ort of bastard honesty,--by precept out of stupidity. There is
no real conviction in it, begotten by thought." This little bit of
criticism, harsh as it was, had the effect, and the Prime Minister
became less miserable than he had been.

But Lord Drummond forgave nothing. He still held his office, but more
than once he was seen in private conference with both Sir Orlando and
Mr. Boffin. He did not attempt to conceal his anger. Lord Earlybird!
An old woman! One whom no other man in England would have thought
of making a Knight of the Garter! It was not, he said, personal
disappointment in himself. There were half-a-dozen peers whom he
would willingly have seen so graced without the slightest chagrin.
But this must have been done simply to show the Duke's power, and to
let the world understand that he owed nothing and would pay nothing
to his supporters. It was almost a disgrace, said Lord Drummond, to
belong to a Government the Head of which could so commit himself! The
Session was nearly at an end, and Lord Drummond thought that no step
could be conveniently taken now. But it was quite clear to him that
this state of things could not be continued. It was observed that
Lord Drummond and the Prime Minister never spoke to each other in
the House, and that the Secretary of State for the Colonies,--that
being the office which he held,--never rose in his place after Lord
Earlybird's nomination, unless to say a word or two as to his own
peculiar duties. It was very soon known to all the world that there
was war to the knife between Lord Drummond and the Prime Minister.

And, strange to say, there seemed to be some feeling of general
discontent on this very trifling subject. When Aristides has been
much too just the oyster-shells become numerous. It was said that the
Duke had been guilty of pretentious love of virtue in taking Lord
Earlybird out of his own path of life and forcing him to write K.G.
after his name. There came out an article, of course in the "People's
Banner," headed, "Our Prime Minister's Good Works," in which poor
Lord Earlybird was ridiculed in a very unbecoming manner, and in
which it was asserted that the thing was done as a counterpoise to
the iniquity displayed in "hounding Ferdinand Lopez to his death."
Whenever Ferdinand Lopez was mentioned he had always been hounded.
And then the article went on to declare that either the Prime
Minister had quarrelled with all his colleagues, or else that all his
col