became aware that he ought not to look simply for amusement.  When he entered the drawing-room before dinner, Mr. Monk and Mr. Palliser, and Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Gresham, with sundry others, were standing in a wide group before the fireplace, and among them were Lady Glencora Palliser and Lady Laura and Mrs. Bonteen.  As he approached them it seemed as though a sort of opening was made for himself; but he could see, though others did not, that the movement came from Lady Laura.

“I believe, Mr. Monk,” said Lady Glencora, “that you and I are the only two in the whole party who really know what we would be at.”

“If I must be divided from so many of my friends,” said Mr. Monk, “I am happy to go astray in the company of Lady Glencora Palliser.”

“And might I ask,” said Mr. Gresham, with a peculiar smile for which he was famous, “what it is that you and Mr. Monk are really at?”

“Making men and women all equal,” said Lady Glencora.  “That I take to be the gist of our political theory.”

“Lady Glencora, I must cry off,” said Mr. Monk.

“Yes;—­no doubt.  If I were in the Cabinet myself I should not admit so much.  There are reticences,—­of course.  And there is an official discretion.”

“But you don’t mean to say, Lady Glencora, that you would really advocate equality?” said Mrs. Bonteen.

“I do mean to say so, Mrs. Bonteen.  And I mean to go further, and to tell you that you are no Liberal at heart unless you do so likewise; unless that is the basis of your political aspirations.”

“Pray let me speak for myself, Lady Glencora.”

“By no means,—­not when you are criticising me and my politics.  Do you not wish to make the lower orders comfortable?”

“Certainly,” said Mrs. Bonteen.

“And educated, and happy and good?”

“Undoubtedly.”

“To make them as comfortable and as good as yourself?”

“Better if possible.”

“And I’m sure you wish to make yourself as good and as comfortable as anybody else,—­as those above you, if anybody is above you?  You will admit that?”

“Yes;—­if I understand you.”

“Then you have admitted everything, and are an advocate for general equality,—­just as Mr. Monk is, and as I am.  There is no getting out of it;—­is there, Mr. Kennedy?” Then dinner was announced, and Mr. Kennedy walked off with the French Republican on his arm.  As she went, she whispered into Mr. Kennedy’s ear, “You will understand me.  I am not saying that people are equal; but that the tendency of all law-making and of all governing should be to reduce the inequalities.”  In answer to which Mr. Kennedy said not a word.  Lady Glencora’s politics were too fast and furious for his nature.