CHAPTER8
THEBEGINNINGOFANEWCAREER。
BythetimethattheEasterholidayswereover，——holidayswhichhadbeenusedsoconvenientlyforthemakingofanewgovernment，——theworkofgettingateamtogetherhadbeenaccomplishedbytheunitedenergyofthetwodukesandotherfriends。Thefillingupofthegreatplaceshadbeenbynomeanssodifficultorsotedious，——norindeedthecauseofhalfsomanyheartburns，——asthecompletionofthelistofsubordinates。Noblesseoblige。TheSecretariesofState，andtheChancellors，andtheFirstLords，selectedfromthisortheotherpartyfeltthattheeyesofmankindwereuponthem，andthatitbehovedthemtoassumeavirtueiftheyhaditnot。Theywerehabituallyindifferenttoself-exaltation，andallowedthemselvestobethrustintothisorthatunfittingrole，professingthattheQueen’sGovernmentandthegoodofthecountryweretheironlyconsiderations。LordThriftmadewayforSirOrlandoDroughtattheAdmiralty，becauseitwasfeltonallsidesthatSirOrlandocouldnotjointhenewcompositepartywithoutahighplace。AndthesamegracewasshowninregardtoLordDrummond，whoremainedattheColonies，keepingtheofficetowhichhehadlatelybeentransferredunderMrDaubney。AndSirGregoryGrogramsaidnotaword，whateverhemayhavethought，whenhewastoldthatMrDaubney’sLordChancellor，LordRamsden，wastokeeptheseals。
SirGregorydid，nodoubt，thinkverymuchaboutit，forlegalofficeshaveasignificationdifferingmuchfromthatwhichattachesitselftoplacessimplypolitical。ALordChancellorbecomesapeer，andongoingoutofofficeenjoysalargepension。Whenthewoolsackhasbeenreachedtherecomesanendofdoubt，andabeginningofease。SirGregorywasnotayoungman，andthiswasaterribleblow。Butheboreitmanfully，sayingnotawordwhentheDukespoketohim。buthebecameconvincedfromthatmomentthatnomoreinefficientlawyereversatupontheEnglishbench，oramorepresumptuouspoliticianintheBritishParliament，thanLordRamsden。
Therealstruggle，however，layintheappropriatedistributionoftheRattlers，theRobys，theFitzgibbons，andtheMacphersonsamongthesubordinateofficesofState。MrMacphersonandMrRoby，withahostofotherswhohadbelongedtoMrDaubney，wereprepared，astheydeclaredfromthefirst，tolendtheirassistancetotheDuke。TheyhadconsultedMrDaubneyonthesubject，andMrDaubneytoldthemthattheirdutylayinthatdirection。Atthefirstblushofthematterthearrangementtooktheformofagracioustenderfromthemselvestoastatesmancalledupontoactinverydifficultcircumstances，——andtheywerethankedaccordinglybytheDuke，withsomethingofrealcordialgratitude。Butwhentheactualadjustmentofthingswasinhand，theDuke，havingbutlittlepowerofassumingasoftcountenanceandusingsoftwordswhilehisheartwasbitter，feltonmorethanoneoccasioninclinedtowithdrawhisthanks。Hewasastoundednotsomuchbythepretensionsasbytheunblushingassertionofthesepretensionsinreferencetoplaceswhichhehadbeeninnocentenoughtothinkwerealwaysbestowedatanyratewithoutdirectapplication。HehadmeasuredhimselfrightlywhenhetoldtheolderDukeinoneofthoseanxiousconversationswhichhadbeenheldbeforetheattemptwasmade，thatlongashehadbeeninofficehimselfhedidnotknowwhatwasthewayofbestowingoffice。’Twogentlemenhavebeenherethismorning，’