“And why not?” said Mr. Kennedy.

“My dear!” ejaculated Lady Laura.

“Mr. Quintus Slide will no doubt lose his time and his money;—­but he will gain the prestige of having stood for a borough, which will be something for him on the staff of the People’s Banner,” said Mr. Kennedy.

“He will get that horrid man Vellum to propose him,” said Lady Laura.

“Very likely,” said Mr. Kennedy.  “And the less any of us say about it the better.  Finn, my dear fellow, I congratulate you heartily.  Nothing for a long time has given me greater pleasure than hearing of your appointment.  It is equally honourable to yourself and to Mr. Mildmay.  It is a great step to have gained so early.”

Phineas, as he thanked his friend, could not help asking himself what his friend had done to be made a Cabinet Minister.  Little as he, Phineas, himself had done in the House in his two sessions and a half, Mr. Kennedy had hardly done more in his fifteen or twenty.  But then Mr. Kennedy was possessed of almost miraculous wealth, and owned half a county, whereas he, Phineas, owned almost nothing at all.  Of course no Prime Minister would offer a junior lordship at the Treasury to a man with L30,000 a year.  Soon after this Phineas took his leave.  “I think he will do well,” said Mr. Kennedy to his wife.

“I am sure he will do well,” replied Lady Laura, almost scornfully.

“He is not quite such a black swan with me as he is with you; but still I think he will succeed, if he takes care of himself.  It is astonishing how that absurd story of his duel with Chiltern has got about.”

“It is impossible to prevent people talking,” said Lady Laura.

“I suppose there was some quarrel, though neither of them will tell you.  They say it was about Miss Effingham.  I should hardly think that Finn could have any hopes in that direction.”

“Why should he not have hopes?”

“Because he has neither position, nor money, nor birth,” said Mr. Kennedy.

“He is a gentleman.” said Lady Laura; “and I think he has position.  I do not see why he should not ask any girl to marry him.”

“There is no understanding you, Laura,” said Mr. Kennedy, angrily.  “I thought you had quite other hopes about Miss Effingham.”

“So I have; but that has nothing to do with it.  You spoke of Mr. Finn as though he would be guilty of some crime were he to ask Violet Effingham to be his wife.  In that I disagree with you.  Mr. Finn is—­”

“You will make me sick of the name of Mr. Finn.”

“I am sorry that I offend you by my gratitude to a man who saved your life.”  Mr. Kennedy shook his head.  He knew that the argument used against him was false, but he did not know how to show that he knew that it was false.  “Perhaps I had better not mention his name any more,” continued Lady Laura.

“Nonsense!”

“I quite agree with you that it is nonsense, Robert.”