the Reform,' 'Other men have their specialities. One
fellow takes sugar, one the malt-duties, one Servia, or maybe, Ireland;
my line is a good smashing personality. Show me a fellow--of course
I mean a political opponent--who has been giving himself airs as a
colonial governor, or "swelling" it as a special envoy at a foreign
court, and if I don't find something in his despatches to exhibit him as
a false prophet, a dupe, or a blunderer, and if I can't make the House
laugh at him, don't call me Rigby Norton.' He knows he does these things
better than any man in England, and he does them in a spirit that never
makes him an enemy."

"Culduff says that N. is terribly hard up. He was hit heavily at
Goodwood, and asked for time to pay."

"Just what he has been doing for the last twenty years. There are
scores of ships that no underwriters would accept making safe voyages
half across the globe. No, no; he 'll rub on for many a day, in the same
fashion. Besides, if he should n't, what then?"

Temple made a significant gesture with his thumb in the palm of his
hand.

"That's all your noble friend knows about England, then. See what comes
of a man passing his life among foreigners. I suppose a Spanish or an
Italian deputy might n't give much trouble, nor oppose any strenuous
resistance to such a dealing; but it won't do here,--it will not."

"Lord Culduff knows the world as well as most men, sir."

"Yes, one world, I 'm sure he does! A world of essenced old dandies and
painted dowagers, surrounded by thieving lackeys and cringing followers;
where everything can be done by bribery, and nothing without it. But
that's not England, I'm proud to say; nor will it be, I hope, for many a
day to come."

"I wish, sir, you could be induced to give your aid to Culduff in this
matter. I need not say what an influence it would exert over my own
fortunes."

"You must win your way, Temple, by your own merits," said he, haughtily.
"I 'd be ashamed to think that a son of mine owed any share of his
success in life to ignoble acts or backstairs influence. Go back and
tell Lord Culduff from me, that so far as I know it, Lord Rigglesworth's
advice is my own. No wise man ever courts a public scandal; and he
would be less than wise to confront one, with the certainty of being
overwhelmed by it."

"Will you see him, sir? Will you speak to him yourself?"

"I 'd rather not. It would be a needless pain to each of us."

"I suspect he means to