FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128  
129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   >>   >|  
the company of Lady Glencora Palliser." "And might I ask," said Mr. Gresham, with a peculiar smile for which he was famous, "what it is that you and Mr. Monk are really at?" "Making men and women all equal," said Lady Glencora. "That I take to be the gist of our political theory." "Lady Glencora, I must cry off," said Mr. Monk. "Yes;--no doubt. If I were in the Cabinet myself I should not admit so much. There are reticences,--of course. And there is an official discretion." "But you don't mean to say, Lady Glencora, that you would really advocate equality?" said Mrs. Bonteen. "I do mean to say so, Mrs. Bonteen. And I mean to go further, and to tell you that you are no Liberal at heart unless you do so likewise; unless that is the basis of your political aspirations." "Pray let me speak for myself, Lady Glencora." "By no means,--not when you are criticising me and my politics. Do you not wish to make the lower orders comfortable?" "Certainly," said Mrs. Bonteen. "And educated, and happy and good?" "Undoubtedly." "To make them as comfortable and as good as yourself?" "Better if possible." "And I'm sure you wish to make yourself as good and as comfortable as anybody else,--as those above you, if anybody is above you? You will admit that?" "Yes;--if I understand you." "Then you have admitted everything, and are an advocate for general equality,--just as Mr. Monk is, and as I am. There is no getting out of it;--is there, Mr. Kennedy?" Then dinner was announced, and Mr. Kennedy walked off with the French Republican on his arm. As she went, she whispered into Mr. Kennedy's ear, "You will understand me. I am not saying that people are equal; but that the tendency of all law-making and of all governing should be to reduce the inequalities." In answer to which Mr. Kennedy said not a word. Lady Glencora's politics were too fast and furious for his nature. A week passed by at Loughlinter, at the end of which Phineas found himself on terms of friendly intercourse with all the political magnates assembled in the house, but especially with Mr. Monk. He had determined that he would not follow Lady Laura's advice as to his selection of companions, if in doing so he should be driven even to a seeming of intrusion. He made no attempt to sit at the feet of anybody, and would stand aloof when bigger men than himself were talking, and was content to be less,--as indeed he was less,--than Mr. Bonteen or
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128  
129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Glencora
 

Bonteen

 

Kennedy

 

comfortable

 

political

 
understand
 
advocate
 

equality

 
politics
 

attempt


tendency

 

making

 
reduce
 

inequalities

 
Republican
 

governing

 
people
 
bigger
 

whispered

 

content


talking

 

magnates

 

selection

 

advice

 

intercourse

 

friendly

 

companions

 

follow

 

French

 

determined


assembled

 
Phineas
 

driven

 

furious

 

answer

 
nature
 

Loughlinter

 
passed
 

intrusion

 
orders

reticences
 

official

 
Cabinet
 
discretion
 

Liberal

 

Gresham

 
peculiar
 

company

 
Palliser
 

famous