that he really felt himself to be guilty of the man's blood,
but that any one should say that he was guilty. It was of no use to
point out to him that other newspapers had sufficiently vindicated
his conduct in that respect, that it was already publicly known
that Lopez had received payment for those election expenses from
Mr. Wharton before the application had been made to him, and that
therefore the man's dishonesty was patent to all the world. It was
equally futile to explain to him that the man's last act had been in
no degree caused by what had been said in Parliament, but had been
the result of his continued failures in life and final absolute ruin.
He fretted and fumed and was very wretched,--and at last expressed
his opinion that legal steps should be taken to punish the "People's
Banner." Now it had been already acknowledged, on the dictum of no
less a man than Sir Gregory Grogram, the Attorney-General, that the
action for libel, if taken at all, must be taken, not on the part of
the Prime Minister, but on that of Phineas Finn. Sir Timothy Beeswax
had indeed doubted, but it had come to be understood by all the
members of the Coalition that Sir Timothy Beeswax always did doubt
whatever was said by Sir Gregory Grogram. "The Duke thinks that
something should be done," said Mr. Warburton, the Duke's private
Secretary, to Phineas Finn.

"Not by me, I hope," said Phineas.

"Nobody else can do it. That is to say it must be done in your name.
Of course it would be a Government matter, as far as expense goes,
and all that."

"I am sorry the Duke should think so."

"I don't see that it could hurt you."

"I am sorry the Duke should think so," repeated Phineas,--"because
nothing can be done in my name. I have made up my mind about it.
I think the Duke is wrong in wishing it, and I believe that were
any action taken, we should only be playing into the hands of that
wretched fellow, Quintus Slide. I have long been conversant with
Mr. Quintus Slide, and have quite made up my mind that I will never
play upon his pipe. And you may tell the Duke that there are other
reasons. The man has referred to my past life, and in seeking to
justify those remarks he would be enabled to drag before the public
circumstances and stories, and perhaps persons, in a manner that I
personally should disregard, but which, for the sake of others, I am
bound to prevent. You will explain all this to the Duke?"

"I am afraid you will find the Du