s as a girl in her tenth
season. He is a decently good fellow, and he is to be thrown over,
because--"

"Because of what?"

"I don't choose to name any one. You ought to know all about it, and
I do not doubt but you do. Lady Laura Kennedy is your own cousin."

"There is not a spark of truth in all that."

"Of course there is not; and yet he is to be punished. I know very
well, Mr. Erle, that if you choose to put your shoulder to the wheel
you can manage it; and I shall expect to have it managed."

"Plantagenet," she said the next day to her husband, "I want you to
do something for me."

"To do something! What am I to do? It's very seldom you want anything
in my line."

"This isn't in your line at all, and yet I want you to do it."

"Ten to one it's beyond my means."

"No, it isn't. I know you can if you like. I suppose you are all sure
to be in office within ten days or a fortnight?"

"I can't say, my dear. I have promised Mr. Gresham to be of use to
him if I can."

"Everybody knows all that. You're going to be Privy Seal, and to work
just the same as ever at those horrible two farthings."

"And what is it you want, Glencora?"

"I want you to say that you won't take any office unless you are
allowed to bring in one or two friends with you."

"Why should I do that? I shall not doubt any Cabinet chosen by Mr.
Gresham."

"I'm not speaking of the Cabinet; I allude to men in lower offices,
lords, and Under-Secretaries, and Vice-people. You know what I mean."

"I never interfere."

"But you must. Other men do continually. It's quite a common thing
for a man to insist that one or two others should come in with him."

"Yes. If a man feels that he cannot sustain his own position without
support, he declines to join the Government without it. But that
isn't my case. The friends who are necessary to me in the Cabinet are
the very men who will certainly be there. I would join no Government
without the Duke; but--"

"Oh, the Duke--the Duke! I hate dukes--and duchesses too. I'm not
talking about a duke. I want you to oblige me by making a point with
Mr. Gresham that Mr. Finn shall have an office."

"Mr. Finn!"

"Yes, Mr. Finn. I'll explain it all if you wish it."

"My dear Glencora, I never interfere."

"Who does interfere? Everybody says the same. Somebody interferes,
I suppose. Mr. Gresham can't know everybody so well as to be able
to fit all the pegs into all the holes without saying a word to
anybo