And the man of science had lectured about a machine which might destroy fifteen square feet of human beings in a second, and yet be carried in the waistcoat pocket. And the cla.s.sic, who, for a professor, was quite a man of the world, had the latest news of the new Herculaneum process, and was of opinion that, if they could but succeed in unrolling a certain suspicious-looking scroll, we might be so fortunate as to possess a minute treatise on &c., &c., &c. In short, all had said their say. There was a dead pause, and Mrs. Grey looked at her husband, and rose.
How singular it is, that when this move takes place every one appears to be relieved, and yet every one of any experience must be quite aware that the dead bore work is only about to commence. Howbeit, all filled their gla.s.ses, and the peer, at the top of the table, began to talk politics. I am sure I cannot tell what the weighty subject was that was broached by the ex-minister; for I did not dine with Grey that day, and had I done so, I should have been equally ignorant, for I am a dull man, and always sleep at dinner. However, the subject was political, the claret flew round, and a stormy argument commenced. The Marquess was decidedly wrong, and was sadly badgered by the civil M.P. and the professor. The host, who was of no party, supported his guest as long as possible, and then left him to his fate. The military M.P. fled to the drawing-room to philander with Mrs. Grey; and the man of science and the African had already retired to the intellectual idiocy of a May Fair "At Home." The novelist was silent, for he was studying a scene; and the poet was absent, for he was musing a sonnet.
The Marquess refuted, had recourse to contradiction, and was too acute a man to be insensible to the forlornness of his situation; when, at this moment, a voice proceeded from the end of the table, from a young gentleman, who had hitherto preserved a profound silence, but whose silence, if the company were to have judged from the tones of his voice, and the matter of his communication, did not altogether proceed from a want of confidence in his own abilities. "In my opinion," said Mr. Vivian Grey, as he sat lounging in his father"s vacated seat, "in my opinion his Lordship has been misunderstood; and it is, as is generally the case, from a slight verbal misconception in the commencement of this argument, that the whole of this difference arises."
The eyes of the Marquess sparkled, and the mouth of the Marquess was closed. His Lordship was delighted that his reputation might yet be saved; but as he was not perfectly acquainted in what manner that salvation was to be effected, he prudently left the battle to his youthful champion.
Mr. Vivian Grey proceeded with the utmost sang froid; he commented upon expressions, split and subtilised words, insinuated opinions, and finally quoted a whole pa.s.sage of Bolingbroke to prove that the opinion of the most n.o.ble the Marquess of Carabas was one of the soundest, wisest, and most convincing of opinions that ever was promulgated by mortal man. The tables were turned, the guests looked astounded, the Marquess settled his ruffles, and perpetually exclaimed, "Exactly what I meant!" and his opponents, full of wine and quite puzzled, gave in.
It was a rule with Vivian Grey never to advance any opinion as his own.
He had been too deep a student of human nature, not to be aware that the opinions of a boy of twenty, however sound, and however correct, stand but a poor chance of being adopted by his elder, though feebler, fellow-creatures. In attaining any end, it was therefore his system always to advance his opinion as that of some eminent and considered personage; and when, under the sanction of this name, the opinion or advice was entertained and listened to, Vivian Grey had no fear that he could prove its correctness and its expediency. He possessed also the singular faculty of being able to improvise quotations, that is, he could unpremeditatedly clothe his conceptions in language characteristic of the style of any particular author; and Vivian Grey was reputed in the world as having the most astonishing memory that ever existed; for there was scarcely a subject of discussion in which he did not gain the victory, by the great names he enlisted on his side of the argument. His father was aware of the existence of this dangerous faculty, and had often remonstrated with his son on the use of it. On the present occasion, when the buzz had somewhat subsided, Mr. Grey looked smiling to his son, and said, "Vivian, my dear, can you tell me in what work of Bolingbroke I can find the eloquent pa.s.sage you have just quoted?"
"Ask Mr. Hargrave, sir," replied the son, with perfect coolness; then, turning to the member, "You know, Mr. Hargrave, you are reputed the most profound political student in the House, and more intimately acquainted than any other person with the works of Bolingbroke."
Mr. Hargrave knew no such thing; but he was a weak man, and, seduced by the compliment, he was afraid to prove himself unworthy of it by confessing his ignorance of the pa.s.sage.
Coffee was announced.
Vivian did not let the peer escape him in the drawing-room. He soon managed to enter into conversation with him; and certainly the Marquess of Carabas never found a more entertaining companion. Vivian discoursed on a new Venetian liqueur, and taught the Marquess how to mull Moselle, an operation of which the Marquess had never heard (as who has?); and then the flood of anecdotes, and little innocent personalities, and the compliments so exquisitely introduced, that they scarcely appeared to be compliments; and the voice so pleasant, and conciliating, and the quotation from the Marquess"s own speech; and the wonderful art of which the Marquess was not aware, by which, during all this time, the lively, chattering, amusing, elegant conversationist, so full of scandal, politics, and cookery, did not so much appear to be Mr. Vivian Grey as the Marquess of Carabas himself.
"Well, I must be gone," said the fascinated n.o.ble; "I really have not felt in such spirits for some time; I almost fear I have been vulgar enough to be amusing, eh! eh! eh! but you young men are sad fellows, eh!
eh! eh! Don"t forget to call on me; good evening! and Mr. Vivian Grey!
Mr. Vivian Grey!" said his lordship, returning, "you will not forget the receipt you promised me for making tomahawk punch."
"Certainly not, my Lord," said the young man; "only it must be invented first," thought Vivian, as he took up his light to retire. "But never mind, never mind;
Chapeau bas! chapeau bas!
Glorie au Marquis de Carabas!!"
CHAPTER II
A few days after the dinner at Mr. Grey"s, as the Marquess of Carabas was sitting in his library, and sighing, in the fulness of his ennui, as he looked on his large library table, once triply covered with official communications, now thinly besprinkled with a stray parliamentary paper or two, his steward"s accounts, and a few letters from some grumbling tenants, Mr. Vivian Grey was announced.
"I fear I am intruding on your Lordship, but I really could not refrain from bringing you the receipt I promised."
"Most happy to see ye, most happy to see ye."
"This is exactly the correct receipt, my Lord. TO EVERY TWO BOTTLES OF STILL CHAMPAGNE, ONE PINT OF CURAcOA." The Peer"s eyes glistened, and his companion proceeded; "ONE PINT OF CURAcOA; CATCH THE AROMA OF A POUND OF GREEN TEA, AND DASH THE WHOLE WITH GLENLIVET."
"Splendid!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the Marquess.
"The nice point, however, which it is impossible to define in a receipt, is catching the aroma. What sort of a genius is your Lordship"s chef?"
"First-rate! Laporte _is_ a genius."
"Well, my Lord! I shall be most happy to superintend the first concoction for you; and remember particularly," said Vivian, rising, "remember it must be iced."
"Certainly, my dear fellow; but pray don"t think of going yet."
"I am very sorry, my Lord; but such a pressure of engagements; your Lordship"s kindness is so great, and, really, I fear, that at this moment especially, your Lordship can scarcely be in a humour for my trifling."
"Why this moment especially, Mr. Vivian Grey?"
"Oh, my Lord! I am perfectly aware of your Lordship"s talents for business; but still I had conceived, that the delicate situation in which your Lordship is now placed, requiring such anxious attention such--"
"Delicate situation! anxious attention! why man! you speak riddles. I certainly have a great deal of business to transact: people are so obstinate, or so foolish, they will consult me, certainly; and certainly I feel it my duty, Mr. Vivian Grey; I feel it the duty, sir of every Peer in this happy country (here his Lordship got parliamentary): yes, sir, I feel it due to my character, to my family, to, to, to a.s.sist with my advice all those who think fit to consult me." Splendid peroration!
"Oh, my Lord!" carelessly remarked Vivian, "I thought it was a mere on dit."
"Thought what, my dear sir? you really quite perplex me."
"I mean to say, my Lord; I, I thought it was impossible the overtures had been made."
"Overtures, Mr. Vivian Grey?"
"Yes, my Lord! Overtures; has not your Lordship seen the _Post_. But I knew it was impossible; I said so, I--"
"Said what, Mr. Vivian Grey?"
"Said that the whole paragraph was unfounded."
"Paragraph! what paragraph?" and his Lordship rose, and rang the library bell with vehemence: "Sadler, bring me the _Morning Post_."
The servant entered with the paper. Mr. Vivian Grey seized it from his hands before it reached the Marquess, and glancing his eye over it with the rapidity of lightning, doubled up the sheet in a convenient readable form, and pushing it into his Lordship"s hands, exclaimed, "There, my Lord! there, that will explain all."
His Lordship read:
"We are informed that some alteration in the composition of the present administration is in contemplation; Lord Past Century, it is said, will retire; Mr. Liberal Principles will have the--; and Mr. Charlatan Gas the--. A n.o.ble Peer, whose practised talents have already benefited the nation, and who, on vacating his seat in the Cabinet, was elevated in the Peerage, is reported as having had certain overtures made him, the nature of which may be conceived, but which, under present circ.u.mstances, it would be indelicate in us to hint at."
It would have been impossible for a hawk to watch its quarry with eyes of more fixed and anxious earnestness than did Vivian Grey the Marquess of Carabas, as his Lordship"s eyes wandered over the paragraph. Vivian drew his chair close to the table opposite to the Marquess, and when the paragraph was read, their eyes met.
"Utterly untrue," whispered the Peer, with an agitated voice, and with a countenance which, for a moment, seemed intellectual.
"But why Mr. Vivian Grey should deem the fact of such overtures having been made "impossible," I confess, astonishes me."
"Impossible, my Lord!"
"Ay, Mr. Grey, impossible, that was your word."
"Oh, my Lord! what should I know about these matters?"
"Nay, nay, Mr. Grey, something must have been floating in your mind: why impossible, why impossible? Did your father think so?"
"My father! Oh! no, he never thinks about these matters; ours is not a political family; I am not sure that he ever looks at a newspaper."