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THE BEDFORD…ROW CONSPIRACY
THE BEDFORD…ROW
CONSPIRACY
Thackeray
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THE BEDFORD…ROW CONSPIRACY
CHAPTER I。
OF THE LOVES OF MR。 PERKINS AND MISS GORGON； AND
OF THE TWO GREAT FACTIONS IN THE TOWN OF
OLDBOROUGH。
〃My dear John；〃 cried Lucy； with a very wise look indeed； 〃it must and
shall be so。 As for Doughty Street； with our means； a house is out of the
question。 We must keep three servants； and Aunt Biggs says the taxes are
one…and…twenty pounds a year。〃
〃I have seen a sweet place at Chelsea；〃 remarked John： 〃Paradise
Row； No。 17；gardengreenhousefifty pounds a yearomnibus to town
within a mile。〃
〃What！ that I may be left alone all day； and you spend a fortune in
driving backward and forward in those horrid breakneck cabs？ My
darling； I should die theredie of fright； I know I should。 Did you not
say yourself that the road was not as yet lighted； and that the place
swarmed with public…houses and dreadful tipsy Irish bricklayers？ Would
you kill me； John？〃
〃My da…arling；〃 said John； with tremendous fondness； clutching Miss
Lucy suddenly round the waist； and rapping the hand of that young person
violently against his waistcoat；〃My da…arling； don't say such things； even
in a joke。 If I objected to the chambers； it is only because you； my love；
with your birth and connections； ought to have a house of your own。 The
chambers are quite large enough and certainly quite good enough for me。〃
And so； after some more sweet parley on the part of these young people； it
was agreed that they should take up their abode； when married； in a part of
the House number One hundred and something； Bedford Row。
It will be necessary to explain to the reader that John was no other than
John Perkins； Esquire； of the Middle Temple； barrister…at…law； and that
Miss Lucy was the daughter of the late Captain Gorgon； and Marianne
Biggs； his wife。 The Captain being of noble connections； younger son of
a baronet； cousin to Lord X； and related to the Y family； had
angered all his relatives by marrying a very silly pretty young woman；
who kept a ladies'…school at Canterbury。 She had six hundred pounds to
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THE BEDFORD…ROW CONSPIRACY
her fortune； which the Captain laid out in the purchase of a sweet
travelling…carriage and dressing…case for himself； and going abroad with
his lady； spent several years in the principal prisons of Europe； in one of
which he died。 His wife and daughter were meantime supported by the
contributions of Mrs。 Jemima Biggs； who still kept the ladies'…school。
At last a dear old relativesuch a one as one reads of in romances
died and left seven thousand pounds apiece to the two sisters； whereupon
the elder gave up schooling and retired to London； and the younger
managed to live with some comfort and decency at Brussels； upon two
hundred and ten pounds per annum。 Mrs。 Gorgon never touched a shilling
of her capital； for the very good reason that it was placed entirely out of
her reach； so that when she died； her daughter found herself in possession
of a sum of money that is not always to be met with in this world。
Her aunt the baronet's lady； and her aunt the ex…schoolmistress； both
wrote very pressing invitations to her； and she resided with each for six
months after her arrival in England。 Now； for a second time； she had
come to Mrs。 Biggs； Caroline Place； Mecklenburgh Square。 It was under
the roof of that respectable old lady that John Perkins； Esquire； being
invited to take tea； wooed and won Miss Gorgon。
Having thus described the circumstances of Miss Gorgon's life； let us
pass for a moment from that young lady； and lift up the veil of mystery
which envelopes the deeds and character of Perkins。
Perkins； too； was an orphan； and he and his Lucy； of summer evenings；
when Sol descending lingered fondly yet about the minarets of the
Foundling； and gilded the grassplots of Mecklenburgh SquarePerkins； I
say； and Lucy would often sit together in the summer…house of that
pleasure…ground； and muse upon the strange coincidences of their life。
Lucy was motherless and fatherless； so too was Perkins。 If Perkins was
brotherless and sisterless； was not Lucy likewise an only child？ Perkins
was twenty…three： his age and Lucy's united； amounted to forty…six； and
it was to be remarked； as a fact still more extraordinary； that while Lucy's
relatives were AUNTS； John's were UNCLES。 Mysterious spirit of love！
let us treat thee with respect and whisper not too many of thy secrets。
The fact is； John and Lucy were a pair of fools （as every young couple
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THE BEDFORD…ROW CONSPIRACY
OUGHT to be who have hearts that are worth a farthing）； and were ready
to find coincidences； sympathies； hidden gushes of feeling； mystic unions
of the soul； and what not； in every single circumstance that occurred from
the rising of the sun to the going down thereof； and in the intervals。
Bedford Row； where Perkins lived； is not very far from Mecklenburgh
Square； and John used to say that he felt a comfort that his house and
Lucy's were served by the same muffin…man。
Further comment is needless。 A more honest； simple； clever； warm…
hearted； soft； whimsical； romantical； high…spirited young fellow than John
Perkins did not exist。 When his father； Doctor Perkins； died； this； his
only son； was placed under the care of John Perkins； Esquire； of the house
of Perkins； Scully； and Perkins； those celebrated attorneys in the trading
town of Oldborough； which the second partner； William Pitt Scully；
Esquire； represented in Parliament and in London。
All John's fortune was the house in Bedford Row； which； at his father's
death； was let out into chambers； and brought in a clear hundred a year。
Under his uncle's roof at Oldborough； where he lived with thirteen red…
haired male and female cousins； he was only charged fifty pounds for
board； clothes； and pocket…money； and the remainder of his rents was
carefully put by for him until his majority。 When he approached that
periodwhen he came to belong to two spouting…clubs at Oldborough；
among the young merchants and lawyers'…clerksto blow the flute nicely；
and play a good game at billiardsto have written one or two smart things
in the Oldborough Sentinelto be fond of smoking （in which act he was
discovered by his fainting aunt at three o'clock one morning）in one word；
when John Perkins arrived at manhood； he discovered that he was quite
unfit to be an attorney； that he detested all the ways of his uncle's stern；
dull； vulgar； regular； red…headed family； and he vowed that he would go to
London and make his fortune。 Thither he went； his aunt and cousins；
who were all 〃serious；〃 vowing that he was a lost boy； and when his
history opens； John had been two years in the metropolis； inhabiting his
own garrets； and a very nice compact set of apartments； looking into the
back…garden； at this moment falling vacant； the prudent Lucy Gorgon had
visited them； and vowed that she and her John should there commence
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housekeeping。
All these explanations are tedious； but necessary； and furthermore； it
must be said； that as John's uncle's partner was the Liberal member for
Oldborough； so Lucy's uncle was its Ministerial representative。
This gentleman； the brother of the deceased Captain Gorgon； lived at
the paternal mansion of Gorgon Castle； and rejoiced in the name and title
of Sir George Grimsby Go