Phineas Redux | Page 3

to
all the old-Whig moderate Liberals plenty of matter for speeches to
their future constituents. Those who were more advanced could
promise the Ballot, and suggest the disestablishment of the Church. But
the Government of the day was to be turned out on the score of general
incompetence. They were to be made to go, because they could not
command majorities. But there ought to have been no dissolution, and
Mr. Daubeny was regarded by his opponents, and indeed by very many
of his followers also, with an enmity that was almost ferocious. A seat
in Parliament, if it be for five or six years, is a blessing; but the blessing
becomes very questionable if it have to be sought afresh every other
Session.
One thing was manifest to thoughtful, working, eager political Liberals.
They must have not only a majority in the next Parliament, but a
majority of good men--of men good and true. There must be no more
mismanagement; no more quarrelling; no more idleness. Was it to be
borne that an unprincipled so-called Conservative Prime Minister
should go on slicing the cake after such a fashion as that lately adopted?
Old bishops had even talked of resigning, and Knights of the Garter
had seemed to die on purpose. So there was a great stir at the Liberal
political clubs, and every good and true man was summoned to the
battle.
Now no Liberal soldier, as a young soldier, had been known to be more
good and true than Mr. Finn, the Irishman, who had held office two
years ago to the satisfaction of all his friends, and who had retired from
office because he had found himself compelled to support a measure
which had since been carried by those very men from whom he had
been obliged on this account to divide himself. It had always been felt
by his old friends that he had been, if not ill-used, at least very
unfortunate. He had been twelve months in advance of his party, and
had consequently been driven out into the cold. So when the names of
good men and true were mustered, and weighed, and discussed, and
scrutinised by some active members of the Liberal party in a certain

very private room not far removed from our great seat of parliamentary
warfare; and when the capabilities, and expediencies, and possibilities
were tossed to and fro among these active members, it came to pass
that the name of Mr. Finn was mentioned more than once. Mr. Phineas
Finn was the gentleman's name--which statement may be necessary to
explain the term of endearment which was occasionally used in
speaking of him.
"He has got some permanent place," said Mr. Ratler, who was living on
the well-founded hope of being a Treasury Secretary under the new
dispensation; "and of course he won't leave it."
It must be acknowledged that Mr. Ratler, than whom no judge in such
matters possessed more experience, had always been afraid of Phineas
Finn.
"He'll lave it fast enough, if you'll make it worth his while," said the
Honourable Laurence Fitzgibbon, who also had his expectations.
"But he married when he went away, and he can't afford it," said Mr.
Bonteen, another keen expectant.
"Devil a bit," said the Honourable Laurence; "or, anyways, the poor
thing died of her first baby before it was born. Phinny hasn't an
impidiment, no more than I have."
"He's the best Irishman we ever got hold of," said Barrington
Erle--"present company always excepted, Laurence."
"Bedad, you needn't except me, Barrington. I know what a man's made
of, and what a man can do. And I know what he can't do. I'm not bad at
the outside skirmishing. I'm worth me salt. I say that with a just
reliance on me own powers. But Phinny is a different sort of man.
Phinny can stick to a desk from twelve to seven, and wish to come back
again after dinner. He's had money left him, too, and 'd like to spend
some of it on an English borough."
"You never can quite trust him," said Bonteen. Now Mr. Bonteen had

never loved Mr. Finn.
"At any rate we'll try him again," said Barrington Erle, making a little
note to that effect. And they did try him again.
Phineas Finn, when last seen by the public, was departing from
parliamentary life in London to the enjoyment of a modest place under
Government in his own country, with something of a shattered
ambition. After various turmoils he had achieved a competency, and
had married the girl of his heart. But now his wife was dead, and he
was again alone in the world. One of his friends had declared that
money had been left to him. That was true, but the money had not been