第64章

'It is as bad.It is, indeed, the same thing.Why should she want to conquer what we call the world? She ought to want to entertain my friends, because they are my friends; and if from my public position I have more so-called friends than would trouble me in a happier condition of private life, why, then, she must entertain more people, as you call it, by feeding them, is to me abominable.If it goes on it will drive me mad.I shall have to give up everything, because I cannot bear the burden.'

This he said with more excitement, with stronger passion, than his friend had ever seen in him before; so much so that the old Duke was frightened.'I ought never to have been where I am,'

said the Prime Minister, getting up from his chair and walking about the room.

'Allow me to assure you that in that you are decidedly mistaken,'

said his Grace of St Bungay.

'I cannot make even you see the inside of my heart in such a matter as this,' said his Grace of Omnium.

'I think I do.It may be that in saying so I claim for myself greater power than I possess, but I think I do.But let your heart say what it may on the subject.I am sure of this,--that when the Sovereign, by the advice of two outgoing Ministers, and with the unequivocally expressed assent of the House of Commons, calls on a man to serve her and the country, that man cannot be justified in refusing, merely by doubts about his own fitness.

If your health is failing you, you may know it, and say so.Or it may be that your honour,--your faith in others,--should forbid you to accept the position.But of your own general fitness you must take the verdict given by such general consent.

They have seen clearer than you have done what is required, and know better than you can know that which is wanted is to be secured.'

'If I am to be here and do nothing, am I to remain?'

'A man cannot keep together the Government of a country and do nothing.Do not trouble yourself about this crowd at Gatherum.

The Duchess, easily, almost without exertion, will do that which to you, or to me either, would be impossible.Let her have her way, and take no notice of the Quintus Slides.' The Prime Minister smiled, as though this repeated allusion to Mr Slide's letter had brought back his good humour, and said nothing further then as to his difficulties.There were a few words to be spoken as to some future Cabinet meeting, something perhaps to be settled as to some man's work or position, a hint to be given, and a lesson to be learned,--for of these inner Cabinet Councils between these two statesmen there was frequent use; and then the Duke of St Bungay took his leave.

Our Duke, as soon as his friend had left him, rang for his private secretary, and went to work diligently, as though nothing had disturbed him.I do not know that his labours on that occasion were of a very high order.Unless there be some special effort of law-making before the country, some reform bill to be passed, some attempt at education to be made, some fetters to be forged or to be relaxed, a Prime Minister is not driven hard by the work of his portfolio,--as are his colleagues.But many men were in want of many things, and contrived by many means to make their wants known to the Prime Minister.A dean would fain to be a bishop, or a judge a chief justice, or a commissioner a chairman, or a secretary a commissioner.Knights would fain be baronets, baronets barons, and barons earls.In one guise or another the wants of gentlemen were made known, and there was work to be done.A ribbon cannot be given away without breaking the hearts of, perhaps, three gentlemen and of their wives and daughters.And then he went down to the House of Lords,--for the last time this Session as far as work was concerned.On the morrow legislative work would be over, and the gentlemen of Parliament would be sent to their country houses, and to their pleasant country joys.