or a couple of years. Ask the Count of Ferroll
what he thinks of the situation. He will tell you that he never knew one
more hopeless. Taxes and tariffs--that's the future of England, and,
so far as I can see, it may go on for ever. The government here desires
nothing better than what they call Peace. What they mean by peace is
agiotage, shares at a premium, and bubble companies. The whole thing is
corrupt, as it ever must be when government is in the hands of a mere
middle class, and that, too, a limited one; but it may last hopelessly
long, and in the meantime, 'Vive la bagatelle!'"

"These are very different views from those which, I had understood, were
to guide us in opposition," said Endymion, amazed.

"There is no opposition," rejoined Lady Montfort, somewhat tartly. "For
a real opposition there must be a great policy. If your friend, Lord
Roehampton, when he was settling the Levant, had only seized upon Egypt,
we should have been somewhere. Now, we are the party who wanted to give,
not even cheap bread to the people, but only cheaper bread. Faugh!"

"Well, I do not think the occupation of Egypt in the present state of
our finances"----

"Do not talk to me about 'the present state of our finances.' You are
worse than Mr. Sidney Wilton. The Count of Ferroll says that a ministry
which is upset by its finances must be essentially imbecile. And that,
too, in England--the richest country in the world!"

"Well, I think the state of the finances had something to do with the
French Revolution," observed Endymion quietly.

"The French Revolution! You might as well talk of the fall of the Roman
Empire. The French Revolution was founded on nonsense--on the rights of
man; when all sensible people in every country are now agreed, that man
has no rights whatever."

"But, dearest Lady Montfort," said Endymion, in a somewhat deprecating
tone, "about my returning; for that is the real subject on which I
wished to trouble you."

"You have made up your mind to return," she replied. "What is the use
of consulting me with a foregone conclusion? I suppose you think it a
compliment."

"I should be very sorry to do anything without consulting you," said
Endymion.

"The worst person in the world to consult," said Lady Montfort
impatiently. "If you want advice, you had better go to your sister. Men
who are guided by their sisters seldom make very great mistakes. They
are generally so prudent; and, I must say, I think a prudent