“Dear sir, fear nothing,” said Cunningham:
“I shall do as well as others do—the
greatest difficulty is over. I have taken the
first step, and it has cost nothing.”
“Well, get on, my boy—honestly, if
you can—but get on.”
With the true genius of a political castle-builder,
Mr. Falconer began to add story after story to the
edifice, of which he had thus promptly and successfully
laid the foundation. Having by a lucky hit provided
for one of his sons, that is to say, put him in a
fair way of being provided for, the industrious father
began to form plans for the advancement of his two
other sons, Buckhurst and John: Buckhurst was
destined by his father for the church; John for the
army. The commissioner, notwithstanding he had
been closeted for some hours with Lord Oldborough,
and notwithstanding his son Cunningham was to be one
of his lordship’s secretaries, was well aware
that little or no progress had been made in Lord Oldborough’s
real favour or confidence. Mr. Falconer knew
that he had been literally paid by the job,
that he was considered and treated accordingly; yet,
upon the whole, he was well pleased that it should
be so, for he foresaw the possibility of his doing
for his lordship many more jobs, public and private.
He lost no time in preparing for the continuity of
his secret services, and in creating a political necessity
for his being employed in future, in a manner that
might ensure the advancement of the rest of his family.
In the first place, he knew that Lord Oldborough was
desirous, for the enlargement of the grounds at Clermont-park,
to purchase certain adjoining lands, which, from some
ancient pique, the owner was unwilling to sell.
The proprietor was a tenant of Mr. Falconer’s:
he undertook to negotiate the business, and to use
his influence to bring his tenant to reason. This
offer, made through Cunningham, was accepted by Lord
Oldborough, and the negotiation led to fresh communications.—There
was soon to be a county meeting, and an address was
to be procured in favour of certain measures of government,
which it was expected would be violently opposed.
In the commissioner’s letters to his son, the
private secretary, he could say and suggest whatever
he pleased; he pointed out the gentlemen of the county
who ought to be conciliated, and he offered his services
to represent things properly to some with whom he
was intimate. The sheriff and the under-sheriff
also should know, without being informed directly
from ministry, what course in conducting the meeting
would be agreeable in a certain quarter—who
so proper to say and do all that might be expedient
as Mr. Falconer, who was on the spot, and well acquainted
with the county?—The commissioner was informed
by the private secretary, that his services would be
acceptable. There happened also, at this time,
to be some disputes and grievances in that part of
the country about tax-gatherers. Mr. Falconer
