That will give us ample time."

"Yes;--yes. I suppose so." But he did not dare to ask Phineas Finn
whether he thought that the House of Commons would assent to the
second reading. It was known at this time that the Prime Minister was
painfully anxious as to the fate of the Ministry. It seemed to be but
the other day that everybody connected with the Government was living
in fear lest he should resign. His threats in that direction had
always been made to his old friend the Duke of St. Bungay; but a
great man cannot whisper his thoughts without having them carried in
the air. In all the clubs it had been declared that that was the rock
by which the Coalition would probably be wrecked. The newspapers had
repeated the story, and the "People's Banner" had assured the world
that if it were so the Duke of Omnium would thus do for his country
the only good service which it was possible that he should render it.
That was at the time when Sir Orlando was mutinous and when Lopez had
destroyed himself. But now no such threat came from the Duke, and
the "People's Banner" was already accusing him of clinging to power
with pertinacious and unconstitutional tenacity. Had not Sir Orlando
deserted him? Was it not well known that Lord Drummond and Sir
Timothy Beeswax were only restrained from doing so by a mistaken
loyalty?

Everybody came up to town, Mr. Monk having his Bill in his pocket,
and the Queen's speech was read, promising the County Suffrage Bill.
The address was voted with a very few words from either side. The
battle was not to be fought then. Indeed, the state of things was
so abnormal that there could hardly be said to be any sides in the
House. A stranger in the gallery, not knowing the condition of
affairs, would have thought that no minister had for many years
commanded so large a majority, as the crowd of members was always on
the Government side of the House; but the opposition which Mr. Monk
expected would, he knew, come from those who sat around him, behind
him, and even at his very elbow. About a week after Parliament met
the Bill was read for the first time, and the second reading was
appointed for an early day in March.

The Duke had suggested to Mr. Monk the expedience of some further
delay, giving as his reason the necessity of getting through certain
routine work, should the rejection of the Bill create the confusion
of a resignation. No one who knew the Duke could ever suspect him of
giving a false reason