Endymion | Page 2

to whom like yourself I was much attached, I had
great misgivings as to the position of our party, and the future of the
country. I tried to drive them from my mind, and at last took refuge in
Canning, who seemed just the man appointed for an age of transition."
"But a transition to what?"
"Well, his foreign policy was Liberal."
"The same as the Duke's; the same as poor dear Castlereagh's. Nothing
more unjust than the affected belief that there was any difference
between them--a ruse of the Whigs to foster discord in our ranks. And
as for domestic affairs, no one is stouter against Parliamentary Reform,
while he is for the Church and no surrender, though he may make a
harmless speech now and then, as many of us do, in favour of the
Catholic claims."
"Well, we will not now pursue this old controversy, my dear Ferrars,
particularly if it be true, as you say, that Mr. Canning now lies upon his
deathbed."

"If! I tell you at this very moment it may be all over."
"I am shaken to my very centre."
"It is doubtless a great blow to you," rejoined Mr. Ferrars, "and I wish
to alleviate it. That is why I was looking for you. The King will, of
course, send for the Duke, but I can tell you there will be a disposition
to draw back our friends that left us, at least the younger ones of
promise. If you are awake, there is no reason why you should not retain
your office."
"I am not so sure the King will send for the Duke."
"It is certain."
"Well," said his companion musingly, "it may be fancy, but I cannot
resist the feeling that this country, and the world generally, are on the
eve of a great change--and I do not think the Duke is the man for the
epoch."
"I see no reason why there should be any great change; certainly not in
this country," said Mr. Ferrars. "Here we have changed everything that
was required. Peel has settled the criminal law, and Huskisson the
currency, and though I am prepared myself still further to reduce the
duties on foreign imports, no one can deny that on this subject the
Government is in advance of public opinion."
"The whole affair rests on too contracted a basis," said his companion.
"We are habituated to its exclusiveness, and, no doubt, custom in
England is a power; but let some event suddenly occur which makes a
nation feel or think, and the whole thing might vanish like a dream."
"What can happen? Such affairs as the Luddites do not occur twice in a
century, and as for Spafields riots, they are impossible now with Peel's
new police. The country is employed and prosperous, and were it not so,
the landed interest would always keep things straight."
"It is powerful, and has been powerful for a long time; but there are

other interests besides the landed interest now."
"Well, there is the colonial interest, and the shipping interest," said Mr.
Ferrars, "and both of them thoroughly with us."
"I was not thinking of them," said his companion. "It is the increase of
population, and of a population not employed in the cultivation of the
soil, and all the consequences of such circumstances that were passing
over my mind."
"Don't you be too doctrinaire, my dear Sidney; you and I are practical
men. We must deal with the existing, the urgent; and there is nothing
more pressing at this moment than the formation of a new government.
What I want is to see you as a member of it."
"Ah!" said his companion with a sigh, "do you really think it so near as
that?"
"Why, what have we been talking of all this time, my dear Sidney?
Clear your head of all doubt, and, if possible, of all regrets; we must
deal with the facts, and we must deal with them to-morrow."
"I still think he had a mission," said Sidney with a sigh, "if it were only
to bring hope to a people."
"Well, I do not see he could have done anything more," said Mr.
Ferrars, "nor do I believe his government would have lasted during the
session. However, I must now say good-night, for I must look in at the
Square. Think well of what I have said, and let me hear from you as
soon as you can."

CHAPTER II
Zenobia was the queen of London, of fashion, and of the Tory party.
When she was not holding high festivals, or attending them, she was
always at home to her intimates, and as she deigned but rarely to
honour the assemblies of others with her presence, she was generally at

her evening post