St James's Square, and Phineas went on by himself in a cab. "You should belong here," said Fitzgibbon as his friend entered the cab, and Phineas immediately began to feel that he wou

ent of places under the Government, or upon the arrangement of cabinets. It might be very well to count votes at the Reform Club; but after the votes had been counted - had been counted successfully - Brooks's was the place, as Phineas bel

rpose of triumphing in the success of their great party, and of singing a pleasant paean in conjunction with Lady Laura. But his trumpet was put out of tune at once w

fied, Mr Finn," said

ye

ght to have found your j

lively thing when opened, won't maintain its

had your gas l

of it. Nineteen is very well, but the question

able vote has been missed on our side. He has just come

er might have been swelled to twenty-one; but then, as Phineas began to understand, nothing was correctly know

o Brooks's myself. But I was only joking, Lady Laura. There is, I su

dered his resignatio

e thing," said P

be any difficulty about Mr Mildmay, he might,

man in the country. There is the Duke, and there is Mr Gresham - and there is Mr Monk." Phin

k the Duke would vent

ything very wonderful is required in the way of genius. The Duke has held his own in both Houses successfully, and he is both hon

are you?" said Lady Laura, aga

deserted by Mr Mildma

a government; and as long as there is that prospect, I need hardly commit myself to an opinion as to his pro

nner in which he might best advance his cause with such a woman as Lady Laura Standish. He was telling her too clearly that he could have no gratification in talking with her

I am sure that you did not mean it, but you

my word, I didn't int

ourse I could not tell you of it. And now I

h

t you should do nothing to mar

too kind to

incts; but I see that you are a little impetuous. I wonder whet

make me angry - though you

mentor ought to be very old, you know,

reverse - indeed, I may say that

s a man at forty is young." Phineas, remembering that he had put down Mr Kennedy's age as forty in his own mind, frowned when he heard thi

if you will only be kind enough t

careful to be civil to persons to whom you may not take any partic

Mr Kennedy to b

oy. Why should not Mr Kennedy be of use to you as well as any

xpressed idea that I should make use of any man

ou not like h

is one of

good reason why you should not make of him an intimate companion - bec

would be well to ask her some question which might produce from her a truth whi

a second. "Yes - I think I

re tha

an that - but that I

ked you whether you liked me," said Phinea

ho questioned me had any right to ask the question. The

sk it about Mr Kennedy," said Phi

not s

ee you t

to be asked the question by you, and quite willing

hat have to

tting where he could look up into her face; and there came a smile upon his own, and he was very handsome. "I say that he is a man of g

olitic

lobby, and be seen at the same club, it is your duty to be civil both for your own sake and for that of the cause. It is for the hermits of society to indulge in

in and spo

down my little house, and I

le yourself,

imate with Mr Kennedy, and to shoot his grouse, and to stalk his deer, and to help to keep him in progress as a lib

I unde

him your own. He has been in Parliament twelve years, and he was a good deal older than you when he began." At this moment a side door was opened, and the red-haired, red-bearded man whom Phineas had seen before entered the room. He hesitated

he two young men bowed, and each of them muttered something. "Do not be in a hurry, Oswald. You have nothing special to take you

of the question,"

Lady Laura, but I may be

any rate be in the C

ever about politics,

said his sister -

d I'm sure it's the most dishonest. They talk of legs on the turf, and of course there are legs;

; but do n

there are honest men there, an

t honest - as yet

o Parliament to look after Govern

s. Why should not a man serve the Crown? H

m work at all. However, I beg your pa

olitician that he will never

m some day. If he does come into the House, Lady

u what; I shall be very happy if you'll dine with me tomorrow at Moroni's. They give y

Laura, in a wh

spects have preferred Mr Freemantle's dinner in Eaton Place, dull and heavy though it might probably be, to the chance of Lord Chiltern's companions at Moroni's. Whatever might be the faults of our hero, he was not given to what is generally called dissipation by the world at large - by which the world means self-indulgence. He cared not a brass farthing for Moroni's Chateau Yquem, nor for the wondrously studied repast which he would doubtless find prepared for him at that celebrated establishment in St James's Street - not a farthing as com

as improbable that he would tell his mind to any one before he told it to Her Majesty. But there was no doubt that he had engaged "the Duke," - so he was called by Lord James - to go down to Windsor with him, that he might be in readiness if wanted. "I have learned that at home," said Lord James, who had just heard the news from his sister, who had heard it from the Duchess. Lord James was delighted with the importance given to him by his father's coming journey. From this, and from other equally well-known circumstances, it was surmised that Mr Mildmay would decline the task proposed to him. This, nevertheless, was only a surmise - whereas the fact with reference to Sir Everard was fully substantiated. The gout had flown to his stomach, and he was dead. "By - yes; as dead as a herring," said Mr Ratler, who at that moment, however, was not within hearing of either of

Phineas apart for a moment. "I am so muc

nons

you to know my brother. You may be of the greatest service to him - of the very greatest. He is no

ll think and beli

s - so very anxious to try to put him on his legs, and I find it so difficult to g

s friends

distasteful it was to you to go to

f those sort of things

the object was to ob

e are to hear Daubeny's statement at fo

ave no right to think of such a thing - have I? At any rate I will not think

of her feelings towards himself, as conveyed in that name, of a kind to be gratifying to him? No - he thought not. But then might it not be within his power to change the nature of those feelings? She was not in love with him at present. He could not make any boast to himself on that head. But it might be within his power to compel her to lov