e some other good rules, the unwritten orders of the House
of Commons."

CHAPTER LXXVII

While parliaments were dissolving and ministries forming, the
disappointed seeking consolation and the successful enjoying their
triumph, Simon, Earl of Montfort, who just missed being a great
philosopher, was reading "Topsy Turvy," which infinitely amused him; the
style so picturesque and lambent! the tone so divertingly cynical! And
if the knowledge of society in its pages was not so distinguished as
that of human nature generally, this was a deficiency obvious only to a
comparatively limited circle of its readers.

Lord Montfort had reminded Endymion of his promise to introduce the
distinguished author to him, and accordingly, after due researches as to
his dwelling-place, Mr. Ferrars called in Jermyn Street and sent up
his card, to know whether Mr. St. Barbe would receive him. This was
evidently not a matter-of-course affair, and some little time had
elapsed when the maid-servant appeared, and beckoned to Endymion to
follow her upstairs.

In the front drawing-room of the first floor, robed in a flaming
dressing-gown, and standing with his back to the fire and to the
looking-glass, the frame of which was encrusted with cards of
invitation, the former colleague of Endymion received his visitor with a
somewhat haughty and reserved air.

"Well, I am delighted to see you again," said Endymion.

No reply but a ceremonious bow.

"And to congratulate you," Endymion added after a moment's pause. "I
hear of nothing but of your book; I suppose one of the most successful
that have appeared for a long time."

"Its success is not owing to your friends," said Mr. St. Barbe tartly.

"My friends!" said Endymion; "what could they have done to prevent it?"

"They need not have dissolved parliament," said Mr. St. Barbe with
irritation. "It was nearly fatal to me; it would have been to anybody
else. I was selling forty thousand a month; I believe more than Gushy
ever reached; and so they dissolved parliament. The sale went down half
at once--and now you expect me to support your party!"

"Well, it was unfortunate, but the dissolution could hardly have done
you any permanent injury, and you could scarcely expect that such an
event could be postponed even for the advantage of an individual so
distinguished as yourself."

"Perhaps not," said St. Barbe, apparently a little mollified, "but they
might have done something to show their r