Phineas Finn / The Irish Member

nd Mr

joy. Lady Laura had said some word about her brother, and Phineas had replied that he had never chanced to see Lord Chiltern. Then there had been an awkward silence, and almost immediately other persons had come in. After greeting one or two old acquaintances, a

, holding up her hands. "I think everybody will be in Parliament before long. I

as an old maid, chose to take advantage of such poor privileges as the position gave her. Within the last few years a considerable fortune had fallen into her hands, some twenty-five thousand pounds, which had come to her unexpectedly,-a wonderful windfall. And now she was the only one of her family who had m

r lady." It was thus, or almost thus, that she had encouraged him. He knew well that she had in truth meant nothing more than her words had seemed to signify. He did not for a moment attribute to her aught else. But might not he get another lesson from them? He had often told himself that he was not in love with Laura Standish;-but why should he not how tell himself that he was in love with her? Of course there would be difficulty. But was it no

he would ask Lady Laura Standish to be his wife, when should he ask her, and in what manner might he propose to her that they should live? It would hardly suit him to postpone his courtship indefinitely, knowing, as he did know, that he would be one among many suitors. He could not expect her to wait for him if he did not declare himself.

ed upon the enjoyment of his place;-but if he could only do something to give a grace to his name, to show that he was a rising man, the electors of Loughshane, who had once been so easy with him, would surely not be cruel to him when he showed himself a second time among them. Lord Tulla was his friend, and he had those points of law in his favour which possession bestows. And then he remembered that Lady Laura was related to almost everybody who was anybody among the high Whigs. She was, he knew, second cousin to Mr. Mildmay, who for years had been the leader of the Whigs, and was third cousin to Barrington Erle. The late President of the Council, the Duke of St. Bungay, and Lord Brentford had married sisters, and the St. Bungay people, and the Mildmay people, and the Brentford

chances would of course be very much against him;-ten to one against him, perhaps, on every point; but it was his lot in life to have to face such odds. Twelve months since it had been much more than ten to one against his getting into Parliament; and yet he was there. He expected to be blown

ain, Mr. Finn," said

tzgibbon; her

es looking at wild beasts. I thought you always spent Sunday in arr

his morning, Miss Fitzgibbon, wh

then he can afford to be idle." But it so happened that Phineas did not kno

t dinner on Wednesday,"-said

," said Mis

st possible addition to o

e top of his hat, hereupon muttered something which was taken to mean an assent to the proposition as to Wednesday's dinner. Then he stood perfectly still, with his two

in your life?" said Miss Fitzgibbo

what?" sa

o say for himself, and is so delightfully wicked! I don't s

hs, and he had a house in London, and a stud of horses in Leicestershire, which he rarely visited, and was unmarried. He never spoke much to any one, although he was constantly in society. He rarely did anything, although he had the means of doing everything. He had very seldom been on his legs in the House of Commons, though he had sat there for ten years. He was seen about everywhere, sometimes with one acquaintance and sometimes with another;-but it may be doubted whether he had any friend. It may be doubted whether he had ever talked enough to any man to make that man his friend. Laurence Fitzgibbon tried him for one season, and after a month or two asked for a loan of a few hundred pounds. "I never lend money to any one under any circumstances," said Mr. Kennedy, and it was the longest sp

he monkey," said Phin

know. You have both of you the same aptitude for c

lf again brought into contact with Mr. Kennedy. "What a crowd there is here," he said, finding himself bound to say something. Mr. Kennedy, who was behind

ncies of his life of labour might enable him to do so; but he was prudent, given to close calculation, and resolved to make the ground sure beneath his feet in every step that he took forward. When he first heard that Finn intended to stand for Loughshane he was stricken with dismay, and strongly dissuaded him. "The electors may probably reject him. That's his only chance now," Mr. Low had said to his wife, when he found that Phineas was, a

ing in Parliament, Mr.

ul, isn't it?"

ow. "As a rule one never hears of a barrister

do feel that I've disgraced m

little money of her own, and was possessed of every virtue under the sun. Nevertheless she did not quite like the idea of her husband's pupil having got into Parliament. If her husband and Phineas Finn were dining anywhere together, Phineas, wh

given. When Phineas had last been with Mr. Low,-on the occasion of his showing himself at his tutor's chambers after his return from Ireland,-he had not made up

men who seem to be so treated by general consent in all societies. Even Mrs. Low, who was very prosaic, and unlikely to be familiar in her mode of addres

stion;-isn't it

ou'll stick

-to th

to the

ng of giving it

urprise. "If you give it up, how do you intend to li

before, I am not thinking o

l,-not for a day; that is, if

at perhaps you ma

ession? And is it not acknowledged by all who know anything about it, tha

mean to

you do mea

am in Parliament. We mu

doubt t

e best of it. Even you wouldn't advise me t

e to me I can only tell you what I think. My advice to you is to give it up to-morrow.

hat," said Ph

at, the next best thing will be to take care that it shall interfere as lit

give up one year to learning

do no

in a year, that is out of the question. But I am convinced that if a man

sat silent;-not that he felt himself to be without words for a reply, but that he was thinking in what fewest words he might best convey his i

increa

gs to carry them. Then, because their legs are weak, they drift into idleness and ruin. During all this drifting they are wretched, and when they have thoroughly drifted they are still wretched. The agony of their old disappointment still clings to them. In nine cases out of ten it is some one small unfortunate event that puts a man astray at first. He sees some woman and loses himself with her;-or he is taken to a

our mind, then, tha

ime will be wholly unprofitable,-if

ended to assist in turning out the existing Government and to mount up to some seat,-a humble seat at first,-on the Treasury bench, by the help of his exalted friends and by the use of his own gifts of eloq

sible," sa

lf against me, I must not say anoth

become? You will be the creature of some minister, not his colleague. You are to make your way up the ladder by pretending to agree whenever agreement is demanded from you, and by voting whether you agree or do not. And what is to be y

o Parliament and join a mini

ometimes dare to tell myself that they may possibly become waking facts. But if ever I sit on a Treasury bench I shall sit there by special invitation, having been summoned to take

you will succeed

indifferent to work that I dislike. After all, the other part of it,-that of which I dream,-is but an unnecess

ery unhappy,-to shake from him much of the audacity which he had acquired for himself during his morning's walk,-and to make him almost doubt whether, after al