“I beg your pardon.  Of course there are honest men there, and no doubt you are one of them.”

“He is indifferent honest,—­as yet,” said Lady Laura.

“I was speaking of men who go into Parliament to look after Government places,” said Lord Chiltern.

“That is just what I’m doing,” said Phineas.  “Why should not a man serve the Crown?  He has to work very hard for what he earns.”

“I don’t believe that the most of them work at all.  However, I beg your pardon.  I didn’t mean you in particular.”

“Mr. Finn is such a thorough politician that he will never forgive you,” said Lady Laura.

“Yes, I will,” said Phineas, “and I’ll convert him some day.  If he does come into the House, Lady Laura, I suppose he’ll come on the right side?”

“I’ll never go into the House, as you call it,” said Lord Chiltern.  “But, I’ll tell you what; I shall be very happy if you’ll dine with me to-morrow at Moroni’s.  They give you a capital little dinner at Moroni’s, and they’ve the best Chateau Yquem in London.”

“Do,” said Lady Laura, in a whisper.  “Oblige me.”

Phineas was engaged to dine with one of the Vice-Chancellors on the day named.  He had never before dined at the house of this great law luminary, whose acquaintance he had made through Mr. Low, and he had thought a great deal of the occasion.  Mrs. Freemantle had sent him the invitation nearly a fortnight ago, and he understood there was to be an elaborate dinner party.  He did not know it for a fact, but he was in hopes of meeting the expiring Lord Chancellor.  He considered it to be his duty never to throw away such a chance.  He would in all respects have preferred Mr. Freemantle’s dinner in Eaton Place, dull and heavy though it might probably be, to the chance of Lord Chiltern’s companions at Moroni’s.  Whatever might be the faults of our hero, he was not given to what is generally called dissipation by the world at large,—­by which the world means self-indulgence.  He cared not a brass farthing for Moroni’s Chateau Yquem, nor for the wondrously studied repast which he would doubtless find prepared for him at that celebrated establishment in St. James’s Street;—­not a farthing as compared with the chance of meeting so great a man as Lord Moles.  And Lord Chiltern’s friends might probably be just the men whom he would not desire to know.  But Lady Laura’s request overrode everything with him.  She had asked him to oblige her, and of course he would do so.  Had he been going to dine with the incoming Prime Minister, he would have put off his engagement at her request.  He was not quick enough to make an answer without hesitation; but after a moment’s pause he said he should be most happy to dine with Lord Chiltern at Moroni’s.