ed with the borough,
wealthy and connected by blood with half the great Conservative
families in the kingdom, had been moving heaven and earth on behalf of
the great financial king, and working like a slave for his success.

'Alfred's more than half afraid of him,' said Lionel Lupton, a young
aristocrat, also in Parliament, who had been inoculated with the idea
that the interests of the party demanded Melmotte in Parliament, but
who would have given up his Scotch shooting rather than have undergone
Melmotte's company for a day.

'Something really must be done, Mr Beauclerk,' said Mr Jones, who was
the leading member of a very wealthy firm of builders in the borough,
who had become a Conservative politician, who had thoughts of the
House for himself, but who never forgot his own position. 'He is
making a great many personal enemies.'

'He's the finest old turkey cock out,' said Lionel Lupton.

Then it was decided that Mr Beauclerk should speak a word to Lord
Alfred. The rich man and the poor man were cousins, and had always
been intimate. 'Alfred,' said the chosen mentor at the club one
afternoon, 'I wonder whether you couldn't say something to Melmotte
about his manner.' Lord Alfred turned sharp round and looked into his
companion's face. 'They tell me he is giving offence. Of course he
doesn't mean it. Couldn't he draw it a little milder?'

Lord Alfred made his reply almost in a whisper. 'If you ask me, I don't
think he could. If you got him down and trampled on him, you might
make him mild. I don't think there's any other way.'

'You couldn't speak to him, then?'

'Not unless I did it with a horsewhip.'

This, coming from Lord Alfred, who was absolutely dependent on the
man, was very strong. Lord Alfred had been much afflicted that
morning. He had spent some hours with his friend, either going about
the borough in the open carriage, or standing just behind him at
meetings, or sitting close to him in committee-rooms,--and had been
nauseated with Melmotte. When spoken to about his friend he could not
restrain himself. Lord Alfred had been born and bred a gentleman, and
found the position in which he was now earning his bread to be almost
insupportable. It had gone against the grain with him at first, when
he was called Alfred; but now that he was told 'just to open the
door,' and 'just to give that message,' he almost meditated revenge.
Lord Nidderdale, who was quick at observation, had seen something of
this