December was half over before he saw Lord Cantrip.  “Yes,—­yes;” said Lord Cantrip, when the Under-Secretary began to tell his story; “I saw what you were about.  I wish I had been at your elbow.”

“If you knew the country as I know it, you would be as eager about it as I am.”

“Then I can only say that I am very glad that I do not know the country as you know it.  You see, Finn, it’s my idea that if a man wants to make himself useful he should stick to some special kind of work.  With you it’s a thousand pities that you should not do so.”

“You think, then, I ought to resign?”

“I don’t say anything about that.  As you wish it, of course I’ll speak to Gresham.  Monk, I believe, has resigned already.”

“He has written to me, and told me so,” said Phineas.

“I always felt afraid of him for your sake, Finn.  Mr. Monk is a clever man, and as honest a man as any in the House, but I always thought that he was a dangerous friend for you.  However, we will see.  I will speak to Gresham after Christmas.  There is no hurry about it.”

When Parliament met the first great subject of interest was the desertion of Mr. Monk from the Ministry.  He at once took his place below the gangway, sitting as it happened exactly in front of Mr. Turnbull, and there he made his explanation.  Some one opposite asked a question whether a certain right honourable gentleman had not left the Cabinet.  Then Mr. Gresham replied that to his infinite regret his right honourable friend, who lately presided at the Board of Trade, had resigned; and he went on to explain that this resignation had, according to his ideas, been quite unnecessary.  His right honourable friend entertained certain ideas about Irish tenant-right, as to which he himself and his right honourable friend the Secretary for Ireland could not exactly pledge themselves to be in unison with him; but he had thought that the motion might have rested at any rate over this session.  Then Mr. Monk explained, making his first great speech on Irish tenant-right.  He found himself obliged to advocate some immediate measure for giving security to the Irish farmer; and as he could not do so as a member of the Cabinet, he was forced to resign the honour of that position.  He said something also as to the great doubt which had ever weighed on his own mind as to the inexpediency of a man at his time of life submitting himself for the first time to the trammels of office.  This called up Mr. Turnbull, who took the opportunity of saying that he now agreed cordially with his old friend for the first time since that old friend had listened to the blandishments of the ministerial seducer, and that he welcomed his old friend back to those independent benches with great satisfaction.  In this way the debate was very exciting.  Nothing was said which made it then necessary for Phineas to get upon his legs or to declare himself; but he perceived that the time would rapidly come in which he must do so.