present Ministry served the country well, and considered
himself bound to adhere to it. "He cannot bear the idea of being
out of power," said Sir Orlando to himself. He next said a word to
Sir Timothy; but Sir Timothy was not the man to be led by the nose
by Sir Orlando. Sir Timothy had his grievances and meant to have
his revenge, but he knew how to choose his own time. "The Duke's
not a bad fellow," said Sir Timothy,--"perhaps a little weak, but
well-meaning. I think we ought to stand by him a little longer. As
for Finn's Irish Bill, I haven't troubled myself about it." Then
Sir Orlando declared to himself that Sir Timothy was a coward, and
resolved that he would act alone.

About the middle of July he went to the Duke at the Treasury,
was closeted with him, and in a very long narration of his own
differences, difficulties, opinions, and grievances, explained to the
Duke that his conscience called upon him to resign. The Duke listened
and bowed his head, and with one or two very gently-uttered words
expressed his regret. Then Sir Orlando, in another long speech,
laid bare his bosom to the Chief whom he was leaving, declaring the
inexpressible sorrow with which he had found himself called upon to
take a step which he feared might be prejudicial to the political
status of a man whom he honoured so much as he did the Duke of
Omnium. Then the Duke bowed again, but said nothing. The man had been
guilty of the impropriety of questioning the way in which the Duke's
private hospitality was exercised, and the Duke could not bring
himself to be genially civil to such an offender. Sir Orlando went on
to say that he would of course explain his views in the Cabinet, but
that he had thought it right to make them known to the Duke as soon
as they were formed. "The best friends must part, Duke," he said as
he took his leave. "I hope not, Sir Orlando; I hope not," said the
Duke. But Sir Orlando had been too full of himself and of the words
he was to speak, and of the thing he was about to do, to understand
either the Duke's words or his silence.

And so Sir Orlando resigned, and thus supplied the only morsel of
political interest which the Session produced. "Take no more notice
of him than if your footman was going," had been the advice of the
old Duke. Of course there was a Cabinet meeting on the occasion, but
even there the commotion was very slight, as every member knew before
entering the room what it was that Sir Orlando intend