ainted than he
unfortunately had been with the burdens and responsibilities of
legislation.

There was very little in the dispute which seemed to be worthy of
the place in which it occurred, or of the vigour with which it was
conducted; but it served to show the temper of the parties, and to
express the bitterness of the political feelings of the day. It was
said at the time, that never within the memory of living politicians
had so violent an animosity displayed itself in the House as had
been witnessed on this night. While Mr. Gresham was giving his
explanation, Mr. Daubeny had arisen, and with a mock solemnity that
was peculiar to him on occasions such as these, had appealed to the
Speaker whether the right honourable gentleman opposite should not be
called upon to resume his seat. Mr. Gresham had put him down with a
wave of his hand. An affected stateliness cannot support itself but
for a moment; and Mr. Daubeny had been forced to sit down when the
Speaker did not at once support his appeal. But he did not forget
that wave of the hand, nor did he forgive it. He was a man who in
public life rarely forgot, and never forgave. They used to say
of him that "at home" he was kindly and forbearing, simple and
unostentatious. It may be so. Who does not remember that horrible
Turk, Jacob Asdrubal, the Old Bailey barrister, the terror of
witnesses, the bane of judges,--who was gall and wormwood to all
opponents. It was said of him that "at home" his docile amiability
was the marvel of his friends, and delight of his wife and daughters.
"At home," perhaps, Mr. Daubeny might have been waved at, and have
forgiven it; but men who saw the scene in the House of Commons knew
that he would never forgive Mr. Gresham. As for Mr. Gresham himself,
he triumphed at the moment, and exulted in his triumph.

Phineas Finn heard it all, and was disgusted to find that his enemy
thus became the hero of the hour. It was, indeed, the opinion
generally of the Liberal party that Mr. Gresham had not said much to
flatter his new Chancellor of the Exchequer. In praise of Plantagenet
Palliser he had been very loud, and he had no doubt said that which
implied the capability of Mr. Bonteen, who, as it happened, was
sitting next to him at the time; but he had implied also that the
mantle which was to be transferred from Mr. Palliser to Mr. Bonteen
would be carried by its new wearer with grace very inferior to that
which had marked all the steps of his pre