ies met, the municipalities memorialised; before the first of
January there had been held nearly seven thousand public meetings,
asserting the supremacy of the Queen and calling on Her Majesty's
Government to vindicate it by stringent measures.

Unfortunately, it was soon discovered by the minister that there had
been nothing illegal in the conduct of the Pope or the Cardinal, and
a considerable portion of the Liberal party began to express the
inconvenient opinion, that the manifesto of their chief was opposed
to those principles of civil and religious liberty of which he was the
hereditary champion. Some influential members of his own cabinet did
not conceal their disapprobation of a step on which they had not been
consulted.

Immediately after Christmas, Endymion and Lady Montfort settled in
London. She was anxious to open her new mansion as soon as parliament
met, and to organise continuous receptions. She looked upon the ministry
as in a critical state, and thought it was an occasion when social
influences might not inconsiderably assist them.

But though she exhibited for this object her wonted energy and high
spirit, a fine observer--Mr. Sidney Wilton, for example--might have
detected a change in the manner of Berengaria. Though the strength of
her character was unaltered, there was an absence of that restlessness,
it might be said, that somewhat feverish excitement, from which formerly
she was not always free. The truth is, her heart was satisfied, and that
brought repose. Feelings of affection, long mortified and pent up, were
now lavished and concentrated on a husband of her heart and adoration,
and she was proud that his success and greatness might be avowed as the
objects of her life.

The campaign, however, for which such preparations were made, ended
almost before it began. The ministry, on the meeting of parliament,
found themselves with a discontented House of Commons, and discordant
counsels among themselves. The anti-papal manifesto was the secret cause
of this evil state, but the prime minister, to avoid such a mortifying
admission, took advantage of two unfavourable divisions on other
matters, and resigned.

Here was a crisis--another crisis! Could the untried Protectionists,
without men, form an administration? It was whispered that Lord Derby
had been sent for, and declined the attempt. Then there was another
rumour, that he was going to try. Mr. Bertie Tremaine looked mysterious.
The time fo