CHAPTER XL.
THE PRIME MINISTER IS HARD PRESSED.
It can never be a very easy thing to form a Ministry. The one chosenchief is readily selected. Circumstances, indeed, have probably leftno choice in the matter. Every man in the country who has at allturned his thoughts that way knows very well who will be the nextPrime Minister when it comes to pass that a change is imminent.In these days the occupant of the throne can have no difficulty.Mr. Gresham recommends Her Majesty to send for Mr. Daubeny, or Mr.Daubeny for Mr. Gresham,--as some ten or a dozen years since Mr.Mildmay told her to send for Lord de Terrier, or Lord de Terrierfor Mr. Mildmay. The Prime Minister is elected by the nation, butthe nation, except in rare cases, cannot go below that in arrangingdetails, and the man for whom the Queen sends is burdened with thenecessity of selecting his colleagues. It may be,--probably mustalways be the case,--that this, that, and the other colleagues areclearly indicated to his mind, but then each of these colleaguesmay want his own inferior coadjutors, and so the difficulty begins,increases, and at length culminates. On the present occasion it wasknown at the end of a week that Mr. Gresham had not filled all hisoffices, and that there were difficulties. It was announced that theDuke of St. Bungay could not quite agree on certain points with Mr.Gresham, and that the Duke of Omnium would do nothing without theother Duke. The Duke of St. Bungay was very powerful, as there werethree or four of the old adherents of Mr. Mildmay who would joinno Government unless he was with them. Sir Harry Coldfoot and LordPlinlimmon would not accept office without the Duke. The Duke wasessential, and now, though the Duke's character was essentiallythat of a practical man who never raised unnecessary trouble, mensaid that the Duke was at the bottom of it all. The Duke did notapprove of Mr. Bonteen. Mr. Gresham, so it was said, insisted on Mr.Bonteen,--appealing to the other Duke. But that other Duke, our ownspecial Duke, Planty Pall that was, instead of standing up for Mr.Bonteen, was cold and unsympathetic. He could not join the Ministrywithout his friend, the Duke of St. Bungay, and as to Mr. Bonteen, hethought that perhaps a better selection might be made.
Such were the club rumours which took place as to the difficultiesof the day, and, as is generally the case, they were not far fromthe truth. Neither of the dukes had absolutely put a veto on poor Mr.Bonteen's elevation, but they had expressed themselves dissatisfiedwith the appointment, and the younger duke had found himselfcalled upon to explain that although he had been thrown much intocommunication with Mr. Bonteen he had never himself suggested thatthat gentleman should follow him at the Exchequer. This was one ofthe many difficulties which beset the Prime Minister elect in theperformance of his arduous duty.
Lady Glencora, as people would still persist in calling her, was atthe bottom of it all. She had sworn an oath inimical to Mr. Bonteen,and did not leave a stone unturned in her endeavours to accomplishit. If Phineas Finn might find acceptance, then Mr. Bonteen might beallowed to enter Elysium. A second Juno, she would allow the Romulusshe hated to sit in the seats of the blessed, to be fed with nectar,and to have his name printed in the lists of unruffled Cabinetmeetings,--but only on conditions. Phineas Finn must be allowed aseat also, and a little nectar,--though it were at the second tableof the gods. For this she struggled, speaking her mind boldly to thisand that member of her husband's party, but she struggled in vain.She could obtain no assurance on behalf of Phineas Finn. The Duke ofSt. Bungay would do nothing for her. Barrington Erle had declaredhimself powerless. Her husband had condescended to speak to Mr.Bonteen himself, and Mr. Bonteen's insolent answer had been reportedto her. Then she went sedulously to work, and before a couple of dayswere over she did make her husband believe that Mr. Bonteen was notfit to be Chancellor of the Exchequer. This took place before Mr.Daubeny's statement, while the Duke and Duchess of St. Bungay werestill at Matching,--while Mr. Bonteen, unconscious of what was beingdone, was still in the House. Before the two days were over, the Dukeof St. Bungay had a very low opinion of Mr. Bonteen, but was quiteignorant of any connection between that low opinion and the fortunesof Phineas Finn.
"Plantagenet, of all your men that are coming up, your Mr. Bonteenis the worst. I often think that you are going down hill, both incharacter and intellect, but if you go as low as that I shall preferto cross the water, and live in America." This she said in thepresence of the two dukes.
"What has Mr. Bonteen done?" asked the elder, laughing.
"He was boasting this morning openly of whom he intended to bringwith him into the Cabinet." Truth demands that the chronicler shouldsay that this was a positive fib. Mr. Bonteen, no doubt, had talkedlargely and with indiscretion, but had made no such boast as that ofwhich the Duchess accused him. "Mr. Gresham will get astray if hedoesn't allow some one to tell him the truth."
She did not press the matter any further then, but what she had saidwas not thrown away. "Your wife is almost right about that man," theelder Duke said to the younger.
"It's Mr. Gresham's doing,--not mine," said the younger.
"She is right about Gresham, too," said the elder. "With all hisimmense intellect and capacity for business no man wants more lookingafter."
That evening Mr. Bonteen was singled out by the Duchess for herspecial attention, and in the presence of all who were thereassembled he made himself an ass. He could not save himself fromtalking about himself when he was encouraged. On this occasion heoffended all those feelings of official discretion and personalreticence which had been endeared to the old duke by the lessonswhich he had learned from former statesmen and by the experience ofhis own life. To be quiet, unassuming, almost affectedly modest inany mention of himself, low-voiced, reflecting always more than heresolved, and resolving always more than he said, had been his aim.Conscious of his high rank, and thinking, no doubt, much of theadvantages in public life which his birth and position had given him,still he would never have ventured to speak of his own services asnecessary to any Government. That he had really been indispensable tomany he must have known, but not to his closest friend would he havesaid so in plain language. To such a man the arrogance of Mr. Bonteenwas intolerable.
There is probably more of the flavour of political aristocracy tobe found still remaining among our liberal leading statesmen thanamong their opponents. A conservative Cabinet is, doubtless, neverdeficient in dukes and lords, and the sons of such; but conservativedukes and lords are recruited here and there, and as recruits, arenew to the business, whereas among the old Whigs a halo of statecrafthas, for ages past, so strongly pervaded and enveloped certain greatfamilies, that the power in the world of politics thus producedstill remains, and is even yet efficacious in creating a feeling ofexclusiveness. They say that "misfortune makes men acquainted withstrange bedfellows." The old hereditary Whig Cabinet ministers must,no doubt, by this time have learned to feel themselves at home withstrange neighbours at their elbows. But still with them something ofthe feeling of high blood, of rank, and of living in a park with deerabout it, remains. They still entertain a pride in their Cabinets,and have, at any rate, not as yet submitted themselves to a conjuror.The Charles James Fox element of liberality still holds its own, andthe fragrance of Cavendish is essential. With no man was this feelingstronger than with the Duke of St. Bungay, though he well knewhow to keep it in abeyance,--even to the extent of self-sacrifice.Bonteens must creep into the holy places. The faces which he loved tosee,--born chiefly of other faces he had loved when young,--could notcluster around the sacred table without others which were much lesswelcome to him. He was wise enough to know that exclusiveness did notsuit the nation, though human enough to feel that it must have beenpleasant to himself. There must be Bonteens;--but when any Bonteencame up, who loomed before his eyes as specially disagreeable, itseemed to him to be a duty to close the door against such a one, ifit could be closed without violence. A constant, gentle pressureagainst the door would tend to keep down the number of the Bonteens.
"I am not sure that you are not going a little too quick in regardto Mr. Bonteen," said the elder duke to Mr. Gresham befor
e he hadfinally assented to a proposition originated by himself,--that heshould sit in the Cabinet without a portfolio.
"Palliser wishes it," said Mr. Gresham, shortly.
"He and I think that there has been some mistake about that. Yousuggested the appointment to him, and he felt unwilling to raise anobjection without giving the matter very mature consideration. Youcan understand that."
"Upon my word I thought that the selection would be peculiarlyagreeable to him." Then the duke made a suggestion. "Could not somespecial office at the Treasury be constructed for Mr. Bonteen'sacceptance, having special reference to the question of decimalcoinage?"
"But how about the salary?" asked Mr. Gresham. "I couldn't propose anew office with a salary above L2,000."
"Couldn't we make it permanent," suggested the duke;--"withpermission to hold a seat if he can get one?"
"I fear not," said Mr. Gresham.
"He got into a very unpleasant scrape when he was FinancialSecretary," said the Duke.
But whither would'st thou, Muse? Unmeet For jocund lyre are themes like these. Shalt thou the talk of Gods repeat, Debasing by thy strains effete Such lofty mysteries?
The absolute words of a conversation so lofty shall no longer beattempted, but it may be said that Mr. Gresham was too wise totreat as of no account the objections of such a one as the Dukeof St. Bungay. He saw Mr. Bonteen, and he saw the other duke, anddifficulties arose. Mr. Bonteen made himself very disagreeableindeed. As Mr. Bonteen had never absolutely been as yet more than ademigod, our Muse, light as she is, may venture to report that hetold Mr. Ratler that "he'd be d---- if he'd stand it. If he were tobe thrown over now, he'd make such a row, and would take such carethat the fat should be in the fire, that his enemies, whoever theywere, should wish that they had kept their fingers off him. He knewwho was doing it." If he did not know, his guess was right. In hisheart he accused the young duchess, though he mentioned her nameto no one. And it was the young duchess. Then there was made aninsidious proposition to Mr. Gresham,--which reached him at lastthrough Barrington Erle,--that matters would go quieter if PhineasFinn were placed in his old office at the Colonies instead of LordFawn, whose name had been suggested, and for whom,--as BarringtonErle declared,--no one cared a brass farthing. Mr. Gresham, when heheard this, thought that he began to smell a rat, and was determinedto be on his guard. Why should the appointment of Mr. Phineas Finnmake things go easier in regard to Mr. Bonteen? There must be somewoman's fingers in the pie. Now Mr. Gresham was firmly resolved thatno woman's fingers should have anything to do with his pie.
How the thing went from bad to worse, it would be bootless hereto tell. Neither of the two dukes absolutely refused to join theMinistry; but they were persistent in their objection to Mr. Bonteen,and were joined in it by Lord Plinlimmon and Sir Harry Coldfoot. Itwas in vain that Mr. Gresham urged that he had no other man readyand fit to be Chancellor of the Exchequer. That excuse could not beaccepted. There was Legge Wilson, who twelve years since had beenat the Treasury, and would do very well. Now Mr. Gresham had alwayspersonally hated Legge Wilson,--and had, therefore, offered him theBoard of Trade. Legge Wilson had disgusted him by accepting it, andthe name had already been published in connection with the office.But in the lists which had appeared towards the end of the week, noname was connected with the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer,and no office was connected with the name of Mr. Bonteen. The editorof The People's Banner, however, expressed the gratification ofthat journal that even Mr. Gresham had not dared to propose Mr.Phineas Finn for any place under the Crown.
At last Mr. Bonteen was absolutely told that he could not beChancellor of the Exchequer. If he would consent to give his veryvaluable services to the country with the view of carrying throughParliament the great measure of decimal coinage he should bePresident of the Board of Trade,--but without a seat in the Cabinet.He would thus become the Right Honourable Bonteen, which, no doubt,would be a great thing for him,--and, not busy in the Cabinet,must be able to devote his time exclusively to the great measureabove-named. What was to become of "Trade" generally, was notspecially explained; but, as we all know, there would be aVice-President to attend to details.
The proposition very nearly broke the man's heart. With a voicestopped by agitation, with anger flashing from his eyes, almost in aconvulsion of mixed feelings, he reminded his chief of what had beensaid about his appointment in the House. Mr. Gresham had alreadyabsolutely defended it. After that did Mr. Gresham mean to withdrawa promise that had so formally been made? But Mr. Gresham was not tobe caught in that way. He had made no promise;--had not even statedto the House that such appointment was to be made. A very improperquestion had been asked as to a rumour,--in answering which hehad been forced to justify himself by explaining that discussionsrespecting the office had been necessary. "Mr. Bonteen," saidMr. Gresham, "no one knows better than you the difficulties of aMinister. If you can act with us I shall be very grateful to you. Ifyou cannot, I shall regret the loss of your services." Mr. Bonteentook twenty-four hours to consider, and was then appointed Presidentof the Board of Trade without a seat in the Cabinet. Mr. Legge Wilsonbecame Chancellor of the Exchequer. When the lists were completed,no office whatever was assigned to Phineas Finn. "I haven't donewith Mr. Bonteen yet," said the young duchess to her friend MadameGoesler.
The secrets of the world are very marvellous, but they are notthemselves half so wonderful as the way in which they become known tothe world. There could be no doubt that Mr. Bonteen's high ambitionhad foundered, and that he had been degraded through the secretenmity of the Duchess of Omnium. It was equally certain that hissecret enmity to Phineas Finn had brought this punishment on hishead. But before the Ministry had been a week in office almosteverybody knew that it was so. The rumours were full of falsehood,but yet they contained the truth. The duchess had done it. Theduchess was the bosom friend of Lady Laura Kennedy, who was in lovewith Phineas Finn. She had gone on her knees to Mr. Gresham to geta place for her friend's favourite, and Mr. Gresham had refused.Consequently, at her bidding, half-a-dozen embryo Ministers--herhusband among the number--had refused to be amenable to Mr. Gresham.Mr. Gresham had at last consented to sacrifice Mr. Bonteen, who hadoriginally instigated him to reject the claims of Phineas Finn. Thatthe degradation of the one man had been caused by the exclusion ofthe other all the world knew.
"It shuts the door to me for ever and ever," said Phineas to MadameGoesler.
"I don't see that."
"Of course it does. Such an affair places a mark against a man's namewhich will never be forgotten."
"Is your heart set upon holding some trifling appointment under aMinister?"
"To tell you the truth, it is;--or rather it was. The prospect ofoffice to me was more than perhaps to any other expectant. Even thisman, Bonteen, has some fortune of his own, and can live if he beexcluded. I have given up everything for the chance of something inthis line."
"Other lines are open."
"Not to me, Madame Goesler. I do not mean to defend myself. I havebeen very foolish, very sanguine, and am now very unhappy."
"What shall I say to you?"
"The truth."
"In truth, then, I do not sympathise with you. The thing lost is toosmall, too mean to justify unhappiness."
"But, Madame Goesler, you are a rich woman."
"Well?"
"If you were to lose it all, would you not be unhappy? It has beenmy ambition to live here in London as one of a special set whichdominates all other sets in our English world. To do so a manshould have means of his own. I have none; and yet I have triedit,--thinking that I could earn my bread at it as men do at otherprofessions. I acknowledge that I should not have thought so. No manshould attempt what I have attempted without means, at any rate tolive on if he fail; but I am not the less unhappy because I have beensilly."
"What will you do?"
"Ah,--what? Another friend asked me that the other day, and I toldher that I should vanish."
"Who was
that friend?"
"Lady Laura."
"She is in London again now?"
"Yes; she and her father are in Portman Square."
"She has been an injurious friend to you."
"No, by heaven," exclaimed Phineas. "But for her I should never havebeen here at all, never have had a seat in Parliament, never havebeen in office, never have known you."
"And might have been the better without any of these things."
"No man ever had a better friend than Lady Laura has been to me.Malice, wicked and false as the devil, has lately joined our namestogether to the incredible injury of both of us; but it has not beenher fault."
"You are energetic in defending her."
"And so would she be in defending me. Circumstances threw us togetherand made us friends. Her father and her brother were my friends.I happened to be of service to her husband. We belonged to thesame party. And therefore--because she has been unfortunate in hermarriage--people tell lies of her."
"It is a pity he should--not die, and leave her," said Madame Goeslerslowly.
"Why so?"
"Because then you might justify yourself in defending her by makingher your wife." She paused, but he made no answer to this. "You arein love with her," she said.
"It is untrue."
"Mr. Finn!"
"Well, what would you have? I am not in love with her. To me she isno more than my sister. Were she as free as air I should not ask herto be my wife. Can a man and woman feel no friendship without beingin love with each other?"
"I hope they may," said Madame Goesler. Had he been lynx-eyed hemight have seen that she blushed; but it required quick eyes todiscover a blush on Madame Goesler's face. "You and I are friends."
"Indeed we are," he said, grasping her hand as he took his leave.
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