more so as Mrs. Rolleston was at the further end of the table, hidden from his view by an epergne of fruit and flowers. Julia Featherweight sat near Mr. Frettlby, and chatted to him so persistently that he wished she would become possessed of a dumb devil. Dr. Chinston and Paterson were seated on the other side of the table, and the old colonist, whose name was Valpy, had the post of honor on Mr. Frettlby's right hand. The conversation had turned on to the subject, ever green and fascinating, of politics, and Mr. Rolleston thought it a good opportunity to air his views as to the government of the colony, and to show his wife that he really meant to obey her wish, and become a power in the polittical world.
"By Jove, you know," he said, with a wave of his hand, as though he were addressing the House, "the country is going to the dogs, and all that sort of thing. What we want is a man like Beaconsfield."
"Ah! but you can't pick up a man like that every day," said Frettlby, who was listening with an amused smile to Rolleston's disquisitions.
"Rather a good thing, too," observed Dr. Chinston, dryly. "Genius would become too common."
"Well, when I am elected," said Felix, who had his own views, which modesty forbade him to publish, on the subject of the coming colonial Disraeli, "I will probably form a party."
"To advocate what?" asked Paterson, curiously.
"Oh, well, you see," hesitated Felix, "I haven't drawn up a programme yet, so can't say at present."
"Yes, you can hardly give a performance without a programme," said the doctor, taking a sip of wine, and then everybody laughed.
"And on what are your political opinions founded?" asked Mr. Frettlby, absently, without looking at Felix.
"Oh, you see, I've read the Parliamentary reports and constitutional history, and—and Vivian Grey," said Felix, who began to feel himself somewhat at sea.
"The last of which is what the author called it, a lusus naturæ," observed Chinston. "Don't erect your political schemes on such bubble foundations as there are in that novel, for you won't find a Marquis Carabas out here."
