'I can't make the men any better,--nor yet the women.They are poor mean creatures.The world is made up of such.I don't know that Captain Gunner is worse than Sir Orlando Drought or Sir Timothy Beeswax.People seen by the mind are exactly different to things seen by the eye.They grow smaller and smaller as you come nearer down to them, whereas things become bigger.Iremember when I used to think that members of the Cabinet were almost gods, and now they seem to be no bigger than shoe-blacks,-only less picturesque.He told me the other day of the time when he gave up going into power for the sake of taking me abroad.
Ah! me; how much was happening then,--and how much has happened since that! We didn't know you then.'
'He has been a good husband to you.'
'And I have been a good wife to him! I have never had him for an hour out of my heart since that, or ever for a moment forgotten his interest.I can't live with him because he shuts himself up reading blue-books, and is always at his office or in the House;--but I would if I could.Am I not doing it all for him? You don't think that the Captain Gunnners are particularly pleasant to me! Think of your life and of mine.You have had lovers.'
'One in my life,--when I was entitled to have one.'
'Well; I am the Duchess of Omnium, and I am the wife of the Prime Minister, and I had a larger property of my own than any other young woman that ever was born; and I am myself too,--Glencora M'Cluskie that was, and I've made for myself a character that I'm not ashamed of.But I'd be the curate's wife tomorrow, and make puddings, if I could only have my own husband and my own children with me.What's the use of it all? I like you better than anybody else, but you do nothing but scold me.' Still the parties went on, and the Duchess laboured hard among her guests, and wore her jewels, and stood on her feet all the night, night after night, being civil to one person, bright to a second, confidential to a third, and sarcastic to an unfortunate fourth;--and in the morning she would work hard with her lists, seeing who had come to her and who had stayed away, and arranging who should be asked and who should be omitted.
In the meantime the Duke altogether avoided those things.At first he had been content to show himself, and escape as soon as possible;--but now he was never seen at all in his own house, except at certain heavy dinners.To Richmond he never went at all, and in his own house in town very rarely ever passed through the door that led into the reception rooms.He had not time for ordinary society.So said the Duchess.And many, perhaps the majority of those who frequented the house, really believed that his official duties were too onerous to leave him time for conversation.But in truth the hours were heavily with him as he sat alone in his study, sighing for some sweet parliamentary task, and regretting the days in which he was privileged to sit in the House of Commons till two o'clock in the morning, in the hope that he might get a clause or two passed in his bill for decimal coinage.
It was at The Horns at an afternoon party, given there in the gardens by the Duchess, early in July, that Arthur Fletcher first saw Emily after her marriage, and Lopez after the occurrence at Silverbridge.As it happened he came out upon the lawn after them, and found them speaking to the Duchess as they passed on.
She had put herself out of her way to be civil to Mr and Mrs Lopez, feeling that she had in some degree injured him in reference to the election, and had therefore invited both him and his wife on more than one occasion.Arthur Fletcher was there as a young man well known in the world and a supporter of the Duke's government.The Duchess had taken up Arthur Fletcher,--as she was wont to take up new men, and had personally become tired of Lopez.Of course she had heard of the election, and had been told that Lopez had behaved badly.Of Mr Lopez she did not know enough to care anything, one way or the other;--but she still encouraged him because she had caused him disappointment.She had now detained them a minute on the terrace before the windows while she said a word, and Arthur Fletcher became one of the little party before he knew whom he was meeting.'I am delighted,' she said, 'that you two Silverbridge heroes should meet together here as friends.' It was almost incumbent on her to say something, though it would have been better for her not to have alluded to their heroism.Mrs Lopez put out her hand, and Arthur Fletcher of course took it.Then the two men bowed slightly to each other, raising their hats.Arthur paused a moment with them, as they passed on from the Duchess, thinking that he would say something in a friendly tone.But he was silenced by the frown on the husband's face, and was almost constrained to go away without a word.It was very difficult for him even to be silent, as her greeting had been kind.But yet it was impossible for him to ignore the displeasure displayed in the man's countenance.So he touched his hat, and asking her to remember him affectionately to her father, turned off the path and went away.
'Why did you shake hands with that man?' said Lopez.It was the first time since their marriage that his voice had been that of an angry man and an offended husband.
'Why not, Ferdinand? He and I are very old friends, and we have not quarrelled.'
'You must take up your husband's friendships and your husband's quarrels.Did I not tell you that he had insulted you?'
'He never insulted me.'
'Emily, you must allow me to be the judge of that.He insulted you, and then he behaved like a poltroon down at Silverbridge, and I will not have you know him anymore.When I say so Isuppose that will be enough.' He waited for a reply, but she said nothing.'I ask you to tell me that you will obey me in this.'
'Of course he will not come to my house, nor should I think of going to his, if you disapproved.'
'Going to his house! He's unmarried.'