Tony Butler. Lever Charles James

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ resumed Tony, mildly; “for let me mention it to you in confidence, it’s the last thing I mean to do before I leave London.”

      “We ‘ll see about this, sir, at once,” cried the porter, who rushed through the inner door, and tore upstairs like a madman. Tony meanwhile brushed some dust off his coat with a stray clothes-brush near, and was turning to leave the spot, when Skeffington came hurriedly towards him, trying to smother a fit of laughter that would not be repressed.

      “What’s all this, Butler?” said he. “Here’s the whole office in commotion. Willis is up with the chief clerk and old Brand telling them that you drew a revolver and threatened his life, and swore if you had n’t an answer by tomorrow at twelve, you’d blow Sir Harry’s brains out.”

      “It’s somewhat exaggerated. I had no revolver, and never had one. I don’t intend any violence beyond kicking that fellow, and I ‘ll not do even that if he can manage to be commonly civil.”

      “The Chief wishes to see this gentleman upstairs for a moment,” said a pale, sickly youth to Skeffington.

      “Don’t get flurried. Be cool, Butler, and say nothing that can irritate, – mind that,” whispered Skeffington, and stole away.

      Butler was introduced into a spacious room, partly office, partly library, at the fireplace of which stood two men, a short and a shorter. They were wonderfully alike in externals, being each heavy-looking white-complexioned serious men, with a sort of dreary severity of aspect, as if the spirit of domination had already begun to weigh down even themselves.

      “We have been informed,” began the shorter of the two, in a slow, deliberate voice, “that you have grossly outraged one of the inferior officers of this department; and although the case is one which demands, and shall have, the attention of the police authorities, we have sent for you – Mr. Brand and I – to express our indignation, – eh, Brand?” added he, in a whisper.

      “Certainly, our indignation,” chimed in the other.

      “And aware, as we are,” resumed the Chief, “that you are an applicant for employment under this department, to convey to you the assurance that such conduct as you have been guilty of totally debars you – excludes you – ”

      “Yes, excludes you,” chimed in Brand.

      “From the most remote prospect of an appointment!” said the first, taking up a book, and throwing it down with a slap on the table, as though the more emphatically to confirm his words.

      “Who are you, may I ask, who pronounce so finally on my prospects?” cried Tony.

      “Who are we, – who are we?” said the Chief, in a horror at the query. “Will you tell him, Mr. Brand?”

      The other was, however, ringing violently at the bell, and did not hear the question.

      “Have you sent to Scotland Yard?” asked he of the servant who came to his summons. “Tell Willis to be ready to accompany the officer, and make his charge.”

      “The gentleman asks who we are!” said Baynes, with a feeble laugh.

      “I ask in no sort of disrespect to you,” said Butler, “but simply to learn in what capacity I am to regard you. Are you magistrates? Is this a court?”

      “No, sir, we are not magistrates,” said Brand; “we are heads of departments, – departments which we shall take care do not include within their limits persons of your habits and pursuits.”

      “You can know very little about my habits or pursuits. I promised your hall-porter I ‘d kick him, and I don’t suspect that either you or your little friend there would risk any interference to protect him.”

      “My Lord!” said a messenger, in a voice of almost tremulous terror, while he flung open both inner and outer door for the great man’s approach. The person who entered with a quick, active step was an elderly man, white-whiskered and white-haired, but his figure well set up, and his hat rakishly placed a very little on one side; his features were acute, and betokened promptitude and decision, blended with a sort of jocular humor about the mouth, as though even State affairs did not entirely indispose a man to a jest.

      “Don’t send that bag off to-night, Baynes, till I come down,” said he, hurriedly; “and if any telegrams arrive, send them over to the house. What’s this policeman doing at the door? – who is refractory?”

      “This – young man” – he paused, for he had almost said “gentleman” – “has just threatened an old and respectable servant of the office with a personal chastisement, my Lord.”

      “Declared he ‘d break every bone in his body,” chimed in Brand.

      “Whose body?” asked his Lordship.

      “Willis’s, my Lord, – the hall-porter, – a man, if I mistake not, appointed by your Lordship.”

      “I said I ‘d kick him,” said Tony, calmly.

      “Kick Willis?” said my Lord, with a forced gravity, which could not, however, suppress a laughing twinkle of his keen gray eyes, – “kick Willis?”

      “Yes, my Lord; he does not attempt to deny it.”

      “What’s your name, sir,” asked my Lord.

      “Butler,” was the brief reply.

      “The son of – no, not son – but relative of Sir Omerod’s?” asked his Lordship again.

      “His nephew.”

      “Why, Sir Harry Elphinstone has asked me for something for you. I don’t see what I can do for you. It would be an admirable thing to have some one to kick the porters; but we have n’t thought of such an appointment, – eh, Baynes? Willis, the very first; most impudent dog! We want a messenger for Bucharest, Brand, don’t we?”

      “No, my Lord; you filled it this morning, – gave it to Mr. Beed.”

      “Cancel Beed, then, and appoint Butler.”

      “Mr. Beed has gone, my Lord, – started with the Vienna bag.”

      “Make Butler supernumerary.”

      “There are four already, my Lord.”

      “I don’t care if there were forty, Mr. Brand! Go and pass your examination, young gentleman, and thank Sir Harry Elphinstone, for this nomination is at his request. I am only sorry you didn’t kick Willis.” And with this parting speech he turned away, and hopped downstairs to his brougham, with the light step and jaunty air of a man of thirty.

      Scarcely was the door closed, when Baynes and Brand retired into a window recess, conversing in lowest whispers and with much head-shaking. To what a frightful condition the country must come – any country must come – when administered by men of such levity, who make a sport of its interests, and a practical joke of its patronage – was the theme over which they now mourned in common.

      “Are you going to make a minute of this appointment, Brand?” asked Baynes. “I declare I ‘d not do it.”

      The other pursed up his lips and leaned his head to one side, as though to imply that such a course would be a bold one.

      “Will СКАЧАТЬ