as they re-entered the drawing-room. Sir Vavasour
attached himself to Egremont.

"It is a great pleasure for me to see you again, Mr Egremont;" said
the worthy baronet. "Your father was my earliest and kindest friend. I
remember you at Firebrace, a very little boy. Happy to see you again,
Sir, in so eminent a position; a legislator--one of our legislators. It
gave me a sincere satisfaction to observe your return."

"You are very kind, Sir Vavasour."

"But it is a responsible position," continued the baronet. "Think you
they'll stand? A majority. I suppose, they have; but, I conclude, in
time; Sir Robert will have it in time? We must not be in a hurry; 'the
more haste'--you know the rest. The country is decidedly conservative.
All that we want now is a strong government, that will put all things to
rights. If the poor king had lived--"

"He would have sent these men to the right-abouts;" said Egremont, a
young politician, proud of his secret intelligence.

"Ah! the poor king!" said Sir Vavasour, shaking his head.

"He was entirely with us," said Egremont.

"Poor man" said Sir Vavasour.

"You think it was too late, then?" said his companion.

"You are a young man entering political life," said the baronet, taking
Egremont kindly by the arm, and leading him to a sofa; "everything
depends on the first step. You have a great opportunity. Nothing can be
done by a mere individual. The most powerful body in this country wants
a champion."

"But you can depend on Peel?" said Egremont.

"He is one of us: we ought to be able to depend on him. But I have
spoken to him for an hour, and could get nothing out of him."

"He is cautious; but depend upon it, he will stand or fall by the land."

"I am not thinking of the land," said Sir Vavasour; "of something much
more important; with all the influence of the land, and a great deal
more besides; of an order of men who are ready to rally round the
throne, and are, indeed, if justice were done to them, its natural and
hereditary champions (Egremont looked perplexity); I am speaking," added
Sir Vavasour, in a solemn voice, "I am speaking of the baronets."

"The baronets! And what do they want?"

"Their rights; their long withheld rights. The poor king was with us. He
has frequently expressed to me and other deputies, his determination to
do us justice; but he was not a strong-minded man," said Sir Vavasour,
with a sigh; "and in these revolutionary and levelling times, he h