in power. Sir Timothy
had been badly treated, and did not forget it. Now Sir Orlando had
also of late shown some symptoms of a disturbed ambition. He was
the Leader of the House of Commons, and it had become an almost
recognised law of the Constitution that the Leader of the House of
Commons should be the First Minister of the Crown. It was at least
understood by many that such was Sir Orlando's reading of the laws of
the Constitution.

"We've got along, you know," said Sir Orlando.

"Yes;--yes. We've got along. Can you imagine any possible
concatenation of circumstances in which we should not get along?
There's always too much good sense in the House for an absolute
collapse. But are you contented?"

"I won't say I'm not," said the cautious baronet. "I didn't look for
very great things from a Coalition, and I didn't look for very great
things from the Duke."

"It seems to me that the one achievement to which we've all looked
has been the reaching the end of the Session in safety. We've done
that certainly."

"It is a great thing to do, Sir Timothy. Of course the main work of
Parliament is to raise supplies;--and, when that has been done with
ease, when all the money wanted has been voted without a break-down,
of course Ministers are very glad to get rid of the Parliament. It is
as much a matter of course that a Minister should dislike Parliament
now as that a Stuart King should have done so two hundred and fifty
years ago. To get a Session over and done with is an achievement and
a delight."

"No Ministry can go on long on that far niente principle, and no
minister who accedes to it will remain long in any ministry."
Sir Timothy in saying this might be alluding to the Duke, or the
reference might be to Sir Orlando himself. "Of course, I'm not in
the Cabinet, and am not entitled to say a word; but I think that if
I were in the Cabinet, and if I were anxious,--which I confess I'm
not,--for a continuation of the present state of things, I should
endeavour to obtain from the Duke some idea of his policy for the
next Session." Sir Orlando was a man of certain parts. He could speak
volubly,--and yet slowly,--so that reporters and others could hear
him. He was patient, both in the House and in his office, and had the
great gift of doing what he was told by men who understood things
better than he did himself. He never went very far astray in his
official business, because he always obeyed the clerks and followed
pr