Mr Traffick entertained some grand ideas as to the house of Travers and Treason. Why should not he become a member, and ultimately the leading member, of that firm? Sir Thomas was not a young man, though he was strong and hearty. Tom had hitherto succeeded only in making an ass of himself. As far as transacting the affairs of the firm, Tom — so thought Mr Traffick — was altogether out of the question. He might perish in those extensive travels which he was about to take. Mr Traffick did not desire any such catastrophe — but the young man might perish. There was a great opening. Mr Traffick, with his thorough knowledge of business, could not but see that there was a great opening. Besides Tom, there were but two daughters, one of whom was his own wife. Augusta, his wife, was, he thought, certainly the favourite at the present moment. Sir Thomas could, indeed, say rough things even to her; but then Sir Thomas was of his nature rough. Now, at this time, the rough things said to Gertrude were very much the rougher. In all these circumstances the wisdom of interfering in Gertrude’s little affairs was very clear to Mr Traffick. Gertrude would, of course, get herself married sooner or later, and almost any other husband would obtain a larger portion than that which would satisfy Batsby. Sir Thomas was now constantly saying good things about Mr Houston. Mr Houston would be much more objectionable than Captain Batsby — much more likely to interfere. He would require more money at once, and might possibly come forward himself in the guise of a partner. Mr Traffick saw his way clearly. It was incumbent upon him to see that Gertrude should become Mrs Batsby with as little delay as possible.
But one thing he did not see. One thing he had failed to see since his first introduction to the Tringle family. He had not seen the peculiar nature of his father-in-law’s foibles. He did not understand either the weakness or the strength of Sir Thomas — either the softness or the hardness. Mr Traffick himself was blessed with a very hard skin. In the carrying out of a purpose there was nothing which his skin was not sufficiently serviceable to endure. But Sir Thomas, rough as he was, had but a thin skin — a thin skin and a soft heart. Had Houston and Gertrude persevered he would certainly have given way. For Tom, in his misfortune, he would have made any sacrifice. Though he had given the broadest hints which he had been able to devise he had never as yet brought himself absolutely to turn Traffick out of his house. When Ayala was sent away he still kept her name in his will, and added also that of Lucy as soon as Lucy had been entrusted to him. Had things gone a little more smoothly between him and Hamel when they met — had he not unluckily advised that all the sculptor’s grand designs should be sold by auction for what they would fetch — he would have put Hamel and Lucy upon their legs. He was a soft-hearted man — but there never was one less willing to endure interference in his own affairs.
At the present moment he was very sore as to the presence of Traffick in Queen’s Gate. The Easter parliamentary holidays were just at hand, and there was no sign of any going. Augusta had whispered to her mother that the poky little house in Mayfair would be very uncomfortable for the coming event — and Lady Tringle, though she had not dared to say even as much as that in plain terms to her husband, had endeavoured to introduce the subject by little hints — which Sir Thomas had clearly understood. He was hardly the man to turn a daughter and an expected grandchild into the streets; but he was, in his present mood, a father-in-law who would not unwillingly have learned that his son-in-law was without a shelter except that afforded by the House of Commons. Why on earth should he have given up one hundred and twenty thousand pounds — ￡6,000 a year as it was under his fostering care — to a man who could not even keep a house over his wife’s head? This was the humour of Sir Thomas when Mr Traffick undertook to prevail with him to give an adequate fortune to his youngest daughter on her marriage with Captain Batsby.
The conversation between Traffick and Batsby took place on a Sunday. On the following day the Captain went down to the House and saw the Member. “No; I have not spoken to him yet.”
“I was with him on Friday, you know,” said Batsby. I can’t well go and call on the ladies in Queen’s Gate till I hear that he has changed his mind.”
“I should. I don’t see what difference it would make.”
Then Captain Batsby was again very thoughtful. “It would make a difference, you know. If I were to say a word to Gertrude now — as to being married or anything of that kind — it would seem that I meant to go on whether I got anything or not.”
“And you should seem to want to go on,” said Traffick, with all that authority which the very surroundings of the House of Commons always give to the words and gait of a Member.
“But then I might find myself dropped in a hole at last.”
“My dear Batsby, you made that hole for yourself when you ran off with the young lady.”
“We settled all that before.”
“Not quite. What we did settle was that we’d do our best to fill the hole up. Of course you ought to go and see them. You went off with the young lady — and since that have been accepted as her suitor by her father. You are bound to go and see her.”
“Do you think so?”
“Certainly! Certainly! It never does to talk to Tringle about business at his own house. I’ll make an hour to see him in the City tomorrow. I’m so pressed by business that I can hardly get away from the House after twelve — but I’ll do it. But, while I’m in Lombard Street, do you go to Queen’s Gate.” The Captain after further consideration said that he would go to Queen’s Gate.
At three o’clock on the next day he did go to Queen’s Gate. He had many misgivings, feeling that by such a step he would be committing himself to matrimony with or without the money. No doubt he could so offer himself, even to Lady Tringle, as a son-in-law, that it should be supposed that the offer would depend upon the father-in-law’s goodwill. But then the father-in-law had told him that he would be welcome to the young lady — without a farthing. Should he go on with his matrimonial purpose, towards which this visit would be an important step, he did not see the moment in which he could stop the proceedings by a demand for money. Nevertheless he went, not being strong enough to oppose Mr Traffick.
Yes — the ladies were at home, and he found himself at once in Lady Tringle’s presence. There was at the time no one with her, and the Captain acknowledged to himself that a trying moment had come to him. “Dear me! Captain Batsby!” said her ladyship, who had not seen him since he and Gertrude had gone off together.
“Yes, Lady Tringle. As I have come back from abroad I thought that I might as well come and call. I did see Sir Thomas in the City.”
“Was not that a very foolish thing you did?”
“Perhaps it was, Lady Tringle. Perhaps it would have been better to ask permission to address your daughter in the regular course of things. There was, perhaps — perhaps a little romance in going off in that way.”
“It gave Sir Thomas a deal of trouble.”
“Well, yes; he was so quick upon us, you know. May I be allowed to see Gertrude now?”
“Upon my word I hardly know,” said Lady Tringle, hesitating.
“I did see Sir Thomas in the City.”
“But did he say you were to come and call?”
“He gave his consent to the marriage.”
“But I am afraid there was to be no money,” whispered Lady Tringle. “If money is no matter I suppose you may see her.” but before the Captain had resolved how he might best answer this difficult suggestion the door opened, and the young lady herself entered the room, together with her sister.
“Benjamin,” said Gertrude, is this really you? And then she flew into his arms.
“My dear,” said Augusta, do control your emotions.”
“Yes, indeed, Gertrude,” said the mother. As the things are at present you should control yourself. Nobody as yet knows what may come of it.”
“Oh, Benjamin!” again exclaimed Gertrude, tearing herself from his arms, throwing herself on the sofa, and covering her face with both her hands. “Oh, Benjamin — so you have come at last.”
“I am afraid he has come too soon,” said Augusta, who however had received her lesson from her husband, and had communicated some portion of her husband’s tidings to her sister.
“Why too soon?” exclaimed Gertrude. It can never be too soon. Oh, mamma, tell him that you make him welcome to your bosom as your second son-in-law.”
“Upon my word, my dear, I do not know, without consulting your father.”
“But papa has consented,” said Gertrude.
“But only if — ”
“Oh, mamma,” said Mrs Traffick, do not talk about matters of business on such an occasion as this. All that must be managed between the gentlemen. If he is here as Gertrude’s acknowledged lover, and if papa has told him that he shall be accepted as such, I don’t think that we ought to say a word about money. I do hate money. It does make things so disagreeable.”
“Nobody can be more noble in everything of that kind than Benjamin,” said Gertrude. “It is only because he loves me with all his heart that he is here. Why else was it that he took me off to Ostend?”
Captain Batsby as he listened to all this felt that he ought to say something. And yet how dangerous might a word be! It was apparent to him, even in his perturbation, that the ladies were in fact asking him to renew his offer, and to declare that he renewed it altogether independently of any money consideration. He could not bring himself quite to agree with that noble sentiment in expressing which Mrs Traffick had declared her hatred of money. In becoming the son-in-law of a millionaire he would receive the honest congratulations of all his friends — on condition that he received some comfortable fraction out of the millions, but he knew well that he would subject himself to their ridicule were he to take the girl and lose the plunder.............