THE NEW K.G.
Early in June had died the Marquess of Mount Fidgett.In all England there was no older family than that of the Fichy Fidgetts, whose baronial castle of Fichy Fellows is still kept up, the glory of archaeologists and the charm of tourists.Some people declare it to be the most perfect castle residence in the country.It is admitted to have been completed in the time of Edward VI, and is thought to have commenced in the days of Edward I.It has always belonged to the Fichy Fidgett family, who with a persistence that is becoming rarer every day, has clung to every acre that it ever owned, and has added acre to acre in every age.
The consequence has been that the existing Marquis of Mount Fidgett has always been possessed of great territorial influence, and has been flattered, cajoled, and revered by one Prime Minister after another.Now the late Marquis had been, as was the custom with the Fichy Fidgetts, a man of pleasure.If the truth be spoken openly, it should be admitted that he had been a man of sin.The duty of keeping together the family property he had performed with a perfect zeal.It had always been acknowledged on behalf of the existing Marquis, that in whatever manner he might spend his money, however base might be the gullies into which his wealth descended, he never spent more that he had to spend.Perhaps there was but little praise in this, as he could hardly have got beyond his enormous income unless he had thrown it away on race-courses and roulette tables.But it had long been remarked of the Mount Fidgett marquises that they were too wise to gamble.The family had not been an honour to the country, but had nevertheless been honoured by the country.The man who had just died had perhaps been as selfish and sensual a brute as had ever disgraced humanity;--but nevertheless he had been a Knight of the Garter.He had been possessed of considerable parliamentary interest, and the Prime Minister of the day had not dared not to make him a Knight of the Garter.
All the Marquises of Mount Fidgett had for many years past been Knights of the Garter.On the last occasion a good deal had been said about it.A feeling had even then begun to prevail that the highest personal offer in the gift of the Crown should not be bestowed upon a man whose whole life was a disgrace, and who did indeed seem to deserve every punishment which a human or divine wrath could inflict.He had a large family, but they were illegitimate.Wives generally he liked, but of his own wife he very soon broke the heart.Of all the companies with which he consorted he was the admitted king, but his subjects could do no man any honour.The Castle of Fichy Fellows was visited by the world at large, but no man or woman with a character to lose went into any house really inhabited by the Marquis.And yet he had become a Knight of the Garter, and was therefore, presumably, one of those noble Englishmen to whom the majesty of the day was willing to confide the honour, and glory, and safety of the Crown.There were many who disliked this.That a base reprobate should become a Marquis and a peer of Parliament was in accordance with the constitution of the country.Marquises and peers are not as a rule reprobates, and the misfortune was one which could not be avoided.He might have ill-used his own wife and other wives' husbands without special remark had he not been made a Knight of the Garter.The Minister of the day, however, had known the value of the man's support, and being thick-skinned, had lived through the reproaches uttered without much damage to himself.Now the wicked Marquis was dead, and it was the privilege and the duty of the Duke of Omnium to select another knight.
There was a good deal said about it at the time.There was a rumour,--no doubt a false rumour,--that the Crown insisted in this instance on dictating a choice to the Duke of Omnium.But even were it so, the Duke could not have been very much aggrieved, as the choice dictated was supposed to be that himself.The late Duke had been a Knight, and when he had died, it was thought that his successor would succeed to the ribbon.
The new Duke had been at the time in the Cabinet, and had remained there, but had accepted an office inferior in rank to that which he had formerly filled.The whole history of these things has been written, and may be read by the curious.The Duchess, newly a duchess then and very keen in reference to her husband's rank, had instigated him to demand the ribbon as his right.This he had not only declined to do, but had gone out of the way to say that he thought it should be bestowed elsewhere.
It had been bestowed elsewhere, and there had been a very general feeling that he had been passed over because his easy temperament in such matters had been seen and utilized.Now, whether the Crown interfered or not,--a matter on which no one short of a writer of newspaper articles dares to make suggestion till time shall have made mellow the doings of sovereigns and their ministers,--the suggestion was made.The Duke of St Bungay ventured to say to his friend that no other selection was possible.
'Recommend her Majesty to give it to myself?' said the Prime Minister.
'You will find it to be her Majesty's wish.It has been very common.Sir Robert Walpole had it.'
'I am not Sir Robert Walpole.' The Duke named other examples of Prime Ministers who had been gartered by themselves.But our Prime Minister declared it to be out of the question.No honour of that description should be conferred upon him as long as he held his present position.The old Duke was much in earnest, and there was a great deal said on the subject,--but at last it became clear, not only to him, but to the members of the Cabinet generally, and then to the outside world, that the Prime Minister would not consent to accept the vacant honour.
For nearly a month after this the question subsided.A Minister is not bound to bestow a Garter the day after it becomes vacant.