iament, Squire Hazeldean's
favourite county member, Sir John, was one of those legislators
especially odious to officials,--an independent "large-acred" member,
who would no more take office himself than he would cut down the oaks
in his park, and who had no bowels of human feeling for those who had
opposite tastes and less magnificent means.

"Hem!" said Randal, rather surlily. "In the first place, Sir John,
ministers are not going out."

"Oh, yes, they will go. You know I vote with them generally, and would
willingly keep them in; but they are men of honour and spirit; and if
they can't carry their measures, they must resign; otherwise, by Jove, I
would turn round and vote them out myself!"

"I have no doubt you would, Sir John; you are quite capable of it; that
rests with you and your constituents. But even if ministers did go out,
I am but a poor subaltern in a public office,--I am no minister. Why
should I go out too?

"Why? Hang it, Leslie, you are laughing at me. A young fellow like you
could never be mean enough to stay in, under the very men who drove out
your friend Egerton?"

"It is not usual for those in the public offices to retire with every
change of government."

"Certainly not; but always those who are the relations of a retiring
minister; always those who have been regarded as politicians, and who
mean to enter parliament, as of course you will do at the next election.
But you know that as well as I do,--you who are so decided a politician,
the writer of that admirable pamphlet! I should not like to tell my
friend Hazeldean, who has a sincere interest in you, that you ever
doubted on a question of honour as plain as your A, B, C."

"Indeed, Sir John," said Randal, recovering his suavity, while he inly
breathed a dire anathema on his county member, "I am so new to these
things that what you say never struck me before. No doubt you must be
right; at all events I cannot have a better guide and adviser than Mr.
Egerton himself."

SIR JOHN.--"No, certainly; perfect gentleman, Egerton! I wish we could
make it up with him and Hazeldean."

RANDAL (sighing).--"Ah, I wish we could!"

SIR JOHN.--"And some chance of it now; for the time is coming when all
true men of the old school must stick together."

RANDAL.--"Wisely, admirably said, my dear Sir John. But, pardon me, I
must pay my respects to the ambassador." Randal escaped, and passing on,
saw the ambassador himself in the next room, conferring