m your very
childhood, and even in the darkest hour of our horrible adversity. You
are a man born for power and high condition, whose name in time ought to
rank with those of the great statesmen of the continent, the true lords
of Europe. Power, and power alone, should be your absorbing object, and
all the accidents and incidents of life should only be considered with
reference to that main result."

"Well, I am only five-and-twenty after all. There is time yet to
consider this."

"Great men should think of Opportunity, and not of Time. Time is the
excuse of feeble and puzzled spirits. They make time the sleeping
partner of their lives to accomplish what ought to be achieved by their
own will. In this case, there certainly is no time like the present. The
opportunity is unrivalled. All your friends would, without an exception,
be delighted if you now were wise."

"I hardly think my friends have given it a thought," said Endymion, a
little flushed.

"There is nothing that would please Lady Montfort more."

He turned pale. "How do you know that?" he inquired.

"She told me so, and offered to help me in bringing about the result."

"Very kind of her! Well, dearest Myra, you and Lord Roehampton have
much to think of at this anxious moment. Let this matter drop. We have
discussed it before, and we have discussed it enough. It is more than
pain for me to differ from you on any point, but I cannot offer to
Adriana a heart which belongs to another."

CHAPTER LXXXIII

All the high expectations of December at Princedown were doomed to
disappointment; they were a further illustration of Lord Roehampton's
saying, that there was no gambling like politics. The leader of the
opposition came up to town, but he found nothing but difficulties, and
a few days before Christmas he had resigned the proffered trust. The
protectionist ministry were to remain in office, and to repeal the corn
laws. The individual who was most baulked by this unexpected result was
perhaps Lord Roehampton. He was a man who really cared for nothing but
office and affairs, and being advanced in life, he naturally regretted a
lost opportunity. But he never showed his annoyance. Always playful, and
even taking refuge in a bantering spirit, the world seemed to go light
with him when everything was dark and everybody despondent.

The discontent or indignation which the contemplated revolution in
policy was calculated to excite in the Conservative party