glad indeed. Whatever happens to him, we must
never lose sight of him again."

"We shall hear of him, of course, if he is in the House."

"Whether he is in the House or out of it we must hear of him. While
we have aught he must never want." The Earl stared at his daughter.
The Earl was a man of large possessions, and did not as yet
understand that he was to be called upon to share them with Phineas
Finn. "I know, Papa, you will never think ill of me."

"Never, my dear."

"I have sworn that I will be a sister to that man, and I will keep my
oath."

"I know you are a very good sister to Chiltern," said the Earl. Lady
Laura had at one time appropriated her whole fortune, which had been
large, to the payment of her brother's debts. The money had been
returned, and had gone to her husband. Lord Brentford now supposed
that she intended at some future time to pay the debts of Phineas
Finn.

CHAPTER XIII

"I have got the seat"

When Phineas returned to London, the autumn Session, though it had
been carried on so near to Christmas as to make many members very
unhappy, had already been over for a fortnight. Mr. Daubeny had
played his game with consummate skill to the last. He had brought
in no bill, but had stated his intention of doing so early in the
following Session. He had, he said, of course been aware from the
first that it would have been quite impossible to carry such a
measure as that proposed during the few weeks in which it had been
possible for them to sit between the convening of Parliament and the
Christmas holidays; but he thought that it was expedient that the
proposition should be named to the House and ventilated as it had
been, so that members on both sides might be induced to give their
most studious attention to the subject before a measure, which
must be so momentous, should be proposed to them. As had happened,
the unforeseen division to which the House had been pressed on the
Address had proved that the majority of the House was in favour of
the great reform which it was the object of his ambition to complete.
They were aware that they had been assembled at a somewhat unusual
and inconvenient period of the year, because the service of the
country had demanded that certain money bills should be passed. He,
however, rejoiced greatly that this earliest opportunity had been
afforded to him of explaining the intentions of the Government with
which he had the honour of being connected. In a