They say they
have burnt down above forty houses."
"It is a bad thing--this beating the police," said the grey-
headed gentleman.
"But what is the present state of affairs?" enquired Mr
Berners. "Are the rioters put down?"
"Not in the least," said Mr Egerton, "as I hear. They are
encamped in the Bull Ring amid smoking ruins, and breathe
nothing but havoc."
"Well, I voted for taking the National Petition into
consideration," said Mr Berners. "It could do us no harm, and
would have kept things quiet."
"So did every fellow on our side," said Mr Egerton, "who was
not in office or about to be. Well, Heaven knows what may
come next. The Charter may some day be as popular in this
club as the Reform Act."
"The oddest thing in that debate," said Mr Berners, "was
Egremont's move."
"I saw Marney last night at Lady St Julians," said Mr Egerton,
"and congratulated him on his brother's speech. He looked
daggers, and grinned like a ghoul."
"It was a very remarkable speech--that of Egremont," said the
grey-headed gentleman. "I wonder what he wants."
"I think he must be going to turn radical," said the
Warwickshire peer.
"Why the whole speech was against radicalism," said Mr
Egerton.
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