Chiltern, and while doing so he could not continue a suit which would be felt by both of them to be hostile to Lord Chiltern. There might be opportunity for a chance word, and if so the chance word should be spoken; but he could not make a deliberate attack, such as he had made in Portman Square. Violet also probably understood that she had not now been caught in a mousetrap. The Duke was to spend four days at Matching, and on the third day, - the day before Lord Chiltern was expected, he was to be seen riding with Madame Max Goesler by his side. Madame Max Goesler was known as a perfect horsewoman, one indeed who was rather fond of going a little fast on horseback, and who rode well to hounds. But the Duke seldom moved out of a walk, and on this occasion Madame Max was as steady in her seat and almost as slow as the mounted ghost in Don Juan. But it was said by some there, especially by Mrs. Bonteen, that the conversation between them was not slow. And on the next morning the Duke and Madame Max Goesler were together again before luncheon, standing on a terrace at the back of the house, looking down on a party who were playing croquet on the lawn. "Do you never play ?" said the Duke. tle." 66 Why No; -I shall not play now." "I should like to see you with your mallet." "I am sorry your Grace cannot be gratified. I have played croquet till I am tired of it, and have come to think it is only fit for boys and girls. The great thing is to give them opportunities for flirting, and it does that." steamer, or a military hospital in time of war, or a railway journey from Paris to Marseilles ?" "Madame Max Goesler, you have the most uncomfortable ideas." "I have no doubt your Grace has tried each of them, successfully. But perhaps, after all, a comfortable chair over a good fire, in a pretty room, beats everything." "I think it does, certainly," said the Duke. Then he whispered something at which Madame Max Goesler blushed and smiled, and immediately after that she followed those who had already gone in to lunch. Mrs. Bonteen had been hovering round on the terrace on which the Duke and Madame Max Goesler had been standing, looking on with envious eyes, meditating some attack, some interruption, some excuse for an interpolation, but her courage had failed her and she had not dared to approach. The Duke had known nothing of the hovering propinquity of Mrs. Bonteen, but Madame Goesler had seen and understood it all. "Dear Mrs. Bonteen," she said afterwards, "why did you not come and join us? The Duke was so pleasant." "Two is company, and three is none," said Mrs. Bonteen, who in her anger was hardly able to choose her words quite as well as she might have done had she been more cool. "And how is he? something about him.” Come; tell me You used to ride as if you did. There's Bonebreaker back again in the stable for you. That poor fool who bought him could do nothing with him, and I let him have his money back." "I never knew him to be more pleasant. He would give no promise about Saulsby, but he did not say that he would not go." "Does he know that I am here?" "Yes; I told him so. I told him how much pleasure I should have in seeing you two together, -as friends." "And what did he say?" 66 'He laughed, and said you were the best fellow in the world. You see I am obliged to be explicit." "But why did he laugh? " Phineas asked. "He did not tell me, but I suppose it was because he was thinking of a little trip he once took to Belgium, and he perceived that I knew all about it." "I wonder who told you. But never mind. I do not mean to ask any questions. As I do not like that our first meeting should be before all the people in the drawing-room, I will go to him in his own room." "Do, do; that will be so nice of you." Phineas sent his card up by a servant, and in a few minutes was standing with his hand on the lock of Lord Chiltern's door. The last time he had seen this man, they had met with pistols in their hands to shoot at each other, and Lord Chiltern had in truth done his very best to shoot his opponent. The cause of quarrel was the same between them as ever. Phineas had not given up Violet, and had no intention of giving her up. And he had received no intimation whatever from his rival that there was to be a truce between them. Phineas had indeed written in friendship to Lord Chiltern, but he had received no answer; and nothing of certainty was to be gathered from the report which Violet had just made. It might well be that Lord Chiltern would turn upon him now in his wrath, and that there would be some scene which in a strange house would be obviously objectionable. Nevertheless he had resolved that even that would be better than a chance encounter among strangers in a drawing-room. So the door was opened and the two men met. "Well, old fellow," said Lord Chiltern, laughing. Then all doubt was over, and in a moment Phineas was shaking his formand present friend, warmly by the hand. "So we've come to be an Under Secretary, have we? - and all that kind of thing." er, "I had to get into harness, when the harness offered itself," said Phineas. I suppose so. It's a deuce of a bore, isn't it?" "I always liked work, you know." "I thought you liked hunting better. "I don't see why you should have done that." "Because I was the biggest fool of the two. Do you remember when that brute got me down under the bank in the river? That was about the nearest touch I ever had. Lord bless me; - how he did squeeze me. So here you are; staying with the Pallisers, one of a Government party, I suppose. But what are you going to do for a seat, my friend? "Don't talk about that yet, Chiltern." "A sore subject, isn't it? I think they have been quite right, you know, to put Loughton into the melting-pot- though I'm sorry enough for your sake." 66 66 Quite right," said Phineas. "And yet you voted against it, old chap? But, come; I'm not going to be down upon you. So my father has been here?" Yes; he was here for a day or two." "Violet has just been telling me. and he are as good friends as ever?" "I trust we are." 66 You 'He never heard of that little affair?" and Lord Chiltern nodded his head, intending to indicate the direction of Blankenberg. "I do not think he has as yet." "So Violet tells me. Of course you know that she has heard all about it." "I have reason to suppose as much.” "And so does Laura." 66 I told her myself," said Phineas. "The deuce you did. But I dare say it was for the best. It's a pity you had not proclaimed it at Charing Cross, and then nobody would have believed a word about it. Of course my father will hear it some day." 66 You are going to Saulsby, I hope, Chiltern ?" "That question is easier asked than answered. It is quite true that the great difficulty has been got over. Laura has had her money. And if my father will only acknowledge that he has wronged me throughout, from beginning to end, I will go to Saulsby to-morrow; and would cut you out at Loughton the next day, only that Loughton is not Loughton any longer." You cannot expect your father to do 66 that." 66 Admirably. He condescended to do I never would; but that was long before something which he called shaking hands I suspected that you would enter for the with me. same plate. What a man says on such a matter when he is down in the mouth goes for nothing. Now we understand each other, and you had better go and dress. The bell rang nearly half an hour ago, and my fellow is hanging about outside the door." "He is the greatest old dust out," said Lord Chiltern disrespectfully. "Did he take any notice of Violet?" "Not that I observed." "He ought not to be allowed into the same room with her." After that there was a short pause, as Phineas felt some hesitation in speaking of Miss Effingham to Lord Chiltern. "And how do you get on with her?" asked Lord Chiltern. Here was a question for a man to answer. The question was so hard to be answered, that Phineas did not at first make any attempt to answer it. You know exactly the ground that I stand on," continued Lord Chiltern. "She has refused me three times. Have you been more fortunate ? " 66 Lord Chiltern, as he asked his question, looked full into Finn's face in a manner that was irresistible. His look was not one of anger nor even of pride. It was not, indeed, without a strong dash of fun. But such as it was it showed Phineas that Lord Chiltern intended to have an answer. "No," said he at last, "I have not been more fortunate." The interview had in one respect been very pleasant to Phineas, and in another it had been very bitter. It was pleasant to him to know that he and Lord Chiltern were again friends. It was a delight to him to feel that this half-savage but highspirited young nobleman, who had been so anxious to fight with him and to shoot him, was nevertheless ready to own that he had behaved well. Lord Chiltern had, in fact, acknowledged that though he had been anxious to blow out our hero's brains, be was aware all the time that our hero was a good sort of fellow. Phineas understood this, and felt that it was pleasant. But with this understanding, and accompanying this pleasure, there was a conviction in his heart that the distance between Lord Chiltern and Violet would daily grow to be less and still less, and that Lord Chiltern could afford to be generous. If Miss Effingham could teach herself to be fond of Lord Chiltern, what had he, Phineas Finn, to offer in opposition to the claims of such a suitor? That evening Lord Chiltern took Miss Effingham out to dinner. Phineas told himself that this was of course so arranged by Lady Glencora, with the express view of serving the Saulsby interest. It was almost nothing to him at the moment that Madame Max Goesler was intrusted to him. He had his ambition respecting Madame Max Goesler; but that for the time was in abeyance. He could hardly keep his eyes off Miss Effingham. And yet, as he well knew, his observation of her must be quite useless. He knew beforehand, with absolute accuracy, the manner in which she would treat her lover. She would be kind, genial, friendly, confidential, nay, affectionate; and yet her manner would mean noth ing, would give no clue to her future decision either for or against Lord Chiltern. It was, as Phineas thought, a peculiarity with Violet Effingham that she could treat her rejected lovers as dear familiar friends immediately after her rejection of them. "Mr. Finn," said Madame Max Goesler, "your eyes and ears are tell-tales of your passion." "I hope not," said Phineas, "as I cer tainly do not wish that any one should guess how strong is my regard for you." "There can be none better. Do you mean to say that the commandments are nothing to you?" "I mean to say that I sha'n't go to Saulsby because I am told in the twentieth chapter of Exodus to honour my father and mother, and that I shouldn't believe anybody who told me that he did anything because of the commandments." "Oh, Lord Chiltern!" "People are so prejudiced and so used to humbug that for the most part they do not in the least know their own motives for what they do. I will go to Saulsby tomorrow, for a reward." "For what reward?" said Violet, blush ing. For the only one in the world that could tempt me to do anything." "You should go for the sake of duty. I should not even care to see you go, much as I long for it, if that feeling did not take you there." tion was to take place. What he had hitherto heard about a future seat was most vague, but he was to meet Ratler and Barrington Erle in London, and it had been understood that Barrington Erle, who was now at Saulsby, was to make some inquiry as to that group of boroughs of which Loughton at this moment formed one. But as Loughton was the smallest of four boroughs, and as one of the four had for many years had a representative of its own, Phineas feared that no success would he found there. In his present agony he began to think that there might be a strong plea made for a few private seats in the House of Commons, and that the propriety of throwing Loughton into the melung-pot, was, after all, open to question. He and Lord Chiltern were to return to London together, and Lord Chiltern, according to his present scheme, was to proceed at once to Willingford to look after the cub-hunting, Nothing that either Violet or Phineas could say to him would induce him to promise to go to Saulsby. When Phineas pressed it, he was told by Lord Chiltern that he was a fool for his pains, by which Phineas understood perfectly well that when Lord Chiltern did go to Saulsby, he, Phineas, was to take that as strong evidence that everything was over for him as regarded Violet Effingham. When Violet expressed her eagerness that the visit should be made, she was stopped with an assurance that she could have it done at once if she pleased. Let him only be enabled to carry with him the tidings of his betrothal, and he would start for his father's house without an hour's delay. But this authority Violet would not give him. When he answered her after this fashion she could only tell him that he was ungenerous. "At any rate I am not false," he replied on one occasion. "What I say is the truth." - There was a very tender parting between Phineas and Madame Max Goesler. She had learned from him pretty nearly all his history, and certainly knew more of the reality of his affairs than any of those in London who had been his most staunch friends. "Of course you'll get a seat," she said as he took his leave of her." If I understand it at all, they never throw over an ally so useful as you are." "But the intention is that in this matter nobody shall any longer have the power of throwing over, or of not throwing over, anybody." It was arranged that Phineas and Lord That is all very well, my friend; but Chiltern were to leave Matching together. cakes will still be hot in the mouth, even Phineas was to remain at his office all Oc- though Mr. Daubeny turn purist, with Mr. tober, and in November the general elec-Turnbull to help him. If you want any Oh, -to some great patron of a borough; or to a club; -or perhaps to some great firm. The households will know nothing about it till they are told. Is not that it?" "The truth is, Madame Max, I do not know where I shall go. I am like a child lost in a wood. And you may understand this; if you do not see me in Park Lane before the end of January, I shall have perished in the wood." 66 Then I will come and find you, - with a troop of householders. You will come, You will be there. I do not believe in death coming without signs. You are full of life." As she spoke, she had hold of his hand, and there was nobody near them. They were in a little book-room inside the library at Matching, and the door, though not latched, was nearly closed. Phineas had flattered himself that Madame Goesler had retreated there in order that this farewell might be spoken without interruption. And, Mr. Finn;-I wonder whether I may say one thing," she continued. 66 "You may say anything to me," he replied. 66 No, not in this country, in this England. There are things one may not say here, that are tabooed by a sort of consent, and that without any reason." She paused again, and Phineas was at a loss to think what was the subject on which she was about to speak. Could she mean? No; she could not mean to give him any outward plain-spoken sign that she was attached to him. It was the peculiar merit of this man that he was not vain, though much was done to him to fill him with vanity; and as the idea crossed his brain, he hated himself because it had been there. "To me you may say anything, Madame Goesler," he said, "here in England, as plainly as though we were in Vienna." "But I cannot say it in English," she said. Then in French, blushing and laughing as she spoke, almost stammering in spite of her usual self-confidence, she told him that accident had made her rich, full of money. Money was a drug with her. Money she knew was wanted, even for householders. Would he not understand her, and come to her and learn from her how faithful a woman could be? He still was holding her by the hand, and he now raised it to his lips and kissed it. "The offer from you," he said, “is as highminded, as generous, and as honourable as its acceptance by me would be mean-spirited, vile, and ignoble. But whether I fail or whether I succeed, you shall see me before the winter is over." CHAPTER L. AGAIN SUCCESSFUL. PHINEAS also said a word of farewell to Violet before he left Matching, but there was nothing peculiar in her little speech to him, or in his to her. "Of course we shall see each other in London. Don't talk of not being in the House. Of course you will be in the House." Then Phineas had shaken his head and smiled. Where was he to find a requisite number of householders prepared to return him? But as he went up to London he told himself that the air of the House of Commons was now the very breath of his nostrils. Life to him without it would be no life. To have come within the reach of the good things of politi cal life, to have made his mark so as to have almost insured future success, to have been the petted young official aspirant of the day, and then to sink down into the miserable platitudes of private life, to undergo daily attendance in law-courts without a brief, to listen to men who had come to be much below him in estimation and social intercourse, to sit in a wretched chamber up three pairs of stairs at Lincoln's Inn, whereas he was now at this moment provided with a gorgeous apartment looking out into the park from the Colonial Office in Downing Street, to be attended by a mongrel between a clerk and an errand boy at 178. 6d. a week instead of by a private secretary who was the son of an earl's sister, and was petted by countesses' daughters innumer able, all this would surely break hi heart. He could have done it, so he told himself, and could have taken glory in doing it, had not these other things come in his way. But the other things had come. He had run the risk, and had thrown the dice. And now when the game was so nearly won, must it be that everything should be lost at last? He knew that nothing was to be gained by melancholy looks at his club, or by show |