topped him at
once, and declared she would not part with any of them.
Thenceforward this became the whole matter in dispute; but there
had been some circumstances even in the first interview which
Peel and the Duke regarded as ominous and indicative of her
having been primed as to the part she should play. The principal
of these was an intimation of her desire that there should be _no
dissolution of Parliament_. This surprised Peel very much, but he
only replied that it was impossible for him to come to any
determination on that point, as he might be beaten on one of the
first divisions, in which case it would be inevitable. It was
indeed the fact of his taking the Government with a _minority_ in
the House of Commons which was his principal argument for
desiring the power of dismissing the Ladies, or rather of
changing the household, that he might not, he said, give to the
world the spectacle of a Court entirely hostile to him,
consisting of ladies whose husbands were his strongest political
opponents, thereby creating an impression that the confidence of
the Crown was bestowed on his enemies rather than on himself. In
the Duke's first interview with the Queen, he had entreated her
to place her whole confidence in Peel, and had then said that,
though some changes might be necessary in her household, she
would find him in all the arrangements anxious to meet her wishes
and consult her feelings. Notwithstanding her assurance to
Melbourne that she was calm, she was greatly excited, though
still preserving a becoming dignity in her outward behaviour.

[Page Head: THE TRUE STATE OF THE CASE.]

Having satisfied myself that there had been a complete
misunderstanding, which I think, as it was, might have been
cleared up if there had been less precipitation and more openness
and further endeavours to explain what was doubtful or ambiguous,
I began to turn in my mind whether something could not be done to
avert the impending danger, and renew the negotiation with Peel
while it was still time. Labouchere had had a conversation with
Graham, who had enlightened him, much as Wharncliffe had me; we
came home together, and I found what Graham had told him had made
a deep impression on him, and that he was as sensible as I am of
the gravity and peril of the circumstances in which affairs are
placed. I accordingly urged Lord Tavistock to endeavour to
persuade Melbourne to see the Duke of Wellington and talk it over
with him; he woul