CHAPTER LIII.

A DAY IN THE CITY.

Melmotte had got back his daughter, and was half inclined to let the

matter rest there. He would probably have done so had he not known

that all his own household were aware that she had gone off to meet

Sir Felix Carbury, and had he not also received the condolence of

certain friends in the city. It seemed that about two o'clock in the

day the matter was known to everybody. Of course Lord Nidderdale

would hear of it, and if so all the trouble that he had taken in

that direction would have been taken in vain. Stupid fool of a girl

to throw away her chance,--nay, to throw away the certainty of a

brilliant career, in that way! But his anger against Sir Felix was

infinitely more bitter than his anger against his daughter. The man

had pledged himself to abstain from any step of this kind,--had

given a written pledge,--had renounced under his own signature his

intention of marrying Marie! Melmotte had of course learned all the

details of the cheque for £250,--how the money had been paid at the

bank to Didon, and how Didon had given it to Sir Felix. Marie herself

acknowledged that Sir Felix had received the money. If possible he

would prosecute the baronet for stealing his money.

Had Melmotte been altogether a prudent man he would probably have

been satisfied with getting back his daughter and would have allowed

the money to go without further trouble. At this especial point in

his career ready money was very valuable to him, but his concerns

were of such magnitude that £250 could make but little difference.

But there had grown upon the man during the last few months an

arrogance, a self-confidence inspired in him by the worship of other

men, which clouded his intellect, and robbed him of much of that

power of calculation which undoubtedly he naturally possessed. He

remembered perfectly his various little transactions with Sir Felix.

Indeed it was one of his gifts to remember with accuracy all money

transactions, whether great or small, and to keep an account book in

his head, which was always totted up and balanced with accuracy. He

knew exactly how he stood, even with the crossing-sweeper to whom

he had given a penny last Tuesday, as with the Longestaffes, father

and son, to whom he had not as yet made any payment on behalf of the

purchase of Pickering. But Sir Felix's money had been consigned into

his hands for the purchase of shares,--and that consignment did not

justify Sir Felix in taking another sum of money from his daughter.

In such a matter he thought that an English magistrate, and an

English jury, would all be on his side,--especially as he was

Augustus Melmotte, the man about to be chosen for Westminster, the

man about to entertain the Emperor of China!

The next day was Friday,--the day of the Railway Board. Early in the

morning he sent a note to Lord Nidderdale.

MY DEAR NIDDERDALE,--

Pray come to the Board to-day;--or at any rate come to me

in the city. I specially want to speak to you.

Yours,

A. M.

This he wrote, having made up his mind that it would be wise to make

a clear breast of it with his hoped-for son-in-law. If there was

still a chance of keeping the young lord to his guns that chance

would be best supported by perfect openness on his part. The young

lord would of course know what Marie had done. But the young lord had

for some weeks past been aware that there had been a difficulty in

regard to Sir Felix Carbury, and had not on that account relaxed his

suit. It might be possible to persuade the young lord that as the

young lady had now tried to elope and tried in vain, his own chance

might on the whole be rather improved than injured.

Mr. Melmotte on that morning had many visitors, among whom one of the

earliest and most unfortunate was Mr. Longestaffe. At that time there

had been arranged at the offices in Abchurch Lane a mode of double

ingress and egress,--a front stairs and a back stairs approach and

exit, as is always necessary with very great men,--in reference

to which arrangement the honour and dignity attached to each is

exactly contrary to that which generally prevails in the world; the

front stairs being intended for everybody, and being both slow and

uncertain, whereas the back stairs are quick and sure, and are used

only for those who are favoured. Miles Grendall had the command of

the stairs, and found that he had plenty to do in keeping people

in their right courses. Mr. Longestaffe reached Abchurch Lane

before one,--having altogether failed in getting a moment's private

conversation with the big man on that other Friday, when he had come

later. He fell at once into Miles's hands, and was ushered through

the front stairs passage and into the front stairs waiting-room,

with much external courtesy. Miles Grendall was very voluble. Did

Mr. Longestaffe want to see Mr. Melmotte? Oh;--Mr. Longestaffe wanted

to see Mr. Melmotte as soon as possible! Of course Mr. Longestaffe

should see Mr. Melmotte. He, Miles, knew that Mr. Melmotte was

particularly desirous of seeing Mr. Longestaffe. Mr. Melmotte had

mentioned Mr. Longestaffe's name twice during the last three days.

Would Mr. Longestaffe sit down for a few minutes? Had Mr. Longestaffe

seen the "Morning Breakfast Table"? Mr. Melmotte undoubtedly was

very much engaged. At this moment a deputation from the Canadian

Government was with him;--and Sir Gregory Gribe was in the office

waiting for a few words. But Miles thought that the Canadian

Government would not be long,--and as for Sir Gregory, perhaps his

business might be postponed. Miles would do his very best to get an

interview for Mr. Longestaffe,--more especially as Mr. Melmotte was

so very desirous himself of seeing his friend. It was astonishing

that such a one as Miles Grendall should have learned his business

so well and should have made himself so handy! We will leave Mr.

Longestaffe with the "Morning Breakfast Table" in his hands, in the

front waiting-room, merely notifying the fact that there he remained

for something over two hours.

In the mean time both Mr. Broune and Lord Nidderdale came to the

office, and both were received without delay. Mr. Broune was the

first. Miles knew who he was, and made no attempt to seat him in the

same room with Mr. Longestaffe. "I'll just send him a note," said

Mr. Broune, and he scrawled a few words at the office counter. "I'm

commissioned to pay you some money on behalf of Miss Melmotte."

Those were the words, and they at once procured him admission to

the sanctum. The Canadian Deputation must have taken its leave, and

Sir Gregory could hardly have as yet arrived. Lord Nidderdale, who

had presented himself almost at the same moment with the Editor,

was shown into a little private room,--which was, indeed, Miles

Grendall's own retreat. "What's up with the Governor?" asked the

young lord.

"Anything particular do you mean?" said Miles. "There are always so

many things up here."

"He has sent for me."

"Yes,--you'll go in directly. There's that fellow who does the

'Breakfast Table' in with him. I don't know what he's come about. You

know what he has sent for you for?"

Lord Nidderdale answered this question by another. "I suppose all

this about Miss Melmotte is true?"

"She did go off yesterday morning," said Miles, in a whisper.

"But Carbury wasn't with her."

"Well, no;--I suppose not. He seems to have mulled it. He's such a

d---- brute, he'd be sure to go wrong whatever he had in hand."

"You don't like him, of course, Miles. For that matter I've no reason

to love him. He couldn't have gone. He staggered out of the club

yesterday morning at four o'clock as drunk as Cloe. He'd lost a pot

of money, and had been kicking up a row about you for the last hour."

"Brute!" exclaimed Miles, with honest indignation.

"I dare say. But though he was able to make a row, I'm sure he

couldn't get himself down to Liverpool. And I saw all his things

lying about the club hall late last night;--no end of portmanteaux

and bags; just what a fellow would take to New York. By George! Fancy

taking a girl to New York! It was plucky."

"It was all her doing," said Miles, who was of course intimate with

Mr. Melmotte's whole establishment, and had had means therefore of

hearing the true story.

"What a fiasco!" said the young lord, "I wonder what the old boy

means to say to me about it." Then there was heard the clear tingle

of a little silver bell, and Miles told Lord Nidderdale that his time

had come.

Mr. Broune had of late been very serviceable to Mr. Melmotte, and

Melmotte was correspondingly gracious. On seeing the Editor he

immediately began to make a speech of thanks in respect of the

support given by the "Breakfast Table" to his candidature. But Mr.

Broune cut him short. "I never talk about the 'Breakfast Table,'"

said he. "We endeavour to get along as right as we can, and the less

said the soonest mended." Melmotte bowed. "I have come now about

quite another matter, and perhaps, the less said the sooner mended

about that also. Sir Felix Carbury on a late occasion received a sum

of money in trust from your daughter. Circumstances have prevented

its use in the intended manner, and, therefore, as Sir Felix's

friend, I have called to return the money to you." Mr. Broune did not

like calling himself the friend of Sir Felix, but he did even that

for the lady who had been good enough to him not to marry him.

"Oh, indeed," said Mr. Melmotte, with a scowl on his face, which he

would have repressed if he could.

"No doubt you understand all about it."

"Yes;--I understand. D---- scoundrel!"

"We won't discuss that, Mr. Melmotte. I've drawn a cheque myself,

payable to your order,--to make the matter all straight. The sum was

£250, I think." And Mr. Broune put a cheque for that amount down upon

the table.

"I dare say it's all right," said Mr. Melmotte. "But, remember, I

don't think that this absolves him. He has been a scoundrel."

"At any rate he has paid back the money, which chance put into his

hands, to the only person entitled to receive it on the young lady's

behalf. Good morning." Mr. Melmotte did put out his hand in token of

amity. Then Mr. Broune departed and Melmotte tinkled his bell. As

Nidderdale was shown in he crumpled up the cheque, and put it into

his pocket. He was at once clever enough to perceive that any idea

which he might have had of prosecuting Sir Felix must be abandoned.

"Well, my Lord, and how are you?" said he with his pleasantest smile.

Nidderdale declared himself to be as fresh as paint. "You don't look

down in the mouth, my Lord."

Then Lord Nidderdale,--who no doubt felt that it behoved him to show

a good face before his late intended father-in-law,--sang the refrain

of an old song, which it is trusted my readers may remember.

"Cheer up, Sam;

Don't let your spirits go down.

There's many a girl that I know well,

Is waiting for you in the town."

"Ha, ha, ha," laughed Melmotte, "very good. I've no doubt there

is,--many a one. But you won't let this stupid nonsense stand in your

way with Marie."

"Upon my word, sir, I don't know about that. Miss Melmotte has given

the most convincing proof of her partiality for another gentleman,

and of her indifference to me."

"A foolish baggage! A silly little romantic baggage! She's been

reading novels till she has learned to think she couldn't settle down

quietly till she had run off with somebody."

"She doesn't seem to have succeeded on this occasion, Mr. Melmotte."

"No;--of course we had her back again from Liverpool."

"But they say that she got further than the gentleman."

"He is a dishonest, drunken scoundrel. My girl knows very well what

he is now. She'll never try that game again. Of course, my Lord, I'm

very sorry. You know that I've been on the square with you always.

She's my only child, and sooner or later she must have all that I

possess. What she will have at once will make any man wealthy,--that

is, if she marries with my sanction; and in a year or two I expect

that I shall be able to double what I give her now, without touching

my capital. Of course you understand that I desire to see her

occupying high rank. I think that, in this country, that is a noble

object of ambition. Had she married that sweep I should have broken

my heart. Now, my Lord, I want you to say that this shall make no

difference to you. I am very honest with you. I do not try to hide

anything. The thing of course has been a misfortune. Girls will be

romantic. But you may be sure that this little accident will assist

rather than impede your views. After this she will not be very fond

of Sir Felix Carbury."

"I dare say not. Though, by Jove, girls will forgive anything."

"She won't forgive him. By George, she shan't. She shall hear the

whole story. You'll come and see her just the same as ever!"

"I don't know about that, Mr. Melmotte."

"Why not? You're not so weak as to surrender all your settled

projects for such a piece of folly as that! He didn't even see her

all the time."

"That wasn't her fault."

"The money will all be there, Lord Nidderdale."

"The money's all right, I've no doubt. And there isn't a man in all

London would be better pleased to settle down with a good income than

I would. But, by Jove, it's a rather strong order when a girl has

just run away with another man. Everybody knows it."

"In three months' time everybody will have forgotten it."

"To tell you the truth, sir, I think Miss Melmotte has got a will of

her own stronger than you give her credit for. She has never given me

the slightest encouragement. Ever so long ago, about Christmas, she

did once say that she would do as you bade her. But she is very much

changed since then. The thing was off."

"She had nothing to do with that."

"No;--but she has taken advantage of it, and I have no right to

complain."

"You just come to the house, and ask her again to-morrow. Or come

on Sunday morning. Don't let us be done out of all our settled

arrangements by the folly of an idle girl. Will you come on Sunday

morning about noon?" Lord Nidderdale thought of his position for

a few moments and then said that perhaps he would come on Sunday

morning. After that Melmotte proposed that they two should go

and "get a bit of lunch" at a certain Conservative club in the

City. There would be time before the meeting of the Railway Board.

Nidderdale had no objection to the lunch, but expressed a strong

opinion that the Board was "rot." "That's all very well for you,

young man," said the chairman, "but I must go there in order that you

may be able to enjoy a splendid fortune." Then he touched the young

man on the shoulder and drew him back as he was passing out by the

front stairs. "Come this way, Nidderdale;--come this way. I must get

out without being seen. There are people waiting for me there who

think that a man can attend to business from morning to night without

ever having a bit in his mouth." And so they escaped by the back

stairs.

At the club, the City Conservative world,--which always lunches

well,--welcomed Mr. Melmotte very warmly. The election was coming on,

and there was much to be said. He played the part of the big City man

to perfection, standing about the room with his hat on, and talking

loudly to a dozen men at once. And he was glad to show the club

that Lord Nidderdale had come there with him. The club of course

knew that Lord Nidderdale was the accepted suitor of the rich man's

daughter,--accepted, that is, by the rich man himself,--and the

club knew also that the rich man's daughter had tried,--but had

failed,--to run away with Sir Felix Carbury. There is nothing like

wiping out a misfortune and having done with it. The presence of Lord

Nidderdale was almost an assurance to the club that the misfortune

had been wiped out, and, as it were, abolished. A little before three

Mr. Melmotte returned to Abchurch Lane, intending to regain his room

by the back way; while Lord Nidderdale went westward, considering

within his own mind whether it was expedient that he should continue

to show himself as a suitor for Miss Melmotte's hand. He had an idea

that a few years ago a man could not have done such a thing--that

he would be held to show a poor spirit should he attempt it; but

that now it did not much matter what a man did,--if only he were

successful. "After all it's only an affair of money," he said to

himself.

Mr. Longestaffe in the meantime had progressed from weariness to

impatience, from impatience to ill-humour, and from ill-humour to

indignation. More than once he saw Miles Grendall, but Miles Grendall

was always ready with an answer. That Canadian Deputation was

determined to settle the whole business this morning, and would not

take itself away. And Sir Gregory Gribe had been obstinate, beyond

the ordinary obstinacy of a bank director. The rate of discount at

the bank could not be settled for to-morrow without communication

with Mr. Melmotte, and that was a matter on which the details were

always most oppressive. At first Mr. Longestaffe was somewhat stunned

by the Deputation and Sir Gregory Gribe; but as he waxed wroth

the potency of those institutions dwindled away, and as, at last,

he waxed hungry, they became as nothing to him. Was he not Mr.

Longestaffe of Caversham, a Deputy-Lieutenant of his County, and

accustomed to lunch punctually at two o'clock? When he had been in

that waiting-room for two hours, it occurred to him that he only

wanted his own, and that he would not remain there to be starved for

any Mr. Melmotte in Europe. It occurred to him also that that thorn

in his side, Squercum, would certainly get a finger into the pie to

his infinite annoyance. Then he walked forth, and attempted to see

Grendall for the fourth time. But Miles Grendall also liked his

lunch, and was therefore declared by one of the junior clerks to be

engaged at that moment on most important business with Mr. Melmotte.

"Then say that I can't wait any longer," said Mr. Longestaffe,

stamping out of the room with angry feet.

At the very door he met Mr. Melmotte. "Ah, Mr. Longestaffe," said the

great financier, seizing him by the hand, "you are the very man I am

desirous of seeing."

"I have been waiting two hours up in your place," said the Squire of

Caversham.

"Tut, tut, tut;--and they never told me!"

"I spoke to Mr. Grendall half a dozen times."

"Yes,--yes. And he did put a slip with your name on it on my desk.

I do remember. My dear sir, I have so many things on my brain, that

I hardly know how to get along with them. You are coming to the

Board? It's just the time now."

"No;"--said Mr. Longestaffe. "I can stay no longer in the City." It

was cruel that a man so hungry should be asked to go to a Board by a

chairman who had just lunched at his club.

"I was carried away to the Bank of England and could not help

myself," said Melmotte. "And when they get me there I can never get

away again."

"My son is very anxious to have the payments made about Pickering,"

said Mr. Longestaffe, absolutely holding Melmotte by the collar of

his coat.

"Payments for Pickering!" said Melmotte, assuming an air of

unimportant doubt,--of doubt as though the thing were of no real

moment. "Haven't they been made?"

"Certainly not," said Mr. Longestaffe, "unless made this morning."

"There was something about it, but I cannot just remember what. My

second cashier, Mr. Smith, manages all my private affairs, and they

go clean out of my head. I'm afraid he's in Grosvenor Square at this

moment. Let me see;--Pickering! Wasn't there some question of a

mortgage? I'm sure there was something about a mortgage."

"There was a mortgage, of course;--but that only made three payments

necessary instead of two."

"But there was some unavoidable delay about the papers;--something

occasioned by the mortgagee. I know there was. But you shan't be

inconvenienced, Mr. Longestaffe."

"It's my son, Mr. Melmotte. He's got a lawyer of his own."

"I never knew a young man that wasn't in a hurry for his money," said

Melmotte laughing. "Oh, yes;--there were three payments to be made;

one to you, one to your son, and one to the mortgagee. I will speak

to Mr. Smith myself to-morrow--and you may tell your son that he

really need not trouble his lawyer. He will only be losing his money,

for lawyers are expensive. What; you won't come to the Board? I am

sorry for that." Mr. Longestaffe, having after a fashion said what he

had to say, declined to go to the Board. A painful rumour had reached

him the day before, which had been communicated to him in a very

quiet way by a very old friend,--by a member of a private firm of

bankers whom he was accustomed to regard as the wisest and most

eminent man of his acquaintance,--that Pickering had been already

mortgaged to its full value by its new owner. "Mind, I know nothing,"

said the banker. "The report has reached me, and if it be true, it

shows that Mr. Melmotte must be much pressed for money. It does

not concern you at all if you have got your price. But it seems to

be rather a quick transaction. I suppose you have, or he wouldn't

have the title-deeds." Mr. Longestaffe thanked his friend, and

acknowledged that there had been something remiss on his part.

Therefore, as he went westward, he was low in spirits. But

nevertheless he had been reassured by Melmotte's manner.

Sir Felix Carbury of course did not attend the Board; nor did Paul

Montague, for reasons with which the reader has been made acquainted.

Lord Nidderdale had declined, having had enough of the City for that

day, and Mr. Longestaffe had been banished by hunger. The chairman

was therefore supported only by Lord Alfred and Mr. Cohenlupe. But

they were such excellent colleagues that the work was got through as

well as though those absentees had all attended. When the Board was

over Mr. Melmotte and Mr. Cohenlupe retired together.

"I must get that money for Longestaffe," said Melmotte to his friend.

"What, eighty thousand pounds! You can't do it this week,--nor yet

before this day week."

"It isn't eighty thousand pounds. I've renewed the mortgage, and that

makes it only fifty. If I can manage the half of that which goes to

the son, I can put the father off."

"You must raise what you can on the whole property."

"I've done that already," said Melmotte hoarsely.

"And where's the money gone?"

"Brehgert has had £40,000. I was obliged to keep it up with them.

You can manage £25,000 for me by Monday?" Mr. Cohenlupe said that he

would try, but intimated his opinion that there would be considerable

difficulty in the operation.