I must be in the House to-day
from four till the debate is over. I will be at the Reform
Club from two till half-past three, and will come if you
will send for me, or I will meet you anywhere at any hour
to-morrow morning.
Yours, always, P. F.
No message came to him at the Reform Club, and he was in his seat in
the House by four o'clock. During the debate a note was brought to
him, which ran as follows:--
I have got your letter this moment. Of course we must
meet. I hunt on Tuesday, and go down by the early train;
but I will come to town on Wednesday. We shall require to
be private, and I will therefore be at your rooms at one
o'clock on that day.--C.
Phineas at once perceived that the note was a hostile note, written
in an angry spirit,--written to one whom the writer did not at the
moment acknowledge to be his friend. This was certainly the case,
whatever Lord Chiltern may have said to his sister as to his
friendship for Phineas. Phineas crushed the note into his pocket, and
of course determined that he would be in his rooms at the hour named.
The debate was opened by a speech from Mr. Mildmay, in which that
gentleman at great length and with much perspicuity explained his
notion of that measure of Parliamentary Reform which he thought to
be necessary.
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