Mr. Bonteen,
and did not leave a stone unturned in her endeavours to accomplish
it. If Phineas Finn might find acceptance, then Mr. Bonteen might be
allowed to enter Elysium. A second Juno, she would allow the Romulus
she hated to sit in the seats of the blessed, to be fed with nectar,
and to have his name printed in the lists of unruffled Cabinet
meetings,--but only on conditions. Phineas Finn must be allowed a
seat also, and a little nectar,--though it were at the second table
of the gods. For this she struggled, speaking her mind boldly to this
and that member of her husband's party, but she struggled in vain.
She could obtain no assurance on behalf of Phineas Finn. The Duke of
St. Bungay would do nothing for her. Barrington Erle had declared
himself powerless. Her husband had condescended to speak to Mr.
Bonteen himself, and Mr. Bonteen's insolent answer had been reported
to her. Then she went sedulously to work, and before a couple of days
were over she did make her husband believe that Mr. Bonteen was not
fit to be Chancellor of the Exchequer. This took place before Mr.
Daubeny's statement, while the Duke and Duchess of St. Bungay were
still at Matching,--while Mr. Bonteen, unconscious of what was being
done, was still in the House. Before the two days were over, the Duke
of St. Bungay had a very low opinion of Mr. Bonteen, but was quite
ignorant of any connection between that low opinion and the fortunes
of Phineas Finn.

"Plantagenet, of all your men that are coming up, your Mr. Bonteen
is the worst. I often think that you are going down hill, both in
character and intellect, but if you go as low as that I shall prefer
to cross the water, and live in America." This she said in the
presence of the two dukes.

"What has Mr. Bonteen done?" asked the elder, laughing.

"He was boasting this morning openly of whom he intended to bring
with him into the Cabinet." Truth demands that the chronicler should
say that this was a positive fib. Mr. Bonteen, no doubt, had talked
largely and with indiscretion, but had made no such boast as that of
which the Duchess accused him. "Mr. Gresham will get astray if he
doesn't allow some one to tell him the truth."

She did not press the matter any further then, but what she had said
was not thrown away. "Your wife is almost right about that man," the
elder Duke said to the younger.

"It's Mr. Gresham's doing,--not mine," said the younger.

"She is right about Gresham, too," sa