rong
language, and the Duke frowned;--but there was no one there to
hear it but Phineas Finn and his wife, and they, at least, were
trustworthy. The Duke suggested that he had better get back to the
house as soon as possible. There might be something to be done
requiring time before dinner. Mr. Warburton might, at any rate, want
to smoke a tranquil cigar after his day's work. The Duchess therefore
left the carriage, as did Mrs. Finn, and the Duke undertook to drive
the little girl back to the house. "He'll surely go against a tree,"
said the Duchess. But,--as a fact,--the Duke did take himself and the
child home in safety.

"And what do you think about it, Mr. Finn?" said her Grace. "I
suppose you and the Duke have been settling what is to be done."

"We have certainly settled nothing."

"Then you must have disagreed."

"That we as certainly have not done. We have in truth not once been
out of cloud-land."

"Ah;--then there is no hope. When once grown-up politicians get into
cloud-land it is because the realities of the world have no longer
any charm for them."

The big box did not contain the resignations of any of the
objectionable members of the Coalition. Ministers do not often resign
in September,--nor would it be expedient that they should do so. Lord
Drummond and Sir Timothy were safe, at any rate, till next February,
and might live without any show either of obedience or mutiny.
The Duke remained in comparative quiet at Matching. There was not
very much to do, except to prepare the work for the next Session.
The great work of the coming year was to be the assimilation, or
something very near to the assimilation, of the county suffrages
with those of the boroughs. The measure was one which had now been
promised by statesmen for the last two years,--promised at first with
that half promise which would mean nothing, were it not that such
promises always lead to more defined assurances. The Duke of St.
Bungay, Lord Drummond, and other Ministers had wished to stave it
off. Mr. Monk was eager for its adoption, and was of course supported
by Phineas Finn. The Prime Minister had at first been inclined to be
led by the old Duke. There was no doubt to him but that the measure
was desirable and would come, but there might well be a question
as to the time at which it should be made to come. The old Duke
knew that the measure would come,--but believing it to be wholly
undesirable, thought that he was doing good wor