Henrietta Temple: A Love Story
Cleveland-row, and stopped before a newly painted, newly pointed, and
exceedingly compact mansion, the long brass knocker of whose dark green
door sounded beneath the practised touch of his lordship’s tiger. Even
the tawny Holstein horse, with the white flowing mane, seemed conscious
of the locality, and stopped before the accustomed resting-place in the
most natural manner imaginable. A tall serving-man, well-powdered, and
in a dark and well-appointed livery, immediately appeared.
‘At home?’ enquired Lord Catchimwhocan, with a peculiarly confidential
expression.
‘To you, my lord,’ responded the attendant.
‘Jump out, Armine,’ said his lordship; and they entered the house.
‘Alone?’ said his lordship.
‘Not alone,’ said the servant, ushering the friends into the
dining-room, ‘but he shall have your lordship’s card immediately. There
are several gentlemen waiting in the third drawing-room; so I have shown
your lordship in here, and shall take care that he sees your lordship
before anyone.’
‘That’s a devilish good fellow,’ said Lord Catchimwhocan, putting his
hand into his waistcoat pocket to give him a sovereign; but not finding
one, he added, ‘I shall remember you.’
The dining-room into which they were shown was at the back of the house,
and looked into agreeable gardens. The apartment was in some little
confusion at this moment, for their host gave a dinner to-day, and
his dinners were famous. The table was arranged for eight guests; its
appointments indicated refined taste. A candelabrum of Dresden china was
the centre piece; there was a whole service of the same material, even
to the handles of the knives and forks; and the choice variety of glass
attracted Ferdinand’s notice. The room was lofty and spacious; it was
simply and soberly furnished; not an object which could distract the
taste or disturb the digestion. But the sideboard, which filled a recess
at the end of the apartment, presented a crowded group of gold plate
that might have become a palace; magnificent shields, tall vases,
ancient tankards, goblets of carved ivory set in precious metal, and
cups of old ruby glass mounted on pedestals, glittering with gems.
This accidental display certainly offered an amusing contrast to the
perpetual splendour of Mr. Levison’s buffet; and Ferdinand was wondering
whether it would turn out that there was as marked a difference between
the two owners, when his companion and himself were summoned to the
presence of Mr. Bond Sharpe.
They ascended a staircase perfumed with flowers, and on each
landing-place was a classic tripod or pedestal crowned with a bust. And
then they were ushered into a drawing-room of Parisian elegance; buhl
cabinets, marqueterie tables, hangings of the choicest damask suspended
from burnished cornices of old carving. The chairs had been rifled from
a Venetian palace; the couches were part of the spoils of the French
revolution. There were glass screens in golden frames, and a clock
that represented the death of Hector, the chariot wheel of Achilles
conveniently telling the hour. A round table of mosaic, mounted on a
golden pedestal, was nearly covered with papers; and from an easy-chair,
supported by air cushions, half rose to welcome them Mr. Bond Sharpe. He
was a man not many years the senior of Captain Armine and his friend; of
elegant appearance, pale, pensive, and prepossessing. Deep thought was
impressed upon his clear and protruding brow, and the expression of
his grey sunken eyes, which were delicately arched, was singularly
searching. His figure was slight but compact. His dress was plain, but
a model in its fashion. He was habited entirely in black, and his only
ornament were his studs, which were turquoise and of great size: but
there never were such boots, so brilliant and so small!
He welcomed Lord Catchimwhocan in a voice scarcely above a whisper, and
received Captain Armine in a manner alike graceful and dignified.
‘My dear Sharpe,’ said his lordship, ‘I am going to introduce to you
my most particular friend, and an old brother officer. This is Captain
Armine, the only son of Sir Ratcliffe, and the heir of Armine Castle.
He is going to be married very soon to his cousin, Miss Grandison, the
greatest heiress in England.’
‘Hush, hush,’ said Ferdinand, shrinking under this false representation,
and Mr. Sharpe with considerate delicacy endeavoured to check his
lordship.
‘Well, never mind, I will say nothing about that,’ continued Lord
Catchimwhocan. ‘The long and the short of it is this, that my friend
Armine is hard up, and we must carry on the war till we get into winter
quarters. You are just the man for him, and by Jove, my dear Sharpe,
if you wish sensibly to oblige me, who I am sure am one of your warmest
friends, you will do everything for Armine that human energy can
possibly effect.’
‘What is the present difficulty that you have?’ enquired Mr. Sharpe of
our hero, in a calm whisper.
‘Why, the present difficulty that he has,’ said Lord Catchimwhocan, ‘is
that he wants 1,500L.’
‘I suppose you have raised money, Captain Armine?’ said Mr. Sharpe.
‘In every way,’ said Captain Armine.
‘Of course,’ said Mr. Sharpe, ‘at your time of life one naturally does.
And I suppose you are bothered for this 1,500L.’
‘I am threatened with immediate arrest, and arrest in execution.’
‘Who is the party?’
‘Why, I fear an unmanageable one, even by you. It is a house at Malta.’
‘Mr. Bolus, I suppose?’
‘Exactly.’
‘I thought so.’
‘Well, what can be done?’ said Lord Catchimwhocan.
‘Oh! there is no difficulty,’ said Mr. Sharpe quietly. ‘Captain Armine
can have any money he likes.’
‘I shall be happy,’ said Captain Armine, ‘to pay any consideration you
think fit.’
‘Oh! my dear sir, I cannot think of that. Money is a drug now. I shall
be happy to accommodate you without giving you any trouble. You can have
the 1,500L., if you please, this moment.’
‘Really, you are very generous,’ said Ferdinand, much surprised, ‘but I
feel I am not entitled to such favours. What security can I give you?’
‘I lend the money to you. I want no security. You can repay me when you
like. Give me your note of hand.’ So saying, Mr. Sharpe opened a drawer,
and taking out his cheque-book drew a draft for the 1,500L. ‘I believe
I have a stamp in the house,’ he continued, looking about. ‘Yes, here
is one. If you will fill this up, Captain Armine, the affair may be
concluded at once.’
‘Upon my honour, Mr. Sharpe,’ said Ferdinand, very confused, ‘I do not
like to appear insensible to this extraordinary kindness, but really
I came here by the merest accident, and without any intention of
soliciting or receiving such favours. And my kind friend here has given
you much too glowing an account of my resources. It is very probable I
shall occasion you great inconvenience.’
‘Really, Captain Armine,’ said Mr. Sharpe with a slight smile, ‘if we
were talking of a sum of any importance, why, one might be a little more
punctilious, but for such a bagatelle we have already wasted too much
time in its discussion. I am happy to serve you.’
Ferdinand stared, remembering Mr. Levison and the coals. Mr. Sharpe
himself drew up the note, and presented it to Ferdinand, who signed it
and pocketed the draft.
‘I have several gentlemen waiting,’ said Mr. Bond Sharpe; ‘I am sorry I
cannot take this opportunity of cultivating your acquaintance, Captain
Armine, but I should esteem it a great honour if you would dine with me
to-day. Your friend Lord Catchimwhocan favours me with his company, and
you might meet a person or two who would amuse you.’
‘I really shall be very happy,’ said Ferdinand.
And Mr. Bond Sharpe again slightly rose and bowed them out of the room.
‘Well, is not he a trump?’ said Lord Catchimwhocan, when they were once
more in the cab.
‘I am so astonished,’ said Ferdinand, ‘that I cannot speak. Who in the
name of fortune is this great man?’
‘A genius,’ said Lord Catchimwhocan. ‘Don’t you think he is a deuced
good-looking fellow?’
‘The best-looking fellow I ever saw,’ said the grateful Ferdinand.
‘And capital manners?’
‘Most distinguished.’
‘Neatest dressed man in town!’
‘Exquisite taste!’
‘What a house!’
‘Capital!’
‘Did you ever see such furniture? It beats your rooms at Malta.’
‘I never saw anything more complete in my life.’
‘What plate!’ ‘Miraculous!’ ‘And, believe me, we shall have the best
dinner in town.’
‘Well, he has given me an appetite,’ said Ferdinand. ‘But who is he?’
‘Why, by business he is what is called a conveyancer; that is to say, he
is a lawyer by inspiration.’
‘He is a wonderful man,’ said Ferdinand. ‘He must be very rich.’
‘Yes; Sharpe must be worth his quarter of a million. And he has made it
in such a deuced short time!’
‘Why, he is not much older than we are!’
‘Ten years ago that man was a prizefighter,’ said Lord Catchimwhocan.
‘A prizefighter!’ exclaimed Ferdinand.
‘Yes; and licked everybody. But he was too great a genius for the ring,
and took to the turf.’
‘Ah!’
‘Then he set up a hell.’
‘Hum!’
‘And then he turned it into a subscription-house.’
‘Hoh!’
‘He keeps his hell still, but it works itself now. In the mean time he
is the first usurer in the world, and will be in the next Parliament.’
‘But if he lends money on the terms he accommodates me, he will hardly
increase his fortune.’
‘Oh! he can do the thing when he likes. He took a fancy to you. The fact
is, my dear fellow, Sharpe is very rich and wants to get into society.
He likes to oblige young men of distinction, and can afford to risk a
few thousands now and then. By dining with him to-day you have quite
repaid him for his loan. Besides, the fellow has a great soul; and,
though born on a dung-hill, nature intended him for a palace, and he has
placed himself there.’
‘Well, this has been a remarkable morning,’ said Ferdinand Armine, as
Lord Catchimwhocan set him down at his club. ‘I am very much obliged to
you, dear Catch!’
‘Not a word, my dear fellow. You have helped me before this, and glad am
I to be the means of assisting the best fellow in the world, and that we
all think you. _Au revoir!_ We dine at eight.’
CHAPTER XII.
_Miss Grandison Makes a Remarkable Discovery_.
IN THE mean time, while the gloomy morning which Ferdinand had
anticipated terminated with so agreeable an adventure, Henrietta and
Miss Grandison, accompanied by Lord Montfort and Glastonbury, paid their
promised visit to the British Museum.
‘I am sorry that Captain Armine could not accompany us,’ said Lord
Montfort. ‘I sent to him this morning early, but he was already out.’
‘He has many affairs to attend to,’ said Glastonbury.
Miss Temple looked grave; she thought of poor Ferdinand and all his
cares. She knew well what were those affairs to which Glastonbury
alluded. The thought that perhaps at this moment he was struggling with
rapacious creditors made her melancholy. The novelty and strangeness of
the objects which awaited her, diverted, however, her mind from these
painful reflections. Miss Grandison, who had never quitted England, was
delighted with everything she saw; but the Egyptian gallery principally
attracted the attention of Miss Temple. Lord Montfort, regardful of his
promise to Henrietta, was very attentive to Miss Grandison.
‘I cannot help regretting that your cousin is not here,’ said his
lordship, returning to a key that he had already touched. But Katherine
made no answer.
‘He seemed so much better for the exertion he made yesterday,’ resumed
Lord Montfort. ‘I think it would do him good to be more with us.’
‘He seems to like to be alone,’ said Katherine.
‘I wonder at that,’ said Lord Montfort; ‘I cannot conceive a happier
life than we all lead.’