m."

"Then he would be,--out of the way, sir."

"What you mean perhaps is that you do not know how to get rid of
him."

"Of course I don't pretend to understand much about it; but they all
think that he does know how to keep the party together. I don't think
we are proud of him."

"Hardly that."

"He is awfully useful. A man has to look out so sharp to be always
ready for those other fellows! I beg your pardon, sir, but I mean
your side."

"I understand who the other fellows are."

"And it isn't everybody who will go through such a grind. A man to do
it must be always ready. He has so many little things to think of. As
far as I can see we all feel that we could not get along very well
without him." Upon the whole the Duke was pleased with what he heard
from his son. The young man's ideas about politics were boyish, but
they were the ideas of a clear-headed boy. Silverbridge had picked up
some of the ways of the place, though he had not yet formed any sound
political opinions.

Then Sir Timothy finished a long speech with a flowery peroration,
in which he declared that if Parliament were desirous of keeping the
realms of Her Majesty free from the invasions of foreigners it must
be done by maintaining the dignity of the Judicial bench. There were
some clamours at this; and although it was now dinner-time Phineas
Finn, who had been called a bellicose Irishman, was able to say a
word or two. "The Right Honourable gentleman no doubt means," said
Phineas, "that we must carry ourselves with some increased external
dignity. The world is bewigging itself, and we must buy a bigger wig
than any we have got, in order to confront the world with proper
self-respect. Turveydrop and deportment will suffice for us against
any odds."

About half-past seven the House became very empty. "Where are you
going to dine, sir?" asked Silverbridge. The Duke, with something
like a sigh, said he supposed he should dine at home.

"You never were at the Beargarden;--were you, sir?" asked
Silverbridge suddenly.

"Never," said the Duke.

"Come and dine with me."

"I am not a member of the club."

"We don't care at all about that. Anybody can take in anybody."

"Does not that make it promiscuous?"

"Well;--no; I don't know that it does. It seems to go on very well. I
daresay there are some cads there sometimes. But I don't know where
one doesn't meet cads. There are plenty in the House of Commons."

"There is something in that,