the old woman. She had said not a word
of Violet, but had spoken of Lord Chiltern,--mentioning his name in
bitter wrath. "But he is a friend of mine," said Phineas, smiling.
"A friend indeed! Mr. Finn. I know what sort of a friend. I don't
believe that you are his friend. I am afraid he is not worthy of
having any friend." Phineas did not quite understand from this
that Lady Baldock was signifying to him that, badly as she had
thought of him as a suitor for her niece, she would have preferred
him,--especially now when people were beginning to speak well of
him,--to that terrible young man, who, from his youth upwards, had
been to her a cause of fear and trembling. Of course it was desirable
that Violet should marry an elder son, and a peer's heir. All that
kind of thing, in Lady Baldock's eyes, was most desirable. But,
nevertheless, anything was better than Lord Chiltern. If Violet would
not take Mr. Appledom or Lord Fawn, in heaven's name let her take
this young man, who was kind, worthy, and steady, who was civilised
in his manners, and would no doubt be amenable in regard to
settlements. Lady Baldock had so far fallen in the world that she
would have consented to make a bargain with her niece,--almost any
bargain, so long as Lord Chiltern was excluded. Phineas did not quite
understand all this; but when Lady Baldock asked him to come to
Berkeley Square, he perceived that help was being proffered to him
where he certainly had not looked for help.

He was frequently with Lord Brentford, who talked to him constantly
on matters connected with his parliamentary life. After having been
the intimate friend of the daughter and of the son, it now seemed
to be his lot to be the intimate friend of the father. The Earl
had constantly discussed with him his arrangements with his son,
and had lately expressed himself as only half satisfied with such
reconciliation as had taken place. And Phineas could perceive that
from day to day the Earl was less and less satisfied. He would
complain bitterly of his son,--complain of his silence, complain of
his not coming to London, complain of his conduct to Violet, complain
of his idle indifference to anything like proper occupation; but he
had never as yet said a word to show that there had been any quarrel
between Violet and her lover, and Phineas had felt that he could not
ask the question. "Mr. Finn," said the Earl to him one morning, as
soon as he entered the room, "I have just heard a