n that a strong party had been formed under
the auspices of Sir Orlando, and that with him Sir Timothy and other
politicians were in close council. It was of course necessary that
they should impart to many the secrets of their conclave, so that it
was known early in the afternoon that it was the intention of the
Opposition not to discuss the Bill, but to move that it be read a
second time that day six months. The Ministry had hardly expected
this, as the Bill was undoubtedly popular both in the House and the
country; and if the Opposition should be beaten in such a course,
that defeat would tend greatly to strengthen the hands of the
Government. But if the foe could succeed in carrying a positive
veto on the second reading, it would under all the circumstances be
tantamount to a vote of want of confidence. "I'm afraid they know
almost more than we do as to the feeling of members," said Mr. Roby
to Mr. Rattler.

"There isn't a man in the House whose feeling in the matter I don't
know," said Rattler, "but I'm not quite so sure of their principles.
On our own side, in our old party, there are a score of men who
detest the Duke, though they would fain be true to the Government.
They have voted with him through thick and thin, and he has not
spoken a word to one of them since he became Prime Minister. What are
you to do with such a man? How are you to act with him?"

"Lupton wrote to him the other day about something," answered the
other, "I forget what, and he got a note back from Warburton as
cold as ice,--an absolute slap in the face. Fancy treating a man
like Lupton in that way,--one of the most popular men in the House,
related to half the peerage, and a man who thinks so much of himself!
I shouldn't wonder if he were to vote against us;--I shouldn't
indeed."

"It has all been the old Duke's doing," said Rattler, "and no doubt
it was intended for the best; but the thing has been a failure from
the beginning to the end. I knew it would be so. I don't think there
has been a single man who has understood what a Ministerial Coalition
really means except you and I. From the very beginning all your men
were averse to it in spirit."

"Look how they were treated!" said Mr. Roby. "Was it likely that they
should be very staunch when Mr. Monk became Leader of the House?"

There was a Cabinet Council that day which lasted but a few minutes,
and it may easily be presumed that the Ministers decided that they
would all resign