A few days after this had been arranged, in the interval between
Lord Brentford's invitation and Lord Brentford's dinner, Phineas
encountered Mr. Kennedy so closely in one of the passages of the
House that it was impossible that they should not speak to each
other, unless they were to avoid each other as people do who have
palpably quarrelled. Phineas saw that Mr. Kennedy was hesitating, and
therefore took the bull by the horns. He greeted his former friend
in a friendly fashion, shaking him by the hand, and then prepared
to pass on. But Mr. Kennedy, though he had hesitated at first, now
detained his brother member. "Finn," he said, "if you are not engaged
I should like to speak to you for a moment." Phineas was not engaged,
and allowed himself to be led out arm-in-arm by the late Chancellor
of the Duchy into Westminster Hall. "Of course you know what a
terrible thing has happened to me," said Mr. Kennedy.
"Yes;--I have heard of it," said Phineas.
"Everybody has heard of it. That is one of the terrible cruelties of
such a blow."
"All those things are very bad of course. I was very much
grieved,--because you have both been intimate friends of mine."
"Yes,--yes; we were. Do you ever see her now?"
"Not since last July,--at the Duke's party, you know.
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