Lothair Part 3

On the morning of the day on which he intended to visit Cardinal Grandison, Mr. Giles, in his chambers at Lincoln's Inn, was suddenly apprised, by a clerk, that an interview with him was sought by a client no less distinguished than Lothair.

Although Mr. Giles sat opposite two rows of tin boxes, each of which was numbered, and duly inscribed with the name of Lothair and that of the particular estate to which it referred, Mr. Giles, though he had had occasional communications with his client, was personally unacquainted with him. He viewed, therefore, with no ordinary curiosity the young man who was ushered into his room; a shapely youth slightly above the middle height; of simple, but distinguished mien, with a countenance naturally pale, though somewhat bronzed by a life of air and exercise, and a profusion of dark-auburn hair.

And for what could Lothair be calling on Mr. Giles?

It seems that one of Lothair's intimate companions had got into a sc.r.a.pe, and under these circ.u.mstances had what is styled "made a friend"

of Lothair; that is to say, confided to him his trouble, and asked his advice, with a view, when given, of its being followed by an offer of a.s.sistance.

Lothair, though inexperienced, and very ingenuous, was not devoid of a certain instinctive perception of men and, things, which rendered it difficult for him to be an easy prey. His natural disposition, and his comparatively solitary education, had made him a keen observer, and he was one who meditated over his observations. But he was naturally generous and sensible of kindness; and this was a favorite companion--next to Bertram, his most intimate.

Lothair was quite happy in the opportunity of soothing a perturbed spirit whose society had been to him a source of so much gratification.

It was not until Lothair had promised to extricate his friend from his whelming difficulties, that, upon examination, he found the act on his part was not so simple and so easy as he had a.s.sumed it to be. His guardians had apportioned to him an allowance in every sense adequate to his position; and there was no doubt, had he wished to exceed it for any legitimate purpose, not the slightest difficulty on their part would have been experienced.

Such a conjuncture had never occurred. Lothair was profuse, but he was not prodigal. He gratified all his fancies, but they were not ign.o.ble ones; and he was not only sentimentally, but systematically, charitable.

He had a great number of fine horses, and he had just paid for an expensive yacht. In a word, he spent a great deal of money, and until he called at his bankers to learn what sums were at his disposition he was not aware that he had overdrawn his account.

This was rather awkward. Lothair wanted a considerable sum, and he wanted it at once. Irrespective of the consequent delay, he shrunk from any communication with his guardians. From his uncle he had become, almost insensibly, estranged, and with his other guardian he had never had the slightest communication. Under these circ.u.mstances he recalled the name of the solicitor of the trustees, between whom and himself there had been occasional correspondence; and, being of a somewhat impetuous disposition, he rode off at once from his hotel to Lincoln's Inn.

Mr. Giles listened to the narrative with unbroken interest and unswerving patience, with his eyes fixed on his client, and occasionally giving a sympathetic nod.

"And so," concluded Lothair, "I thought I would come to you."

"We are honored," said Mr. Giles. "And, certainly, it is quite absurd that your lords.h.i.+p should want money, and for a worthy purpose, and not be able to command it. Why! the balance in the name of the trustees never was so great as at this moment; and this very day, or to-morrow at farthest, I shall pay no less than eight-and-thirty thousand pounds timber-money to the account."

"Well, I don't want a fifth of that," said Lothair.

"Your lords.h.i.+p has an objection to apply to the trustees?" inquired Mr.

Giles.

"That is the point of the whole of my statement," said Lothair somewhat impatiently.

"And yet it is the right and regular thing," said Mr. Giles.

"It may be right and it may be regular, but it is out of the question."

"Then we will say no more about it. What I want to prevent," said Mr.

Giles, musingly, "is any thing absurd happening. There is no doubt if your lords.h.i.+p went into the street and said you wanted ten thousand pounds, or a hundred thousand, fifty people would supply you immediately--but you would have to pay for it. Some enormous usury! That would be bad; but the absurdity of the thing would be greater than the mischief. Roundells, Giles, and Roundell could not help you in that manner. That is not our business. We are glad to find money for our clients at a legal rate of interest, and the most moderate rate feasible. But then there must be security, and the best security. But here we must not conceal it from ourselves, my lord, we have no security whatever. At this moment your lords.h.i.+p has no property. An insurance-office might do it with a policy. They might consider that they had a moral security; but still it would be absurd. There is something absurd in your lords.h.i.+p having to raise money. Don't you think I could see these people," said Mr. Giles, "and talk to them, and gain a little time? We only want a little time."

"No," said Lothair, in a peremptory tone. "I said I would do it, and it must be done, and at once. Sooner than there should be delay, I would rather go into the street, as you suggest, and ask the first man I met to lend me the money. My word has been given, and I do not care what I pay to fulfil my word."

"We must not think of such things," said Mr. Giles, shaking his head.

"All I want your lords.h.i.+p to understand is the exact position. In this case we have no security. Roundells, Giles, and Roundell cannot move without security. It would be against our articles of partners.h.i.+p. But Mr. Giles, as a private individual, may do what he likes. I will let your lords.h.i.+p have the money, and I will take no security whatever--not even a note of hand. All that I ask for is that your lords.h.i.+p should write me a letter, saying you have urgent need for a sum of money (mentioning amount) for an honorable purpose, in which your feelings are deeply interested--and that will do. If any thing happens to your lords.h.i.+p before this time next year, why, I think the trustees could hardly refuse repaying the money; and if they did, why then," added Mr.

Giles, "I suppose it will be all the same a hundred years hence."

"You have conferred on me the greatest obligation," said Lothair, with much earnestness. "Language cannot express what I feel. I am not too much used to kindness, and I only hope that I may live to show my sense of yours."

"It is really no great affair, my lord," said Mr. Giles. "I did not wish to make difficulties, but it was my duty to put the matter clearly before you. What I propose I could to do is really nothing. I could do no less; I should have felt quite absurd if your lords.h.i.+p had gone into the money-market."

"I only hope," repeated Lothair, rising and offering Mr. Giles his hand, "that life may give me some occasion to prove my grat.i.tude."

"Well, my lord," replied Mr. Giles, "if your lords.h.i.+p wish to repay me for any little interest I have shown in your affairs, you can do that, over and over again, and at once."

"How so?"

"By a very great favor, by which Mrs. Giles and myself would be deeply gratified. We have a few friends who honor us by dining with us to-day in Hyde Park Gardens. If your lords.h.i.+p would add the great distinction your presence--"

"I should only be too much honored," exclaimed Lothair: "I suppose about eight," and he left the room; and Mr. Giles telegraphed instantly the impending event to Apollonia.

CHAPTER 8

It was a great day for Apollonia; not only to have Lothair at her right hand at dinner, but the prospect of receiving a cardinal in the evening.

But she was equal to it; though so engrossed, indeed, in the immediate gratification of her hopes and wishes, that she could scarcely dwell sufficiently on the coming scene of triumph and social excitement.

The repast was sumptuous; Lothair thought the dinner would never end, there were so many dishes, and apparently all of the highest pretension.

But if his simple tastes had permitted him to take an interest in these details, which, they did not, he would have been a.s.sisted by a gorgeous menu of gold and white typography, that was by the side of each guest.

The table seemed literally to groan under vases and gigantic flagons, and, in its midst, rose a mountain of silver, on which apparently all the cardinal virtues, several of the pagan deities, and Britannia herself, ill.u.s.trated with many lights a glowing inscription, which described the fervent feelings of a grateful client.

There were many guests--the Dowager of Farringford, a lady of quality, Apollonia's great lady, who exercised under this roof much social tyranny; in short, was rather fine; but who, on this occasion, was somewhat cowed by the undreamt-of presence of Lothair. She had not yet met him, and probably never would have met him, had she not had the good fortune of dining at his lawyer's. However, Lady Farringford was placed a long way from Lothair, having been taken down to dinner by Mr. Giles; and so, by the end of the first course, Lady Farringford had nearly resumed her customary despotic vein, and was beginning to indulge in several kind observations, cheapening to her host and hostess, and indirectly exalting herself; upon which Mr. Giles took an early easy opportunity of apprising Lady Farringford, that she had nearly met Cardinal Grandison at dinner, and that his eminence would certainly pay his respects to Mrs. Putney Giles in the evening. As Lady Farringford was at present a high ritualist and had even been talked of as "going to Rome," this intelligence was stunning, and it was observed that her ladys.h.i.+p was unusually subdued during the whole of the second course.

On the right of Lothair sat the wife of a vice-chancellor, a quiet and pleasing lady, to whom Lothair, with natural good breeding, paid s.n.a.t.c.hes of happy attention, when he could for a moment with propriety withdraw himself from the blaze of Apollonia's coruscating conversation.

Then there was a rather fierce-looking Red Ribbon, medalled, as well as be-starred, and the Red Ribbon's wife, with a blus.h.i.+ng daughter, in spite of, her parentage not yet accustomed to stand fire. A partner and his unusually numerous family had the pleasure also of seeing Lothair for the first time, and there were no less than four M.P.s, one of whom was even in office.

Apollonia was stating to Lothair, with perspicuity, the reasons which quite induced her to believe that the Gulf-Stream had changed its course, and the political and social consequences that might accrue.

"The religious sentiment of the Southern races must be wonderfully affected by a more rigorous climate," said Apollonia. "I cannot doubt,"

she continued, "that a series of severe winters at Rome might put an end to Romanism."

"But is there any fear that a reciprocal influence might be exercised on the Northern nations?" inquired Lothair. "Would there be any apprehension of our Protestantism becoming proportionately relaxed?"

"Of course not," said Apollonia. "Truth cannot be affected by climate.

Truth is truth, alike in Palestine and Scandinavia."

"I wonder what the cardinal would think of this," said Lothair, "who, you tell me, is coming to you this evening?"

"Yes, I am most interested to see him, though he is the most puissant of our foes. Of course he would take refuge in sophistry; and science, you know, they deny."

"Cardinal Grandison is giving some lectures on science," said the vice-chancellor's lady, quietly.

"It is remorse," said Apollonia. "Their clever men can never forget that unfortunate affair of Galileo, and think they can divert the indignation of the ninteenth century by mock zeal about red sandstone or the origin of species."

"And are you afraid of the Gulf-Stream?" inquired Lothair of his calmer neighbor.

"I think we want more evidence of a change. The vice-chancellor and myself went down to a place we have near town, on Sat.u.r.day, where there is a very nice piece of water; indeed, some people call it a lake; but it was quite frozen, and my boys wanted to skate, but that I would not permit."

"You believe in the Gulf-Stream to that extent," said Lothair--"no skating."