CHAPTER XX. MR. HEFFERNAN OUT-MANOEUVRED
It was on the very same evening that witnessed these events, that LordCastlereagh was conducting Mr. Con Heffernan to his hotel, aftera London dinner-party. The late Secretary for Ireland had himselfvolunteered the politeness, anxious to hear some tidings of peopleand events which, in the busy atmosphere of a crowded society, wereunattainable. He speedily ran over a catalogue of former friends andacquaintances, learning, with that surprise with which successful menalways regard their less fortunate contemporaries, that this one wasstill where he had left him, and that the other jogged on his daily roadas before, when he suddenly asked,--
"And the Darcys, what of them?"
Heffernan shrugged his shoulders without speaking.
"I am sorry for it," resumed the other; "sorry for the gallant oldKnight himself, and sorry for a state of society in which such changesare assumed as evidences of progress and prosperity. These upstartHickmans are not the elements of which a gentry can be formed."
"O'Reilly still looks to you for the baronetcy, my Lord," repliedHeffernan, with a half-sneer. "You have him with or against you on thatcondition,--at least, so I hear."
"Has he not had good fortune enough in this world to be satisfied?He has risen from nothing to be a man of eminence, wealth, and countyinfluence; would it not be more reasonable in him to mature his positionby a little patience, than endanger it by fresh shocks to publicopinion? Even a boa, my dear Heffernan, when he swallows a goat, takessix months to digest his meal. No! no! such men must be taught reserve,if their own prudence does not suggest it!"
"I believe you are right, my Lord," said Heffernan, thoughtfully;"O'Reilly is the very man to forget himself in the sunshine of courtfavor, and mistake good luck for desert."
"With all his money, too," rejoined Lord Castlereagh, "his influencewill just be proportioned to the degree of acceptance his constituentssuppose him to possess with us here. He has never graduated as aPatriot, and his slight popularity is only 'special gratia.' His patentof Gentleman has not come to him by birth."
"For this reason the baronetcy--"
"Let us not discuss that," said Lord Castlereagh, quickly. "There is anobjection in a high quarter to bestow honors, which would seem to ratifythe downfall of an ancient house." He seemed to have said more than hewas ready to admit, and to change the theme turned the conversation onthe party they had just quitted.
"Sir George Hannaper always does these things well."
Mr. Heffernan assented blandly, but not over eagerly. London was not"_his_ world," and the tone of a society so very different to what hewas habituated had not made on him the most favorable impression.
"And after all," said Lord Castlereagh, musingly, "there is a greatdeal of tact--ability, if you will--essential to the success of suchentertainments, to bring together men of different classes and shadesof opinion, people who have never met before, perhaps are never to meetagain, to hit upon the subjects of conversation that may prove generallyinteresting, without the risk of giving undue preponderance to any oneindividual's claims to superior knowledge. This demands considerableskill."
"Perhaps the difficulty is not so great _here_, my Lord," saidHeffernan, half timidly, "each man understands his part so well;information and conversational power appear tolerably equallydistributed; and when all the instruments are so well tuned, the leaderof the orchestra has an easy task."
"Ah! I believe I comprehend you," said Lord Castlereagh, laughing; "youare covertly sneering at the easy and unexciting quietude of our Londonhabits. Well, Heffernan, I admit we are not so fond of solo performancesas you are in Dublin; few among us venture on those 'obligate passages'which are so charming to Irish ears; but don't you think the concertedpieces are better performed?"
"I believe, my Lord," said Heffernan, abandoning the figure in hisanxiety to reply, "that we would call this dull in Ireland. I 'm afraidthat we are barbarous enough to set more store by wit and pleasantrythan on grave discussion and shrewd table-talk. It appears to me thatthese gentlemen carry an air of business into their conviviality."
"Scarcely so dangerous an error as to carry conviviality into business,"said Lord Castlereagh, slyly.
"There's too much holding back," said Heffernan, not heeding the taunt;"each man seems bent on making what jockeys call 'a waiting race.'"
"Confess, however," said Lord Castlereagh, smiling, "there 's nostruggle, no hustling at the winning-post: the best horse comes infirst---"
"Upon my soul, my Lord," said Heffernan, interrupting, "I have yetto learn that there is such a thing. I conclude from your Lordship'sobservation that the company we met to-day were above the ordinary runof agreeability."
"I should certainly say so."
"Well, then, I can only affirm that we should call this a failure in ourless polished land. I listened with becoming attention; the whole thingwas new to me, and I can safely aver I neither heard one remarkabove the level of commonplace, nor one observation evidencing acuteperception of passing events or reflection on the past. As to wit orepigram--"
"Oh, we do not value these gifts at _your_ price; we are too thrifty anation, Heffernan, to expend all our powder on fireworks."
"Faith, I agree with you, my Lord; the man who would venture on a rocketwould be treated as an incendiary."
"Come, come, Heffernan, I 'll not permit you to say so. Did you everin any society see a man more appreciated than our friend Darcy was thelast evening we met him, his pleasantry relished, his racy humor welltaken, and his stores of anecdote enjoyed with a degree of zest I havenever seen surpassed?"
"Darcy was always too smooth for our present taste," said Heffernan,caustically. "His school was antiquated years ago; there was a dash ofthe French courtier through the Irishmen of his day."
"That made the most polished gentlemen of Europe, I've been told," saidLord Castlereagh, interrupting. "I know your taste inclines to a lesschastened and more adventurous pleasantry, shrewd insight into anantagonist's weak point, a quick perception of the ridiculous---"
"Allied with deep knowledge of men and motives, my Lord," saidHeffernan, catching up the sentence, "a practical acquaintance withthe world in its widest sense; that cultivated keenness that smacks ofreading intentions before they are avowed, and divining plans beforethey are more than conceived. These solid gifts are all essential to theman who would influence society, whether in a social circle or in thelarger sphere of active life."
"Ah! but we were talking of merely social qualities," said LordCastlereagh, stealing a cautious look of half malice, "the wit that setsthe table in a roar."
"And which, like lightning, my Lord, must now and then prove dangerous,or men will cease to be dazzled by its brilliancy. Now, I rather inclineto think that the Knight's pleasantry is like some of the claret we weredrinking to-day, a little spoiled by age."
"I protest strongly against the judgment," said Lord Castlereagh, withenergy; "the man who at his time of life consents to resume the toilsand dangers of a soldier's career must not be accused of growing old."
"Perhaps your Lordship would rather shift the charge of senilityagainst the Government which appoints such an officer," said Heffernan,maliciously.
"As to that," said Lord Castlereagh, laughingly, "I believe the wholething was a mistake. Some jealous but indiscreet friend of Darcy's madean application in his behalf, and without his cognizance, pressingthe claim of an old and meritorious officer, and directly asking for arestitution to his grade. This was backed by Lord Netherby, one of thelords in waiting, and without much inquiry--indeed, I fancy withoutany--he was named colonel, in exchange from the unattached list. TheKnight was evidently flattered by so signal a mark of favor, and, if Iread him aright, would not change his command for a brigade at home. Infact, he has already declined prospects not less certain of success."
"And is this really the mode in which officers are selected for anenterprise of hazard and importance?" said Heffernan, affecting a toneof startled indignation as he spoke
.
"Upon my word, Heffernan," said Lord Castlereagh, subduing the risingtendency to laugh outright, "I fear it is too true. We live in days ofbackstairs and court favor. I saw an application for the office of UnderSecretary for Ireland, so late as yesterday--"
"You did, my Lord!" interrupted Heffernan, with more warmth than healmost ever permitted himself to feel. "You did, from a man who hasrendered more unrewarded services to the Government than any individualin the kingdom."
"The claim was a very suitable one," said Lord Castle-reagh, mildly."The gentleman who preferred it could point to a long list of successfuloperations, whose conduct rested mainly or solely on his own consummateskill and address; he could even allege the vast benefit of his adviceto young and not over-informed Chief Secretaries---"
"I would beg to observe, my Lord---"
"Pray allow me to continue," said Lord Castlereagh, laying his handgently on the other's arm. "As one of that helpless class so feelinglyalluded to, I am ready to evince the deepest sense of gratefulacknowledgments. It may be that I would rather have been mentioned moreflatteringly; that the applicant had spoken of me as an apter and morepromising scholar---"
"My Lord, I must and will interrupt you. The memorial, which waspresented in my name, was sent forward under the solemn pledge thatit should meet the eyes of Mr. Pitt alone; that whether its prayer wasdeclined or accorded, none, save himself, should have cognizance ofit. If, after this, it was submitted to your Lordship's criticalexamination, I leave it to your good taste and your sense of decorum howfar you can avow or make use of the knowledge so obtained."
"I was no party in the compact you allege, nor. I dare to say, was Mr.Pitt," said Lord Castlereagh, proudly; but, momentarily resuming hisformer tone, he went on: "The Prime Minister, doubtless, knew howvaluable the lesson might be to a young man entering on public lifewhich should teach him not to lay too much store by his own powersof acuteness, not to trust too implicitly to his own qualities ofshrewdness and perception; and that, by well reflecting on the aid hereceived from others, he might see how little the subtraction wouldleave for his own peculiar amount of skill. In this way I have toacknowledge myself greatly Mr. Heffernan's debtor, since, without theaid of this document, I should never have recognized how ignorant I wasof every party and every public man in Ireland; how dependent on hisgood guidance; how I never failed save in rejecting, never succeededsave in profiting by his wise and politic counsels."
"Is your Lordship prepared to deny these assertions?" said Heffernan,with an imperturbable coolness.
"Am I not avowing my grateful sense of them?" said Lord Castlereagh,smiling blandly. "I feel only the more deeply your debtor, because, tillnow, I never knew the debt,--both principal and interest must be paidtogether; but seriously, Heffernan, if you wanted office, was I not theproper channel to have used in asking for it? Why disparage your pupilwhile extolling your system?"
"You did my system but little credit, my Lord," replied Heffernan, withan accent as unmoved as before; "you bought votes when you shouldhave bought the voters themselves; you deemed the Bill of Union theconsummation of Irish policy,--it is only the first act of the piece.You were not the first general who thought he beat the enemy when hedrove in the pickets."
"Would my tactics have been better had I made one of my spies amajor-general, Mr. Heffernan?" said Lord Castlereagh, sneeringly.
"Safer, my lord,--far safer," said Heffernan, "for he might not haveexposed you afterwards. But I think this is my hotel; and I must say itis the first time in my life that I have closed an interview with yourLordship without regret."
"Am I to hope it will be the last?" said Lord Castle-reagh, laughing.
"The last interview, my Lord, or the last occasion of regretting itsshortness?" said Heffernan, with a slight anxiety of voice.
"Whichever Mr. Heffernan opines most to his advantage," was the coolreply.
"The former, with your permission, my Lord," said Heffernan, as a flushsuffused his cheek. "I wish your Lordship a very good night."
"Good-night, good-night! Stay, Thomas, Mr. Heffernan has forgotten hisgloves."
"Thanks, my Lord; they were not left as a gage of battle, I assure you."
"I feel certain of it," said Lord Castlereagh, laughing. "Good-night,once more."
The carriage rolled on, and Mr. Heffernan stood for an instant gazingafter it through the gloom.
"I might have known it," muttered he to himself; "these lords are theonly people who do stick to each other nowadays." Then, after a pause,he added, "Drogheda is right, by Jove! there 's no playing against 'fourby honors.'"
And with this reflection he slowly entered the hotel, and repaired tohis chamber.