to-morrow;" and the colleague left the room.

"And now for these deputations," said the gentleman in Downing Street, "of all things in the world I dislike a deputation. I do not care how much I labour in the Closet or the house; that's real work; the machine is advanced. But receiving a deputation is like sham marching: an immense dust and no progress. To listen to their views! As if I did not know what their views were before they stated them! And to put on a countenance of respectful candour while they are developing their exploded or their impracticable systems. Were it not that at a practised crisis, I permit them to see conviction slowly stealing over my conscience, I believe the fellows would never stop. I cannot really receive these deputations. I must leave them to Hoaxem," and the gentleman in Downing Street rang his bell.

"Well, Mr Hoaxem," resumed the gentleman in Downing Street as that faithful functionary entered, "there are some deputations I understand, to-day. You must receive them, as I am going to Windsor. What are they?"

"There are only two, sir, of moment. The rest I could easily manage."

"And these two?"

"In the first place, there is our friend Colonel Bosky, the members for the county of Calfs.h.i.+re, and a deputation of tenant farmers."

"Pah!"

"These must be attended to. The members have made a strong representation to me that they really cannot any longer vote with government unless the Treasury a.s.sists them in satisfying their const.i.tuents."