e top of the house to the
bottom without breaking my neck. The rocking-horse was very well
then, but I don't care now to have one bestowed upon me for any such
reason."

"Still, if the rocking-horse is in itself a good rocking-horse--"

"But it isn't."

"I don't mean to say a word against your decision."

"It isn't good. It is one of those toys which look to be so very
desirable in the shop-windows, but which give no satisfaction when
they are brought home. I'll tell you what occurred the other day. The
circumstances happen to be known to me, though I cannot tell you my
authority. My dear old friend Laurence Fitzgibbon, in the performance
of his official duties, had to give an opinion on a matter affecting
an expenditure of some thirty or forty thousand pounds of public
money. I don't think that Laurence has generally a very strong bias
this way or that on such questions, but in the case in question he
took upon himself to be very decided. He wrote, or got some one to
write, a report proving that the service of the country imperatively
demanded that the money should be spent, and in doing so was strictly
within his duty."

"I am glad to hear that he can be so energetic."

"The Chancellor of the Exchequer got hold of the matter, and told
Fitzgibbon that the thing couldn't be done."

"That was all right and constitutional, I suppose."

"Quite right and constitutional. But something had to be said about
it in the House, and Laurence, with all his usual fluency and
beautiful Irish brogue, got up and explained that the money would be
absolutely thrown away if expended on a purpose so futile as that
proposed. I am assured that the great capacity which he has thus
shown for official work and official life will cover a multitude of
sins."

"You would hardly have taken Mr. Fitzgibbon as your model statesman."

"Certainly not;--and if the story affected him only it would hardly
be worth telling. But the point of it lies in this;--that he
disgusted no one by what he did. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
thinks him a very convenient man to have about him, and Mr. Gresham
feels the comfort of possessing tools so pliable."

"Do you think that public life then is altogether a mistake, Mr.
Finn?"

"For a poor man I think that it is, in this country. A man of fortune
may be independent; and because he has the power of independence
those who are higher than he will not expect him to be subservient.
A man who takes to parl