Even ministers as they sat to be badgered by the ordinary question-mongers of the day were more intent upon Melmotte than upon their own defence.  ‘Do you know anything about it?’ asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

’I understand that no order has been given for his arrest.  There is a general opinion that he has committed forgery; but I doubt whether they’ve got their evidence together.’

‘He’s a ruined man, I suppose,’ said the Chancellor.  ’I doubt whether he ever was a rich man.  But I’ll tell you what;—­he has been about the grandest rogue we’ve seen yet.  He must have spent over a hundred thousand pounds during the last twelve months on his personal...