I shall not interfere with him, Lady | resign or remain in office just as you choose. Laura." Office will be much easier to you than it is now, because it will not be a necessity. Let me at any rate have the pleasure of thinking that one of us can remain here that we need not both fall together." "Then why should you not establish yourself by a marriage that will make place a matter of indifference to you? I know that it is within your power to do so." Phineas put his hand up to his breast-coat pocket, and felt that Mary's letter - her precious letter was there safe. It certainly was not in his power to do this thing which Lady Laura recommended to him, but he hardly thought that the present was a moment suitable for explaining to her the nature of the impediment which stood in the way of such an arrangement. He had so lately spoken to Lady Laura with an assurance of undying constancy of his love for Miss Effingham, that he could not as yet acknowledge the force of another passion. He shook his head by way of reply. "I tell you that it is so," she said with energy. I am afraid not." Go to Madame Goesler, and ask her. Hear what she will say." 64 Madame Goesler would laugh at me, no doubt." You And are woman's "Pshaw! You do not think so. know that she would not laugh. you the man to be afraid of a laughter. I think not." Again he did not answer her at once, and when he did speak the tone of his voice was altered. "What was it you said of yourself, just now." "What did I say of myself?" 66 You regretted that you had consented to marry a man whom you did not love." "Why should you not love her? And it is so different with a man! A woman is wretched if she does not love her husband, but I fancy that a man gets on very well without any such feeling. She cannot domineer over you. She cannot expect you to pluck yourself out of your own soil, and begin a new growth altogether in accordance with the laws of her own. It was that which Mr. Kennedy did." "I do not for a moment think that she would take me, if I were to offer myself." "Try her," said Lady Laura energetically. Such trials cost you but little. You, both of us, know that." Still he said nothing of the letter in his pocket. "It is everything that you should go on, now that you have once begun. I do not believe in your working at the bar. You cannot do it. A man who has commenced life as you have done with the excitement of politics, who has known what it is to take a prominent part in the control of public affairs, can not give it up and be happy at other work. Make her your wife, and you may Still he did not tell her of the letter in his pocket. He felt that she moved him that she made him acknowledge to himself how great would be the pity of such a failure as would be his. He was quite as alive as she could be to the fact that work at the bar, either in London or in Dublin, would have no charms for him now. The prospect of such a life was very dreary to him. Even with the comfort of Mary's love such a life was very dreary to him. And then he knew, he thought that he knew, that were he to offer himself to Madame Goesler he would not in truth be rejected. She had told him that if poverty was a trouble to him he need be no longer poor. Of course he had understood this. Her money was at his service if he should choose to stoop and pick it up. And it was not only money that such a marriage would give him. He had acknowledged to himself more than once that Madame Goesler was very lonely, that she was clever, attractive in every way, and, as far as he could see, blessed with a sweet temper. She had a position, too, in the world that would help him rather than mar him. What might be not do with an independent seat in the House of Commons, and as joint owner of the little house in Park Lane? Of all careers which the world could offer to a man the pleasantest would then be within his reach. "You appear to me as a tempter," he said at last to Lady Laura. "I do not know how that might have been," said Phineas, hoarsely. "You do not know! but I know. Of course you have stabbed me with a thousand daggers when you have told me from time to time of your love for Violet. You have been very cruel-needlessly cruel. Men are so cruel! But for all that I have known that I could have kept you had it not been too late when you spoke to me. Will you not own as much as that?" - "Of course you would have been every thing to me. I should never have thought| of Violet then." "That is the only kind word you have said to me from that day to this. I try to comfort myself in thinking that it would have been so. But all that is past and gone, and done. I have had my romance and you have had yours. As you are a man, it is natural that you should have been disturbed by a double image. It is not so with me." "And yet you can advise me to offer marriage to a woman -a woman whom I am to seek merely because she is rich ?" "Yes I do so advise you. You have had your romance, and must now put up with reality. Why should I so advise you but for the interest that I have in you? Your prosperity will do me no good. I shall not even be here to see it. I shall hear of it only as so many a woman banished out of England hears a distant misunderstood report of what is going on in the country she has left. But I still have regard enough—I will be bold, and, knowing that you will not take it amiss, not say love enough for you to feel a desire that you should not be shipwrecked. Since we first took you in hand between us, Barrington and I, I have never swerved in my anxiety on your behalf. When I resolved that it would be better for us both that we should be only friends, I did not swerve. When you would talk to me so cruelly of your love for Violet, I did not swerve. When I warned you from Loughlinter because I thought there was danger, I did not swerve. When I bade you not to come to me in London because of my husband I did not swerve. When my father was hard upon you, I did not swerve then. I would not leave him till he was softened. When you tried to rob Oswald of his love, and I thought you would succeed — for I did think 80- I did not swerve. I have ever been true to you. And now that I must hide myself and go away, and be seen no more, I am true still." He put his hand into his pocket, and had the letter between his fingers with the purport of showing it to her. But at the moment the thought occurred to him that were he to do so, then, indeed, he would be bound forever. He knew that he was bound forever-bound forever to his own Mary; but he desired to have the privilege of thinking over such bondage once more before he proclaimed it even to his dearest friend. He had told her that she tempted him, and she stood before him now as a temptress. But it could be possible that she should not tempt in vain then that letter in his pocket must never be shown to her. In that case Lady Laura must never hear from his lips the name of Mary Flood Jones. He left her without any assured purpose without, that is, the assurance to her of any fixed purpose. There yet wanted a week to the day on which Mr. Monk's Bill was to be read or not to be read-the second time; and he had still that interval before he need decide. He went to his club, and before he dined he strove to write a line to Mary; but when he had the paper before him he found that it was impossible to do so. Though he did not even suspect himself of an intention to be false, the idea that was in his mind made the effort too much for him. He put the paper away from him and went down and ate his dinner. It was a Saturday, and there was no House in the evening. He had remained in Portman Square with Lady Laura till near seven o'clock, and was engaged to go out in the evening to a gathering at Mrs. Gresham's house. Everybody in London would be there, and Phineas was resolved that as long as he remained in London he would be seen at places where everybody was seen. He would certainly be at Mrs. Gresham's gathering; but there was an hour or two before he need go home to dress, and as he had nothing to do, he went down to the smoking-room of his club. The seats were crowded, but there was one vacant; and before he had looked about him to scrutinize his neighborhood, he found that he had placed himself with Bonteen on his right hand and Ratler on his left. There were no two men in all London whom he more thoroughly disliked; but it was too late for him to avoid them now. They instantly attacked him, first on one side and then on the other. "So I am told you are going to leave us," said Bonteen. "Who can have been ill-natured enough to whisper such a thing?" replied Phineas. "The whispers are very loud, I can tell you," said Ratler. "I think I know al ready pretty nearly how every man in the | best. If it could be well to lose the world House will vote, and I have not got your for a woman, it would be well to lose it for name down on the right side." 66 Change it, for heaven's sake," said Phineas. "I will, if you'll tell me seriously that I may," said Ratler. "My opinion is," said Bonteen, "that a man should be known either as a friend or foe. I respect a declared foe." "Know me as a declared foe then," said Phineas, and respect me." "That's all very well," said Ratler, "but it means nothing. I've always had a sort of fear about you, Finn, that you would go over the traces some day. Of course it's a very grand thing to be independent." 66 her. Violet, with all her skill, and all her strength, and all her grace, could never have written such a letter as that which he still held in his pocket. The best charm of a woman is that she should be soft, and trusting, and generous; and who ever had been more soft, more trusting, and more generous than his Mary? Of course he would be true to her, though he did lose the world. But to yield such a triumph to the Ratlers and Bonteens whom he left behind him to let them have their will over him- to know that they would rejoice scurrilously behind his back over his downfall! The feeling was terrible to him. The last words which Bonteen had spoken made it impossible now to him to support his old friend Mr. Monk. It was not only what Bonteen had said, but that the words of Mr. Bonteen so plainly indicated what would be the words of all the other Bonteens. He knew that he was weak in this. He knew that had he been strong, he would have allowed himself to be guided if not by the firm decision of his own spirit - by the counsels of such men as Mr. Gresham and Lord Cantrip, and not by the sarcasms of the Bonteens and Ratlers of official life. But men who sojourn amid savagery fear "And the sound of a whip over our shoul- the musquito more than they do the lion. ders sets us kicking- does it not, Ratler?" He could not bear to think that he should "I shall show the list to Gresham to-mor-yield his blood to such a one as Bonteen. row," said Ratler, "and of course he can And he must yield his blood unless he do as he pleases; but I don't understand this kind of thing." The finest thing in the world," said Bonteen; only so d-d useless." "But a man shouldn't be independent and stick to the ship at the same time. You forget the trouble you cause, and how you upset all calculations." "I hadn't thought of the calculations," said Phineas. "The fact is, Finn," said Bonteen, "you are made of clay too fine for office.. I've always found it has been so with men from your country. You are the grandest horses in the world to look at out on a prairie, but you don't like the slavery of harness." Phineas not being able to stand any more of this most unpleasant raillery, got up and went away. The club was distasteful to him, and he walked off and sauntered for a while about the park. He went down by the Duke of York's column as though he were going to his office, which of course was closed at this hour, but turned round when he got beyond the new public buildings-buildings which he was never destined to use in their completed state-and entered the gates of the enclosure, and wandered on over the bridge across the water. As he went his mind was full of thought. Could it be good for him to give up every thing for a fair face? He swore to himself that of all women he had ever seen, Mary could vote for Mr. Monk's motion, and hold his ground afterward among them all in the House of Commons. He would at any rate see the session out, and try a fall with Mr. Bonteen when they should be sitting on different benches if ever fortune should give him an opportunity. And in the mean time what should he do about Madame Goesler? What a fate was his to have the handsomest woman in London with thousands and thousands a year at his disposal! For so he now swore to himself-Madame Goesler was the handsomest woman in London, as Mary Flood Jones was the sweetest girl in all the world. He had not arrived at any decision so fixed as to make him comfortable when he went home and dressed for Mrs. Gresham's party. And yet he knew he thought that he knew that he would be true to Mary Flood Jones. CHAPTER LXX. THE PRIME MINISTER'S HOUSE. THE rooms and passages and staircases was the sweetest and the dearest and the at Mrs. Gresham's house were very crowded our job for us. It must be unpleasant for them to be always doing that which they always say should never be done at all." "Wherever the gift horse may come from, I shall not look it in the mouth," said Mr. Monk. "There is only one man in the House whom I hope I may not see in the lobby with me, and that is yourself." The question is decided now," said Phineas. "And how is it decided?" when Phineas arrived there. Men of all shades of politics were there, and the wives and daughters of such men; and there was a streak of royalty in one of the saloons, and a whole rainbow of foreign ministers with their stars, and two blue ribbons were to be seen together on the first landingplace with a stout lady between them carrying diamonds enough to load a pannier. Everybody was there. Phineas found that even Lord Chiltern was come, as he stumbled across his friend on the first foot- Phineas could not tell his friend that a ground that he gained in his ascent toward question of so great magnitude to him had the rooms. Halloa you here?" said been decided by the last sting which he had Phineas. "Yes, by George!" said the received from an insect so contemptible as other, "but I am going to escape as soon Mr. Bonteen, but he expressed the feeling as possible. I've been trying to make my as well as he knew how to express it. "Oh, way up for the last hour, but could never | I shall be with you. I know what you are get round that huge promontory there. going to say, and I know how good you are. Laura was more persevering." Is Ken-But I could not stand it. Men are beginnedy here?" Phineas whispered. "I do ning already to say things which almost not know," said Chiltern, "but she was de- make me get up and kick them. If I can termined to run the chance." help it, I will give occasion to no man to hint anything to me which can make me be so wretched as I have been to-day. Pray do not say anything more. My idea is that I shall resign to-morrow." A little higher up-for Phineas was blessed with more patience than Lord Chiltern possessed - he came upon Mr. Monk. So you are still admitted privately," said Phineas. "Oh dear, yes—and we have just been having a most friendly conversation with him. What a man he is! He knows every thing. He is so accurate; so just in the abstract and in the abstract so generous!" "He has been very generous to me in detail as well as in abstract," said Phineas. Ah! yes; I am not thinking of individuals exactly. His want of generosity is to large masses. to a party, to classes, to a people; whereas his generosity is for mankind at large. He assumes the god, affects to nod, and seems to shake the spheres. But I have nothing to say against him. He has asked me here to-night, and has talked to me most familiarly." 66 What do you think of your chance of a second reading?" asked Phineas. 66 "Then I hope that we may fight the battle side by side," said Mr. Monk, giving him his hand. "We will fight the battle side by side," replied Phineas. After that he pushed his way still higher up the stairs, having no special purpose in view, not dreaming of any such success as that of reaching his host or hostess-merely feeling that it should be a point of honor with him to make a tour through the rooms before he descended the stairs. The thing, he thought, was to be done with courage and patience, and this might, probably, be the last time in his life that he would find himself in the house of a Prime Minister. Just at the turn of the balustrade at the top of the stairs, he found Mr. Gresham in the very spot on which Mr. Monk had been discussing him. Very glad to see you," said Mr. Gresham. You, I find, are a persevering man, with a genius for getting upward." 66 66 "But with the same assurance of speedy loss of my little light." It did not suit Mr. Gresham to understand this, so he changed the subject. "Have you seen the news from America?" Yes, I have seen it, but do not believe 66 it." It is the way with them always. They do all our work for us - sailing either on one tack or the other. That is their use in creation, that when we split among ourselves "Ah! you have such faith in a combinaas we always do, they come in and finish tion of British colonies, properly backed in Downing Street, as to think them strong against a world in arms. In your place I should hold to the same doctrine-hold to it stoutly." "And you do now, I hope, Mr. Gresham ? " “Well — yes —I am not downhearted. But I confess to a feeling that the world would go on even though we had nothing to say to a single province in North America. But that is for your private ear. You are not to whisper that in Downing Street." Then there came up somebody else, and Phineas went on upon his slow course. He had longed for an opportunity to tell Mr. Gresham that he could go to Downing Street no more, but such opportunity had not reached him. been imprudent. It may be uncharitable, but I think it is most safe so to consider." "As far as I have heard the circumstances, Lady Laura was quite right,” said Phineas. "It may be so. Gentlemen will always take the lady's part- of course. But I should be very sorry to have a daughter separated from her husband very sorry." Phineas, who had nothing now to gain from Lady Baldock's favor, left her abruptly, and went on again. He had a great desire to see Lady Laura and Violet together, though he could hardly tell himself why. He had not seen Miss Effingham since his return from Ireland, and he thought if he met her alone he could hardly have talked to her with comfort; but he knew that if he met For a long time he found himself stuck her with Lady Laura, she could greet him close by the side of Miss Fitzgibbon- as a friend, and speak to him as though Miss Aspasia Fitzgibbon - who had once there were no cause for embarrassment relieved him from terrible pecuniary anx-between them. But he was so far disapiety by paying for him a sum of money pointed, that he suddenly encountered which was due by him on her brother's Violet alone. She had been leaning on the account. "It's a very nice thing to be arm of Lord Baldock, and Phineas saw her here, but one does get tired of it," said cousin leave her. But he would not be Miss Fitzgibbon. such a coward as to avoid her, especially as he knew that she had seen him. 66 Oh, Mr. Finn!" she said, "do you see that ?" 66 Very tired," said Phineas. "Of course it is a part of your duty, Mr. Finn. You are on your promotion and are bound to be here. When I asked Laurence to come, he said there was nothing to be got till the cards were shuffled again." 66 They'll be shuffled very soon,' Phineas. "See what?" "Look. There is Mr. Kennedy. We had heard that it was possible, and Laura made me promise that I would not leave her." Phineas turned his head, and saw Mr. Kennedy standing with his back bolt "Whatever colour comes up, you'll hold upright against a door-post, with his brow trumps, I know," said the lady. "Some as black as thunder. "She is just opposite hands always hold trumps." He could not to him, where he can see her," said Violet. explain to Miss Fitzgibbon that it would" Pray take me to her. He will think nothnever again be his fate to hold a single trump in his hand; so he made another fight, and got on a few steps further. He said a word as he went to half a dozen friends as friends went with him. He was detained for ten minutes by Lady Baldock, who was very gracious and very disagreeable. She told him that Violet was in the room but where she did not know. "She is somewhere with Lady Laura, I believe; and really, Mr. Finn, I do not like it." Lady Baldock had heard that Phineas had quarrelled with Lord Brentford, but had not heard of the reconciliation. 66 Really, I do not like it. I am told that Mr. Kennedy is in the house, and nobody knows what may happen." "Mr. Kennedy is not likely to say anything." "One cannot tell. And when I hear that a woman is separated from her husband, I always think that she must have came ing of you, because I know that you are Phineas, not caring much about Lord "He has gone," said Phineas. "I was speaking to him down stairs." "You have not seen my father? He said he would come." |