"You have heard of Lord Ribbonville?" said Tadpole in a
suppressed tone.
"No; what?"
"Can't live the day out. How fortunate Sir Robert is! Two
garters to begin with!"
Tadpole had now succeeded in tackling Lord Marney alone; the
other peers were far out of ear-shot. "I don't pretend to be
behind the scenes, my Lord," said the honest gentleman in a
peculiarly confidential tone, and with a glance that spoke
volumes of state secrecy; "but it was said to me to-day,
'Tadpole, if you do chance to meet Lord Marney, you may say
that positively Lord Rambrooke will not have the Buck-
hounds.'"
"All I want," said Lord Marney, "is to see men of character
about her Majesty. This is a domestic country, and the
country expects that no nobleman should take household office
whose private character is not inexpugnable. Now that fellow
Rambrooke keeps a French woman. It is not much known, but it
is a fact."
"Dreadful!" exclaimed Mr Tadpole. "I have no doubt of it.
But he has no chance of the Buck-hounds, you may rely on that.
Private character is to be the basis of the new government.
Since the Reform Act that is a qualification much more
esteemed by the constituency than public services.
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