Lord Kilgobbin Part 40

'I deny that: deny it _in toto_. The moment you forget, in your dealings with the Englishman, the cheap estimate he entertains, not alone of your brains and your skill, but of your resolution, your persistence, your strong will, ay, your very integrity, that moment, I say, places him in a position to treat you as something below him. Bear in mind, however, how he is striving to regard you, and it's your own fault if you're not his equal, and something more perhaps. There was a man more than the master of them all, and his name was Edmund Burke; and how did they treat _him_? How insolently did they behave to O'Connell in the House till he put his heel on them? Were they generous to Sheil? Were they just to Plunket? No, no.

The element that they decry in our people they know they have not got, and they'd like to crush the race, when they cannot extinguish the quality.'

Donogan had so excited himself now that he walked up and down the room, his voice ringing with emotion, and his arms wildly tossing in all the extravagance of pa.s.sion. 'This is from Joe Atlee,' said Kearney, as he tore open the envelope:--

'"DEAR d.i.c.k,--I cannot account for the madness that seems to have seized you, except that Dan Donogan, the most rabid dog I know, has bitten you. If so, for Heaven's sake have the piece cut out at once, and use the strongest cautery of common sense, if you know of any one who has a little to spare.

I only remembered yesterday that I ought to have told you I had sheltered Dan in our rooms, but I can already detect that you have made his acquaintance. He is not a bad fellow. He is sincere in his opinions, and incorruptible, if that be the name for a man who, if bought to-morrow, would not be worth sixpence to his owner.

'"Though I resigned all respect for my own good sense in telling it, I was obliged to let H. E. know the contents of your despatch, and then, as I saw he had never heard of Kilgobbin, or the great Kearney family, I told more lies of your estated property, your county station, your influence generally, and your abilities individually, than the fee-simple of your property, converted into ma.s.ses, will see me safe through purgatory; and I have consequently baited the trap that has caught myself; for, persuaded by my eloquent advocacy of you all, H. E. has written to Walpole to make certain inquiries concerning you, which, if satisfactory, he, Walpole, will put himself in communication with you, as to the extent and the mode to which the Government will support you. I think I can see Dan Donogan's fine hand in that part of your note which foreshadows a threat, and hints that the Walpole story would, if published abroad, do enormous damage to the Ministry. This, let me a.s.sure you, is a fatal error, and a blunder which could only be committed by an outsider in political life. The days are long past since a scandal could smash an administration; and we are so strong now that arson or forgery could not hurt, and I don't think that infanticide would affect us.

'"If you are really bent on this wild exploit, you should see Walpole, and confer with him. You don't talk well, but you write worse, so avoid correspondence, and do all your indiscretions verbally. Be angry if you like with my candour, but follow my counsel.

'"See him, and show him, if you are able, that, all questions of nationality apart, he may count upon your vote; that there are certain impracticable and impossible conceits in politics--like repeal, subdivision of land, restoration of the confiscated estates, and such like--on which Irishmen insist on being free to talk balderdash, and air their patriotism; but that, rightfully considered, they are as harmless and mean just as little as a discussion on the Digamma, or a debate on perpetual motion. The stupid Tories could never be brought to see this. Like genuine dolts, they would have an army of supporters, one-minded with them in everything. We know better, and hence we buy the Radical vote by a little coquetting with communism, and the model working-man and the rebel by an occasional gaol-delivery, and the Papist by a sop to the Holy Father. Bear in mind, d.i.c.k--and it is the grand secret of political life--it takes all sort of people to make a 'party.' When you have thoroughly digested this aphorism, you are fit to start in the world.

'"If you were not so full of what I am sure you would call your 'legitimate ambitions,' I'd like to tell you the glorious life we lead in this place.

Disraeli talks of 'the well-sustained splendour of their stately lives,'

and it is just the phrase for an existence in which all the appliances to ease and enjoyment are supplied by a sort of magic, that never shows its machinery, nor lets you hear the sound of its working. The saddle-horses know when I want to ride by the same instinct that makes the butler give me the exact wine I wish at my dinner. And so on throughout the day, 'the sustained splendour' being an ever-present luxuriousness that I drink in with a thirst that knows no slaking.

'"I have made a hit with H.E., and from copying some rather muddle-headed despatches, I am now promoted to writing short skeleton sermons on politics, which, duly filled out and fattened with official nutriment, will one day astonish the Irish Office, and make one of the Nestors of bureaucracy exclaim, 'See how Danesbury has got up the Irish question.'

'"I have a charming collaborateur, my lord's niece, who was acting as his private secretary up to the time of my arrival, and whose explanation of a variety of things I found to be so essential that, from being at first in the continual necessity of seeking her out, I have now arrived at a point at which we write in the same room, and pa.s.s our mornings in the library till luncheon. She is stunningly handsome, as tall as the Greek cousin, and with a stately grace of manner and a cold dignity of demeanour I'd give my heart's blood to subdue to a mood of womanly tenderness and dependence. Up to this, my position is that of a very humble courtier in the presence of a queen, and she takes care that by no momentary forgetfulness shall I lose sight of the 'situation.'

'"She is engaged, they say, to be married to Walpole; but as I have not heard that he is heir-apparent, or has even the reversion to the crown of Spain, I cannot perceive what the contract means.

'"I rode out with her to-day by special invitation, or permission--which was it?--and in the few words that pa.s.sed between us, she asked me if I had long known Mr. Walpole, and put her horse into a canter without waiting for my answer.

'"With H. E. I can talk away freely, and without constraint. I am never very sure that he does not know the things he questions me on better than myself--a practice some of his order rather cultivate; but, on the whole, our intercourse is easy. I know he is not a little puzzled about me, and I intend that he should remain so.

'"When you have seen and spoken with Walpole, write me what has taken place between you; and though I am fully convinced that what you intend is unmitigated folly, I see so many difficulties in the way, such obstacles, and such almost impossibilities to be overcome, that I think Fate will be more merciful to you than your ambitions, and spare you, by an early defeat, from a crus.h.i.+ng disappointment.

'"Had you ambitioned to be a governor of a colony, a bishop, or a Queen's messenger--they are the only irresponsible people I can think of--I might have helped you; but this conceit to be a Parliament man is such irredeemable folly, one is powerless to deal with it.

'"At all events, your time is not worth much, nor is your public character of a very grave importance. Give them both, then, freely to the effort, but do not let it cost you money, nor let Donogan persuade you that you are one of those men who can make patriotism self-supporting.

'"H. E. hints at a very confidential mission on which he desires to employ me; and though I should leave this place now with much regret, and a more tender sorrow than I could teach you to comprehend, I shall hold myself at his orders for j.a.pan if he wants me. Meanwhile, write to me what takes place with Walpole, and put your faith firmly in the good-will and efficiency of yours truly,

'"JOE ATLEE.

'"If you think of taking Donogan down with you to Kilgobbin, I ought to tell you that it would be a mistake. Women invariably dislike him, and he would do you no credit.'"

d.i.c.k Kearney, who had begun to read this letter aloud, saw himself constrained to continue, and went on boldly, without stop or hesitation, to the last word.

'I am very grateful to you, Mr. Kearney, for this mark of trustfulness, and I'm not in the least sore about all Joe has said of me.'

'He is not over complimentary to myself,' said Kearney, and the irritation he felt was not to be concealed.

'There's one pa.s.sage in his letter,' said the other thoughtfully, 'well worth all the stress he lays on it. He tells you never to forget it "takes all sorts of men to make a party." Nothing can more painfully prove the fact than that we need Joe Atlee amongst ourselves! And it is true, Mr.

Kearney,' said he sternly, 'treason must now, to have any chance at all, be many-handed. We want not only all sorts of men, but in all sorts of places; and at tables where rebel opinions dared not be boldly announced and defended, we want people who can coquet with felony, and get men to talk over treason with little if any ceremony. Joe can do this--he can write, and, what is better, sing you a Fenian ballad, and if he sees he has made a mistake, he can quiz himself and his song as cavalierly as he has sung it!

And now, on my solemn oath I say it, I don't know that anything worse has befallen us than the fact that there are such men as Joe Atlee amongst us, and that we need them--ay, sir, we need them!'

'This is brief enough, at any rate,' said Kearney, as he broke open the second letter:--

'"DUBLIN CASTLE, _Wednesday Evening_.

'"DEAR SIR,--Would you do me the great favour to call on me here at your earliest convenient moment? I am still an invalid, and confined to a sofa, or would ask for permission to meet you at your chambers.--Believe me, yours faithfully,

CECIL WALPOLE."'

'That cannot be delayed, I suppose?' said Kearney, in the tone of a question.

'Certainly not.'

'I'll go up by the night-mail. You'll remain where you are, and where I hope you feel you are with a welcome.'

'I feel it, sir--I feel it more than I can say.' And his face was blood-red as he spoke.

'There are scores of things you can do while I am away. You'll have to study the county in all its baronies and subdivisions. There, my sister can help you; and you'll have to learn the names and places of our great county swells, and mark such as may be likely to a.s.sist us. You'll have to stroll about in our own neighbourhood, and learn what the people near home say of the intention, and pick up what you can of public opinion in our towns of Moate and Kilbeggan.'

'I have bethought me of all that---' He paused here and seemed to hesitate if he should say more; and after an effort, he went on: 'You'll not take amiss what I'm going to say, Mr. Kearney. You'll make full allowance for a man placed as I am; but I want, before you go, to learn from you in what way, or as what, you have presented me to your family? Am I a poor sizar of Trinity, whose hard struggle with poverty has caught your sympathy? Am I a chance acquaintance, whose only claim on you is being known to Joe Atlee?

I'm sure I need not ask you, have you called me by my real name and given me my real character?'

Kearney flushed up to the eyes, and laying his hand on the other's shoulder, said, 'This is exactly what I have done. I have told my sister that you are the noted Daniel Donogan, United Irishman and rebel.'

'But only to your sister?'

'To none other.'

'_She_'ll not betray me, I know that.'

'You are right there, Donogan. Here's how it happened, for it was not intended.' And now he related how the name had escaped him.

'So that the cousin knows nothing?'

'Nothing whatever. My sister Kate is not one to make rash confidences, and you may rely on it she has not told her.'

'I hope and trust that this mistake will serve you for a lesson, Mr.

Kearney, and show you that to keep a secret, it is not enough to have an honest intention, but a man must have a watch over his thoughts and a padlock on his tongue. And now to something of more importance. In your meeting with Walpole, mind one thing: no modesty, no humility; make your demands boldly, and declare that your price is well worth the paying; let him feel that, as he must make a choice between the priests and the nationalists, we are the easier of the two to deal with: first of all, we don't press for prompt payment; and, secondly, we'll not shock Exeter Hall!

Show him that strongly, and tell him that there are clever fellows amongst us who'll not compromise him or his party, and will never desert him on a close division. Oh dear me, how I wish I was going in your place.'

'So do I, with all my heart; but there's ten striking, and we shall be late for breakfast.'

CHAPTER x.x.x

THE MOATE STATION

The train by which Miss Betty O'Shea expected her nephew was late in its arrival at Moate, and Peter Gill, who had been sent with the car to fetch him over, was busily discussing his second supper when the pa.s.sengers arrived.