The Prime Minister | Page 8

his
bosom as he ate his supper, and lay upon his chest as he slept,--like a
nightmare.

CHAPTER 2
EVERETT WHARTON.
On that same day Lopez dined with his friend Everett Wharton at a new
club, called the Progress, of which they were both members. The
Progress was certainly a new club, having as yet been open hardly more
than three years; but still it was old enough to have seen many of the
hopes of its early youth become dim with age and inaction. For the
Progress had intended to do great things for the Liberal Party,--or rather
for political liberality in general,--and had in truth done little or nothing.
It had been got up with considerable enthusiasm, and for a while certain
fiery politicians had believed that through the instrumentality of this
institution men of genius and spirit, and natural power, but without
wealth,--meaning always themselves,--would be supplied with sure
seats in Parliament and a probably share in the Government. But no
such results had been achieved. There had been a want of
something,--some deficiency felt but not yet defined,--which had

hitherto been fatal. The young men said it was because no old stager
who knew the way of pulling the wires would come forward and put
the club in the proper groove. The old men said it was because the
young men were pretentious puppies. It was, however, not to be
doubted that the party of Progress had become slack, and that the
Liberal politicians of the country, although a special new club had been
opened for the furtherance of their views, were not at present making
much way. 'What we want is organization,' said one of the leading
young men. But the organization was not as yet forthcoming.
The club, nevertheless, went on its way, like other clubs, and men
dined and smoked and played billiards and pretended to read. Some
few energetic members still hoped that a good day would come in
which their grand ideas might be realized,--but as regarded the
members generally, they were content to eat and drink and play
billiards. It was a fairly good club,--with a sprinkling of Liberal
lordlings, a couple of dozen of members of Parliament who had been
made to believe that they would neglect their party duties unless they
paid their money, and the usual assortment of barristers, attorneys, city
merchants, and idle men. It was good enough, at any rate, for Ferdinand
Lopez, who was particular about his dinner, and had an opinion of his
own about wines. He had been heard to assert that, for real quiet
comfort, there was not a club in London equal to it, but his hearers
were not aware that in the past days he had been black-balled at the T
and the G. These were accidents which Lopez had a gift of keeping in
the background. His present companion, Everett Wharton, had, as well
himself, been an original member;--and Wharton had been one of those
who had hoped to find in the club a stepping-stone to high political life,
and who now talked often with idle energy of the need for organization.
'For myself,' said Lopez, 'I can conceive no vainer object of ambition
than a seat in the British Parliament. What does any man gain by it?
The few are successful work very hard for little pay and no thanks,--or
nearly equally hard for no pay and as little thanks. The many who fail
sit idly for hours, undergoing the weary task of listening to platitudes,
and enjoy in return the now absolutely valueless privilege of having
MP written on their letters.'

'Somebody must make the laws for the country.'
'I don't see the necessity. I think the country would do uncommonly
well if it were to know that no old law would be altered or new law
made for the next twenty years.'
'You wouldn't have repealed the corn laws?'
'There are no corn laws to repeal now.'
'Nor modify the income tax?'
'I would modify nothing. But at any rate, whether laws are to be altered
or to be left, it is a comfort to me that I need not put my finger into that
pie. There is one benefit indeed in being in the House.'
'You can't be arrested.'
'Well;--that, as far as it goes, and one other. It assists a man in getting a
seat as the director of certain companies. People are still such asses that
they trust a Board of Directors made up of members of Parliament, and
therefore of course members are made welcome. But if you want to get
into the House, why don't you arrange it with your father, instead of
waiting for what the club may do for you?'
'My father wouldn't pay a shilling for such a