the
Opposition had a few words on the subject with the Prime Minister. 'It
is the merest rumour,' said the Prime Minister. 'I have inquired, and
there is nothing to justify me in thinking that the charges can be
substantiated.'

'They say that the story is believed in the City.'

'I should not feel myself justified in acting upon such a report. The
Prince might probably find it impossible not to go. Where should we be
if Mr Melmotte to-morrow were able to prove the whole to be a calumny,
and to show that the thing had been got up with a view of influencing
the election at Westminster? The dinner must certainly go on.'

'And you will go yourself?'

'Most assuredly,' said the Prime Minister. 'And I hope that you will
keep me in countenance.' His political antagonist declared with a
smile that at such a crisis he would not desert his honourable
friend;--but he could not answer for his followers. There was, he
admitted, a strong feeling among the leaders of the Conservative party
of distrust in Melmotte. He considered it probable that among his
friends who had been invited there would be some who would be unwilling
to meet even the Emperor of China on the existing terms. 'They should
remember,' said the Prime Minister, 'that they are also to meet their
own Prince, and that empty seats on such an occasion will be a
dishonour to him.'

'Just at present I can only answer for myself' said the leader of the
Opposition.--At that moment even the Prime Minister was much disturbed
in his mind; but in such emergencies a Prime Minister can only choose
the least of two evils. To have taken the Emperor to dine with a
swindler would be very bad; but to desert him, and to stop the coming
of the Emperor and all the Princes on a false rumour, would be worse.

CHAPTER LIX - THE DINNER

It does sometimes occur in life that an unambitious man, who is in no
degree given to enterprises, who would fain be safe, is driven by the
cruelty of circumstances into a position in which he must choose a
side, and in which, though he has no certain guide as to which side he
should choose, he is aware that he will be disgraced if he should take
the wrong side. This was felt as a hardship by many who were quite
suddenly forced to make up their mind whether they would go to
Melmotte's dinner, or join themselves to the faction of those who had
determined to stay away although they had accepted invitations. Some
there were not without a suspicio