nly weary you now."

"Let me know them now, Upton; it is such a relief to me when, even by
a momentary interest in anything, I am able to withdraw this poor tired
brain from its own distressing thoughts." He spoke these words not only
with strong feeling, but even imparted to them a tone of entreaty, so
that Upton could not but comply.

"When I wished for the Secretaryship, my dear Glencore," said he, "I
fancied the office as it used to be in olden times, when one played the
great game of diplomacy with kings and ministers for antagonists, and
the world at large for spectators; when consummate skill and perfect
secrecy were objects of moment, and when grand combinations rewarded
one's labor with all the certainty of a mathematical problem. Every move
on the board could be calculated beforehand, no disturbing influences
could derange plans that never were divulged till they were
accomplished. All that is past and gone; our Constitution, grown every
day more and more democratic, rules by the House of Commons. Questions
whose treatment demands all the skill of a statesman and all the
address of a man of the world come to be discussed in open Parliament;
correspondence is called for, despatches and even private notes are
produced; and while the State you are opposed to revels in the security
of secrecy, _your_ whole game is revealed to the world in the shape of a
blue-book.

"Nor is this all: the debaters on these nice and intricate questions,
involving the most far-reaching speculation of statesmanship, are men
of trade and enterprise, who view every international difficulty only in
its relation to their peculiar interests. National greatness, honor, and
security are nothing,--the maintenance of that equipoise which preserves
peace is nothing,--the nice management which, by the exhibition of
courtesy here, or of force there, is nothing compared to alliances
that secure us ample supplies of raw material, and abundant markets for
manufactures. Diplomacy has come to this!"

"But you must have known all this before you accepted office; you had
seen where the course of events led to, and were aware that the House
ruled the country."

"Perhaps I did not recognize the fact to its full extent. Perhaps
I fancied I could succeed in modifying the system," said Upton,
cautiously.

"A hopeless undertaking!" said Glencore.

"I'm not quite so certain of that," said Upton, pausing for a while
as he seemed to reflect. When he resu