"Mr. Monk would not hear of it," said the Prime Minister.
"Of course not. And you and I in this measure must stick to Mr. Monk. My great, indeed my only strong desire in the matter, is to act in strict unison with you."
"You are always good and true, Duke."
"For my own part I shall not in the least regret to find in all this an opportunity of resigning. We have done our work, and if, as I believe, a majority of the House would again support either Gresham or Monk as the head of the entire Liberal party, I think that that arrangement would be for the welfare of the country."
"Why should it make any difference to you? Why should you not return to the Council?"
"I should not do so;—certainly not at once; probably never. But you,—who are in the very prime of your life—"
The Prime Minister did not smile now. He knit his brows and a dark shadow came across his face. "I don't think I could do that," he said. "Cæsar could hardly have led a legion under Pompey."
"It has been done, greatly to the service of the country, and without the slightest loss of honour or character in him who did it."
"We need hardly talk of that, Duke. You think then that we shall fail;—fail, I mean, in the House of Commons. I do not know that failure in our House should be regarded as fatal."
"In three cases we should fail. The loss of any material clause in Committee would be as bad as the loss of the Bill."