was an article that attracted a great
deal of attention and was therefore remarkable, but it was in nothing
more remarkable than in this,--that it left on the mind of its reader no
impression of any decided opinion about the railway. The Editor would
at any future time be able to refer to his article with equal pride
whether the railway should become a great cosmopolitan fact, or
whether it should collapse amidst the foul struggles of a horde of
swindlers. In utrumque paratus, the article was mysterious,
suggestive, amusing, well-informed,--that in the 'Evening Pulpit' was a
matter of course,--and, above all things, ironical. Next to its
omniscience its irony was the strongest weapon belonging to the
'Evening Pulpit.' There was a little praise given, no doubt in irony,
to the duchesses who served Mr Melmotte. There was a little praise,
given of course in irony, to Mr Melmotte's Board of English Directors.
There was a good deal of praise, but still alloyed by a dash of irony,
bestowed on the idea of civilizing Mexico by joining it to California.
Praise was bestowed upon England for taking up the matter, but
accompanied by some ironical touches at her incapacity to believe
thoroughly in any enterprise not originated by herself. Then there was
something said of the universality of Mr Melmotte's commercial genius,
but whether said in a spirit prophetic of ultimate failure and
disgrace, or of heavenborn success and unequalled commercial
splendour, no one could tell.

It was generally said at the clubs that Mr Alf had written this
article himself. Old Splinter, who was one of a body of men possessing
an excellent cellar of wine and calling themselves Paides Pallados,
and who had written for the heavy quarterlies any time this last forty
years, professed that he saw through the article. The 'Evening Pulpit'
had been, he explained, desirous of going as far as it could in
denouncing Mr Melmotte without incurring the danger of an action for
libel. Mr Splinter thought that the thing was clever but mean. These
new publications generally were mean. Mr Splinter was constant in that
opinion; but, putting the meanness aside, he thought that the article
was well done. According to his view it was intended to expose Mr
Melmotte and the railway. But the Paides Pallados generally did not
agree with him. Under such an interpretation, what had been the
meaning of that paragraph in which the writer had declared that the
work of joining one o