ill be considered. After all that has occurred the
country expects that."

"But my dear George, I think it is really premature--"

"I dare say it is; but I recommend you, my dear mother, to be alive.
I heard Lady St Julians just now in the supper room asking the Duke to
promise her that her Augustus should be a Lord of the Admiralty. She
said the Treasury would not do, as there was no house, and that with
such a fortune as his wife brought him he could not hire a house under a
thousand a-year."

"He will not have the Admiralty," said Lady Deloraine.

"She looks herself to the Robes."

"Poor woman!" said Lady Deloraine.

"Is it quite true?" said a great whig dame to Mr Egerton, one of her own
party.

"Quite," he said.

"I can endure anything except Lady St Julian's glance of triumph," said
the whig dame. "I really think if it were only to ease her Majesty from
such an infliction, they ought to have held on."

"And must the household be changed?" said Mr Egerton. "Do not look
so serious," said the whig dame smiling with fascination; "we are
surrounded by the enemy."

"Will you be at home to-morrow early?" said Mr Egerton.

"As early as you please."

"Very well, we will talk then. Lady Charlotte has heard something; nous
verrons."

"Courage; we have the Court with us, and the Country cares for nothing."

Book 4 Chapter 12

"It is all right," said Mr Tadpole. "They are out. Lord Melbourne has
been with the Queen and recommended her Majesty to send for the Duke,
and the Duke has recommended her Majesty to send for Sir Robert."

"Are you sure?" said Mr Taper.

"I tell you Sir Robert is on his road to the palace at this moment; I
saw him pass, full-dressed."

"It is too much," said Mr Taper.

"Now what are we to do?" said Mr Tadpole.

"We must not dissolve," said Mr Taper. "We have no cry."

"As much cry as the other fellows," said Mr Tadpole; "but no one of
course would think of dissolution before the next registration. No, no;
this is a very manageable Parliament, depend upon it. The malcontent
radicals who have turned them out are not going to bring them in. That
makes us equal. Then we have an important section to work upon--the
Sneaks, the men who are afraid of a dissolution. I will be bound we
make a good working conservative majority of five-and-twenty out of the
sneaks."

"With the Treasury patronage," said Mr Taper; "fear and favour combined.
An impending dissolution, and all the pl