Monk belonged. "I heard of nothing settled," said
Phineas; "but I suppose we are to have a Reform Bill."
"That is a matter of course."
"And I suppose we are not to touch the question of ballot."
"That's the difficulty," said Barrington Erle. "But of course we
shan't touch it as long as Mr. Mildmay is in the Cabinet. He will
never consent to the ballot as First Minister of the Crown."
"Nor would Gresham, or Palliser," said Phineas, who did not choose to
bring forward his greatest gun at first.
"I don't know about Gresham. It is impossible to say what Gresham
might bring himself to do. Gresham is a man who may go any lengths
before he has done. Planty Pall,"--for such was the name by which Mr.
Plantagenet Palliser was ordinarily known among his friends,--"would
of course go with Mr. Mildmay and the Duke."
"And Monk is opposed to the ballot," said Phineas.
"Ah, that's the question. No doubt he has assented to the proposition
of a measure without the ballot; but if there should come a row, and
men like Turnbull demand it, and the London mob kick up a shindy, I
don't know how far Monk would be steady."
"Whatever he says, he'll stick to."
"He is your leader, then?" asked Barrington.
"I don't know that I have a leader. Mr. Mildmay leads our side; and
if anybody leads me, he does.
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