“I have no doubt you would, Sir John; you are quite capable of it; that rests with you and your constituents. But even if ministers did go out, I am but a poor subaltern in a public office,—I am no minister. Why should I go out too?
“Why? Hang it, Leslie, you are laughing at me. A young fellow like you could never be mean enough to stay in, under the very men who drove out your friend Egerton?”
“It is not usual for those in the public offices to retire with every change of government.”
“Certainly not; but always those who are the relations of a retiring minister; always those who have been regarded as politicians, and who mean to enter parliament, as of course you will do at the next election. But you know that as well as I do,—you who are so decided a politician, the writer of that admirable pamphlet! I should not like to tell my friend Hazeldean, who has a sincere interest in you, that you ever doubted on a question of honour as plain as your A, B, C.”
“Indeed, Sir John,” said Randal, recovering his suavity, while he inly breathed a dire anathema on his county member, “I am so new to these things that what you say never struck me before. No doubt you must be right; at all events I cannot have a better guide and adviser than Mr. Egerton himself.”
SIR JOHN.—“No, certainly; perfect gentleman, Egerton! I wish we could make it up with him and Hazeldean.”
RANDAL (sighing).—“Ah, I wish we could!”
SIR JOHN.—“And some chance of it now; for the time is coming when all true men of the old school must stick together.”
RANDAL.—“Wisely, admirably said, my dear Sir John. But, pardon me, I must pay my respects to the ambassador.” Randal escaped, and passing on, saw the ambassador himself in the next room, conferring in a corner with Audley Egerton. The ambassador seemed very grave, Egerton calm and impenetrable, as usual. Presently the count passed by, and the ambassador bowed to him very stiffly.
As Randal, some time later, was searching for his cloak below, Audley Egerton unexpectedly joined him.