"Here he is," said Lord Marney, "he will answer the question
himself."
Lord Deloraine and Mr Ormsby passed by; the diplomatist
addressed them: "You have not been to the Chamber?"
"No," said Lord Deloraine; "but I hear there is hot work. It
will be late."
"Do you think--," said the diplomatist, and he looked up in
the face of Lord Deloraine.
"I think that in the long run everything will have an end,"
said Lord Deloraine.
"Ah!" said the diplomatist.
"Bah!" said Lord Deloraine as he walked away with Mr Ormsby.
"I remember that fellow--a sort of equivocal attach‚ at Paris,
when we were there with Monmouth at the peace: and now he is a
quasi ambassador, and ribboned and starred to the chin."
"The only stars I have got," said Mr Ormsby demurely, "are
four stars in India stock."
Lady Firebrace and Lady Maud Fitz-Warene were announced: they
had just come from the Commons; a dame and damsel full of
political enthusiasm. Lady Firebrace gave critical reports
and disseminated many contradictory estimates of the result;
Lady Maud talked only of a speech made by Lord Milford, which
from the elaborate noise she made about it, you would have
supposed to have been the oration of the evening; on the
contrary, it had lasted only a few minutes and in a thin house
had been nearly inaudible; but then, as Lady Maud added, "it
was in such good taste!"
Alfred Mountchesney and Lady Joan Fitz-Warene passed Lady
Marney who was speaking to Lord Deloraine.
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