“The very moment you were announced, my Lord, I was endeavoring to persuade my young friend here to a line of conduct in which, if I have your Lordship's co-operation, I feel I shall be successful.”
“Pray let me hear it,” said Lord Castlereagh, gayly, and half interrupting what he feared was but the opening of an over-lengthy exposition.
Lord Netherby was not to be defeated so easily, nor defrauded of a theme whereupon to expend many loyal sentiments; and so he opened a whole battery of arguments on the subject of the young peer's first appearance in the House, and the splendid opportunity, as he called it, of a maiden speech.
“I see but one objection,” said Lord Castlereagh, with a well-affected gravity.
“I see one hundred,” broke in Forester, impatiently.
“Perhaps my one will do,” rejoined Lord Castlereagh.
“Which is—if I may take the liberty—” lisped out Lord Netherby.
“That there will be no debate on the subject. The motion is withdrawn.”
“Motion withdrawn!—since when?”
“I see you have not heard the news this morning,” said Lord Castlereagh, who really enjoyed the discomfiture of one very vain of possessing the earliest intelligence.