‘If he wished to succeed in that assembly,’ replied Lord Montacute, ‘I can easily believe it. In all things an early initiation must be of advantage. But I have not that wish.’
‘I don’t like to see a man take his seat in the House of Lords who has not been in the House of Commons. He seems to me always, in a manner, unfledged.’
‘It will be a long time, I hope, my dear father, before I take my seat in the House of Lords,’ said Lord Montacute, ‘if, indeed, I ever do.’
‘In the course of nature ‘tis a certainty.’
‘Suppose the Duke’s plan for perpetuating an aristocracy do not succeed,’ said Lord Montacute, ‘and our house ceases to exist?’
His father shrugged his shoulders. ‘It is not our business to suppose that. I hope it never will be the business of any one, at least seriously. This is a great country, and it has become great by its aristocracy.’
‘You think, then, our sovereigns did nothing for our greatness,—Queen Elizabeth, for example, of whose visit to Montacute you are so proud?’
‘They performed their part.’
‘And have ceased to exist. We may have performed our part, and may meet the same fate.’
‘Why, you are talking liberalism!’