Phineas found a moment, before he left Lord Brentford’s
house, to say a word to Lady Laura as to the commission
that had been given to him. “It can never
be,” said Lady Laura, shuddering;—“never,
never, never!”
“You are not angry with me for speaking?”
“Oh, no—not if he told you.”
“He made me promise that I would.”
“Tell him it cannot be. Tell him that if
he has any instruction to send me as to what he considers
to be my duty, I will endeavour to comply, if that
duty can be done apart. I will recognize him so
far, because of my vow. But not even for the sake
of my vow, will I endeavour to live with him.
His presence would kill me!”
When Phineas repeated this, or as much of this as
he judged to be necessary, to Mr. Kennedy a day or
two afterwards, that gentleman replied that in such
case he would have no alternative but to seek redress
at law. “I have done nothing to my wife,”
said he, “of which I need be ashamed. It
will be sad, no doubt, to have all our affairs bandied
about in court, and made the subject of comment in
newspapers, but a man must go through that, or worse
than that, in the vindication of his rights, and for
the performance of his duty to his Maker.”
That very day Mr. Kennedy went to his lawyer, and desired
that steps might be taken for the restitution to him
of his conjugal rights.
The Temptress
Mr. Monk’s bill was read the first time before
Easter, and Phineas Finn still held his office.
He had spoken to the Prime Minister once on the subject,
and had been surprised at that gentleman’s courtesy;—for
Mr. Gresham had the reputation of being unconciliatory
in his manners, and very prone to resent anything like
desertion from that allegiance which was due to himself
as the leader of his party. “You had better
stay where you are and take no step that may be irretrievable,
till you have quite made up your mind,” said
Mr. Gresham.
“I fear I have made up my mind,” said
Phineas.
“Nothing can be done till after Easter,”
replied the great man, “and there is no knowing
how things may go then. I strongly recommend you
to stay with us. If you can do this it will be
only necessary that you shall put your resignation
in Lord Cantrip’s hands before you speak or
vote against us. See Monk and talk it over with
him.” Mr. Gresham possibly imagined that
Mr. Monk might be moved to abandon his bill, when
he saw what injury he was about to do.
At this time Phineas received the following letter
from his darling Mary:—
Floodborough, Thursday.
DEAREST PHINEAS,
