bring in a Bill for reforming us. You can't make us go by decimals.
You can't increase our consumption by lowering our taxation. I wish
you had gone back to some Board." This she said looking up into his
face with an anxiety which was half real and half burlesque.

"I had made up my mind to go back to no Board,--for the present. I
was thinking that we could spend some months in Italy, Cora."

"What; for the summer;--so as to be in Rome in July! After that we
could utilise the winter by visiting Norway."

"We might take Norway first."

"And be eaten up by mosquitoes! I've got to be too old to like
travelling."

"What do you like, dear?"

"Nothing;--except being the Prime Minister's wife; and upon my word
there were times when I didn't like that very much. I don't know
anything else that I'm fit for. I wonder whether Mr. Gresham would
let me go to him as housekeeper? Only we should have to lend him
Gatherum, or there would be no room for the display of my abilities.
Is Mr. Monk in?"

"He keeps his old office."

"And Mr. Finn?"

"I believe so; but in what place I don't know."

"And who else?"

"Our old friend the Duke, and Lord Cantrip, and Mr. Wilson,--and Sir
Gregory will be Lord Chancellor."

"Just the old stupid Liberal team. Put their names in a bag and shake
them, and you can always get a ministry. Well, Plantagenet;--I'll go
anywhere you like to take me. I'll have something for the malaria at
Rome, and something for the mosquitoes in Norway, and will make the
best of it. But I don't see why you should run away in the middle of
the Session. I would stay and pitch into them, all round, like a true
ex-minister and independent member of Parliament." Then as he was
leaving her she fired a last shot. "I hope you made Sir Orlando and
Sir Timothy peers before you gave up."

It was not till two days after this that she read in one of the daily
papers that Sir Timothy Beeswax was to be Attorney-General, and then
her patience almost deserted her. To tell the truth, her husband had
not dared to mention the appointment when he first saw her after
hearing it. Her explosion first fell on the head of Phineas Finn,
whom she found at home with his wife, deploring the necessity which
had fallen upon him of filling the faineant office of Chancellor of
the Duchy of Lancaster. "Mr. Finn," she said, "I congratulate you on
your colleagues."

"Your Grace is very good. I was at any rate introduced to many of
them under t