wife
is an angel. He who lives on comfortable terms with the partner of
his troubles can afford to acknowledge the ordinary rubs of life. Old
Mr. Mildmay, who was Prime Minister for so many years, and whom his
party worshipped, used to say that he had never found a gentleman who
had quite agreed with him all round; but Sir Timothy has always been
in exact accord with all his colleagues,--till he has left them, or
they him. Never had there been such concord as of late,--and men,
clubs, and newspapers now protested that as a natural consequence
there would soon be a break-up.

But not on that account would it perhaps be necessary that Sir
Timothy should resign,--or not necessary that his resignation should
be permanent. The Conservative majority had dwindled,--but still
there was a majority. It certainly was the case that Lord Drummond
could not get on without Sir Timothy. But might it not be possible
that Sir Timothy should get on without Lord Drummond? If so he must
begin his action in this direction by resigning. He would have to
place his resignation, no doubt with infinite regret, in the hands
of Lord Drummond. But if such a step were to be taken now, just as
Parliament was about to assemble, what would become of the Queen's
speech, of the address, and of the noble peers and noble and other
commoners who were to propose and second it in the two Houses of
Parliament? There were those who said that such a trick played at the
last moment would be very shabby. But then again there were those who
foresaw that the shabbiness would be made to rest anywhere rather
than on the shoulders of Sir Timothy. If it should turn out that he
had striven manfully to make things run smoothly;--that the Premier's
incompetence, or the Chancellor's obstinacy, or this or that
Secretary's peculiarity of temper had done it all;--might not Sir
Timothy then be able to emerge from the confused flood, and swim
along pleasantly with his head higher than ever above the waters?

In these great matters parliamentary management goes for so much! If
a man be really clever and handy at his trade, if he can work hard
and knows what he is about, if he can give and take and be not
thin-skinned or sore-bored, if he can ask pardon for a peccadillo and
seem to be sorry with a good grace, if above all things he be able
to surround himself with the prestige of success, then so much will
be forgiven him! Great gifts of eloquence are hardly wanted, or a
deep-s