as still within his reach. There was in store for
him the tranquillity of retirement which he would enjoy as soon as a
sense of duty would permit him to seize it. But now the prospect of
that happiness had gradually vanished from him. That retirement was
no longer a winning-post for him. The poison of place and power and
dignity had got into his blood. As he looked forward he feared rather
than sighed for retirement. "You think it will go against us," he
said.

Phineas did think so. There was hardly a man high up in the party
who did not think so. When one branch of a Coalition has gradually
dropped off, the other branch will hardly flourish long. And then the
tints of a political Coalition are so neutral and unalluring that men
will only endure them when they feel that no more pronounced colours
are within their reach. "After all," said Phineas, "the innings has
not been a bad one. It has been of service to the country, and has
lasted longer than most men expected."

"If it has been of service to the country, that is everything. It
should at least be everything. With the statesman to whom it is not
everything there must be something wrong." The Duke, as he said this,
was preaching to himself. He was telling himself that, though he saw
the better way, he was allowing himself to walk on in that which was
worse. For it was not only Phineas who could see the change,--or the
old Duke, or the Duchess. It was apparent to the man himself, though
he could not prevent it. "I sometimes think," he said, "that we whom
chance has led to be meddlers in the game of politics sometimes give
ourselves hardly time enough to think what we are about."

"A man may have to work so hard," said Phineas, "that he has no time
for thinking."

"Or more probably, may be so eager in party conflict that he will
hardly keep his mind cool enough for thought. It seems to me that
many men,--men whom you and I know,--embrace the profession of
politics not only without political convictions, but without seeing
that it is proper that they should entertain them. Chance brings a
young man under the guidance of this or that elder man. He has come
of a Whig family, as was my case,--or from some old Tory stock; and
loyalty keeps him true to the interests which have first pushed him
forward into the world. There is no conviction there."

"Convictions grow."

"Yes;--the conviction that it is the man's duty to be a staunch
Liberal, but not the reason why. Or