"It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good, Mr. Finn," said the Earl.
"What on earth is to become of poor George?" said Mr. Fitzgibbon. "I wonder whether any one knows where he is. George wasn't a bad sort of fellow."
"Roby used to think that he was a very bad fellow," said Mr. Bonteen. "Roby used to swear that it was hopeless trying to catch him." It may be as well to explain that Mr. Roby was a Conservative gentleman of great fame who had for years acted as Whip under Mr. Daubeny, and who now filled the high office of Patronage Secretary to the Treasury. "I believe in my heart," continued Mr. Bonteen, "that Roby is rejoiced that poor George Morris should be out in the cold."
"If seats were halveable, he should share mine, for the sake of auld lang syne," said Laurence Fitzgibbon.
"But not to-morrow night," said Barrington Erle; "the division to-morrow will be a thing not to be joked with. Upon my word I think they're right about old Moody. All private considerations should give way. And as for Gunning, I'd have him up or I'd know the reason why."
"And shall we have no defaulters, Barrington?" asked Lady Laura.
"I'm not going to boast, but I don't know of one for whom we need blush. Sir Everard Powell is so bad with gout that he can't even bear any one to look at him, but Ratler says that he'll bring him up." Mr. Ratler was in those days the Whip on the liberal side of the House.
"Unfortunate wretch!" said Miss Fitzgibbon.
"The worst of it is that he screams in his paroxysms," said Mr. Bonteen.
"And you mean to say that you'll take him into the lobby," said Lady Laura.