Secretaryship was now secure, particularly as he was the son of a noble
Lord who had also in a public capacity plundered and blundered in the good
old time. The true political adventurer, who with dull desperation had
stuck at nothing, had never neglected a treasury note, had been present at
every division, never spoke when he was asked to be silent, and was always
ready on any subject when they wanted him to open his mouth; who had
treated his leaders with servility even behind their backs, and was happy
for the day if a future Secretary of the Treasury bowed to him; who had
not only discountenanced discontent in the party, but had regularly
reported in strict confidence every instance of insubordination which came
to his knowledge; might there too be detected under all the agonies of the
crisis; just beginning to feel the dread misgiving, whether being a slave
and a sneak were sufficient qualifications for office, without family or
connection. Poor fellow! half the industry he had wasted on his cheerless
craft might have made his fortune in some decent trade!

In dazzling contrast with these throes of low ambition, were some
brilliant personages who had just scampered up from Melton, thinking it
probable that Sir Robert might want some moral lords of the bed-chamber.
Whatever may have been their private fears or feelings, all however seemed
smiling and significant, as if they knew something if they chose to tell
it, and that something very much to their own satisfaction. The only grave
countenance that was occasionally ushered into the room belonged to some
individual whose destiny was not in doubt, and who was already practising
the official air that was in future to repress the familiarity of his
former fellow-stragglers.

'Do you hear anything?' said a great noble who wanted something in the
general scramble, but what he knew not; only he had a vague feeling he
ought to have something, having made such great sacrifices.