contention?

_Lady Rod_. O! a vary important one, I assure you;--of no less
consequence, madam, than how an odd trick at whist was lost, or might have
been saved.

_Omnes_. Ha, ha, ha!

_Lady Mac_. Ridiculous!

_Lord Lum_. Ha, ha, ha! my dear Rodolpha, I have seen that very conflict a
thousand times.

_Sir Per_. And so have I, upon honour, my lord.

_Lady Rod_. In another party, Sir Pertinax--ha, ha, ha! we had what
was called the cabinet council, which was composed of a duke and a
haberdasher,--a red hot patriot and a sneering courtier,--a discarded
statesman and his scribbling chaplain,--with a busy, bawling,
muckle-headed, prerogative lawyer;--all of whom were every minute ready to
gang together by the lugs, about the in and the out meenistry--ha, ha, ha!

_Sir Per_. Ha, ha, ha! weel, that is a droll motley cabinet, I vow.--Vary
whimsical upon honour.--But they are aw great politicians at Bath, and
settle a meenistry there with as much ease as they do the tune of a
country dance.

_Lady Rod_. Then, Sir Pertinax, in a retired part of the room--in a bye
corner--snug--we had a Jew and a bishop--