Irish interests have been
little other than apologies for the blunders of your colleagues. You
remove some burden imposed by yourselves, or express sorrow for some
piece of legislation your own hands have inflicted--"

"Come, come, Mr. Dunn, the only course of lectures I attend are
delivered in the House of Commons; besides, I have no time for these
things." There was a tone of prompt decision in the way he uttered this
that satisfied Dunn he had gone fully as far as was safe. "Now as to
Ireland, we shall look for at least sixty, or perhaps seventy, sure
votes. Come, where's your list, Dunn? Out with it, man! We are rather
rich in patronage just now. We can make a Bishop, a Puisne Judge, three
Assistant Barristers, a Poor Law Commissioner, not to say that there are
some fifty smaller things in the Revenue. Which will you have?"

"All, my Lord," said Dunn, coolly,--"all, and some colonial appointments
besides, for such of our friends as find living at home inexpedient."

His Lordship lay back in his chair, and laughed pleasantly. "There's
Jamaica just vacant; would that suit you?"

"The Governorship? The very thing I want, and for a very old supporter
of your Lordship's party."

"Who is he?"

"The Earl of Glengariff, my Lord, a nobleman who has never received the
slightest acknowledgment for a political adherence of fifty-odd years."

"Why, the man must be in second childhood. If I remember aright, he
was--"

"He is exactly four years your Lordship's senior; he says you fagged for
him his last half at Eton."

"Pooh, pooh! he mistakes; it was of my father he was thinking. But to
the point: what can he do for us?"

"I was alluding to what he had done, my Lord," said Dunn, pointedly.

"Ah, Dunn, we are not rich enough for gratitude. That is the last luxury
of a 'millionnaire;' besides, you are aware how many claimants there
will be for so good a thing as this."

"Which of them all, my Lord, can promise you ten votes in the Houses?"

"Well, is the bargain finished? Is all paid?"

"Not yet, my Lord; not yet You are averse to affording us any support to
the Glengariff scheme, and, for the present, I will not hamper you with
the consideration; you can, however, serve us in another way. Glumthal
is very anxious about the Jew Bill; he wishes, Heaven knows why, to see
his brother in the House. May I promise him that the next session will
see it law? Let me just have your Lordship's word to that effect, so
that I m