The Duke's Children. Anthony TrollopeЧитать онлайн книгу.
is simply self-protection then?"
"His own and his class. The people will look after themselves, and we must look after ourselves. We are so few and they are so many, that we shall have quite enough to do."
Then the Duke gave his son a somewhat lengthy political lecture, which was intended to teach him that the greatest benefit of the greatest number was the object to which all political studies should tend. The son listened to it with attention, and when it was over, expressed his opinion that there was a great deal in what his father had said. "I trust, if you will consider it," said the Duke, "that you will not find yourself obliged to desert the school of politics in which your father has not been an inactive supporter, and to which your family has belonged for many generations."
"I could not call myself a Liberal," said the young politician.
"Why not?"
"Because I am a Conservative."
"And you won't stand for the county on the Liberal interest?"
"I should be obliged to tell them that I should always give a Conservative vote."
"Then you refuse to do what I ask?"
"I do not know how I can help refusing. If you wanted me to grow a couple of inches taller I couldn't do it, even though I should be ever so anxious to oblige you."
"But a very young man, as you are, may have so much deference for his elders as to be induced to believe that he has been in error."
"Oh yes; of course."
"You cannot but be aware that the political condition of the country is the one subject to which I have devoted the labour of my life."
"I know that very well; and, of course, I know how much they all think of you."
"Then my opinion might go for something with you?"
"So it does, sir; I shouldn't have doubted at all only for that little. Still, you see, as the thing is—how am I to help myself?"
"You believe that you must be right—you, who have never given an hour's study to the subject!"
"No, sir. In comparison with a great many men, I know that I am a fool. Perhaps it is because I know that, that I am a Conservative. The Radicals are always saying that a Conservative must be a fool. Then a fool ought to be a Conservative."
Hereupon the father got up from his chair and turned round, facing the fire, with his back to his son. He was becoming very angry, but endeavoured to restrain his anger. The matter in dispute between them was of so great importance, that he could hardly be justified in abandoning it in consequence of arguments so trifling in themselves as these which his son adduced. As he stood there for some minutes thinking of it all, he was tempted again and again to burst out in wrath and threaten the lad—to threaten him as to money, as to his amusements, as to the general tenure of his life. The pity was so great that the lad should be so stubborn and so foolish! He would never ask his son to be a slave to the Liberal party, as he had been. But that a Palliser should not be a Liberal—and his son, as the first recreant Palliser—was wormwood to him! As he stood there he more than once clenched his fist in eager desire to turn upon the young man; but he restrained himself, telling himself that in justice he should not be angry for such offence as this. To become a Conservative, when the path to Liberalism was so fairly open, might be the part of a fool, but could not fairly be imputed as a crime. To endeavour to be just was the study of his life, and in no condition of life can justice be more imperatively due than from a father to his son.
"You mean to stand for Silverbridge?" he said at last.
"Not if you object, sir."
This made it worse. It became now still more difficult for him to scold the young man.
"You are aware that I should not meddle in any way."
"That was what I supposed. They will return a Conservative at any rate."
"It is not that I care about," said the Duke sadly.
"Upon my word, sir, I am very sorry to vex you; but what would you have me do? I will give up Parliament altogether, if you say that you wish it."
"No; I do not wish that."
"You wouldn't have me tell a lie?"
"No."
"What can I do then?"
"Learn what there is to learn from some master fit to teach you."
"There are so many masters."
"I believe it to be that most arrogant ill-behaved young man who was with me yesterday who has done this evil."
"You mean Frank Tregear?"
"I do mean Mr. Tregear."
"He's a Conservative, of course; and of course he and I have been much together. Was he with you yesterday, sir?"
"Yes, he was."
"What was that about?" asked Lord Silverbridge, in a voice that almost betrayed fear, for he knew very well what cause had produced the interview.
"He has been speaking to me—" When the Duke had got so far as this he paused, finding himself to be hardly able to declare the disgrace which had fallen upon himself and his family. As he did tell the story, both his face and his voice were altered, so that the son, in truth, was scared. "He has been speaking to me about your sister. Did you know of this?"
"I knew there was something between them."
"And you encouraged it?"
"No, sir; just the contrary. I have told him that I was quite sure it would never do."
"And why did you not tell me?"
"Well, sir; that was hardly my business, was it?"
"Not to guard the honour of your sister?"
"You see, sir, how many things have happened all at once."
"What things?"
"My dear mother, sir, thought well of him." The Duke uttered a deep sigh and turned again round to the fire. "I always told him that you would never consent."
"I should think not."
"It has come so suddenly. I should have spoken to you about it as soon as—as soon as—" He had meant to say as soon as the husband's grief for the loss of his wife had been in some degree appeased, but he could not speak the words. The Duke, however, perfectly understood him. "In the meantime, they were not seeing each other."
"Nor writing?"
"I think not."
"Mrs. Finn has known it all."
"Mrs. Finn!"
"Certainly. She has known it all through."
"I do not see how it can have been so."
"He told me so himself," said the Duke, unwittingly putting words into Tregear's mouth which Tregear had never uttered. "There must be an end of this. I will speak to your sister. In the meantime, the less, I think, you see of Mr. Tregear the better. Of course it is out of the question he should be allowed to remain in this house. You will make him understand that at once, if you please."
"Oh, certainly," said Silverbridge.
CHAPTER VIII
"He Is a Gentleman"
The Duke returned to Matching an almost broken-hearted man. He had intended