Hereditary Bondsmen; or, Is it all in Vain?

Front matter

HEEEDITAEY BONDSMEN; OK, IS IT ALL IN VAIN? HEREDITARY BONDSMEN; OB, IS IT ALL IN VAIN? BY J. DE LIEFDE. Hereditary Bondsmen ! know ye not Who would be free themselves must strike the blow ? By their right arms the conquest must be wrought ? Childe Harold. Canto IT. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. Jlottiort : TINSLEY BROTHERS, 8, CATHERINE STREET, STRAND. 1875. [All rights reserved.] CHABLES DICKENS AND EVANS, CRYSTAL PALACE PRESS. "En parcourant les reflexions dc Montesquieu, nous fumes 6tonne de voir que les pensees les plus remurquables et les plus profondes lui etaient presque toujours sugg6r£es par des ouvrages frivoles." Walckenaer, Biog. Unix: CONTENTS. CHAr. PAGE I. — The Chief Obstructok of the Nation . 1 II. — The Obstinate Tenant . . . .12 III. — The Greek Question . . . .26 IV. — The Little Housekeeper ... 36 V. — Katherine's Letter .... 50 VI. — Before the Conference .... 63 VII. — The Conference 77 VIII.— Idle Talk 88 IX.— A Promise 97 X.— The Design 104 XL— Hope m CONTENTS.

VIII CHAP. PAGE XII. — Hope Shattered 124 XIII.— The Tide in his Affairs . . .140 XIV.— Charley 152 XV.— At Beecham 167 XVL— Bircham 183 XVII.— The Abbey 199 XVIIL— Harrick's Story 213 XIX. — Back in London . . . . . 230 XX. — The Advertisement .... 245 XXI. — Trouble at Mason's .... 262 XXII. — Pages from Katherine's Diary . . 282 XXIIL— The Reconciliation . . . .293 XXIV. — Lady Undeedown's Party . . . Oli, IS IT ALL IN VAIN?

Chapter I. The Chief Obsteuctob Of The Nation

The Eael of Buegos was one of the few favoured mortals who enjoy the privilege of living in London without neighbours. His residence — Castile House — was a nohle building, standing in its own ground, and looking upon the finest and most fashionable portion of the Park. When the young Earl came into possession, it was flanked on both sides by inferior houses, which had long been an eyesore to him. He had not the patience to wait until the leases fell in. The occupants were bought out at a great price, the tenements pulled down, and a handsome carriage approach was constructed ; and after he had planted a dense shrubbery on both E VOL. sides, the Earl surrounded the whole with a massive iron railing, so as to make his home as much of a castle as the spirit of the age would allow. The front and sides being thus finished, he began an attack upon the houses at the back.

There was a row of six, and the leases had just been renewed. Four of them were procured after some negotiation, but the remaining two, which had been taken by an eccentric personage, could not be had at any price. It was rumoured that the Earl had offered him three times the value of his lease, but had been refused. After much vain striving, the nobleman had abandoned his pro ject; but a few months later he discovered that the tenant, who had erected a conservatory in his garden, had failed to obtain the special permission for building which the law required. The Earl, who was at that time adding a suite of private apartments to the back of his right wing, some what maliciously gave orders to have the new building prolonged so as to brick up the obstinate tenant's conservatory. And when Mr. McTag, the tenant, threatened to go to law, the Earl laughed at him.

The mansion itself was a noble structure. It was decorated with the massive and sombre splen dour which in England often takes the place of elegance and taste. Whatever lightness there had THE CHIEF OBSTRUCTOR. 3 been in it, had gone. The gloom of the state apartments, which comprised the entire centre of the block, was almost overpowering. The state apartments, therefore, were kept for state occasions, when gloom was indispensable. The Countess had, during her husband's life, occupied the left wing, but it was only during the last month that the furniture had been again uncovered, after having been left to darkness for years. It had scarcely lost its chill, and although very handsome, was of a somewhat severe and antiquated character, well suited to the stately woman who had returned thither from her retirement.

The Earl's apartments in the right wing were of a very different description. The young bachelor had not thought it beneath him to spend much reflection upon the embellishment of his abode. He had seen all that London, Paris, or Vienna, could produce of elegance ; he had engaged artists to plan ; he had picked others to decorate for him ; and all who enjoyed his hospitality confessed that it was simply unmatched. The only fault that could perhaps be found with his taste was that it betrayed a leaning towards sensuality — of a very refined character, it is true, and always decorous; but this taste was so per sistently carried out into the smallest details as to indicate to a reader of character the strong undercurrent of a powerful mind. The paintings by masters in the art of not-adorning, the panels in the walls and ceiling, the tinted statues sur rounded with flowers, chairs and ottomans too easy for sitting, carpets that fettered the most elastic step — all were illuminated by a soft light, that tempted guests to indolent repose amidst such Sybaritic luxury.

But if this was the voluptuous splendour of the apartments where the Earl wel comed his friends, very different was the style of the rooms where he entertained his projects. The last of the brilliant suite was a smoking and billiard room, panelled with oak. One of the panels was made to ' slide back ; and through the opening it was possible to enter into another suite, furnished throughout with the most Catonian simplicity. Not a superfluous sound was heard in these rooms from day to day. Few persons were admitted — the Countess never entered them. The doors locked from the inside, and they were closed to all the servants, with the exception of one confidential valet who had learned that silence was golden. The walls were thick, the windows double ; the one luxury was a carpet on the floor, that drowned every noise.

It was there that the Earl spent half his day, surrounded by his books and papers. Although the world was no wiser, Mr. McTag, the obstinate tenant, had so far relented as to relinquish one of his houses to the Earl's use. THE CHIEF OBSTRUCTOR. 5 It was occupied by half a dozen gentlemen, who were versed in many a science, and in nearly every language, whose business it was to chronicle every event that happened in the political world, and much that happened out of it. It was their duty so to arrange every word or deed which was published, that they could refer to it iu a moment. They were presided over by a chief recorder — a man of much sagacity and political information, who alone was permitted to communicate with his chief. As long as he produced what was required, and answered what was asked, he was allowed carte blanche, and he took care to maintain his position.

The machinery worked smoothly, and often with terrible precision. It was one of the means by which the most keen-witted man of his time recorded and hoarded the superstitions and prejudices of the nation ; and caressed and petted with unabated zeal the great national ogre — Vested Interest. It was known that the Earl of Burgos was tho most ambitious of men, yet he had never held office. He had frequently declined places that would not only have satisfied but flattered a rising politician. He had never had any official expe rience ; he was not known to keep up any official connections ; yet he was sometimes better informed than even Ministers. He had begun at twenty-one by refusing favours ; he had ended at thirty by demanding them. His secret lay in this, that he had made a deep study of intrigue, and had as siduously cultivated a natural genius for circum vention.

He had his agent at every court. By the judicious use of influence, he had become known as a man whom it was very profitable to please ; and not a few there were who had found him a man whom it was necessary to serve. It was darkly rumoured in clubs that he used his vast wealth to obtain power over those whom he desired to utilize. Many an involved attache — per haps, occasionally, a rash and extravagant Secretary of Legation — had been treated by usurers or agents with a leniency that was inexplicable ; and, without being able to account for the strange coincidence, they had generally found that a show of independence towards one quarter produced an inconvenient turn of the screw from the other. The thousands who had followed the Earl's public career, and who knew that he spoke but seldom, were fairly puzzled at the extraordinary prestige he had managed to gain.

The few who had followed his private life were something more than puzzled, they were grieved. There were only two persons in the world who had sufficient assurance to remonstrate with him; the one was his mother, the other a strange creature whom he tolerated about him as familiar, and who was not known to anyone but himself. Tho THE CHIEF OBSTRUCTOR. 7 Countess had found his public hfe at all times con sistent, his speeches powerful, and his acts judicious ; but, as a mother, she had heard things of him that had made her pause with alarm. What she had heard was vague, nor could the evidence be possibly adduced, but rumours were so persistent, and ran so continually in the same groove, that she could only hope they were devoid of foundation. She had, more than once, been urged to speak to him ; she had told him ah she had heard ; she had implored him to reassure her that it was not true, but he had remained silent.

And when she warned him that he walked a fatal road, and that he could never be great as a statesman, if he were despicable in private, he had answered with some of the levity of the second Charles, that his acts were his own, but his politics those of his family. Yet it cannot be doubted that his early training had begun by corrupting him. The politics of the Burgos family had remained unchanged for centuries. They somewhat resembled the huge sandbanks that are formed at the mouths of great rivers. By some currents they are shifted toward the shore, by others they are carried farther out to sea, but on the whole they maintain their ob structive position ; at once a discouragement to trade, a bar to development, and a barrier to invasion. It had been the policy of the family so to educate the rising generation, that, whoever EEREDITARY BONDSMEN. might be ultimately called to the title, should be fully worthy of occupying the proud and hereditary position of Chief Obstructor of the Nation.

The late Lord Burgos had been so trained, and after some kicking, had submitted. The present Lord had been so trained, and had kicked very hard, without for some time showing signs of sub mission. Indeed, the young heir had shown signs of furious Radicalism, and had laughed at the admonitions of his tutor. He had made a speech to the boys at tho public school where he was educated, that had so fearfully alarmed his father, as to induce him to send his son to a Jesuit College with a Protestant name, as the only means of saving him. This had produced one of the desired results. Lord John Herron had returned silent in speech, subdued apparently in spirits, and a warm admirer of Machiavelli. His father was at first afraid that the pluck had been taken out of him, but he soon found that his teachers had instilled into him a boundless ambition, had developed an extraordinary energy and a determination to hesi tate at nothing.

What else he found out, was not easy to say. After Lord John took his seat for Burgos in the Commons, his career was sufficiently brilliant to raise his father's hopes to the highest pitch. The stories which the old Earl heard about his son's private hfe were of that kind which do not trouble TEE CHIEF OBSTRUCTOR. 9 fathers much ; and if he had been anxious he could not have interfered, unless his heir had made himself conspicuous — and of this there was no fear. But ere the old Earl died, aud was gathered to the other crumbling remnants of the family, he had become convinced of this, that if his heir failed in obstruct ing the nation, it would be neither from too little talent nor from too much scruple. At the time that Lord Burgos took his seat iu the Upper House, he was enveloped in a cloud of mystery.

He had a large number of acquaintances, but not one friend. There were many men with whom he bartered secrets, but not one with whom he exchanged confidences. He came and went no one knew whence or whither. He had learned from the great enemy of Vlnfame that most in famous doctrine, that speech was made to hide thought ; although he was a born orator, and had carefully cultivated a most glorious talent, his speeches were read with admiration but also with disappointment. They were the productions of a commanding intellect, but devoid of sympathy; they were bitter to enemies, and flattering to allies ; but friends and foes alike were glad when he left the House of Commons, and there were not many in another place who welcomed him with cordiality. It has been said that his mother alone had ventured to remonstrate with him.

The stately Countess saw her son but seldom, for he was so wrapped up in his occupations that he could scarcely find time to run down to Herron Hall. Nor was he always in the mood to be spoken to. He could be so impatient at any attempt at inter ference, and even to her sometimes so haughty, that she thought it wiser to remain silent. Yet there were moments, though they came but seldom, when he acted like a most affectionate son. He would then take a low chair at her feet, and by his manner remind her of the days when she could look into his eyes and find them guileless. But the mood soon passed, and a darker influence seemed to regain its hold upon him. What hopes had she not fostered for her only child ? What tears had she not wept over him ? What anxious nights had she not watched at his bedside ?

And now what had become of him ? She was too proud to say much, or waste many words. After her husband's death, she had tried to induce him to marry, and had, much against her inclination, kept up the house with some of its former splendour, solely for that purpose. But when she became wearied, and pressed him to make a choice, he had replied, with a strange laugh, that he had the reputation of being a rake and an infidel, and that he was not in the marrying mood. Upon this the Countess had retired to Herron TEE CEIEF OBSTRUCTOR. Hall, but had extracted from him the promise that he would make no final choice without consult ing her. There was not much fear of his repenting, for he frankly confessed that he had only seen one woman who would not sink into insignificance by the side of his mother.

That one, however, whom both admired, seemed to possess every requisite qualification — except consent. Lord Burgos knew very well that Eugenie Fairfax was a great prize — and he was accustomed to gain great prizes — but he felt instinctively that if he won her, it must be by means which he had seldom employed, and which he felt to be going beyond his o-rasp. Was it not better to spur onward in the course he was going, and which must lead him to the consummation of his hopes? Would even Eugenie Fairfax refuse to become Duchess of Burgos ?

Chapter II

the obstinate tenant. The recess was now over. Parliament had re assembled, and the nation watched, with increasing anxiety, the issue of the debate on the repeal of the obnoxious Labour Laws. The political air of the nation began to wear each day a more threatening aspect ; the disturbances in the country districts were more serious and more frequent; the strikes in the centres of industry were more prolonged, the men often assumed a tone of hostility and resentment, for it had begun to be whispered that whatever the House of Commons might do, the House of Lords was determined, at all risks, to reject the Bill. London was still tranquil, and business ran smoothly in its accustomed grooves. But it was no longer a secret that a great demon stration was being quietly arranged, and that the serenity of the metropolis would ere long be dis turbed.

Lord Burgos was seated one morning before a writing-table in his private library ; his brow was pensive and clouded ; he glanced over his letters, and ran through a number of papers, jotting down a few memoranda on a small tablet by his side. When he had finished he touched the button of an electric bell on his table. There was an immediate though scarcely audible answer in a corner of the room. The Earl again touched the bell, and, rising, went to the massive bookcase that filled the entire back-wall of the new suite of apartments, took out a volume and withdrew an invisible bolt. Presently a part of the bookcase opened noiselessly, and the florid head of Mr. McTag, otherwise Mr. Tagson, made its appearance. He carefully closed the opening through which he had come, and stood silently before the Earl, who had resumed his seat.

" You can sit down," said the latter, curtly, while looking through some papers. " What news is there ? " "Nothing much to speak of," answered Mr. McTag, carefully. " I was at Genthorpe yester day." " Were there many people," asked Lord Burgos ; "any of my friends — Lord Ryan or so?" " I did not see Lord Ryan himself, but his agent was there, who made some bidding for the estate. But Clarkson bought it, according to your instructions, a good deal under the maximum, and he awaits further orders." "Did anybody know that Clarkson was buying for me ? " asked Lord Burgos. " I don't see how anybody could. Mr. Clarkson buys for everybody; but Mr. Sutton was very eager to find out." " Why should he be anxious ? It surely can make no difference to him." "Well, my lord, he is a curious man. He seems to have spent his life in that place, if permitted, remote, unfriended, melancholy, slow ; and I doubt very much whether he would care to remain there if it came into any new man's possession."

" What have you been able to find out about him ? " " I should say he is a most respectable man — a gentleman who could be, if permitted, strong with out rage ; and a man who has saved some money." "I suppose he has," said the Earl carelessly. " He is childless and has no relations, I believe ? " "None that he acknowledges, at any rate," said Mr. McTag. "I'm told he has saved a lot of money, and only looks after Genthorpe because it is his hobby. But he has taken a furnished house in London, and is looking about." " Very good, keep an eye on him. What about the statues ?" "A few things were bought by Lord Ryan, the rest by Mr. Mason, and everything remains there for the present." " Ah, yes. As to this Mason business," said the Earl ; " do you think it worth while keeping that on?" "Decidedly.

The business is first class, and only encumbered in consequence of rash specula tions. The man is fearfully involved, and, if permitted, drags at each remove a lengthening chain. If he is allowed to weather the storm, and is kept to business, he is bound to come all right." " Then at present, as I understand, the business is carried on at a loss ?" " Not exactly that, but I hold some very heavy bills that entail a certain risk." " Then sell him up," said Lord Burgos curtly, drawing a line through the name, " and have done writh him." " I hope you will reconsider your decision, my lord." " No. I have long been annoyed by the thought of him. Get rid of him." " Very well," said McTag drily, as who should say, " you'll know better presently." " As regards that man, Warren Harrick," con tinued McTag, in a business-like way, " I find that he lives at No. 12, Cherry Gardens, Lambeth, where he has two rooms on the second floor.

The house is rented by a person called George Phidias, commonly known as J. F., a shaky character, who dabbles in anti-free-trade riots, and drinks." " What name ?" asked the nobleman, and hearing it again, wrote it on a slip of paper, and touched another bell. "If he has dabbled in politics, Michael will know something of him." Mr. McTag stepped behind a curtain, a servant entered, took the paper, and disappeared. "He has lived in this house for some years now, and bears a most exemplary character with the police," said McTag. " I thought you said he was a shaky character, and drank," said Lord Burgos. "That is the man Phidias — I was speaking of Harrick. He keeps irregular hours, but has never been seen drunk, or even elevated, and he has bailed out his landlord more than once. I passed by the house, saw lodgings to let, went in on pretence of looking at them, and managed to see a good deal of the . house.

I got to Harrick's bed-room, and found that his bed, was occupied by our friend Petrel, who played us that trick at Choisy, and who is in hiding for having caused the accident at Thamestone. How he came down there I do not know." " That's very strange," said the Earl, pensively. " I wonder whether Harrick had any hand in that affair." At that moment another bell rang, Mr. McTag again stepped behind the curtain, the Earl touched his bell in reply, and the servant entered, handed him the same slip, and retired in silence. Lord Burgos read — "George Phidias, born in Manchester, April 1, 18 — ; thus 60 years old. Married, May 15, '46, to Mary, daughter of Jos. Sutton, of Manchester. Elected Town Councillor in Nov. '46. Agitates against Free Trade. Son born, June 3, 1847; dies, Aug. 25, 1848. Bill of Sale on Furniture, 1851; and on Machinery of Silk Factory, 1853.

Daughter born, Jan. 10, 1855. Drunk and dis orderly before Manchester Police Court, Sept. 17, 1856; fined 20s., or a week; paid. The same, Jan. 8, 1857; fined 40s., or a fortnight; paid. Bankrupt, Jan. 3, 1858. Sale of Factory, Stock, and Household Furniture. Dividend, 3s. in the pound. Creditors paid in full by brother-in-law, Launcelot Sutton, Esq., of Genthorpe, Thamesshire. Apprehended in so-called Anti-Free-Trade Riot, March 15, 1859. Gives occupation as commercial traveller. Fined £5 ; paid. Apprehended at Lyons, July 21, 1865, in Republican riot. Then clerk in the employ of Smith and Son, silk weavers. Fined 50 francs ; paid." " This man is a bad lot, and married to Sutton's sister, of all people. No wonder he does not acknowledge her," said the Earl, fixing his eyes on McTag, who had resumed his seat.

VOL. II. c "He has a weakness for whisky," said that gentleman, " and is incapable of being, if permitted, without overflowing, full." "And with this disreputable character Harrick associates ? " " He lives there, I beheve, for the sake of the wife, who is hard-working and under-fed, and the daughter, who is good-looking." " H'm ! that's better. You must get a footing in that house." " I have provisionally engaged the rooms that were to let ; but it is scarcely necessary, as Harrick is employed by Mason." " By Mason ! the deuce he is ! " said the Earl quickly ; " why did you not tell me that before ? That is most important." " Mason has got him, under a contract, for another three years, at the modest sum of £3 a week, and he has been so unwise as to keep down his genius by every means." " Has he got genius ?

Who tells you so ? What do you know about it ? " "I'm told that he is a most promising young carver, and he is very popular among the work men." " Under those circumstances," said the Earl, after a moment's consideration, "you must leave Mason undisturbed. This is a very odd coincidence. You are evidently on a trail. What about this Petrel ?" " I know nothing, absolutely nothing, about him at present, except that he is there, and very ill." "McTag, you must throw yourself, heart and soul, into this business of Katherine's. You have been, for the last six months, baffled by a woman." " I don't consider that a disgrace, sir. If per mitted, they're deep and clear ; though gentle, never dull." " I am almost inclined to believe, McTag," said the Earl, " that you have lost some of your sharpness."

"Pardon me, sir," said the jolly farmer, getting a tinge more florid, " it was you who ordered me to stop the pursuit." " I did," said the Earl, " I won't deny that. I stopped the pursuit ; but the longing has grown upon me irresistibly. I must see her again." There was an audible sigh at these words that came from a darkportion of the room, where the Earl's familiar was quietly at work. He moved uneasily. "You traced her to Dr. Plumper's, at Beecham. You must return there, and take up the thread." " He followed the trail of blood that led out of the wolf's lair, and is the hound ordered to return to the wounded lamb ? " whispered a low voice from the dark portion of the room. " Very well, sir," said McTag. " I shall take up the thread. If permitted, my heart, untravelled, fondly turns to her."

"Has she not been troubled enough, and persecuted with sorrow ? " said the other occupant of the library. "It is now nearly three years since she dis appeared," said Lord Burgos, speaking with determination, as though he would not listen to the sombre and warning tones. " You lost her at Beecham, and all inquiries were fruitless ? " "That is it, my lord. I searched everywhere, and, if the girl has been there, she has not been seen by anybody except the old Doctor, and his old servant, and little Maud. None of the constables kn,ow anything of the matter." "You must go there again," said the Earl sombrously. " Can you so forget what is due to yourself, and to God ? " said the strange and invisible being. " Think of your mother's honour ! " " Go down there again," said the Earl, grinding his teeth; "and if you return without knowledge of her " "John, you debase yourself in the eyes of the villain that stands before you," said the familiar.

" If you fail to trace her," continued the noble man, clenching his fist, " you will fail in your chief occupation." "Your lordship evidently thinks that it is im possible for anybody to disappear without leaving a trace." "It should be, McTag. The whole world is a witness. You have your instructions." " For Heaven's sake, do not let him go thus ! " said the voice. "You know the man will do some evil at your bidding." " What do you stand there for ? " asked the nobleman, angrily, looking at his agent. " I beg your lordship's pardon, but you seemed to hesitate. I thought perhaps " " Oh, think over it again ! " pleaded the voice. "Remember that you have not many good acts to boast of, and that your hair will soon be turning grey. Rescind the order. Tell him to abstain from that vile persecution."

" What on earth are you standing there for ? " cried the nobleman through his clenched teeth. "You have your orders." " Recall them, Burgos ! for God's sake recall them ! " besought the unseen. " Then get out of my room, and don't return until you have something worth telling." McTag, who was evidently accustomed to these scenes, and who did not seem to hear the plaintive voice which so disturbed his master, made a short bow and retired. As soon as he knew himself alone, the Earl rose as in terror. " Again, that voice ! " he cried. " Where is it ? Do my senses deceive me — or if not — where art thou, Familiar Spirit, Man or Fiend ! Come here ! " ■22 HEREDITARY BONDSMEN. There he stood— John Herron, Earl of Burgos, Baron Castille, Hereditary Lord of Coalisle, a peer of the realm, and a member of Her Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council, with parted lips, and pale countenance, looking fixedly towards the dark part of his study ; and it seemed to him that the earth was swaying under him ; that the firmament was rocking over his head ; that his brain was heaving within its bony casing.