CHAPTER LIX.
THE DINNER.
It does sometimes occur in life that an unambitious man, who is in nodegree given to enterprises, who would fain be safe, is driven by thecruelty of circumstances into a position in which he must choose aside, and in which, though he has no certain guide as to which sidehe should choose, he is aware that he will be disgraced if he shouldtake the wrong side. This was felt as a hardship by many who werequite suddenly forced to make up their mind whether they would go toMelmotte's dinner, or join themselves to the faction of those who haddetermined to stay away although they had accepted invitations. Somethere were not without a suspicion that the story against Melmottehad been got up simply as an electioneering trick,--so that Mr. Alfmight carry the borough on the next day. As a dodge for an electionthis might be very well, but any who might be deterred by sucha manoeuvre from meeting the Emperor and supporting the Princewould surely be marked men. And none of the wives, when they wereconsulted, seemed to care a straw whether Melmotte was a swindler ornot. Would the Emperor and the Princes and Princesses be there? Thiswas the only question which concerned them. They did not care whetherMelmotte was arrested at the dinner or after the dinner, so longas they, with others, could show their diamonds in the presence ofeastern and western royalty. But yet,--what a fiasco would it be,if at this very instant of time the host should be apprehended forcommon forgery! The great thing was to ascertain whether others weregoing. If a hundred or more out of the two hundred were to be absenthow dreadful would be the position of those who were present! And howwould the thing go if at the last moment the Emperor should be keptaway? The Prime Minister had decided that the Emperor and the Princeshould remain altogether in ignorance of the charges which werepreferred against the man; but of that these doubters were unaware.There was but little time for a man to go about town and pick up thetruth from those who were really informed; and questions were askedin an uncomfortable and restless manner. "Is your Grace going?" saidLionel Lupton to the Duchess of Stevenage,--having left the Houseand gone into the park between six and seven to pick up some hintsamong those who were known to have been invited. The Duchess wasLord Alfred's sister, and of course she was going. "I usually keepengagements when I make them, Mr. Lupton," said the Duchess. She hadbeen assured by Lord Alfred not a quarter of an hour before thateverything was as straight as a die. Lord Alfred had not then evenheard of the rumour. But ultimately both Lionel Lupton and BeauchampBeauclerk attended the dinner. They had received special tickets assupporters of Mr. Melmotte at the election,--out of the scanty numberallotted to that gentleman himself,--and they thought themselvesbound in honour to be there. But they, with their leader, and oneother influential member of the party, were all who at last came asthe political friends of the candidate for Westminster. The existingministers were bound to attend to the Emperor and the Prince. Butmembers of the Opposition, by their presence, would support the manand the politician, and both as a man and as a politician they wereashamed of him.
When Melmotte arrived at his own door with his wife and daughter hehad heard nothing of the matter. That a man so vexed with affairs ofmoney, so laden with cares, encompassed by such dangers, should befree from suspicion and fear it is impossible to imagine. That suchburdens should be borne at all is a wonder to those whose shouldershave never been broadened for such work;--as is the strength of theblacksmith's arm to men who have never wielded a hammer. Surely hiswhole life must have been a life of terrors! But of any special perilto which he was at that moment subject, or of any embarrassment whichmight affect the work of the evening, he knew nothing. He placed hiswife in the drawing-room and himself in the hall, and arranged hisimmediate satellites around him,--among whom were included the twoGrendalls, young Nidderdale, and Mr. Cohenlupe,--with a feeling ofgratified glory. Nidderdale down at the House had heard the rumour,but had determined that he would not as yet fly from his colours.Cohenlupe had also come up from the House, where no one had spoken tohim. Though grievously frightened during the last fortnight, he hadnot dared to be on the wing as yet. And, indeed, to what clime couldsuch a bird as he fly in safety? He had not only heard,--but alsoknew very much, and was not prepared to enjoy the feast. Since theyhad been in the hall Miles had spoken dreadful words to his father."You've heard about it; haven't you?" whispered Miles. Lord Alfred,remembering his sister's question, became almost pale, but declaredthat he had heard nothing. "They're saying all manner of things inthe City;--forgery and heaven knows what. The Lord Mayor is notcoming." Lord Alfred made no reply. It was the philosophy of hislife that misfortunes when they came should be allowed to settlethemselves. But he was unhappy.
The grand arrivals were fairly punctual, and the very grand peopleall came. The unfortunate Emperor,--we must consider a man to beunfortunate who is compelled to go through such work as this,--withimpassible and awful dignity, was marshalled into the room on theground floor, whence he and other royalties were to be marshalledback into the banqueting hall. Melmotte, bowing to the ground, walkedbackwards before him, and was probably taken by the Emperor for someCourt Master of the Ceremonies especially selected to walk backwardson this occasion. The Princes had all shaken hands with their host,and the Princesses had bowed graciously. Nothing of the rumour hadas yet been whispered in royal palaces. Besides royalty the companyallowed to enter the room downstairs was very select. The PrimeMinister, one archbishop, two duchesses, and an ex-governor ofIndia with whose features the Emperor was supposed to be peculiarlyfamiliar, were alone there. The remainder of the company, under thesuperintendence of Lord Alfred, were received in the drawing-roomabove. Everything was going on well, and they who had come and hadthought of not coming were proud of their wisdom.
But when the company was seated at dinner the deficiencies werevisible enough, and were unfortunate. Who does not know the effectmade by the absence of one or two from a table intended for tenor twelve,--how grievous are the empty places, how destructive ofthe outward harmony and grace which the hostess has endeavoured topreserve are these interstices, how the lady in her wrath declares toherself that those guilty ones shall never have another opportunityof filling a seat at her table? Some twenty, most of whom had beenasked to bring their wives, had slunk from their engagements, andthe empty spaces were sufficient to declare a united purpose. A weeksince it had been understood that admission for the evening could notbe had for love or money, and that a seat at the dinner-table was asa seat at some banquet of the gods! Now it looked as though the roomwere but half-filled. There were six absences from the City. Anothersix of Mr. Melmotte's own political party were away. The archbishopsand the bishop were there, because bishops never hear worldly tidingstill after other people;--but that very Master of the Buckhounds forwhom so much pressure had been made did not come. Two or three peerswere absent, and so also was that editor who had been chosen tofill Mr. Alf's place. One poet, two painters, and a philosopher hadreceived timely notice at their clubs, and had gone home. The threeindependent members of the House of Commons for once agreed in theirpolicy, and would not lend the encouragement of their presence to aman suspected of forgery. Nearly forty places were vacant when thebusiness of the dinner commenced.
Melmotte had insisted that Lord Alfred should sit next to himself atthe big table, and having had the objectionable bar removed, andhis own chair shoved one step nearer to the centre, had carried his.point. With the anxiety natural to such an occasion, he glancedrepeatedly round the hall, and of course became aware that many wereabsent. "How is it that there are so many places empty?" he said tohis faithful Achates.
"Don't know," said Achates, shaking his head, steadfastly refusing tolook round upon the hall.
Melmotte waited awhile, then looked round again, and asked thequestion in another shape: "Hasn't there been some mistake about thenumbers? There's room for ever so many more."
"Don't know," said Lord Alfred, who was unhappy in his mind, andrepenting himself that he had ever seen Mr. Melmotte.
"What the deuce do you mean?" whispere
d Melmotte. "You've been at itfrom the beginning and ought to know. When I wanted to ask Brehgert,you swore that you couldn't squeeze a place."
"Can't say anything about it," said Lord Alfred, with his eyes fixedupon his plate.
"I'll be d---- if I don't find out," said Melmotte. "There's eithersome horrible blunder, or else there's been imposition. I don't seequite clearly. Where's Sir Gregory Gribe?"
"Hasn't come, I suppose."
"And where's the Lord Mayor?" Melmotte, in spite of royalty, was nowsitting with his face turned round upon the hall. "I know all theirplaces, and I know where they were put. Have you seen the LordMayor?"
"No; I haven't seen him at all."
"But he was to come. What's the meaning of it, Alfred?"
"Don't know anything about it." He shook his head but would not, foreven a moment, look round upon the room.
"And where's Mr. Killegrew,--and Sir David Boss?" Mr. Killegrew andSir David were gentlemen of high standing, and destined for importantoffices in the Conservative party. "There are ever so many people nothere. Why, there's not above half of them down the room. What's up,Alfred? I must know."
"I tell you I know nothing. I could not make them come." LordAlfred's answers were made not only with a surly voice, but also witha surly heart. He was keenly alive to the failure, and alive also tothe feeling that the failure would partly be attached to himself.At the present moment he was anxious to avoid observation, and itseemed to him that Melmotte, by the frequency and impetuosity of hisquestions, was drawing special attention to him. "If you go on makinga row," he said, "I shall go away." Melmotte looked at him with allhis eyes. "Just sit quiet and let the thing go on. You'll know allabout it soon enough." This was hardly the way to give Mr. Melmottepeace of mind. For a few minutes he did sit quiet. Then he got up andmoved down the hall behind the guests.
In the meantime, Imperial Majesty and Royalties of variousdenominations ate their dinner, without probably observing thoseBanquo's seats. As the Emperor talked Manchoo only, and as there wasno one present who could even interpret Manchoo into English,--theimperial interpreter condescending only to interpret Manchoo intoordinary Chinese which had to be reinterpreted,--it was not withinhis Imperial Majesty's power to have much conversation with hisneighbours. And as his neighbours on each side of him were allcousins and husbands, and brothers and wives, who saw each constantlyunder, let us presume, more comfortable circumstances, they had notvery much to say to each other. Like most of us, they had theirduties to do, and, like most of us, probably found their dutiesirksome. The brothers and sisters and cousins were used to it; butthat awful Emperor, solid, solemn, and silent, must, if the spirit ofan Eastern Emperor be at all like that of a Western man, have had aweary time of it. He sat there for more than two hours, awful, solid,solemn, and silent, not eating very much,--for this was not hismanner of eating; nor drinking very much,--for this was not hismanner of drinking; but wondering, no doubt, within his own awfulbosom, at the changes which were coming when an Emperor of China wasforced, by outward circumstances, to sit and hear this buzz of voicesand this clatter of knives and forks. "And this," he must have saidto himself, "is what they call royalty in the West!" If a prince ofour own was forced, for the good of the country, to go among some fardistant outlandish people, and there to be poked in the ribs, andslapped on the back all round, the change to him could hardly be sogreat.
"Where's Sir Gregory?" said Melmotte, in a hoarse whisper, bendingover the chair of a City friend. It was old Todd, the senior partnerof Todd, Brehgert, and Goldsheiner. Mr. Todd was a very wealthy man,and had a considerable following in the City.
"Ain't he here?" said Todd,--knowing very well who had come from theCity and who had declined.
"No;--and the Lord Mayor's not come;--nor Postlethwaite, nor Bunter.What's the meaning of it?"
Todd looked first at one neighbour and then at another before heanswered. "I'm here, that's all I can say, Mr. Melmotte; and I'vehad a very good dinner. They who haven't come, have lost a very gooddinner."
There was a weight upon Melmotte's mind of which he could not ridhimself. He knew from the old man's manner, and he knew also fromLord Alfred's manner, that there was something which each of themcould tell him if he would. But he was unable to make the men opentheir mouths. And yet it might be so important to him that he shouldknow! "It's very odd," he said, "that gentlemen should promise tocome and then stay away. There were hundreds anxious to be presentwhom I should have been glad to welcome, if I had known that therewould be room. I think it is very odd."
"It is odd," said Mr. Todd, turning his attention to the plate beforehim.
Melmotte had lately seen much of Beauchamp Beauclerk, in referenceto the coming election. Passing back up the table, he found thegentleman with a vacant seat on one side of him. There were manyvacant seats in this part of the room, as the places for theConservative gentlemen had been set apart together. There Mr.Melmotte seated himself for a minute, thinking that he might get thetruth from his new ally. Prudence should have kept him silent. Letthe cause of these desertions have been what it might, it ought tohave been clear to him that he could apply no remedy to it now. Buthe was bewildered and dismayed, and his mind within him was changingat every moment. He was now striving to trust to his arrogance anddeclaring that nothing should cow him. And then again he was so cowedthat he was ready to creep to any one for assistance. Personally,Mr. Beauclerk had disliked the man greatly. Among the vulgar, loudupstarts whom he had known, Melmotte was the vulgarest, the loudest,and the most arrogant. But he had taken the business of Melmotte'selection in hand, and considered himself bound to stand by Melmottetill that was over; and he was now the guest of the man in his ownhouse, and was therefore constrained to courtesy. His wife wassitting by him, and he at once introduced her to Mr. Melmotte. "Youhave a wonderful assemblage here, Mr. Melmotte," said the lady,looking up at the royal table.
"Yes, ma'am, yes. His Majesty the Emperor has been pleased tointimate that he has been much gratified."--Had the Emperor in truthsaid so, no one who looked at him could have believed his imperialword.--"Can you tell me, Mr. Beauclerk, why those other gentlemen arenot here? It looks very odd; does it not?"
"Ah; you mean Killegrew."
"Yes; Mr. Killegrew and Sir David Boss, and the whole lot. I made aparticular point of their coming. I said I wouldn't have the dinnerat all unless they were to be asked. They were going to make it aGovernment thing; but I said no. I insisted on the leaders of our ownparty; and now they're not here. I know the cards were sent;--and, byGeorge, I have their answers, saying they'd come."
"I suppose some of them are engaged," said Mr. Beauclerk.
"Engaged! What business has a man to accept one engagement andthen take another? And, if so, why shouldn't he write and make hisexcuses? No, Mr. Beauclerk, that won't go down."
"I'm here, at any rate," said Beauclerk, making the very answer thathad occurred to Mr. Todd.
"Oh, yes, you're here. You're all right. But what is it, Mr.Beauclerk? There's something up, and you must have heard." And soit was clear to Mr. Beauclerk that the man knew nothing about ithimself. If there was anything wrong, Melmotte was not aware thatthe wrong had been discovered. "Is it anything about the electionto-morrow?"
"One never can tell what is actuating people," said Mr. Beauclerk.
"If you know anything about the matter I think you ought to tell me."
"I know nothing except that the ballot will be taken to-morrow. Youand I have got nothing more to do in the matter except to wait theresult."
"Well; I suppose it's all right," said Melmotte, rising and goingback to his seat. But he knew that things were not all right. Had hispolitical friends only been absent, he might have attributed theirabsence to some political cause which would not have touched himdeeply. But the treachery of the Lord Mayor and of Sir Gregory Gribewas a blow. For another hour after he had returned to his place, theEmperor sat solemn in his chair; and then, at some signal given bysome one, he was withdrawn. The ladie
s had already left the roomabout half an hour. According to the programme arranged for theevening, the royal guests were to return to the smaller room fora cup of coffee, and were then to be paraded upstairs before themultitude who would by that time have arrived, and to remain therelong enough to justify the invited ones in saying that they had spentthe evening with the Emperor and the Princes and the Princesses. Theplan was carried out perfectly. At half-past ten the Emperor was madeto walk upstairs, and for half an hour sat awful and composed in anarm-chair that had been prepared for him. How one would wish to seethe inside of the mind of the Emperor as it worked on that occasion!
Melmotte, when his guests ascended his stairs, went back into thebanqueting-room and through to the hall, and wandered about till hefound Miles Grendall. "Miles," he said, "tell me what the row is."
"How row?" asked Miles.
"There's something wrong, and you know all about it. Why didn't thepeople come?" Miles, looking guilty, did not even attempt to deny hisknowledge. "Come; what is it? We might as well know all about it atonce." Miles looked down on the ground, and grunted something. "Is itabout the election?"
"No, it's not that," said Miles.
"Then what is it?"
"They got hold of something to-day in the City--about Pickering."
"They did, did they? And what were they saying about Pickering? Come;you might as well out with it. You don't suppose that I care whatlies they tell."
"They say there's been something--forged. Title-deeds, I think theysay."
"Title-deeds! that I have forged title-deeds. Well; that's beginningwell. And his lordship has stayed away from my house after acceptingmy invitation because he has heard that story! All right, Miles;that will do." And the Great Financier went upstairs into his owndrawing-room.