“But, independently of the world,” interrupted his lordship, “even in our own family, amongst all the Lidhursts and their remotest connexions, there would be quite a league formed against me; and these family quarrels are ugly affairs; for though our feudal times are done away, party clanships have succeeded to feudal clanships; and we chiefs of parties must keep our followers in good humour, or we are nothing in the field—I should say in the house—Ha! ha! ha!——I laugh, but it is a very serious business; for Marmaduke Lidhurst would be, in private or public, an impracticable enemy. Marmaduke’s a fellow capable of inextinguishable hatred; and he is everywhere, and knows every body, of all the clubs, a rising young man, who is listened to, and who would make his story credited. And then, with one’s nephew, one can’t settle these things in an honourable way—these family quarrels must be arranged amicably, not honourably; and that’s the difficulty: the laws of honour are dead letters in these cases, and the laws of the land do not reach these niceties of feeling.——But of the most important fact you are still to be apprised.”
“Indeed!” cried Vivian.
“Yes, you have not yet heard Marmaduke’s master-stroke of policy!”
“No!—What is it, my lord?—I am all attention—pray explain it to me.”
“But there’s the delicacy—there’s the difficulty!—No, no, no.—Upon my soul, I cannot name it!” cried Lord Glistonbury. “It revolts my feelings—all my feelings—as a man, as a gentleman, as a father. Upon my honour, as a peer, I would speak if I could; but, for the soul of me, I cannot.”
“You know, my dear lord,” said Vivian, “there can be no delicacies or difficulties with me; your lordship has done me the honour to live always on such a footing of intimacy with me, that surely there is not any thing you cannot say to me!”
“Why, that’s true,” said Lord Glistonbury, quitting his affected air of distress, and endeavouring to throw off his real feeling of embarrassment: “you are right, my dear Vivian! we are certainly upon terms of such intimacy, that I ought not to be so scrupulous. But there are certain things, a well-born, well-bred man—in short, it would look so like—But, in fact, I am driven to the wall, and I must defend myself as well as I can against this nephew of mine—I know it will look like the most horrible thing upon earth, like what I would rather be decapitated than do—I know it will look, absolutely, as if I came here to ask you to marry my daughter,—which, you know, is a thing no gentleman could have the most remotely in his contemplation; but, since I am so pressed, I must tell you the exact truth, and explain to you, however difficult, Marmaduke’s master-stroke——he has proposed for Lady Sarah; and has had the assurance to ask me whether there is or is not any truth in certain reports which he is pleased to affirm have gone abroad—Heaven knows how or why!——And he urges me—the deep dog! for his cousin’s sake, to contradict those reports, in the only effectual manner, by a temporary cessation of the intimate intercourse between Castle Vivian and Glistonbury Castle, whilst Lady Sarah remains unmarried; or, if our master politician would speak plainly, till he has married her himself.——At any rate, I have spoken frankly, Vivian, hey? you’ll allow; and I am entitled both to a candid interpretation of my motives, and to equal frankness of reply.”
Whilst his lordship had been speaking, compassion, gratitude, vanity, rivalship, honour, Lady Mary Vivian’s conversation, Lady Julia’s letter, then again the connexion, the earldom in future, the present triumph or disappointment about the election, the insolent intrusion of Mr. Lidhurst, the cruelty of abandoning a lady who was in love with him, the dishonour, the impossibility of receding after certain reports; all these ideas, in rapid succession, pressed on Vivian’s mind: and his decision was in consequence of the feelings and of the embarrassment of the moment. His reply to Lord Glistonbury was a proposal for Lady Sarah, followed by as many gallant protestations as his presence of mind could furnish. He did not very well know what he said, nor did Lord Glistonbury scrupulously examine whether he had the air and accent of a true lover, nor did his lordship inquire what had become of Vivian’s late love for Lady Julia; but, quite content that the object should be altered, the desire the same, he relieved Vivian by exclaiming, “Come, come, all this sort of thing Lady Sarah herself must hear; and I’ve a notion—but I can keep a secret. You’ll return with me directly to Glistonbury. Lady Glistonbury will be delighted to see you; and I shall be delighted to see Marmaduke’s face, when I tell him you have actually proposed for Sarah—for now I must tell you all. Our politician calculated upon the probability that you would not decide, you see, to make a proposal at once, that would justify me to the world in supporting my son-in-law against my nephew. As to the choice of the son-in-law, Sarah settles that part of the business herself, you know; for, when two proposals are made, both almost equally advantageous, in the common acceptation of the word, I am too good a father not to leave the decision to my daughter. So you see we understand one another perfectly, and will make Marmaduke, too, understand us perfectly, contrary to his calculations, hey, hey?——Mr. Politician, your advertisement must be withdrawn, I opine, in the next paper—hey, Vivian? my dear Vivian!”
With similar loquacity, Lord Glistonbury continued, in the fulness of his heart, all the way they went together to Glistonbury Castle; which was agreeable to Vivian, at least by saving him from all necessity of speaking.
“So!” said Vivian to himself, “the die is cast, and I have actually proposed for Lady Sarah Lidhurst!—Who would have expected this two years ago?—I would not have believed it, if it had been foretold to me even two months ago. But it is a very—a very suitable match, and it will please the friends of both parties; and Lady Sarah is certainly very estimable, and capable of very strong attachment; and I like her, that is, I liked her yesterday very much—I really like her.”