“Pleasant young men, those,” said Levy, with a slight sneer, as he threw himself into an easy-chair and stirred the fire. “And not at all proud; but, to be sure, they are—under great obligations to me. Yes; they owe me a great deal a propos, I have had a long talk with Frank Hazeldean,—fine young man, remarkable capacities for business. I can arrange his affairs for him. I find, on reference to the Will Office, that you were quite right; the Casino property is entailed on Frank. He will have the fee simple. He can dispose of the reversion entirely. So that there will be no difficulty in our arrangements.”
“But I told you also that Frank had scruples about borrowing on the event of his father’s death.”
“Ay, you did so. Filial affection! I never take that into account in matters of business. Such little scruples, though they are highly honourable to human nature, soon vanish before the prospect of the King’s Bench. And, too, as you so judiciously remarked, our clever young friend is in love with Madame di Negra.”
“Did he tell you that?”
“No; but Madame di Negra did!”
“You know her?”
“I know most people in good society, who now and then require a friend in the management of their affairs. And having made sure of the fact you stated, as to Hazeldean’s contingent property (excuse my prudence), I have accommodated Madame di Negra and bought up her debts.”
“You have—you surprise me!”
“The surprise will vanish on reflection. But you are very new to the world yet, my dear Leslie. By the way, I have had an interview with Peschiera—”
“About his sister’s debts?”
“Partly. A man of the nicest honour is Peschiera.” Aware of Levy’s habit of praising people for the qualities in which, according to the judgment of less penetrating mortals, they were most deficient, Randal only smiled at this eulogy, and waited for Levy to resume. But the baron sat silent and thoughtful for a minute or two, and then wholly changed the subject.
“I think your father has some property in ——shire, and you probably can give me a little information as to certain estates of a Mr. Thornhill, estates which, on examination of the title-deeds, I find once, indeed, belonged to your family.” The baron glanced at a very elegant memorandum-book.—“The manors of Rood and Dulmansberry, with sundry farms thereon. Mr. Thornhill wants to sell them—an old client of mine, Thornhill. He has applied to me on the matter. Do you think it an improvable property?”
Randal listened with a livid cheek and a throbbing heart. We have seen that, if there was one ambitious scheme in his calculation which, though not absolutely generous and heroic, still might win its way to a certain sympathy in the undebased human mind, it was the hope to restore the fallen fortunes of his ancient house, and repossess himself of the long alienated lands that surrounded the dismal wastes of the mouldering hall. And now to hear that those lands were getting into the inexorable gripe of Levy—tears of bitterness stood in his eyes.
“Thornhill,” continued Levy, who watched the young man’s countenance,—“Thornhill tells me that that part of his property—the old Leslie lands—produces L2, 000 a year, and that the rental could be raised. He would take L50,000 for it, L20,000 down, and suffer the remaining L30,000 to lie on mortgage at four per cent. It seems a very good purchase. What do you say?”
“Don’t ask me,” said Randal, stung into rare honesty; “for I had hoped I might live to repossess myself of that property.”
“Ah, indeed! It would be a very great addition to your consequence in the world,—not from the mere size of the estate, but from its hereditary associations. And if you have any idea of the purchase, believe me, I’ll not stand in your way.”
“How can I have any idea of it?”
“But I thought you said you had.”
“I understood that these lands could not be sold till Mr. Thornhill’s son came of age, and joined in getting rid of the entail.”
“Yes, so Thornhill himself supposed, till, on examining the title-deeds, I found he was under a mistake. These lands are not comprised in the settlement made by old Jasper Thornhill, which ties up the rest of the property. The title will be perfect. Thornhill wants to settle the matter at once,—losses on the turf, you understand; an immediate purchaser would get still better terms. A Sir John Spratt would give the money; but the addition of these lands would make the Spratt property of more consequence in the county than the Thornhill. So my client would rather take a few thousands less from a man who don’t set up to be his rival. Balance of power in counties as well as nations.”
Randal was silent.
“Well,” said Levy, with great kindness of manner, “I see I pain you; and though I am what my very pleasant guests would call a parvenu, I comprehend your natural feelings as a gentleman of ancient birth. Parvenu! Ah, is it not strange, Leslie, that no wealth, no fashion, no fame can wipe out that blot? They call me a parvenu, and borrow my money. They call our friend the wit a parvenu, and submit to all his insolence—if they condescend to regard his birth at all—provided they can but get him to dinner. They call the best debater in the parliament of England a parvenu, and will entreat him, some day or other, to be prime minister, and ask him for stars and garters. A droll world, and no wonder the parvenus want to upset it.”
Randal had hitherto supposed that this notorious tufthunter, this dandy capitalist, this money-lender, whose whole fortune had been wrung from the wants and follies of an aristocracy, was naturally a firm supporter of things as they are—how could things be better for men like Baron Levy? But the usurer’s burst of democratic spleen did not surprise his precocious and acute faculty of observation. He had before remarked, that it is the persons who fawn most upon an aristocracy, and profit the most by the fawning, who are ever at heart its bitterest disparagers. Why is this? Because one full half of democratic opinion is made up of envy; and we can only envy what is brought before our eyes, and what, while very near to us, is still unattainable. No man envies an archangel.
“But,” said Levy, throwing himself back in his chair, “a new order of things is commencing; we shall see. Leslie, it is lucky for you that you did not enter parliament under the government; it would be your political ruin for life.”
“You think, then, that the ministry really cannot last?”
“Of course I do; and what is more, I think that a ministry of the same principles cannot be restored. You are a young man of talent and spirit; your birth is nothing compared to the rank of the reigning party; it would tell, to a certain degree, in a democratic one. I say, you should be more civil to Avenel; he could return you to parliament at the next election.”
“The next election! In six years! We have just had a general election.”
“There will be another before this year, or half of it, or perhaps a quarter of it, is out.”
“What makes you think so?”
“Leslie, let there be confidence between us; we can help each other. Shall we be friends?”
“With all my heart. But though you may help me, how can I help you?”
“You have helped me already to Frank Hazeldean and the Casino estate. All clever men can help me. Come, then, we are friends; and what I say is secret. You ask me why I think there will be a general election so soon? I will answer you frankly. Of all the public men I ever met with, there is no one who has so clear a vision of things immediately before him as Audley Egerton.”
“He has that character. Not far-seeing, but clear-sighted to a certain limit.”
“Exactly so. No one better, therefore, knows public opinion and its immediate ebb and flow.”
“Granted.”
“Egerton, then, counts on a general election within three months, and I have lent him the money for it.”
“Lent him the money! Egerton borrow money of you, the rich Audley Egerton!”
“Rich!” repeated Levy, in a tone impossible to describe, and accompanying the word with that movement of the middle finger and thumb, commonly called a “snap,” which indicates profound contempt.
He said no more. Randal sat stupefied. At length the latter muttered, “But if Egerton is really not rich; if he lose office, and without the hope of return to it—”
“If so, he is ruined!” said Levy, coldly; “and therefore, from regard to you, and feeling interest in your future fate, I say, Rest no hopes of fortune or career upon Audley Egerton. Keep your place for the present, but be prepared at the next election to stand upon popular principles. Avenel shall return you to parliament; and the rest is with luck and energy. And now, I’ll not detain you longer,” said Levy, rising and ringing the bell. The servant entered. “Is my carriage here?”
“Yes, Baron.”
“Can I set you down anywhere?”
“No, thank you, I prefer walking.”
“Adieu, then. And mind you remember the soiree dansante at Mrs. Avenel’s.” Randal mechanically shook the hand extended to him, and went down the stairs.
The fresh frosty air roused his intellectual faculties, which Levy’s ominous words had almost paralyzed.
And the first thing the clever schemer said to himself was this,
“But what can be the man’s motive in what he said to me?”
The next was,—
“Egerton ruined! What am I, then?” And the third was,
“And that fair remnant of the old Leslie property! L20,000 down—how to get the sum? Why should Levy have spoken to me of this?”
And lastly, the soliloquy rounded back—“The man’s motives! His motives!”
Meanwhile, the baron threw himself into his chariot—the most comfortable, easy chariot you can possibly conceive, single man’s chariot, perfect taste,—no married man ever had such a chariot; and in a few minutes he was at ————-’s hotel, and in the presence of Giulio Franzini, Count di Peschiera.
“Mon cher,” said the baron, in very good French, and in a tone of the most familiar equality with the descendant of the princes and heroes of grand medieval Italy,—“mon cher, give me one of your excellent cigars. I think I have put all matters in train.”
“You have found out—”
“No; not so fast yet,” said the baron, lighting the cigar extended to him. “But you said that you should be perfectly contented if it only cost you L20,000 to marry off your sister (to whom that sum is legally due), and to marry yourself to the heiress.”
“I did, indeed.”
“Then I have no doubt I shall manage both objects for that sum, if Randal Leslie really knows where the young lady is, and can assist you. Most promising, able man is Randal Leslie—but innocent as a babe just born.”
“Ha, ha! Innocent? Que diable!”
“Innocent as this cigar, mon cher,—strong certainly, but smoked very easily. Soyez tranquille!”
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