Alice, or the Mysteries — Book 03

								

thinner, and that his hair had changed from iron-gray to snow-white,
threw himself in the armchair beside Lumley, and replied,--
"Vargrave, it is really unpleasant, our finding ourselves always thus
controlled by our own partisans.  I do not understand this new-fangled
policy, this squaring of measures to please the Opposition, and throwing
sops to that many-headed monster called Public Opinion.  I am sure it
will end most mischievously."
"I am satisfied of it," returned Lord Vargrave.  "All vigour and union
seem to have left us; and if they carry the ----- question against us, I
know not what is to be done."
"For my part, I shall resign," said Lord Saxingham, doggedly; "it is the
only alternative left to men of honour."
"You are wrong; I know another alternative."
"What is that?"
"Make a Cabinet of our own.  Look ye, my dear lord; you been ill-used;
your high character, your long experience, are treated with contempt.  It
is an affront to you--the situation you hold.  You, Privy Seal!--you
ought to be Premier; ay, and, if you are ruled by me, Premier you shall
be yet."
Lord Saxingham coloured, and breathed hard.
"You have often hinted at this before, Lumley; but you are so partial, so
friendly."
"Not at all.  You saw the leading article in the ----- to-day?  That will
be followed up by two evening papers within five hours of this time.  We
have strength with the Press, with the Commons, with the Court,--only let
us hold fast together.  This ----- question, by which they hope to get
rid of us, shall destroy them.  You shall be Prime Minister before the
year is over--by Heaven, you shall!--and then, I suppose, I too may be
admitted to the Cabinet!"
"But how?--how, Lumley?  You are too rash, too daring."
It has not been my fault hitherto,--but boldness is caution in our
circumstances.  If they throw us out now, I see the inevitable march of
events,--we shall be out for years, perhaps for life.  The Cabinet will
recede more and more from our principles, our party.  Now is the time for
a determined stand; now can we make or mar ourselves.  I will not resign;
the king is with us; our strength shall be known.  These haughty
imbeciles shall fall into the trap they have dug for us."
Lumley spoke warmly, and with the confidence of a mind firmly assured of
success.  Lord Saxingham was moved; bright visions flashed across
him,--the premiership, a dukedom.  Yet he was old and childless, and his
honours would die with the last lord of Saxingham!
"See," continued Lumley, "I have calculated our resources as accurately
as an electioneering agent would cast up the list of voters.  In the
Press, I have secured ----- and -----, and in the Commons we have the
subtle -----, and the vigour of -----, and the popular name of -----, and
all the boroughs of -----; in the Cabinet we have -----, and at Court you
know our strength.  Let us choose our moment; a sudden coup, an
interview with the king, statement of our conscientious scruples to this