Lord Alfred made his reply almost in a whisper.  ’If you ask me, I don’t think he could.  If you got him down and trampled on him, you might make him mild.  I don’t think there’s any other way.’

‘You couldn’t speak to him, then?’

‘Not unless I did it with a horsewhip.’

This, coming from Lord Alfred, who was absolutely dependent on the man, was very strong.  Lord Alfred had been much afflicted that morning.  He had spent some hours with his friend, either going about the borough in the open carriage, or standing just behind him at meetings, or sitting close to him in committee-rooms,—­and had been nauseated with Melmotte.  When spoken to about his friend he could not restrain himself.  Lord...