Endymion - Benjamin Disraeli
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"And what is that?" said Mr. Ferrars.
"Well, they call themselves the Society for the Diffusion of Knowledge,
and Lord Brougham is at the head of it."
"Ah! he is a dangerous man," said Mr. Ferrars.
"Do you know, I think he is," said Farmer Thornberry, very seriously,
"and by this token, he says a knowledge of chemistry is necessary for
the cultivation of the soil."
"Brougham is a man who would say anything," said Mr. Ferrars, "and of
one thing you may be quite certain, that there is no subject which Lord
Brougham knows thoroughly. I have proved that, and if you ever have time
some winter evening to read something on the matter, I will lend you a
number of the 'Quarterly Review,' which might interest you."
"I wish you would lend it to Job," said the farmer.
Mr. Ferrars found Job not quite so manageable in controversy as his
father. His views were peculiar, and his conclusions certain. He had
more than a smattering too of political economy, a kind of knowledge
which Mr. Ferrars viewed with suspicion; for though he had himself been
looked upon as enlightened in this respect in the last years of Lord
Liverpool, when Lord Wallace and Mr. Huskisson were astonishing the
world, he had relapsed, after the schism of the Tory party, into
orthodoxy, and was satisfied that the tenets of the economists were mere
theories, or could only be reduced into practice by revolution.
"But it is a pleasant life, that of a farmer," said Mr. Ferrars to Job.
"Yes, but life should be something more than pleasant," said Job, who
always looked discontented; "an ox in a pasture has a pleasant life."
"Well, and why should it not be a profitable one, too?" said Mr.
Ferrars.
"I do not see my way to that," said Job moodily; "there is not much to
be got out of the land at any time, and still less on the terms we hold
it."
"But you are not high-rented!"
"Oh, rent is nothing, if everything else were right, but nothing is
right," said Job. "In the first place, a farmer is the only trader who
has no security for his capital."
"Ah! you want a lease?"
"I should be very sorry to have a lease like any that I have seen,"
replied Job. "We had one once in our family, and we keep it as a
curiosity. It is ten skins long, and more tyrannical nonsense was never
engrossed by man."
"But your family, I believe, has been on this estate for generations
now," said Ferrars, "and they have done well."
"They have done about as well as their stock. They have existed," said
Job; "nothing more."
"Your father always gives me quite the idea of a prosperous man," said
Mr. Ferrars.
"Whether he be or not I am sure I cannot say," said Job; "for as neither
he nor any of his predecessors ever kept any accounts, it is rather
difficult to ascertain their exact condition. So long as he has money
enough in his pocket to pay his labourers and buy a little stock, my
father, like every British farmer, is content. The fact is, he is a serf
as much as his men, and until we get rid of feudalism he will remain
so."
"These are strong opinions," said Mr. Ferrars, drawing himself up and
looking a little cold.
"Yes, but they will make their way," said Job. "So far as I myself am
concerned, I do not much care what happens to the land, for I do not
mean to remain on it; but I care for the country. For the sake of the
country I should like to see the whole thing upset."
"What thing?" asked Mr. Ferrars.
"Feudalism," said Job. "I should like to see this estate managed on the
same principles as they do their great establishments in the north
of England. Instead of feudalism, I would substitute the commercial
principle. I would have long leases without covenants; no useless
timber, and no game."
"Why, you would destroy the country," said Mr. Ferrars.
"We owe everything to the large towns," said Job.
"The people in the large towns are miserable," said Mr. Ferrars.
"They cannot be more miserable than the people in the country," said
Job.
"Their wretchedness is notorious," said Mr. Ferrars. "Look at their
riots."
"Well, we had Swing in the country only two or three years ago."
Mr. Ferrars looked sad. The reminiscence was too near and too fatal.
After a pause he said with an air of decision, and as if imparting a
state secret, "If it were not for the agricultural districts, the King's
army could not be recruited."
"Well, that would not break my heart," said Job.
"Why, my good fellow, you are a Radical!"
"They may call me what they like," said Job; "but it will not alter
matters. However, I am going among the Radicals soon, and then I shall
know what they are."
"And can you leave your truly respectable parent?" said Mr. Ferrars
rather solemnly, for he remembered his promise to Farmer Thornberry to
speak seriously to his son.
"Oh! my respectable parent will do very well without me, sir. Only let
him be able to drive into Bamford on market day, and get two or three
linendrapers to take their hats off to him, and he will be happy enough,
and always ready to die for our glorious Constitution."
CHAPTER XIV
Eighteen hundred and thirty-two, the darkest and most distressing year
in the life of Mr. Ferrars, closed in comparative calm and apparent
content. He was himself greatly altered, both in manner and appearance.
He was kind and gentle, but he was silent and rarely smiled. His hair
was grizzled, and he began to stoop. But he was always employed, and was
interested in his labours.
His sanguine wife bore up against their misfortunes with far more
animation. She was at first amused with her new life, and when she was
accustomed to it, she found a never-failing resource in her conviction
of a coming reaction. Mrs. Ferrars possessed most feminine qualities,
and many of them in excess. She could not reason, but her intuition was
remarkable. She was of opinion that "these people never could go on,"
and that they must necessarily be succeeded by William and his friends.
In vain her husband, when she pressed her views and convictions on him,
would shake his head over the unprecedented majority of the government,
and sigh while he acknowledged that the Tories absolutely did not now
command one fifth of the House of Commons; his shakes and sighs were
equally disregarded by her, and she persisted in her dreams of riding
upon elephants.
After all Mrs. Ferrars was right. There is nothing more remarkable in
political history than the sudden break-up of the Whig party after their
successful revolution of 1832. It is one of the most striking instances
on record of all the elements of political power being useless without a
commanding individual will. During the second year of their exile in the
Berkshire hills, affairs looked so black that it seemed no change could
occur except further and more calamitous revolution. Zenobia went to
Vienna that she might breathe the atmosphere of law and order, and
hinted to Mrs. Ferrars that probably she should never return--at least
not until Parliament met, when she trusted the House of Lords, if they
were not abolished in the interval, would save the country. And yet at
the commencement of the following year an old colleague of Mr. Ferrars
apprised him, in the darkest and deepest confidence, that "there was a
screw loose," and he must "look out for squalls."
In the meantime Mr. Ferrars increased and established his claims on his
party, if they ever did rally, by his masterly articles in their great
Review, which circumstances favoured and which kept up that increasing
feeling of terror and despair which then was deemed necessary for the
advancement of Conservative opinions.
At home a year or more had elapsed without change. The occasional
appearance of Nigel Penruddock was the only event. It was to all a
pleasing, and to some of the family a deeply interesting one. Nigel,
though a student and devoted to the holy profession for which he was
destined, was also a sportsman. His Christianity was muscular, and
Endymion, to whom he had taken a fancy, became the companion of his
pastimes. All the shooting of the estate was at Nigel's command, but as
there were no keepers, it was of course very rough work. Still it was a
novel and animating life for Endymion; and though the sport was slight,
the pursuit was keen. Then Nigel was a great fisherman, and here their
efforts had a surer return, for they dwelt in a land of trout streams,
and in their vicinity was a not inconsiderable river. It was an
adventure of delight to pursue some of these streams to their source,
throwing, as they rambled on, the fly in the rippling waters. Myra, too,
took some pleasure in these fishing expeditions, carrying their luncheon
and a German book in her wallet, and sitting quietly on the bank for
hours, when they had fixed upon some favoured pool for a prolonged
campaign.
Every time that Nigel returned home, a difference, and a striking
difference, was observed in him. His person, of course, became more
manly, his manner more assured, his dress more modish. It was impossible
to deny that he was extremely good-looking, interesting in his
discourse, and distinguished in his appearance. Endymion idolised him.
Nigel was his model. He imitated his manner, caught the tone of his
voice, and began to give opinions on subjects, sacred and profane.
After a hard morning's march, one day, as they were lolling on the turf
amid the old beeches and the juniper, Nigel said--
"What does Mr. Ferrars mean you to be, Endymion?"
"I do not know," said Endymion, looking perplexed.
"But I suppose you are to be something?"
"Yes; I suppose I must be something; because papa has lost his fortune."
"And what would you like to be?"
"I never thought about it," said Endymion.
"In my opinion there is only one thing for a man to be in this age,"
said Nigel peremptorily; "he should go into the Church."
"The Church!" said Endymion.
"There will soon be nothing else left," said Nigel. "The Church must
last for ever. It is built upon a rock. It was founded by God; all other
governments have been founded by men. When they are destroyed, and the
process of destruction seems rapid, there will be nothing left to govern
mankind except the Church."
"Indeed!" said Endymion; "papa is very much in favour of the Church,
and, I know, is writing something about it."
"Yes, but Mr. Ferrars is an Erastian," said Nigel; "you need not tell
him I said so, but he is one. He wants the Church to be the servant of
the State, and all that sort of thing, but that will not do any longer.
This destruction of the Irish bishoprics has brought affairs to a
crisis. No human power has the right to destroy a bishopric. It is a
divinely-ordained office, and when a diocese is once established, it is
eternal."
"I see," said Endymion, much interested.
"I wish," continued Nigel, "you were two or three years older, and Mr.
Ferrars could send you to Oxford. That is the place to understand these
things, and they will soon be the only things to understand. The rector
knows nothing about them. My father is thoroughly high and dry, and has
not the slightest idea of Church principles."
"Indeed!" said Endymion.
"It is quite a new set even at Oxford," continued Nigel; "but their
principles are as old as the Apostles, and come down from them,
straight."
"That is a long time ago," said Endymion.
"I have a great fancy," continued Nigel, without apparently attending to
him, "to give you a thorough Church education. It would be the making
of you. You would then have a purpose in life, and never be in doubt or
perplexity on any subject. We ought to move heaven and earth to induce
Mr. Ferrars to send you to Oxford."
"I will speak to Myra about it," said Endymion.
"I said something of this to your sister the other day," said Nigel,
"but I fear she is terribly Erastian. However, I will give you something
to read. It is not very long, but you can read it at your leisure,
and then we will talk over it afterwards, and perhaps I may give you
something else."
Endymion did not fail to give a report of this conversation and similar
ones to his sister, for he was in the habit of telling her everything.
She listened with attention, but not with interest, to his story. Her
expression was kind, but hardly serious. Her wondrous eyes gave him a
glance of blended mockery and affection. "Dear darling," she said, "if
you are to be a clergyman, I should like you to be a cardinal."
CHAPTER XV
The dark deep hints that had reached Mr. Ferrars at the beginning of
1834 were the harbingers of startling events. In the spring it began to
be rumoured among the initiated, that the mighty Reform Cabinet with its
colossal majority, and its testimonial goblets of gold, raised by the
penny subscriptions of the grateful people, was in convulsions, and
before the month of July had elapsed Lord Grey had resigned, under
circumstances which exhibited the entire demoralisation of his party.
Except Zenobia, every one was of the opinion that the King acted wisely
in entrusting the reconstruction of the Whig ministry to his late
Secretary of State, Lord Melbourne. Nevertheless, it could no longer be
concealed, nay, it was invariably admitted, that the political situation
had been largely and most unexpectedly changed, and that there was a
prospect, dim, perhaps, yet not undefinable, of the conduct of
public affairs again falling to the alternate management of two rival
constitutional parties.
Zenobia was so full of hope, and almost of triumph, that she induced
her lord in the autumn to assemble their political friends at one of his
great seats, and Mr. and Mrs. Ferrars were urgently invited to join the
party. But, after some hesitation, they declined this proposal. Had Mr.
Ferrars been as sanguine as his wife, he would perhaps have overcome
his strong disinclination to re-enter the world, but though no longer
despairing of a Tory revival, he was of opinion that a considerable
period, even several years, must elapse before its occurrence. Strange
to say, he found no difficulty in following his own humour through any
contrary disposition on the part of Mrs. Ferrars. With all her ambition
and passionate love of society, she was unwilling to return to that
stage, where she once had blazed, in a subdued and almost subordinate
position. In fact, it was an affair of the wardrobe. The queen of
costumes, whose fanciful and gorgeous attire even Zenobia was wont to
praise, could not endure a reappearance in old dresses. "I do not so
much care about my jewels, William," she said to her husband, "but one
must have new dresses."
It was a still mild day in November, a month which in the country, and
especially on the light soils, has many charms, and the whole Ferrars
family were returning home after an afternoon ramble on the chase. The
leaf had changed but had not fallen, and the vast spiral masses of the
dark green juniper effectively contrasted with the rich brown foliage of
the beech, varied occasionally by the scarlet leaves of the wild cherry
tree, that always mingles with these woods. Around the house were some
lime trees of large size, and at this period of the year their foliage,
still perfect, was literally quite golden. They seemed like trees in
some fairy tale of imprisoned princesses or wandering cavaliers, and
such they would remain, until the fatal night that brings the first
frost.
"There is a parcel from London," said the servant to Mr. Ferrars, as
they entered the house. "It is on your desk."
A parcel from London was one of the great events of their life. What
could it be? Perhaps some proofs, probably some books. Mr. Ferrars
entered his room alone. It was a very small brown paper parcel,
evidently not books. He opened it hastily, and disencumbered its
contents of several coverings. The contents took the form of a letter--a
single letter.
The handwriting was recognised, and he read the letter with an agitated
countenance, and then he opened the door of his room, and called loudly
for his wife, who was by his side in a few moments.
"A letter, my love, from Barron," he cried. "The King has dismissed
Lord Melbourne and sent for the Duke of Wellington, who has accepted the
conduct of affairs."
"You must go to town directly," said his wife. "He offered you the
Cabinet in 1832. No person has such a strong claim on him as you have."
"It does not appear that he is exactly prime minister," said Mr.
Ferrars, looking again at the letter. "They have sent for Peel, who is
at Rome, but the Duke is to conduct the government till he arrives."
"You must go to town immediately," repeated Mrs. Ferrars. "There is not
a moment to be lost. Send down to the Horse Shoe and secure an inside
place in the Salisbury coach. It reaches this place at nine to-morrow
morning. I will have everything ready. You must take a portmanteau and
a carpet-bag. I wonder if you could get a bedroom at the Rodneys'. It
would be so nice to be among old friends; they must feel for you. And
then it will be near the Carlton, which is a great thing. I wonder how
he will form his cabinet. What a pity he is not here!"
"It is a wonderful event, but the difficulties must be immense,"
observed Ferrars.
"Oh! you always see difficulties. I see none. The King is with us, the
country is disgusted. It is what I always said would be; the reaction is
complete."
"Well, we had better now go and tell the children," said Ferrars. "I
leave you all here for the first time," and he seemed to sigh.
"Well, I hope we shall soon join you," said Mrs. Ferrars. "It is the
very best time for hiring a house. What I have set my heart upon is the
Green Park. It will be near your office and not too near. I am sure I
could not live again in a street."
The children were informed that public events of importance had
occurred, that the King had changed his ministry, and that papa must go
up to town immediately and see the Duke of Wellington. The eyes of Mrs.
Ferrars danced with excitement as she communicated to them all this
intelligence, and much more, with a volubility in which of late years
she had rarely indulged. Mr. Ferrars looked grave and said little.
Then he patted Endymion on the head, and kissed Myra, who returned his
embrace with a warmth unusual with her.
The whole household soon became in a state of bustle with the
preparations for the early departure of Mr. Ferrars. It seemed difficult
to comprehend how filling a portmanteau and a carpet-bag could induce
such excited and continuous exertions. But then there was so much to
remember, and then there was always something forgotten. Mrs. Ferrars
was in her bedroom surrounded by all her maids; Mr. Ferrars was in his
study looking out some papers which it was necessary to take with him.
The children were alone.
"I wonder if we shall be restored to our greatness," said Myra to
Endymion.
"Well, I shall be sorry to leave the old place; I have been happy here."
"I have not," said Myra; "and I do not think I could have borne this
life had it not been for you."
"It will be a wonderful change," said Endymion.
"If it comes; I fear papa is not daring enough. However, if we get out
of this hole, it will be something."
Tea-time brought them all together again, but when the meal was over,
none of the usual occupations of the evening were pursued; no work, no
books, no reading aloud. Mr. Ferrars was to get up very early, and that
was a reason for all retiring soon. And yet neither the husband nor
the wife really cared to sleep. Mrs. Ferrars sate by the fire in his
dressing-room, speculating on all possible combinations, and infusing
into him all her suggestions and all her schemes. She was still prudent,
and still would have preferred a great government--India if possible;
but had made up her mind that he must accept the cabinet. Considering
what had occurred in 1832, she thought he was bound in honour to do so.
Her husband listened rather than conversed, and seemed lost in thought.
At last he rose, and, embracing her with much affection, said, "You
forget I am to rise with the lark. I shall write to you every day.
Best and dearest of women, you have always been right, and all my good
fortune has come from you."
CHAPTER XVI
It was a very tedious journey, and it took the whole day to accomplish
a distance which a rapid express train now can achieve in an hour. The
coach carried six inside passengers, and they had to dine on the road.
All the passengers were strangers to Mr. Ferrars, and he was by them
unknown; one of them purchased, though with difficulty, a second
edition of the "Times" as they approached London, and favoured his
fellow-travellers with the news of the change of ministry. There was
much excitement, and the purchaser of the paper gave it as his opinion,
"that it was an intrigue of the Court and the Tories, and would never
do." Another modestly intimated that he thought there was a decided
reaction. A third announced that England would never submit to be
governed by O'Connell.
As the gloom of evening descended, Mr. Ferrars felt depressed. Though
his life at Hurstley had been pensive and melancholy, he felt now the
charm and the want of that sweet domestic distraction which had often
prevented his mind from over-brooding, and had softened life by sympathy
in little things. Nor was it without emotion that he found himself again
in London, that proud city where once he had himself been so proud. The
streets were lighted, and seemed swarming with an infinite population,
and the coach finally stopped at a great inn in the Strand, where Mr.
Ferrars thought it prudent to secure accommodation for the night. It
was too late to look after the Rodneys, but in deference to the strict
injunction of Mrs. Ferrars, he paid them a visit next morning on his way
to his political chief.
In the days of the great modistes, when an English lady might absolutely
be dressed in London, the most celebrated mantua-maker in that city was
Madame Euphrosyne. She was as fascinating as she was fashionable.
She was so graceful, her manners were so pretty, so natural, and so
insinuating! She took so lively an interest in her clients--her very
heart was in their good looks. She was a great favourite of Mrs.
Ferrars, and that lady of Madame Euphrosyne. She assured Mrs. Ferrars
that she was prouder of dressing Mrs. Ferrars than all the other fine
ladies in London together, and Mrs. Ferrars believed her. Unfortunately,
while in the way of making a large fortune, Madame Euphrosyne, who was
romantic, fell in love with, and married, a very handsome and worthless
husband, whose good looks had obtained for him a position in the
company of Drury Lane Theatre, then a place of refined resort, which his
abilities did not justify. After pillaging and plundering his wife for
many years, he finally involved her in such engagements, that she had
to take refuge in the Bankruptcy Court. Her business was ruined, and her
spirit was broken, and she died shortly after of adversity and chagrin.
Her daughter Sylvia was then eighteen, and had inherited with the grace
of her mother the beauty of her less reputable parent. Her figure
was slight and undulating, and she was always exquisitely dressed. A
brilliant complexion set off to advantage her delicate features, which,
though serene, were not devoid of a certain expression of archness. Her
white hands were delicate, her light eyes inclined to merriment, and her
nose quite a gem, though a little turned up.
After their ruin, her profligate father told her that her face was her
fortune, and that she must provide for herself, in which she would find
no difficulty. But Sylvia, though she had never enjoyed the advantage of
any training, moral or religious, had no bad impulses even if she had
no good ones, was of a rather cold character, and extremely prudent. She
recoiled from the life of riot, and disorder, and irregularity, in
which she had unwittingly passed her days, and which had terminated so
tragically, and she resolved to make an effort to secure for herself
a different career. She had heard that Mrs. Ferrars was in want of an
attendant, and she determined to apply for the post. As one of the
chief customers of her mother, Sylvia had been in the frequent habit of
waiting on that lady, with whom she had become a favourite. She was
so pretty, and the only person who could fit Mrs. Ferrars. Her appeal,
therefore, was not in vain; it was more than successful. Mrs. Ferrars
was attracted by Sylvia. Mrs. Ferrars was magnificent, generous, and
she liked to be a patroness and surrounded by favourites. She determined
that Sylvia should not sink into a menial position; she adopted her as a
humble friend, and one who every day became more regarded by her. Sylvia
arranged her invitations to her receptions, a task which required finish
and precision; sometimes wrote her notes. She spoke and wrote French
too, and that was useful, was a musician, and had a pretty voice. Above
all, she was a first-rate counsellor in costume; and so, looking also
after Mrs. Ferrars' dogs and birds, she became almost one of the family;
dined with them often when they were alone, and was frequently Mrs.
Ferrars' companion in her carriage.