But Mrs. Low was as severe upon him as Mr. Bunce had been, and even from Mr. Low he could extract no real comfort.  “Of course I congratulate you,” said Mr. Low coldly.

“And you, Mrs. Low?”

“Well, you know, Mr. Finn, I think you have begun at the wrong end.  I thought so before, and I think so still.  I suppose I ought not to say so to a Lord of the Treasury, but if you ask me, what can I do?”

“Speak the truth out, of course.”

“Exactly.  That’s what I must do.  Well, the truth is, Mr. Finn, that I do not think it is a very good opening for a young man to be made what they call a Lord of the Treasury,—­unless he has got a private fortune, you know, to support that kind of life.”

“You see, Phineas, a ministry is such an uncertain thing,” said Mr. Low.

“Of course it’s uncertain;—­but as I did go into the House, it’s something to have succeeded.”

“If you call that success,” said Mrs. Low.

“You did intend to go on with your profession,” said Mr. Low.  He could not tell them that he had changed his mind, and that he meant to marry Violet Effingham, who would much prefer a parliamentary life for her husband to that of a working barrister.  “I suppose that is all given up now,” continued Mr. Low.

“Just for the present,” said Phineas.

“Yes;—­and for ever I fear,” said Mrs. Low, “You’ll never go back to real work after frittering away your time as a Lord of the Treasury.  What sort of work must it be when just anybody can do it that it suits them to lay hold of?  But of course a thousand a year is something, though a man may have it for only six months.”

It came out in the course of the evening that Mr. Low was going to stand for the borough vacated by Mr. Mottram, at which it was considered that the Conservatives might possibly prevail.  “You see, after all, Phineas,” said Mr. Low, “that I am following your steps.”

“Ah; you are going into the House in the course of your profession.”

“Just so,” said Mrs. Low.

“And are taking the first step towards being a Tory
Attorney-General.”

“That’s as may be,” said Mr. Low.  “But it’s the kind of thing a man does after twenty years of hard work.  For myself, I really don’t care much whether I succeed or fail.  I should like to live to be a Vice-Chancellor.  I don’t mind saying as much as that to you.  But I’m not at all sure that Parliament is the best way to the Equity Bench.”

“But it is a grand thing to get into Parliament when you do it by means of your profession,” said Mrs. Low.