The baron, too, had a Speaker’s order; and he came into the House with Randal, and sat by his side. But, to their disgust, some member was talking about the other motions before the House.
“What! has nothing been said as to the division?” asked the baron of a young county member, who was talking to some non-parliamentary friend in the bench before Levy. The county member was one of the baron’s pet eldest sons, had dined often with Levy, was under “obligations” to him. The young legislator looked very much ashamed of Levy’s friendly pat on his shoulder, and answered hurriedly, “Oh, yes; H——— asked if, after such an expression of the House, it was the intention of ministers to retain their places, and carry on the business of the Government.”
“Just like H———-! Very inquisitive mind! And what was the answer he got?”
“None,” said the county member; and returned in haste to his proper seat in the body of the House.
“There comes Egerton,” said the baron. And, indeed, as most of the members were now leaving the House, to talk over affairs at clubs or in saloons, and spread through town the great tidings, Audley Egerton’s tall head was seen towering above the rest. And Levy turned away disappointed. For not only was the minister’s handsome face, though pale, serene and cheerful, but there was an obvious courtesy, a marked respect, in the mode in which that assembly—heated though it was—made way for the fallen minister as he passed through the jostling crowd. And the frank urbane nobleman, who afterwards, from the force, not of talent but of character, became the leader in that House, pressed the hand of his old opponent, as they met in the throng near the doors, and said aloud, “I shall not be a proud man if ever I live to have office; but I shall be proud if ever I leave it with as little to be said against me as your bitterest opponents can say against you, Egerton.”
“I wonder,” exclaimed the baron, aloud, and leaning over the partition that divided him from the throng below, so that his voice reached Egerton—and there was a cry from formal, indignant members, “Order in the strangers’ gallery I wonder what Lord L’Estrange will say?”
Audley lifted his dark brows, surveyed the baron for an instant with flashing eyes, then walked down the narrow defile between the last benches, and vanished from the scene, in which, alas! so few of the most admired performers leave more than an actor’s short-lived name!
CHAPTER XVI.
Baron Levy did not execute his threat of calling on Egerton the next morning. Perhaps he shrank from again meeting the flash of those indignant eyes. And indeed Egerton was too busied all the forenoon to see any one not upon public affairs, except Harley, who hastened to console or cheer him. When the House met, it was announced that the ministers had resigned, only holding their offices till their successors were appointed. But already there was some reaction in their favour; and when it became generally known that the new administration was to be formed of men few indeed of whom had ever before held office, the common superstition in the public mind that government is like a trade, in which a regular apprenticeship must be served, began to prevail; and the talk at the clubs was that the new men could not stand; that the former ministry, with some modification, would be back in a month. Perhaps that too might be a reason why Baron Levy thought it prudent not prematurely to offer vindictive condolences to Mr. Egerton. Randal spent part of his morning in inquiries as to what gentlemen in his situation meant to do with regard to their places; he heard with great satisfaction that very few intended to volunteer retirement from their desks. As Randal himself had observed to Egerton, “Their country before their party!”