ps enough in the country if there be anything like a general
movement. I hear they have sent the guards down by a special train, and
a hundred more of the police. London is not over-garrisoned."

"They are always ready for a riot at Birmingham," said a Warwickshire
peer. "Trade is very bad there and they suffer a good deal. But I should
think it would not go farther."

"I am told," said the grey-headed gentleman, "that business is getting
slack in all the districts."

"It might be better," said Mr Egerton, "but they have got work." Here
several gentlemen entered, enquiring whether the evening papers were in
and what was the news from Birmingham.

"I am told," said one of them, "that the police were regularly smashed."

"Is it true that the military were really beat off?"

"Quite untrue: the fact is there were no proper preparations; the town
was taken by surprise, the magistrates lost their heads; the people were
masters of the place; and when the police did act, they were met by a
triumphant populace, who two hours before would have fled before them.
They say they have burnt down above forty houses."

"It is a bad thing--this beating the police," said the grey-headed
gentleman.

"But what is the present state of affairs?" enquired Mr Berners. "Are
the rioters put down?"

"Not in the least," said Mr Egerton, "as I hear. They are encamped in
the Bull Ring amid smoking ruins, and breathe nothing but havoc."

"Well, I voted for taking the National Petition into consideration,"
said Mr Berners. "It could do us no harm, and would have kept things
quiet."

"So did every fellow on our side," said Mr Egerton, "who was not in
office or about to be. Well, Heaven knows what may come next. The
Charter may some day be as popular in this club as the Reform Act."

"The oddest thing in that debate," said Mr Berners, "was Egremont's
move."

"I saw Marney last night at Lady St Julians," said Mr Egerton, "and
congratulated him on his brother's speech. He looked daggers, and
grinned like a ghoul."

"It was a very remarkable speech--that of Egremont," said the
grey-headed gentleman. "I wonder what he wants."

"I think he must be going to turn radical," said the Warwickshire peer.

"Why the whole speech was against radicalism," said Mr Egerton.

"Ah, then he is going to turn whig, I suppose."

"He is ultra anti-whig," said Egerton.

"Then what the deuce is he?" said Mr Berners.

"Not a conservative certainly, for Lad