"He may do that afterwards," said Mrs. Cadwallader--"when he has come
out on the other side of the mud with an ague."
"What I care for most is his own dignity," said Sir James. "Of course
I care the more because of the family. But he's getting on in life
now, and I don't like to think of his exposing himself. They will be
raking up everything against him."
"I suppose it's no use trying any persuasion," said the Rector.
"There's such an odd mixture of obstinacy and changeableness in Brooke.
Have you tried him on the subject?"
"Well, no," said Sir James; "I feel a delicacy in appearing to dictate.
But I have been talking to this young Ladislaw that Brooke is making a
factotum of. Ladislaw seems clever enough for anything. I thought it
as well to hear what he had to say; and he is against Brooke's standing
this time. I think he'll turn him round: I think the nomination may be
staved off."
"I know," said Mrs. Cadwallader, nodding. "The independent member
hasn't got his speeches well enough by heart."
"But this Ladislaw--there again is a vexatious business," said Sir
James. "We have had him two or three times to dine at the Hall (you
have met him, by the bye) as Brooke's guest and a relation of
Casaubon's, thinking he was only on a flying visit. And now I find
he's in everybody's mouth in Middlemarch as the editor of the
'Pioneer.' There are stories going about him as a quill-driving alien,
a foreign emissary, and what not."
"Casaubon won't like that," said the Rector.
"There _is_ some foreign blood in Ladislaw," returned Sir James. "I
hope he won't go into extreme opinions and carry Brooke on."
"Oh, he's a dangerous young sprig, that Mr. Ladislaw," said Mrs.
Cadwallader, "with his opera songs and his ready tongue. A sort of
Byronic hero--an amorous conspirator, it strikes me. And Thomas
Aquinas is not fond of him. I could see that, the day the picture was
brought."
"I don't like to begin on the subject with Casaubon," said Sir James.
"He has more right to interfere than I. But it's a disagreeable affair
all round. What a character for anybody with decent connections to
show himself in!--one of those newspaper fellows! You have only to
look at Keck, who manages the 'Trumpet.' I saw him the other day with
Hawley. His writing is sound enough, I believe, but he's such a low
fellow, that I wished he had been on the wrong side."
"What can you expect with these peddling Middlemarch papers?" said the
Rector. "I don't suppose you could get a high style of man anywhere to
be writing up interests he doesn't really care about, and for pay that
hardly keeps him in at elbows."