y
attended as the private secretary of a cabinet minister.

His friends were still in office, though the country had sent up a
majority of ninety against them, and Endymion took his seat behind the
Treasury bench, and exactly behind Lord Roehampton. The debate on the
address was protracted for three nights, and then they divided at three
o'clock in the morning, and then all was over. Lord Roehampton, who had
vindicated the ministry with admirable vigour and felicity, turned round
to Endymion, and smiling said in the sweetest tone, "I did not enlarge
on our greatest feat, namely, that we had governed the country for two
years without a majority. Peel would never have had the pluck to do
that."

Notwithstanding the backsliding of Lord Beaumaris and the unprincipled
conduct of Mr. Waldershare, they were both rewarded as the latter
gentleman projected--Lord Beaumaris accepted a high post in the
Household, and Mr. Waldershare was appointed Under-Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs. Tadpole was a little glum about it, but it was
inevitable. "The fact is," as the world agreed, "Lady Beaumaris is the
only Tory woman. They have nobody who can receive except her."

The changes in the House of Commons were still greater than those in
the administration. Never were so many new members, and Endymion watched
them, during the first days, and before the debate on the address,
taking the oaths at the table in batches with much interest. Mr.
Bertie Tremaine was returned, and his brother, Mr. Tremaine Bertie. Job
Thornberry was member for a manufacturing town, with which he was not
otherwise connected. Hortensius was successful, and Mr. Vigo for a
metropolitan borough, but what pleased Endymion more than anything was
the return of his valued friend Trenchard, who a short time before had
acceded to the paternal estate; all these gentlemen were Liberals, and
were destined to sit on the same side of the House as Endymion.

After the fatal vote, the Whigs all left town. Society in general had
been greatly dispersed, but parliament had to remain sitting until
October.

"We are going to Princedown," Lady Montfort said one day to Endymion,
"and we had counted on seeing you there, but I have been thinking much
of your position since, and I am persuaded, that we must sacrifice
pleasure to higher objects. This is really a crisis in your life, and
much, perhaps everything, depends on your not making a mistake now.
What I want to see you is