Rank and Talent; A Novel, Vol. 2 (of 3)

by William Pitt Scargill

When Sir Gilbert Sampson was announced, he was readily admitted and well received; and, after a few half-formed sentences and muttering clumsinesses about the recent melancholy event, the knight proceeded to business. It was with no small share of diplomatic pomp that the worthy knight gravely informed Mr. Martindale of his having been that very morning honored with a call from a certain nobleman high in office and powerful in influence. Mr. Martindale received the information with a cynical attempt at indifference, but he was not really and soundly proof against the fascinations of high rank and mighty consideration. After, therefore, a very few, and those but faint sneers, he condescended to ask what might be the business on which this high and mighty potentate had designed to call upon Sir Gilbert Sampson. Now Mr. Martindale guessed the business to be about the living of Trimmerstone; but though he did so guess, and though he was sure that he had guessed rightly, and though he had made up his mind that nothing should induce him to give the living otherwise than he had designed, that is, to Mr. Henderson, yet he was not unwilling to hear what the great man had said to Sir Gilbert. Poor Mr. Martindale was but half a cynic; he had not quite so thorough a contempt for the world as he endeavoured to affect. He listened very attentively, therefore, to Sir Gilbert when he related the visit of the morning, and the conversation which he had had with the great man.

Sir Gilbert related as well as he could the conversation, which all turned upon the vacant living. The sum and substance of the whole matter was this: the great man had expressed a great wish to obtain the next presentation to Trimmerstone to oblige a very valued friend of his own, and a stanch supporter of loyal principles. This happened some few years ago, when loyalty was a more marketable article than it is now; for since radical meetings have ceased to be common, loyalty is become quite a drug, and fetches nothing. But to proceed to, or rather with, business: the great man made such an object of obtaining this living, that he had said, or at least intimated, or hinted, that the Martindale family might be very much aggrandised in the way of honor by its surrender. In short, to come directly to the point, the message with which Sir Gilbert was charged amounted to nothing more nor less than this, namely, that if Mr. John Martindale would comply with the solicitation of the great man, and give to his friend or nominee the living, then Philip, now only Lord or Baron Martindale, would be forthwith created Viscount Martindale and Earl of Trimmerstone. There was a temptation.

John Martindale heard all this unmoved, but he could not reflect upon it unshaken. It was a serious matter to have an individual related so nearly to himself advanced thus high in the peerage. It would certainly be a fine thing to have an earl under his thumb, and so to possess as it were a vote in the House of Lords. But then what is to become of poor Mr. Henderson?

"Have you actually promised Mr. Henderson?" exclaimed Sir Gilbert Sampson; "for if so, you are placed in an awkward situation; but still I think it may be managed."

"Why, no," replied Mr. Martindale, "I have not actually promised him, but still it was my full intention to give him the living; and it is not many days ago since I made such inquiries of him, and used such language to him, as nothing could justify but the intention of doing something for him, and there is nothing else that I can do for him. I am sure a more loyal man cannot exist than poor Henderson."

"Very likely; but then one must sometimes, for the sake of one's own family, do things which otherwise we might not like. As for poor Henderson, I know him well; I have often dined with him; he is a contented, diligent sort of a man, and a very sensible man. He taught my daughter geography; he makes a very good living by giving instructions in private families. He might, to be sure, be glad of a living, but still he has managed so long to do very well without; and then people in office have so many hangers-on whom they must by some means or other get rid of, that I do not wonder that they are rather anxious about these matters. Now I will candidly acknowledge to you, that though I am highly honored by my daughter's marrying into the Martindale family and becoming at all events a peeress, yet I must say that I should be very proud to see her a countess. I know it is a weakness. I acknowledge it as such; but still I must say it would be gratifying to me. And really to say the truth, Mr. Martindale, I don't think it would be altogether displeasing to you to have your young relative called Earl of Trimmerstone."

Whatever Mr. Martindale's notions on that subject might be, he did not like to avow them to Sir Gilbert Sampson. He merely shook his head, and looked as wise as Lord Burleigh in the Critic. People may, if they please, be very witty about a man's shaking his head, and say that there is nothing in it, but we contend that there is a great deal in it: for nothing comes out of it on being shaken; and therefore it retains its own counsel, which may be hereafter interpreted according to circumstances: just as the facetious authors of the Rejected Addresses represent Mr. Cobbett as saying, "I prophesied so, though I never told anybody." Exactly so may the wise Burleigh-like man who on great affairs and momentous occasions only shakes his head, afterwards interpret that shake as may best suit his inclinations, and claim a reputation for wisdom which might not be his had he merely uttered his thoughts through the common-place medium of unequivocal and interpretable words. Instead therefore of saying that when a man shakes his head there is nothing in it, we ought more properly to say there is any thing or every thing in it. Be this as it may, Mr. John Martindale did shake his head when he heard the communication of Sir Gilbert Sampson.

Now as Sir Gilbert inferred from the shaking of the head, that Mr. Martindale was not quite so positive on the subject of the living as when the conversation began, and before there was any mention of the earldom, he thought it might not be undesirable to pursue the subject; and as money was not so great an object to Sir Gilbert as honor, he ventured to say in continuance: