第251章

Nothing but gloom-Sporting character-Gouty Tory-Servants'Club-Politics-Reformado footman-Peroration-Good-night.

'WE arrived in England,and went to our country seat,but the peace and tranquillity of the family had been marred,and I no longer found my place the pleasant one which it had formerly been;there was nothing but gloom in the house,for the youngest daughter exhibited signs of lunacy,and was obliged to be kept under confinement.The next season I attended my master,his son,and eldest daughter to London,as I had previously done.There I left them,for hearing that a young baronet,an acquaintance of the family,wanted a servant,I applied for the place,with the consent of my masters,both of whom gave me a strong recommendation;and,being approved of,I went to live with him.

'My new master was what is called a sporting character,very fond of the turf,upon which he was not very fortunate.He was frequently very much in want of money,and my wages were anything but regularly paid;nevertheless,I liked him very much,for he treated me more like a friend than a domestic,continually consulting me as to his affairs.At length he was brought nearly to his last shifts,by backing the favourite at the Derby,which favourite turned out a regular brute,being found nowhere at the rush.Whereupon,he and I had a solemn consultation over fourteen glasses of brandy and water,and as many cigars-I mean,between us-as to what was to be done.He wished to start a coach,in which event he was to be driver,and I guard.He was quite competent to drive a coach,being a first-rate whip,and I daresay I should have made a first-rate guard;but,to start a coach requires money,and we neither of us believed that anybody would trust us with vehicles and horses,so that idea was laid aside.We then debated as to whether or not he should go into the Church;but to go into the Church-at any rate to become a dean or bishop,which would have been our aim-it is necessary for a man to possess some education;and my master,although he had been at the best school in England,that is,the most expensive,and also at College,was almost totally illiterate,so we let the Church scheme follow that of the coach.At last,bethinking me that he was tolerably glib at the tongue,as most people are who are addicted to the turf,also a great master of slang;remembering also that he had a crabbed old uncle,who had some borough interest,I proposed that he should get into the House,promising in one fortnight to qualify him to make a figure in it,by certain lessons which Iwould give him.He consented;and during the next fortnight I did little else than give him lessons in elocution,following to a tittle the method of the great professor,which I had picked up,listening behind the door.At the end of that period we paid a visit to his relation,an old gouty Tory,who at first received us very coolly.My master,however,by flattering a predilection of his for Billy Pitt,soon won his affections so much that he promised to bring him into Parliament;and in less than a month was as good as his word.My master,partly by his own qualifications,and partly by the assistance which he had derived,and still occasionally derived,from me,cut a wonderful figure in the House,and was speedily considered one of the most promising speakers;he was always a good hand at promising-he is at present,I believe,a Cabinet minister.