第20章

She knew him to be full of scruples, unable to bend when aught was to be got by bending, unwilling to domineer when men might be brought to subjection only by domination.The first duty never could be taught to him.To win support by smiles when his heart was bitter within him would never be within the power of her husband.He could never be brought to buy an enemy by political gifts,--would never be prone to silence his keenest opponent by making him his right hand supporter.But the other lesson was easier and might she thought be learned.Power is so pleasant that men quickly learn to be greedy in the enjoyment of it, and to flatter themselves that patriotism requires them to be imperious.She would be constant with him day and night to make him understand that his duty to his country required him to be in very truth its chief ruler.And then with some knowledge of things as they are, --and also with much ignorance,--she reflected that he had at his command a means of obtaining popularity and securing power, which had not belonged to his immediate predecessors, and had perhaps never to the same extent been at the command of any minister of England.His wealth as Duke of Omnium had been great; but hers, as available for immediate purposes, had been greater than even his.After some fashion, of which she was profoundly ignorant, her own property was separated from his and reserved to herself and her children.Since her marriage she had never said a word to him about her money,--unless it were to ask that something out of the common course might be spent on some, generally absurd, object.But now had come the time for squandering money.She was not only rich, but she had a popularity that was exclusively her own.The new Prime Minister and the new Prime Minister's wife should entertain after a fashion that had never yet been known even among the nobility of England.Both in town and country those great mansions should be kept open which were now rarely much used because she found them dull, cold, and comfortless.In London there should not be a member of Parliament whom she would not herself know and influence by her flattery and grace,--or if there were men whom she could not influence, they should live as men tabooed and unfortunate.Money mattered nothing.Their income was enormous, and for a series of years,--for half a dozen years if the game could be kept up so long,--they could spend treble what they called their income without real injury to their children.

Visions passed through her brain of wondrous things which might be done,--if only her husband would be true to his own greatness.

The Duke had left her at about two.She did not stir out of the house that day, but in the course of the afternoon she wrote a line to a friend who lived not very far from her.The Duchess dwelt in Carlton Terrace, and her friend in Park Lane.The note was as follows:

DEAR M, Come to me at once.I am too excited to go to you.Yours GThis was addressed to one Mrs Finn, a lady as to whom chronicles have been written, and who has been known to the readers of such chronicles as a friend dearly loved by the Duchess.As quickly as she could put on her carriage garments and get herself to Carlton Terrace, Mrs Finn was there.'Well, my dear, how do you think it's all settled at last?' said the Duchess.It will probably be felt that the new Prime Minister's wife was indiscreet, and hardly worthy of the confidence placed in her by her husband.But surely we all have some one friend to whom we tell everything, and with the Duchess Mrs Finn was that one friend.

'Is the Duke to be Prime Minister?'

'How on earth should you have guessed that?'

'What else could make you so excited? Besides, it is by no means strange.I understand that they have gone on trying the two old stages till it is useless to try them any longer; and if there is to be a fresh man, no one would be more likely than the Duke.'

'Do you think so?'

'Certainly.Why not?'