The majority, if they scowled
at him (as was only to be hoped), began to scowl furtively at one another
also and to say that certain questions, on which they were by no means of
one mind, could not permanently be shirked and kept in the background.
Some of them asked what their constituents had sent them to Westminster
for, a question always indicative of perturbation in the parliamentary
mind; in quiet times it is not raised. The Government papers took to
observing that they did not desire to hurry or embarrass the Government,
but that time was running on and it would be no true friendship to advise
it to ignore the feeling which existed among an important, if numerically
small, section of its followers. Altogether at the opening of the session
the majority was much less happy, the minority in far finer feather, than
anybody had expected. Only officialdom or ignorance could refuse the main
credit to Alexander Quisante.
"I declare," said Lady Castlefort--and her opinion was not one to
neglect--"May Gaston was right to take the man after all.
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