A Trick of Fame

Front matter

BY THE SA, ME AUTHOR A PLAYER'S TRAGEDY. [London, 1893.] ' Dramatic in conception . . . justifies us in welcoming its author as a promising recruit to the army of novelists.' — The 'limes. 1 A very convincing sketch. . . . Some of the conversa tions are decidedly good.' — Athenæum. 'A grim and powerful story . . . the problem treated with much ingenuity and force.' — Saturday Review. 'If all the shilling shockers were like "A Player's Tragedy," it were safe to foretell the speedy extinction of the circulating library. . . . The idea is strong and original, and is excellently developed and worked out.' — National Observer. ' Among the most readable of the newest stories. . . . Mr. Fyfe writes of things he knows and sees; his tale is cleverly dovetailed together, the writing fresh and lively.' — Pall Mall Gazette.

A TRICK OF FAME A TRICK OF FAME 11 V H. HAMILTON FYFE 1 A fantasy and trick of far IN two volumes VOL. I. LONDON RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON in ©rtinarg to JJjer the (Queen 1897 [All rights reset'-ed] CONTENTS OF VOL. I. CHAPTER PAGE I. A GREAT DAY FOR RADFIELD - - I II. TWO SPEECHES - - - 23 III. ACACIA GARDENS - - - 43 IV. CHANGES AND CHANCES - - -65 V. THE MAKING OF A MAN - - 82 VI. 'PRIVATE SECRETARY, UNPAID' - - IOO VII. FATHER AND SON - - - - 1 08 VIII. MR. PERFITT APPEARS ■ - - 12 1 IX. AN INSTRUMENT OF FATE - - 1 35 X. ARTS AND CRAFTS - - - - 1 47 XI. WINGED WORDS - - ■ 1 66 XII. STRAWS IN THE WIND - - C 83 XIII. TEA ON THE TERRACE - - - 206 XIV. SIMPATICA - - - - - 2 20 XV. IN DOWNING STREET - - - 233 XVI. A SHAKY EMINENCE - - - 247 XVII. THE LAST OF ACACIA GARDENS - - 262 XVIII. A CONVERSATION IN A CAB - - 274 XIX. A CONVERSATION AT RADFIELD HOUSE - A TRICK OF FAME

Chapter I

A GREAT DAY FOR RADFIELD. ' Ay,' said the landlord of the Aysgarth Arms, looking down upon the market-place, ' this be a great day for Radfield.' And so indeed it was. The landlord was standing at an upper window. Before him, in the broad space, surrounded by shops and inns of a solidity which betokened good custom, a crowd of some thousands was gathered, or, rather, was passing continually to and fro. From a mast fixed upon one of the tallest roofs there stretched several ropes, attached to lower houses on each side of the square, and on these ropes fluttered flags and VOL. I. I bunting of all shapes, sizes, and shades of colour, reflecting more credit upon the enthusiasm of those who had rigged them up than upon their sense of artistic arrange ment. In the centre of the square was an erection of scaffold-poles, to which were fixed two boards of great size, one facing towards the Aysgarth Arms, and the other towards the street which was the main traffic artery leading into and out of the market-place.

These bore inscriptions. That upon which the landlord directed his admiring gaze was in praise of an individual. ' Hewlett for ever !' was the sentiment it proclaimed, while the reverse declared that 'Union is strength. ' '.-5 For the multitudes, who gazed proudly upon them, these boards had great signifi cance ; and the words found an echo in the heart of every one of the cotton-spinners and operatives, who formed by far the largest part of the inhabitants of Radfield and its neighbourhood. For weeks and months of cold and hunger they had been sustained by the spirit of these inscriptions, and, now that their privations and sacrifices were rewarded, to all but a few the victory they had won seemed to be ample compensation. A great strike was just over. Throughout the winter, ever since the last days of November, the mills of Radfield had stood idle.

Now, in the month of April, the operatives had forced their employers to accept the terms upon which alone they were willing to resume work. Both sides had combined and organized, both were well supplied with money, though for the last six weeks of the strike the workers had been on short rations. Both seemed determined throughout not to give way — not to abate one jot or tittle of their demands. Yet now an end had come, and the masters confessed themselves beaten. The principal owner of mills in the Rad field district, the Marquis of Aysgarth, was an old man, who left the control of his business entirely in the hands of his son — his only son. It was this son, Lord Radfield, who had been foremost on the masters' side. i — A CREA T DA Y FOR RADFIELD 4 His chief opponent had been the President of the Operatives' Union, the member returned to Parliament to represent the town.

Abel Hewlett had been born in Radfield, had worked there as a cotton-spinner, and finally, after passing through the various stages of local agitator, trade union delegate, County Councillor, and Union Secretary, had attained some years before to the position which from boyhood he had desired with a strenuous ambition — that of a member of the Imperial Parliament. The position of a leader among the work ing classes is notoriously insecure. Hewlett had kept his leadership mainly on account of his knowledge of the questions which in terested his constituents, and his earnestness on their behalf in all matters affecting their social condition. Gradually he had come to be recognized as an authority in such matters and questions — as one of the most powerful of the small band of working men who sat in Parliament— as a man who, thougfh his views might be thought narrow and his horizon limited, was yet a factor to be included in A GREAT DAY FOR RADFIELD 5 any reckoning up ot the political position of the moment or of the future.

He it was who had directed and set in order the forces of the men in the strike that had just concluded ; and it was by his efforts — by the effect of his arguments and per suasions upon the masters — that a settlement had been agreed upon. But at this particular time the conclusion of the strike was not the only matter for rejoicing among the people of Radfield. Not more than a fortnight before the day on which the town broke out into gay colours and fluttering mastheads, the Ministry in power had declared their intention of ap pointing a Minister of Labour. The step had been long urged upon them, and at last, whether from motives of sincere conviction or of political expediency, they had determined to take it. What better man for the post could be found than the president of one of the largest trade unions of the country, a labour member in whom several years of Parliamentary experience had bred views of comparative moderation, a leader of the people, who had just succeeded in terminat ing a contest that was not only disastrous to those engaged in it, but full of danger and menace to the nation ?

And so it came about that Abel Hewlett now visited Radfield, not merely as a private member representing the town, but as a member of the Government — a direct repre sentative of the Sovereign, henceforward to be addressed in the high-sounding style of ' Right Honourable ' — the first Minister of Labour in the United Kingdom. The choice of the Ministry had, of course, like the announcement of their intention to create the new post, called forth many dif ferent expressions of opinion. The newspapers and politicians on one side hailed both creation and choice with congratulation and exultant fervour. They declared that a new era had begun, that progress was now making strides more rapid than had ever been known before, that the strife of Capital and Labour would soon be a memory, and nothing more, of the old bad times that were gone for ever.

No more fitting occupant of A ORE A T DA Y FOR RA DFIELD 7 the new office could have been selected. In short, all had been done for the best by the best of all possible Cabinets. On the other hand, the members of the Opposition and the writers enrolled upon their side greeted the action of the Ministry with thinly-veiled contempt. They could not, indeed, in view of the probable necessity for proclaiming themselves, at no great distance of time, the only true friends and protectors of the working classes — they could not express openly the feelings with which the appointment of a Labour Minister in spired them. So they affected to regard the step in the light of an experiment. It might — it might be successful; and if it were, no one would rejoice more heartily than they. But they did not hesitate to point out and to emphasize the dangers and risks to which such action on the part of the Government must inevitably lead ; and, while professing a certain degree of confidence in the new Minister, they pleasantly hinted that he was likely, before much time had elapsed, to commit some act, either foolish or disgraceful, that would certainly ensure his down fall.

This April Saturday was celebrated, then, in Radfield with twofold rejoicing. The strike was over, and the victorious leader had been crowned with an honour all the more brilliant because unlooked for. The day's programme included a mass meeting of the cotton operatives on a large open space out side the town, and a procession to the market-place, where the new member of the Cabinet (for the Ministry had taken no half measures in making their appointment), and Lord Radfield, on behalf of the mill-owners, were to deliver short addresses, and to cement the union between employers and employed. After that the principal owners and the principal leaders of the men were further to show the cordiality between them, in true British fashion, by dining in company together ; while the rest finished up the day with bonfires, and more speechifying.

It was now some three hours past noon. The landlord of the Aysgarth Arms, knowing the preparations for the dinner to be well A GREA T DA Y FOR RADFIELD 9 advanced, the table set, the serving men duly clad, and the cooking in full swing, could for the moment take his ease with a clear con science, and at his leisure examine the decora tions with a critical eye. As he stood at the window, he noticed a carriage being quickly driven round the square. He leant forward eagerly as it approached, and scanned it rapidly. In a moment he was satisfied as to the identity of the coachman (whose face seemed to show a mind heedless of everything around him except his reins and his horses, but whose eye winked solemnly when it caught that of the landlord), and downstairs he hurried as fast as his legs would carry his obese frame.

Only the space of two minutes elapsed before he reappeared, ushering in a tall, dark hued man of about thirty-five. This was the now famous (or notorious) Lord Radfield. For four months he had borne the brunt of the battle with the strikers ; in return for his exertions he was blessed by one-half of the population as a steadfast defender of the A GREAT DAY FOR RADFIELD 10 rights of employers, cursed by the other half as an oppressor of the poor. ' You're punctual, my lord,' said the inn keeper, bustling around to relieve him of hat and overcoat. ' Did you ever know me to be unpunctual Waterton ?' The landlord hastened to disclaim any remembrance of such an event. 'Well, well,' said Lord Radfield, ' if your memory served you, I dare say you could bring a good many charges against me. I don't suppose a man seems any more of a hero to his butler than to his valet.' The landlord's tongue showed that he had not passed all his days among the inhabitants of Radfield.

His pronunciation had some thing about it that seemed almost affected, and was certainly foreign to the broad speech of the district. He was, it is true, a North- Countryman born, but long service in the household of the old Marquis, and familiarity with the softer speech of the South, had robbed him of the ' burr ' that clings to the tongues of those who do not range beyond A GREA T DAY FOR RADFIELD 11 the borders of their native county. His long service had been rewarded by the gift of the house in which he was now installed. ' Looks gay, my lord, does the town,' he said, waving a nervous hand in the direction of the window, uncertain how any reference to the events of the day might be received. ' Oh yes,' was the curt reply. ' And there's need for some gayness after all these months' clemming and cold grates which foolishness and goin' against lawful employers has been the cause of,' continued the landlord. 'Ah!' said Lord Radfield, with a keen glance at his former retainer, '"all things to all men" — I suppose that's your motto, Waterton ?' And he walked over to the window and looked out.

The landlord followed, 'Well, my lord,' he answered, 'accordin' to my plain opinion, a man of my station — and I'm always thankful to your lordship and your lordship's father for placing me in such a station — my opinion is that my business is to sell good beer, have good beds, and keep out of any courses such as'd offend the law o' the land or the Hexcise, and not to have no other opinions — leastways, not to offer 'em.' 'Yes, yes, Waterton; quite right. No doubt you're more sensible than most of your customers, only you'd better not tell them so, or they'll go somewhere else for their beer. But I suppose you feel proud, with the rest of them, of your member of Parliament? You've known Hewlett all your life, I expect — eh ?' ' I've known Abel Hewlett — I should say the Right Honourable Mr. Hewlett, I suppose - — as your lordship says, all my life an' all his life.

We played together, we were schollards together at the school ; many's the fight we had together ; we worked together in your lordship's father's mill till such time as my Lord Marquis chose me for to serve him otherwise, me bein' a man of figure, and, as your lordship's father said, one as 'd decorate the servants' 'all and keep 'is wits about 'im in the dining-room. And now he be Mr. Right Honourable Hewlett, while I be plain Tom Waterton. Not as I wish to complain o' my lot in life — far from it — I'm not that ungrateful to your lordship and your lordship's family ' ' You've got a more comfortable berth here, Waterton, than your old schoolmate will have in his new office,' said Lord Radfield, with a grim smile. ' No doubt your lordship's right. But Abel he were always one of your talking sort — always wishful to prove some un right and some un else wrong ; and the right un were always Abel himself, my lord — always i' the right were Abel.

Ay, he were a tough un, too, at argifying, and that disputatious — but. there, your lordship knows him, and here I've been a-talking on without ever as much as asking if it 'd please your lordship to take anything before dinner, which the hour for it is four ; but it'll be later, and the dishes half spoiled with warmin' up and coolin' down and warmin' up again, if them as is to be here with your lordship don't bestir them selves and come.' ' Nothing for me, Waterton. Ah ! what's that ?' ' To me, my lord, it sounds like music ' I can't go so far as that, but 1 fancy it's the band. If so, your Right Honourable friend will be here in a few moments. Ah ! and there are Mr. Edge and Mr. Woolacombe. Bring them up quickly, Waterton ; I should like to speak to them before the rest arrive.' Waterton hurried off.

Lord Radfield kept his position by the window. As he stood there, a dogcart drove up to the inn. He watched it from his superior position, and saw a young man getting down. He evidently recognized him, for he gave a low whistle. 'Bevis, by Jove!' he said. ' I shall begin to believe there was something in old Lady Fentiman's story, after all.' At that moment the two mill - owners, whom he had sent Waterton to bring up, entered the room. He had scarcely ex changed greetings with them, when a quick step was heard on the stairs, and the owner of the dogcart appeared. A GREAT DA V FOR RADFIELD ■5 'Ah, Radfield!' he said, warmly seizing the hand held out to him. ' You didn't expect to see me ?' ' None the less delighted,' said Lord Rad field in his usual suave tone. ' You know these gentlemen, I think, Lord Bevis — Mr. Woolacombe; Mr. Edge.' ' Well, now,' said Lord Bevis, taking his friend by the arm and leading him across the room, ' how are you ?

You've got rather an awkward duty to perform this afternoon, eh ? Thought I'd run down here for the Sunday and see you through.' ' Awkward duty ?' queried the other ; ' I don't quite understand what you ' ' Why, I thought you and old Hewlett — a splendid man, you know, Radfield, although he's beaten us — were both going to make little speeches, he to say how glad he was to have won, and you to make the best of a bad job and say you rather liked being beaten.' ' Oh !' said Radfield, disengaging his arm, ' I believe I am going to say something, though not quite in the strain you imagine.' ' That's only my fun, you know. I suppose you'll say you're glad it's all over, look forward to better relations between men and masters in the future, make a grood use of the victory — and so on ?' ' Well, wait and hear.

You seem to have changed your opinion of Hewlett, by the way. How's that ?' And Radfield eyed his friend keenly. Bevis did not meet his glance. ' Oh,' he said lightly, ' I've seen a good deal of him lately. Before, I knew nothing at all about him. As for his good faith, it's beyond suspicion.' ' Been coming out in society, hasn't he ? That's rather a new line for him. I heard something about a daughter.' Whether Bevis heard the last remark or not, he paid no heed to it. ' Jove !' he said, looking out of the window, ' they've made the old place look quite festive. But don't let me interrupt your conversation,' he added, glancing toward the two manufacturers, who were talking quietly by the fire. 'Well,' said Radfield, 'we can discuss the A GREAT DAY FOR RADFIELD 17 Right Honourable and — and his family some other time.' He crossed the room to resume the inter rupted conference, leaving Bevis still at the window.

The strains of the band came gradually nearer. Soon the tramping of many feet could be heard. Just before the procession entered the market-square another brougham drove up to the inn door. ' Hullo!' said Bevis aloud, g-lancingdown 1 o £_> into the street. ' Radfield, here's your sister, with old Mr. Thornthwaite.' Lord Radfield turned his head. ' What's that ?' he asked sharply. ' Lady Beatrice with old Thornthwaite,' repeated Bevis. Lord Radfield walked quickly to the window and looked out. ' They've come in now,' Bevis said. And at that moment his words were con firmed by the entrance of an old gentleman and a girl whose face bore a certain resem blance to Lord Radfield's own. Bevis heard his friend mutter something vol. i. to himself, and for a moment saw his features crossed by an expression of extreme annoyance.

Lord Radfield went to the door, and, taking no notice of his sister, shook hands with her companion. She glanced round the room with an air of complete composure, bowed to Mr. Woolacombe and Mr. Edge, and then crossed to where Bevis was standing. ' Well, Dickie,' she said, ' how do you do ? and what are you doing here ? Thought you were in town.' ' So I was last night,' answered the young man. ' I came down by an early train, and drove here from the station.' ' We shall be going up next week. You won't catch me coming back until I'm obliged to. I say, Dickie,' she went on in lower tones, ' Radfield's awfully wild with me for coming here. I can see that. He'll try and get me into a corner to "jaw" me — well, I learnt that word from you — but I'm going to stick close to you. Don't desert me, Dickie.

Here he comes !' Lord Radfield's look of annoyance re turned as he approached his sister. A GREA T DA Y FOR RADFIELD 19 ' I thought you were going to stay at home ?' he said shortly. ' So I was ; only Mr. Thornthwaite came to see if you had started, and offered to drive me down here to see the fun. I didn't see why I should be left out of it — bands and flags and speeches — and Bevis here is delighted to see me — aren't you, Dickie ?' Her brother paid little heed to her reply, but he turned to Bevis. ' Mr. Edge wants to ask you about that Valleyfield Mill, Bevis,' he said. 'You might go over and tell him what you intend to do. There won't be much opportunity for conversation when the rabble arrives.' Bevis cast a glance of comical despair at Lady Beatrice, and left her side to converse with Mr. Edge. ' Jove !' he thought, as he crossed the room, 'I'm glad you're not my brother!

Poor Beatrice is in for it now !' From what he could see, however, she seemed not unprepared for combat, and, judging by the frown on Lord Radfield's face, she was not easily reduced to contrition. 2 — A GREAT DAY FOR RADFIELD 20 She did not long endure the reproaches she had pretended to fear, for the procession had now filled the market-place, the braying of the band was loud in the ears of those in the hotel, and the landlord, throwing open the door of the room, announced the hero of the day. Hewlett was about fifty-five. His gray hair and beard lent him the appearance of an older man, but his firm step and robust figure gave evidence of healthy energy, and of a mind and body still sound, and likely to experience no failing of power for many years to come. He was followed into the room by a young man of about seven-and twenty, dark-haired, clean-shaven, muscular in appearance, intellectual of feature.

After them came several of the lesser lights of the Operatives' Union, who, less accustomed to move in the society of persons better dressed than themselves, envied their leader the comparative ease with which he greeted Lord Radfield and his companions. ' My secretary, my lord,' said the Right Honourable, waving his hand towards the A GREAT DAY FOR RADFIELD 21 young man who had entered with him, by way of introduction. The most formal of bows were exchanged. Meanwhile, Lady Beatrice had left her place by the window, and was scanning the faces of the new-comers. Her eye rested for a moment on that of the new Minister, and then passed to the scrutiny of his companion. ' Mr. Thornthwaite,' she whispered to the old gentleman at her side, ' I want those two to be introduced to me. Will you, please, present them ?' ' My dear,' he began, in a tone of in decision, ' surely your brother ■' ' No, no !' she interrupted ; ' Radfield's in a bad temper.

I don't want to ask him — please !' And her dark eyes were so persuasive that the old gentleman was conquered at once. He looked round. Radfield was engaged in conversation with one of Hewlett's satellites, while the Minister and his secretary were exchanging a few words, apparently on the business to be transacted, before the hour of dinner sounded. A GREAT DAY FOR RADFIELD ' Mr. Hewlett,' he said, ' I want to introduce you to Lady Beatrice Vane, who wishes to make your acquaintance, and — er — ,' he added, ' er — that of your aide-de-camp — Mr. Fenton, I believe.' The young man bowed coldly, and followed his chief. Mr. Thornthwaite led them to the spot where Lady Beatrice stood, turning care lessly the leaves of a newspaper that lay on the table. As they approached she glanced up. ' Lady Beatrice,' said the old gentleman, ' this is Mr. Hewlett, our new Cabinet Minister ; and — er — Mr. Fenton, Mr. Hew lett's private secretary.' l23l

Chapter II. Two Speeches

A few commonplaces were exchanged be tween Lady Beatrice and the Right Honour able, and then she left him to talk with Mr. Thornthwaite, while she turned her attention to the younger man. She had been struck at once by his appearance. Most people were. Harold Fenton possessed that rare quality, distinction, in bestowing which the gods show themselves as capricious as their creatures. It cannot be acquired ; it does not go hand in-hand with wealth or rank, or even merit. It is frequently deceptive. It seems to promise great deeds, and often leads to nothing. There is this difference between a distinguished man and a man of distinction — the one has done something to earn the title ; the other looks as though he could if he chose. Fenton was not handsome, though his features were fairly regular.

He was not even reckoned good-looking. It is generally to faces of a weaker type that such an adjective is applied. The possibilities for good or evil which it shadowed forth, the apparent force resident in the firm chin, the depth of soul that seemed to be hidden behind the dark eyes — these made his face an interesting study and speculation even to the casual passer-by. People catching a glimpse of him in a crowded room or a busy street would turn to look again, and would go on their way thinking him a man born to do something, as the phrase goes, and not to remain an obscure unit in the ranks of average humanity. Then, again, the fact that Lady Beatrice knew absolutely nothing of his life, origin, or career gave him a certain picturesqueness in her eyes, and piqued her curiosity. He looked different from any other man she was accustomed to meet and to talk with, and the impulse which prompted her to make his acquaintance, and to try to learn something about him from his own lips, was strong enough to make her risk the displeasure with which her brother was almost sure to regard her conduct. ' Do you know the North Country, Mr. Fenton ?' she asked him, uttering the first commonplace of conversation that occurred to her. ' I was once employed at a mine not far from Radfield.' He noticed her surprise ' Not as a miner.

As a sort of — clerk. He spoke the word ' clerk ' with reluctance. Her interest in him went down a little. But a kw moments afterwards he mentioned the name of a public school. 'I was there,' he said; 'and, curiously enough, I see my old fagmaster in this room.' ' Why, of course, yes — Lord Bevis was there, wasn't he ? But haven't you ever seen him before since you left — in London or anywhere ?' ' I have seen him once or twice at the House when I've been there with Mr. Hewlett, but I don't suppose he recognized me. You see, I haven't done anything — yet — to make people recognize or remember me even by sight.' ' I don't think Lord Bevis has distinguished himself — yet,' replied the girl — 'and yet you remembered him.' Fenton looked at her for a moment as if he was uncertain whether he should make the answer that rose to his lips.

Her smile en couraged him. ' Lord Bevis took the trouble to be born noble,' he said. 'Surely that is distinction enough. You remember the saying, " More people know Tom Fool than Tom Fool knows." I always think it ought to be, " Tom Fool knows a great many people who don't know Tom Fool."' ' You weren't up at Oxford with him, then ?' ' I was not at either University,' he replied, lapsing into his former curtness of speech — a curtness, however, which was neither rude nor impatient, but which seemed to say, ' Really, my affairs are not very interesting, and I don't care to talk about them.' ' Have you been secretary to Mr. Hewlett for long ?' was Lady Beatrice's next attempt at conversation. ' For about six years. I left my — employ ment at the mine to go to him.' ' And do you really care about politics, and the labour question, and social questions, and all that sort of thing ?