ad
a hard task perhaps. And the peers, who are our brethren, they were,
I fear, against us. But in spite of the ministers, and in spite of the
peers, had the poor king lived, we should at least have had the badge,"
added Sir Vavasour mournfully.

"The badge!"

"It would have satisfied Sir Grosvenor le Draughte," said Sir Vavasour;
"and he had a strong party with him; he was for compromise, but d-- him,
his father was only an accoucheur."

"And you wanted more?" inquired Egremont, with a demure look.

"All, or nothing," said Sir Vavasour; "principle is ever my motto--no
expediency. I made a speech to the order at the Clarendon; there were
four hundred of us; the feeling was very strong."

"A powerful party," said Egremont.

"And a military order, sir, if properly understood. What could stand
against us? The Reform Bill could never have passed if the baronets had
been organized."

"I have no doubt you could bring us in now," said Egremont.

"That is exactly what I told Sir Robert. I want him to be brought in by
his own order. It would be a grand thing."

"There is nothing like esprit de corps," said Egremont.

"And such a body!" exclaimed Sir Vavasour, with animation. "Picture us
for a moment, to yourself going down in procession to Westminster for
example to hold a chapter. Five or six hundred baronets in dark green
costume,--the appropriate dress of equites aurati; each not only with
his badge, but with his collar of S.S.; belted and scarfed; his star
glittering; his pennon flying; his hat white with a plume of white
feathers; of course the sword and the gilt spurs. In our hand, the thumb
ring and signet not forgotten, we hold our coronet of two balls!"

Egremont stared with irrepressible astonishment at the excited being,
who unconsciously pressed his companion's arm, as he drew this rapid
sketch of the glories so unconstitutionally withheld from him.

"A magnificent spectacle!" said Egremont.

"Evidently the body destined to save this country," eagerly continued
Sir Vavasour. "Blending all sympathies: the crown of which they are the
peculiar champions; the nobles of whom they are the popular branch; the
people who recognize in them their natural leaders. But the picture is
not complete. We should be accompanied by an equal number of gallant
knights, our elder sons, who, the moment they come of age, have the
right to claim knighthood of their sovereign, while their mothers and
wives, no longer degraded