“I assure you, Mr. Martindale,” said his lordship, “it is by no means correct to say that I _enjoy_ the distribution of patronage. It is an affair of constant perplexity; and I sometimes am tempted to wish that some of the public grumblers were placed for a while in my situation. They would then see that it is not the easiest matter in the world to please every body.”
“I dare say not, I dare say not, my lord,” replied Mr. Martindale; “we cannot administer our own affairs to please every body, and it is not easier to give satisfaction by the administration of public affairs. I will not fly out into discontent and opposition, because I cannot have every thing I wish for my scape-grace kinsman.”
The distributer of patronage smiled, and replied, “It is not every one that is so considerate, Mr. Martindale. There was a situation vacant some time ago, and I disposed of it to a young man of no family or connexion, and with whom I was made acquainted by mere accident, and whom I took up purely on the ground of his good sense and honorable application to business, and I find that I was abundantly right in the judgment which I formed. But I was afterwards exposed to so much expostulation and reproof from quarters where you might least expect it, that I am almost afraid of following my own judgment in the most trifling matters that relate to the public service.”
“I know,” replied Mr. Martindale, “the person to whom your lordship alludes: he is certainly a man of most excellent mental and moral qualities.”
“And for a man of real ability,” added his lordship, “the most unpretending and unassuming I ever knew. He carries his reserve to an excess; for I never see him here among my visitors.”
Now, as Mr. Martindale was an impetuous and hasty man, and was withal mightily partial to this said Horatio Markham, he forgot for a time his noble kinsman, and after taking leave of his lordship, he went immediately to Markham’s chambers to give him a hint that it might be advisable to pay a little more attention to his patron. It also occurred to the old gentleman that he himself had not seen Markham for several days; so he designed to give him also an intimation concerning that neglect.
Greatly to the surprise of the old gentleman, Markham was not in town; and more than that, his clerk could not say for a certainty when he would be in town. Upon receiving this information, Mr. Martindale took the liberty of inquiring very particularly and curiously to find out where he was, and what was the occasion of his absence. Now, when a rich old man asks questions, a poor young man is ready enough to answer them according to the best of his ability, unless he have some especial reason for concealment. There being with Markham’s clerk no such reason, he endeavoured to give Mr. Martindale the benefit of all his knowledge together with the result of his conjectures. From all that could be gathered from this informant, it appeared that Markham was with his parents, and that his father was unwell.