CHAPTER LXV.

THE CABINET MINISTER AT KILLALOE.

men who have been leading statesmen since our present mode of government was formed,

from the days in which it was forming itself, say from Walpole down, and you will find that all who have been of real use had early training as public servants."

"Are we never to get out of the old groove?"

PHINEAS did not throw himself into the river from the Duke's garden; and was ready, in spite of Violet Effingham, to start for Ireland with Mr. Monk at the end of the first week in August. The close of that season in London certainly was not a "Not if the groove is good," said Mr. happy period of his life. Violet had spo- Monk. "Those who have been efficient as ken to him after such a fashion that he ministers sucked in their efficacy with their could not bring himself not to believe her. mother's milk. Lord Brock did so, and She had given him no hint whether it was Lord de Terrier, and Mr. Mildmay. They likely or unlikely that she and Lord Chil-seated themselves in office chairs the motern would be reconciled; but she had con- ment they left college. Mr. Gresham was vinced him that he could not be allowed to in office before he was eight-and-twenty. take Lord Chiltern's place. A woman The Duke of St. Bungay was at work as a Private Secretary when he was three-andtwenty. You, luckily for yourself, have done the same."

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cannot transfer her heart," she had said. Phineas was well aware that many women do transfer their hearts; but he had gone to this woman too soon after the wrench which her love had received; he had been too sudden with his proposal for a transfer; and the punishment for such ill judgment must be that success would now be impossible to him. And yet how could he have waited, feeling that Miss Effingham, if she were at all like other girls whom he had known, might have promised herself to some other lover before she would return within his reach in the succeeding spring? But she was not like some other girls. Ah; - he knew that now, and repented him of his haste.

But he was ready for Mr. Monk on the 7th of August, and they started together. Something less than twenty hours took them from London to Killaloe, and during four or five of those twenty hours Mr. Monk was unfitted for any conversation by the uncomfortable feeling incidental to the passage from Holyhead to Kingstown. Nevertheless, there was a great deal of conversation between them during the journey. Mr. Monk had also made up his mind to leave the Cabinet. It is sad to me to have to confess it," he said, "but the truth is that my old rival, Turnbull is right. A man who begins his political life as I began mine, is not the man of whom a Minister should be formed. I am inclined to think that Ministers of Government require almost as much education in their trade as shoe-makers or tallow-chandlers. I doubt whether you can make a good public servant of a man simply because he has got the ear of the House of Commons."

"And regret it every hour of my life." "You have no cause for regret, but it is not so with me. If there be any man unfitted by his previous career for office, it is he who has become, or who has endeavoured to become, a popular politician, - an exponent, if I may say so, of public opinion. As far as I can see, office is offered to such men with one view only, that of clipping their wings."

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And of obtaining their help."

“It is the same thing. Help from Turnbull would mean the withdrawal of all power of opposition from him. He could not give other help for any long term, as the very fact of his accepting power and patronage would take from him his popular leadership. The masses outside require to have their minister as the Queen has hers; but the same man cannot be minister to both. If the people's minister chooses to change his master, and to take the Queen's shilling, something of temporary relief may be gained by government in the fact that the other place will for a time be vacant. But there are candidates enough for such places, and the vacancy is not a vacancy long. Of course the Crown has this pull, that it pays wages, and the people do not." I do not think that that influenced you," said Phineas.

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It did not influence me. To you I will make bold to state so much positively, though it would be foolish, perhaps, to do so to others. I did not go for the shilling, though I am so poor a man that the shilling is more to me than it would be to almost any man in the House. I took the shilling, much doubting, but guided in part by this, that I was ashamed of being afraid to take it. They told me, - Mr. Mildmay and the Duke, that I could earn it to the benefit

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of the country. I have not earned it, and the country has not been benefitted, unless it be for the good of my country that my voice in the House should be silenced. If I believe that, I ought to hold my tongue without taking a salary for holding it. I have made a mistake, my friend. Such mistakes made at my time of life cannot be wholly rectified; but, being convinced of my error, I must do the best in my power to put myself right again."

There was a bitterness in all this to Phineas himself of which he could not but make plaint to his companion. "The truth is," he said, "that a man in office must be a slave, and that slavery is distasteful."

doctor's luck in that he had a son gifted with parts so excellent. There was a great desire to see the Cabinet Minister in the flesh, to be with him when he ate and drank, to watch the gait and countenance of the man, and to drink water from this fountain of state lore which had been so wonderfully brought among them by their young townsman. Mrs. Finn was aware that it behoved her to be chary of her invitations, but the lady from the brewery had said such good things of Mrs. Finn's black swan, that she carried her point, and was invited to meet the Cabinet Minister at dinner on the day after his arrival.

Mrs. Flood Jones and her daughter were invited also to be of the party. When Phineas had been last at Killaloe, Mrs. Flood Jones, as the reader may remember, had remained with her daughter at Floodborough, feeling it to be her duty to keep her daughter away from the danger of an unrequited attachment. But it seemed that her purpose changed now, or that she no longer feared the danger, - for both Mary and her mother were now again living in Killaloe, and Mary was at the doctor's house as much as ever.

A day or two before the coming of the god and the demigod to the little town, Barbara Finn and her friend had thus come to understand each other as they walked along the Shannon side. "I am sure, my dear, that he is engaged to nobody," said Barbara Finn.

"And I am sure, my dear," said Mary, "that I do not care whether he is or is not."

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What

It was a great day in Killaloe, that on which Mr. Monk arrived with Phineas at the doctor's house. In London, perhaps, a bishop inspires more awe than a Cabinet Minister. In Killaloe, where a bishop might be seen walking about every day, the "What do you mean, Mary? mitred dignitary of the Church, though "I mean what I say. Why should I much loved, was thought of, I fear, but care? Five years ago I had a foolish lightly; whereas a Cabinet Minister coming dream, and now I am awake again. Think to stay in the house of a townsman was how old I have got to be!" a thing to be wondered at, to be talked "Yes; -you are twenty-three. about, to be afraid of, to be a fruitful source has that got to do with it?" of conversation for a year to come. There "It has this do with it; that I am old were many in Killaloe, especially among enough to know better. Mamma and I the elder ladies, who had shaken their quite understand each other. She used to heads and expressed the saddest doubts be angry with him, but she has got over all when young Phineas Finn had first become that foolishness now. It always made me a Parliament man. And though by degrees so vexed; -the idea of being angry with they had been half brought round, having a man because, -because- ! You know been driven to acknowledge that he had one can't talk about it, it is so foolish. But been wonderfully successful as a Parlia- that is all over now." ment man, still they had continued to shake their heads among themselves, and to fear something in the future, - until he appeared at his old home leading a Cabinet Minister by the hand. There was such assurance in this that even old Mrs. Callaghan, at the brewery, gave way, and began to say all manner of good things, and to praise the

"Do you mean to say you don't care for him, Mary? Do you remember what you used to swear to me less than two years ago?"

"I remember it all very well, and I remember what a goose I was. As for caring for him, of course I do, because he is your brother, and because I have known

him all my life, But if he were going to be | him so soon away from home, but I should married to-morrow, you would see that it not know how to get on without him." would make no difference to me."

Blood.

"I never said they did," said Mrs. Stackpoole.

Flood Jones signified to Phineas Finn that Ministers don't have stars," said Lady she had forgiven him the thoughtlessness of his early youth,-even though there had been something of treachery in that thoughtlessness to her own daughter; and showed him, also, that whatever Mary's feelings might have been once, they were not now of a nature to trouble her. "Of course you will marry?" said Mrs. Flood Jones.

"I should think very likely not," said Phineas, who perhaps looked farther into the mind of the lady than the lady intended. "Oh, do," said the lady. Every man should marry as soon as he can, and especially a man in your position."

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When the ladies met together in the drawing-room after dinner, it was impossible but that they should discuss Mr. Monk. There was Mrs. Callaghan from the brewery there, and old Lady Blood, of Bloodstone, -who on ordinary occasions would hardly admit that she was on dining-out terms with any one in Killaloe except the bishop, but who had found it impossible to decline to meet a Cabinet Minister, and there was Mrs. Stackpoole from Sixmiletown, a faraway cousin of the Finn's who hated Lady Blood with a true provincial hatred.

"I don't see anything particularly uncommon in him, after all," said Lady Blood. "I think he is very nice indeed," said Mrs. Flood Jones.

"So very quiet, my dear, and just like other people," said Mrs. Callaghan, meaning to pronounce a strong eulogium on the Cabinet Minister.

"Very like other people indeed," said Lady Blood.

"He is so nice and gentle to talk to," said Mrs. Finn. "You may say what you will, but men who are high up do very often give themselves airs. Now I must say that this friend of my son's does not do any thing of the kind."

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"Not the least," said Mrs. Callaghan. Quite the contrary," said Mrs. Stackpoole.

"I dare say he is a wonderful man," said Lady Blood. "All I say is, that I didn't hear anything wonderful come out of his mouth; and as for people in Ennis walking on two legs, I have seen donkeys in Limerick doing just the same thing." Now it was well known that Mrs. Stackpoole had two sons living in Limerick, as to neither of whom was it expected that he would set the Shannon on fire. After this little speech there was no further mention of Mr. Monk, as it became necessary that all the goodnature of Mrs. Finn and all the tact of Mrs. Flood Jones and all the energy of Mrs. Callaghan should be used, to prevent the raging of an internecine battle between Mrs. Stackpoole and Lady Blood.

CHAPTER LXVI.

VICTRIX.

MR. MONK's holiday programme allowed him a week at Killaloe, and from thence he was to go to Limerick, and from Limerick to Dublin, in order that, at both pla"And what would you expect, Lady ces, he might be entertained at a public Blood?" said Mrs. Stackpoole. "Men dinner, and make a speech about tenantand women in London walk upon two legs, right. Foreseeing that Phineas might comjust as they do in Ennis." Now Lady Blood mit himself if he attended these meetings, herself had been born and bred in Ennis, Mr. Monk had counselled him to remain at whereas Mrs. Stackpoole had come from Killaloe. But Phineas had refused to subLimerick, which is a much more consider-ject himself to such a cautious abstinence. able town, and therefore there was a satire Mr. Monk had come to Ireland as his in this allusion to the habits of the men friend, and he would see him through his of Ennis which Lady Blood understood thoroughly.

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My dear Mrs. Stackpoole, I know how the people walk in London quite as well as you do." Lady Blood had once passed three months in London while Sir Patrick had been alive, whereas Mrs. Stackpoole had never done more than visit the metropolis for a day or two.

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Oh, no doubt," said Mrs. Stackpoole; "but I never can understand what it is that people expect. I suppose Mr. Monk ought to have come with his stars on the breast of his coat, to have pleased Lady Blood."

"My dear Mrs. Stackpoole, Cabinet

travels. “I shall not probably be asked to speak," said Phineas, "and if I am asked, I need not say more than a few words. And what if I did speak out ? "

You might find it disadvantageous to you in London."

"I must take my chance of that. I am not going to tie myself down for ever and ever for the sake of being Under-Secretary to the Colonies." Mr. Monk said very much to him on the subject, -was constantly saying very much to him about it; but in spite of all that Mr. Monk said, Phineas did make the journey to Limerick and Dublin.

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He had not, since his arrival at Killaloe, | however, that Mary herself was quite innobeen a moment alone with Mary Flood cent of any guile in the matter. Jones till the evening before he started Mary," Phineas said to her suddenly, with Mr. Monk. She had kept out of his "it seems to me that you have avoided me way successfully, though she had constantly purposely ever since I have been at home." been with him in company, and was begin-She smiled and blushed, and stammered ning to plume herself on the strength and and said nothing. Has there been any valour of her conduct. But her self-praise reason for it, Mary ?" had in it nothing of joy, and her glory was very sad. Of course she would care for him no more, -more especially as it was so very evident that he cared not at all for her. But the very fact of her keeping out of his way, made her acknowledge to herself that her position was very miserable. She had declared to her mother that she might certainly go to Killaloe with safety,

that it would be better for her to put herself in the way of meeting him as an old friend, that the idea of the necessity of shutting herself up because of his approach, was the one thing that gave her real pain. Therefore her mother had brought her to Killaloe and she had met him; but her fancied security had deserted her, and she found herself to be miserable, hoping for something, she did not know what, still dreaming of possibilities, feeling during every moment of his presence with her that some special conduct was necessary on her part. She could not make further confession to her mother and ask to be carried back to Floodborough; but she knew that she was very wretched at Killaloe.

As for Phineas, he had felt that his old friend was very cold to him. He was in that humour with reference to Violet Effingham which seemed especially to require consolation. He knew now that all hope was over there. Violet Effingham could never be his wife. Even were she not to marry Lord Chiltern for the next five years, she would not, during those five years, marry any other man. Such was our hero's conviction; and, suffering under this conviction, he was in want of the comfort of feminine sympathy. Had Mary known all this, and had it suited her to play such a part, I think she might have had Phineas at her feet before he had been a week at home. But she had kept aloof from him and had heard nothing of his sorrows. As a natural consequence of this, Phineas was more in love with her than ever.

66 No reason at all that I know of," she said.

"We used to be such great friends." "That was before you were a great man, Phineas. It must necessarily be different now. You know so many people now, and people of such a different sort, that of course I fall a little into the background." "When you talk in that way, Mary, know that you are laughing at me." "Indeed, indeed I am not."

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I

"I believe there is no one in the whole world," he said, after a pause, "whose friendship is more to me than yours is. I think of it so often, Mary. Say that when we come back it shall be between us as it used to be." Then he put out his hand for hers, and she could not help giving it to him. "Of course there will be people," he said, who talk nonsense, and one cannot help it; but I will not put up with it from you."

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one

"I did not mean to talk nonsense, Phineas!" Then there came some across them, and the conversation was ended; but the sound of his voice remained in her ears, and she could not help to remember that he had declared that her friendship was dearer to him than the friendship of any one else.

Phineas went with Mr. Monk first to Limerick and then to Dublin, and found himself at both places to be regarded as a hero only second to the great hero. At both places the one subject of debate was tenant-right;-could anything be done to make it profitable for men with capital to put their capital into Irish land? The fertility of the soil was questioned by no one, -nor the sufficiency of external circumstances, such as railroads and the like; nor the abundance of labour; -nor even security for the wealth to be produced. The only difficulty was in this, that the men who were to produce the wealth had no guarantee that it would be theirs when On the evening before he started with it was created. In England and elsewhere Mr. Monk for Limerick, he managed to be such guarantees were in existence. Might alone with her for a few minutes. Barbara it not be possible to introduce them into may probably have assisted in bringing Ireland? That was the question which Mr. about this arrangement, and had, perhaps, Monk had in hand; and in various speeches been guilty of some treachery, sisters in which he made both before and after the such circumstances will sometimes be very dinners given to him, he pledged himself treacherous to their friends. I feel sure, to keep it well in hand when Parliament VOL. XIII. 527

LIVING AGE.