Chapter 12

trebell.Can your cousins and aunts make it so awkward for you, Horsham?

horsham.[Repaying humour with humour.] I bear up against their affectionate attentions.

trebell.But I quite understand how uncongenial I may be. What made you take up with me at all?

farrant.Your brains, Trebell.

trebell.He should have enquired into my character first, shouldn't he, Cantelupe?

cantelupe.[With crushing sincerity.] Yes.

trebell.Oh, the old unnecessary choice . . Wisdom or Virtue. We all think we must make it . . and we all discover we can't. But if you've to choose between Cantelupe and me, Horsham, I quite see you've no choice.

horshamnow takes the field, using his own weapons.

horsham.Charles, it seems to me that we are somewhat in the position of men who have overheard a private conversation. Do you feel justified in making public use of it?

cantelupe.It is not I who am judge. God knows I would not sit in judgment upon anyone.

trebell.Cantelupe, I'll take your personal judgment if you can give it me.

farrant.Good Lord, Cantelupe, didn't you sit in a cabinet with . . Well, we're not here to rake up old scandals.

blackborough.I am concerned with the practical issue.

horsham.We know, Blackborough. [Having quelled the interruption he proceeds.] Charles, you spoke, I think, of a mortal sin.

cantelupe.In spite of your lifted eyebrows at the childishness of the word.

horsham.Theoretically, we must all wish to guide ourselves by eternal truths. But you would admit, wouldn't you, that we can only deal with temporal things?

cantelupe.[Writhing slightly under the sceptical cross-examination.] There are divine laws laid down for our guidance . . I admit no disbelief in them.

horsham.Do they place any time-limit to the effect of a mortal sin? If this affair were twenty years old would you do as you are doing? Can you forecast the opinion you will have of it six months hence?

cantelupe.[Positively.] Yes.

horsham.Can you? Nevertheless I wish you had postponed your decision even till to-morrow.

Having made his point he looks round almost for approval.

blackborough.What had Percival to say on the subject, Farrant?

farrant.I was only to make use of his opinion under certain circumstances.

blackborough.So it isn't favourable to your remaining with us, Mr. Trebell.

farrant.[Indignantly emerging from the trap.] I never said that.

Nowtrebellgives the matter another turn, very forcefully.

trebell.Horsham . . I don't bow politely and stand aside at this juncture as a gentleman should, because I want to know how the work's to be done if I leave you what I was to do.

blackborough.Are we so incompetent?

trebell.I daresay not. I want to know . . that's all.

cantelupe.Please understand, Mr. Trebell, that I have in no way altered my good opinion of your proposals.

blackborough.Well, I beg to remind you, Horsham, that from the first I've reserved myself liberty to criticise fundamental points in the scheme.

horsham.[Pacifically.] Quite so . . quite so.

blackborough.That nonsensical new standard of teachers' salaries for one thing . . you'd never pass it.

horsham.Quite easily. It's an administrative point, so leave the legislation vague. Then, as the appropriation money falls in, the qualifications rise and the salaries rise. No one will object because no one will appreciate it but administrators past or future . . and they never cavil at money. [He remains lost in the beauty of this prospect.]

trebell.Will you take charge of the bill, Blackborough?

blackborough.Are you serious?

horsham.[Brought to earth.] Oh no! [He corrects himself smiling.] I mean, my dear Blackborough, why not stick to the Colonies?

blackborough.You see, Trebell, there's still the possibility that O'Connell may finally spike your gun to-morrow. You realise that, don't you?

trebell.Thank you. I quite realise that.

cantelupe.Can nothing further be done?

blackborough.Weren't we doing our best?

horsham.Yes . . if we were bending our thoughts to that difficulty now . . .

trebell.[Hardly.] May I ask you to interfere on my behalf no further?

farrant.My dear Trebell!

trebell.I assure you that I am interested in the Disestablishment Bill.

So they turn readily enough from the more uncomfortable part of their subject.

blackborough.Well . . here's Farrant.

farrant.I'm no good. Give me Agriculture.

blackborough.Pity you're in the Lords, Horsham.

trebell.Horsham, I'll devil for any man you choose to name . . feed him sentence by sentence. . .

horsham.That's impossible.

trebell.Well, what's to become of my bill? I want to know.

blackborough.[Casting his care on Providence.] Weshall manage somehow. Why, if you had died suddenly . . or let us say, never been born. . .

trebell.Then, Blackborough . . speaking as a dying man . . if you go back on the integrity of this scheme, I'll haunt you. [Having said this with some finality, he turns his back.]

cantelupe.Cyril, I agree with what Trebell is saying. Whatever happens there must be no tampering with the comprehensiveness of the scheme. Remember you are in the hands of the extremists . . on both sides. I won't support a compromise on one . . nor will they on the other.

horsham.Well, I'll confess to you candidly, Trebell, that I don't know of any man available for this piece of work but you.

trebell.Then I should say it would be almost a relief to you if O'Connell tells on me to-morrow.

farrant.We seem to have got off that subject altogether. [There comes a portentous tap at the door.] Good Lord! . . I'm getting jumpy.

horsham.Excuse me.

A note is handed to him through the half opened door; and obviously it is atedmundswhom he frowns. Then he returns fidgetting for his glasses.

Oh, it turns out . . I'm so sorry you were blundered in here, Trebell . . this man . . what's his name . . Edwards . . had been reading the papers and thought it was a cabinet council . . seemed proud of himself. This is from Wedgecroft . . scribbled in a messenger office. I never can read his writing . . it's like prescriptions. Can you?

It has gradually dawned on the three men and then ontrebellwhat this note may have in it.farrant'shand even trembles a little as he takes it. He gathers the meaning himself and looks at the others with a smile before he reads the few words aloud.

farrant."All right. He has promised."

blackborough.O'Connell?

farrant.Thank God. [He turns enthusiastically totrebellwho stands rigid.] My dear fellow . . I hope you know how glad I am.

cantelupe.I am very glad.

blackborough.Of course we're all very glad indeed, Trebell . . very glad we persuaded him.

farrant.That's dead and buried now, isn't it?

trebellmoves away from them all and leaves them wondering. When he turns round his face is as hard as ever; his voice, if possible, harder.

trebell.But, Horsham, returning to the more important question . . you've taken trouble, and O'Connell's to perjure himself for nothing if you still can't get me into your child's puzzle . . to make the pretty picture that a Cabinet should be.

horshamlooks atblackboroughand scents danger.

horsham.We shall all be glad, I am sure, to postpone any further discussion. . .

trebell.I shall not.

blackborough.[Encouragingly.] Quite so, Trebell. We're on the subject, and it won't discount our pleasure that you're out of this mess, to continue it. This habit of putting off the hour of disagreement is . . well, Horsham, it's contrary to my business instincts.

trebell.If one time's as good as another for you . . this moment is better than most for me.

horsham.[A little irritated at the wantonness of this dispute.] There is nothing before us on which we are capable of coming to any decision . . in a technical sense.

blackborough.That's a quibble. [Poorhorshamgasps.] I'm not going to pretend either now or in a month's time that I think Trebell anything but a most dangerous acquisition to the party. I pay you a compliment in that, Trebell. Now, Horsham proposes that we should go to the country when Disestablishment's through.

horsham.It's the condition of Nonconformist support.

blackborough.One condition. Then you'd leave us, Trebell?

horsham.I hope not.

blackborough.And carry with you the credit of our one big measure. Consider the effect upon our reputation with the Country.

farrant.[Waking toblackborough'sline of action.] Why on earth should you leave us, Trebell? You've hardly been a Liberal, even in name.

blackborough.[Vigorously making his point.] Then what would be the conditions of your remaining? You're not a party man, Trebell. You haven't the true party feeling. You are to be bought. Of course you take your price in measures, not in money. But you are preeminently a man of ideas . . an expert. And a man of ideas is often a grave embarrassment to a government.

horsham.And vice-versa . . vice-versa!

trebell.[Facingblackboroughacross the room.] Do I understand that you for the good of the Tory party . . just as Cantelupe for the good of his soul . . will refuse to sit in a cabinet with me.

blackborough.[Unembarrassed.] I don't commit myself to saying that.

cantelupe.No, Trebell . . it's that I must believe your work could not prosper . . in God's way.

trebellsoftens to his sincerity.

trebell.Cantelupe, I quite understand. You may be right . . it's a very interesting question. Blackborough, I take it that you object first of all to the scheme that I'm bringing you.

blackborough.I object to those parts of it which I don't think you'll get through the House.

farrant.[Feeling that he must take part.] For instance?

blackborough.I've given you one already.

cantelupe.[His eye onblackborough.] Understand there are things in that scheme we must stand or fall by.

Suddenlytrebellmakes for the door.horshamgets up concernedly.

trebell.Horsham, make up your mind to-night whether you can do with me or not. I have to see Percival again to-morrow . . we cut short our argument at the important point. Good-bye . . don't come down. Will you decide to-night?

horsham.I have made up my own mind.

trebell.Is that sufficient?

horsham.A collective decision is a matter of development.

trebell.Well, I shall expect to hear.

horsham.By hurrying one only reaches a rash conclusion.

trebell.Then be rash for once and take the consequences. Good-night.

He is gone beforehorshamcan compose another epigram.

blackborough.[Deprecating such conduct.] Lost his temper!

farrant.[Ruffling considerably.] Horsham, if Trebell is to be hounded out of your cabinet . . he won't go alone.

horsham.[Bitter-sweet.] My dear Farrant . . I have yet to form my cabinet.

cantelupe.You are forming it to carry disestablishment, are you not, Cyril? Therefore you will form it in the best interests of the best scheme possible.

horsham.Trebell was and is the best man I know of for the purpose. I'm a little weary of saying that.

He folds his arms and awaits further developments. After a momentcantelupegets up as if to address a meeting.

cantelupe.Then if you would prefer not to include me . . I shall feel justified in giving independent support to a scheme I have great faith in. [And he sits down again.]

blackborough.[Impatiently.] My dear Cantelupe, if you think Horsham can form a disestablishment cabinet to include Trebell and exclude you, you're vastly mistaken. I for one . . .

farrant.But do both of you consider how valuable, how vital Trebell is to us just at this moment? The Radicals trust him. . .

blackborough.They hate him.

horsham.[Elucidating.] Their front bench hates him because he turned them out. The rest of them hate their front bench. After six years of office, who wouldn't?

blackborough.That's true.

farrant.Oh, of course, we must stick to Trebell, Blackborough.

blackboroughis silent; sohorshamturns his attention to his cousin.

horsham.Well, Charles, I won't ask you for a decision now. I know how hard it is to accept the dictates of other men's consciences . . but a necessary condition of all political work; believe me.

cantelupe.[Uneasily.] You can form your cabinet without me, Cyril.

At thisblackboroughcharges down on them, so to speak.

blackborough.No, I tell you, I'm damned if he can. Leaving the whole high church party to blackmail all they can out of us and vote how they like! Here . . I've got my Yorkshire people to think of. I can bargain for them with you in a cabinet . . not if you've the pull of being out of it.

horsham.[With charming insinuation.] And have you calculated, Blackborough, what may become of us if Trebell has the pull of being out of it?

blackboroughmakes a face.

blackborough.Yes . . I suppose he might turn nasty.

farrant.I should hope he would.

blackborough.[Tacklingfarrantwith great ease.] I should hope he would consider the matter not from the personal, but from the political point of view . . as I am trying to do.

horsham.[Tasting his epigram with enjoyment.] Introspection is the only bar to such an honourable endeavour, [blackboroughgapes.] You don't suffer from that as—for instance—Charles here, does.

blackborough.[Pugnaciously.] D'you mean I'm just pretending not to attack him personally?

horsham.[Safe on his own ground.] It's only a curious metaphysical point. Have you never noticed your distaste for the colour of a man's hair translate itself ultimately into an objection to his religious opinions . . or what not? I am sure—for instance—I could trace Charles's scruples about sitting in a cabinet with Trebell back to a sort of academic reverence for women generally which he possesses. I am sure I could . . if he were not probably now doing it himself. But this does not make the scruples less real, less religious, or less political. We must be humanly biased in expression . . or not express ourselves.

blackborough.[Whose thoughts have wandered.] The man's less of a danger than he was . . I mean he'll be alone. The Liberals won't have him back. He smashed his following there to come over to us.

farrant.[Giving a further meaning to this.] Yes, Blackborough, he did.

blackborough.To gain his own ends! Oh, my dear Horsham, can't you see that if O'Connell had blabbed to-morrow it really would have been a blessing in disguise? I don't pretend to Cantelupe's standard . . but there must be something radically wrong with a man who could gethimself into such a mess as that . . now mustn't there? Ah! . . you have a fatal partiality for clever people. I tell you . . though this might be patched up . . Trebell would fail us in some other way before we were six months older.

This speech has its effect; buthorshamlooks at him a little sternly.

horsham.And am I to conclude that you don't want Charles to change his mind?

blackborough.[On another tack.] Farrant has not yet allowed us to hear Percival's opinion.

farrantlooks rather alarmed.

farrant.It has very little reference to the scandal.

blackborough.As that is at an end . . all the more reason we should hear it.

horsham.[Ranging himself withfarrant.] I called this quite informal meeting, Blackborough, only to dispose of the scandal, if possible.

blackborough.Well, of course, if Farrant chooses to insult Percival so gratuitously by burking his message to us . .

There is an unspoken threat in this.horshamsees it and without disguising his irritation. . .

horsham.Let us have it, Farrant.

farrant.[With a sort of puzzled discontent.] Well . . I never got to telling him of the O'Connell affair at all. He started talking to me . . saying that he couldn't for a moment agree to Trebell's proposals for the finance of his bill . . I couldn't get a word in edgeways. Then his wife came up. . .

horshamtakes something in this so seriously that he actually interrupts.

horsham.Does he definitely disagree? What is his point?

farrant.He says Disestablishment's a bad enough speculation for the party as it is.

blackborough.It is inevitable.

farrant.He sees that. But then he says . . to go to the country again having bolstered up Education and quarrelled with everybody will be bad enough . . to go having spent fifty millions on it will dish us all for our lifetimes.

horsham.What does he propose?

farrant.He'll offer to draft another bill and take it through himself. He says . . do as many good turns as we can with the money . . don't put it all on one horse.

blackborough.He's your man, Horsham. That's one difficulty settled.

horsham'sthoughts are evidently beyondblackborough,beyond the absentpercivaleven.

horsham.Oh . . any of us could carry that sort of a bill.

cantelupehas heard this last passage with nothing less than horror and pale anger, which he contains no longer.

cantelupe.I won't have this. I won't have this opportunity frittered away for party purposes.

blackborough.[Expostulating reasonably.] My dear Cantelupe . . you'll get whatever you think it right for the Church to have. You carry a solid thirty eight votes with you.

horsham'ssmooth voice intervenes. He speaks with finesse.

horsham.Percival, as an old campaigner, expresses himself very roughly. The point is, that we are after all only the trustees of the party. If we know that a certain step will decimate it . . clearly we have no right to take the step.

cantelupe.[Glowing to white heat.] Is this a time to count the consequences to ourselves?

horsham.[Unkindly.] By your action this evening, Charles, you evidently think not. [He salves the wound.]No matter, I agree with you . . the bill should be a comprehensive one, whoever brings it in.

blackborough.[Not without enjoyment of the situation.] Whoever brings it in will have to knuckle under to Percival over its finance.

farrant.Trebell won't do that. I warned Percival.

horsham.Then what did he say?

farrant.He only swore.

horshamsuddenly becomes peevish.

horsham.I think, Farrant, you should have given me this message before.

farrant.My dear Horsham, what had it to do with our request to O'Connell?

horsham.[Scolding the company generally.] Well then, I wish he hadn't sent it. I wish we were not discussing these points at all. The proper time for them is at a cabinet meeting. And when we have actually assumed the responsibilities of government . . then threats of resignation are not things to be played about with.

farrant.Did you expect Percival's objection to the finance of the scheme?

horsham.Perhaps . . perhaps. I knew Trebell was to see him last Tuesday. I expect everybody's objections to any parts of every scheme to come at a time when I am in a proper position to reconcile them . . not now.

Having vented his grievances he sits down to recover.blackboroughtakes advantage of the ensuing pause.

blackborough.It isn't so easy for me to speak against Trebell, since he evidently dislikes me personally as much as I dislike him . . but I'm sure I'm doing my duty. Horsham . . here you have Cantelupe who won't stand in with the man, and Percival who won't stand in with his measure, while I would sooner stand in with neither. Isn't it better to face the situation now than take trouble to form the most makeshift of Cabinets, and if that doesn't goto pieces, be voted down in the House by your own party?

There is an oppressive silence.horshamis sulky. The matter is beyondfarrant.cantelupewhose agonies have expressed themselves in slight writhings, at last, with an effort, writhes himself to his feet.

cantelupe.I think I am prepared to reconsider my decision.

farrant.That's all right then!

He looks round wonderingly for the rest of the chorus to find that neitherblackboroughnorhorshamhave stirred.

blackborough.[Stealthily.] Is it, Horsham?

horsham.[Sotto voce.] Why did you ever make it?

blackboroughleaves him forcantelupe.

blackborough.You're afraid for the integrity of the bill.

cantelupe.It must be comprehensive . . that's vital.

blackborough.[Very forcefully.] I give you my word to support its integrity, if you'll keep with me in persuading Horsham that the inclusion of Trebell in his cabinet will be a blow to the whole Conservative Cause. Horsham, I implore you not to pursue this short-sighted policy. All parties have made up their minds to Disestablishment . . surely nothing should be easier than to frame a bill which will please all parties.

farrant.[At last perceiving the drift of all this.] But good Lord, Blackborough . . now Cantelupe has come round and will stand in . . .

blackborough.That's no longer the point. And what's all this nonsense about going to the country again next year?

horsham.[Mildly.] After consulting me Percival said at Bristol. . .

blackborough.[Quite unchecked.] I know. But if we pursue a thoroughly safe policy and the bye-elections go right . . there need be no vote of censure carried forthree or four years. The Radicals want a rest with the country and they know it. And one has no right, what's more, to go wantonly plunging the country into the expenses of these constant general elections. It ruins trade.

farrant.[Forlornly sticking to his point.] What has all this to do with Trebell?

horsham.[Thoughtfully.] Farrant, beyond what you've told us, Percival didn't recommend me to throw him over.

farrant.No, he didn't . . that is, he didn't exactly.

horsham.Well . . he didn't?

farrant.I'm trying to be accurate! [Obviously their nerves are now on edge.] He said we should find him tough to assimilate—as he warned you.

horshamwith knit brows, loses himself in thought again.blackboroughquietly turns his attention tofarrant.

blackborough.Farrant, you don't seriously think that . . outside his undoubted capabilities . . Trebell is an acquisition to the party?

farrant.[Unwillingly.] Perhaps not. But if you're going to chuck a man . . don't chuck him when he's down.

blackborough.He's no longer down. We've got him O'Connell's promise and jolly grateful he ought to be. I think the least we can do is to keep our minds clear between Trebell's advantage and the party's.

cantelupe.[From the distant music-stool.] And the party's and the Country's.

blackborough.[Countering quite deftly.] Cantelupe, either we think it best for the country to have our party in power or we don't.

farrant.[In judicious temper.] Certainly, I don't feel our responsibility towards him is what it was ten minutes ago. The man has other careers besides his political one.

blackborough.[Ready to praise.] Clever as paint at the Bar—best Company lawyer we've got.

cantelupe.It is not what he loses, I think . . but what we lose in losing him.

He says this so earnestly thathorshampays attention.

horsham.No, my dear Charles, let us be practical. If his position with us is to be made impossible it is better that he shouldn't assume it.

blackborough.[Soft and friendly.] How far are you actually pledged to him?

horshamlooks up with the most ingenuous of smiles.

horsham.That's always such a difficult sort of point to determine, isn't it? He thinks he is to join us. But I've not yet been commanded to form a cabinet. If neither you—nor Percival—nor perhaps others will work with him . . what am I to do? [He appeals to them generally to justify this attitude.]

blackborough.He no longer thinks he's to join us . . it's the question he left us to decide.

He leaveshorsham,whose perplexity is diminishing.farrantmakes an effort.

farrant.But the scandal won't weaken his position with us now. There won't be any scandal . . there won't, Blackborough.

horsham.There may be. Though, I take it we're all guiltless of having mentioned the matter.

blackborough.[Very detached.] I've only known of it since I came into this house . . but I shall not mention it.

farrant.Oh, I'm afraid my wife knows. [He adds hastily.] My fault . . my fault entirely.

blackborough.I tell you Rumour's electric.

horshamhas turned tofarrantwith a sweet smile and with the air of a man about to be relieved of all responsibility.

horsham.What does she say?

farrant.[As one speaks of a nice woman.] She was horrified.

horsham.Of course. [Once more he finds refuge and comfort on the hearthrug, to say, after a moment, with fine resignation.] I suppose I must let him go.

cantelupe.[On his feet again.] Cyril!

horsham.Yes, Charles?

With this query he turns an accusing eye oncantelupe,who is silenced.

blackborough.Have you made up your mind to that?

farrant.[In great distress.] You're wrong, Horsham. [Then in greater.] That is . . Ithinkyou're wrong.

horsham.I'd sooner not let him know to-night.

blackborough.But he asked you to.

horsham.[All show of resistance gone.] Did he? Then I suppose I must. [He sighs deeply.]

blackborough.Then I'll get back to Aylesbury.

He picks up his motor-cap from the table and settles it on his head with immense aplomb.

horsham.So late?

blackborough.Really one can get along quicker at night if one knows the road. You're in town, aren't you, Farrant? Shall I drop you at Grosvenor Square?

farrant.[Ungraciously.] Thank you.

blackborough.[With a conqueror's geniality.] I don't mind telling you now, Horsham, that ever since we met at Shapters I've been wondering how you'd escape from this association with Trebell. Thought he was being very clever when he crossed the House to us! It's needed a special providence. You'd never have got a cabinet together to include him.

horsham.[With much intention.] No.

farrant.[Miserably.] Yes, I suppose that intrigue was a mistake from the beginning.

blackborough.Well, good-night. [As he turns to gohe findscantelupeupright, staring very sternly at him.] Good-night, Cantelupe.

cantelupe.From what motives have we thrown Trebell over?

blackborough.Never mind the motives if the move is the right one. [Then he nods athorsham.] I shall be up again next week if you want me.

And he flourishes out of the room; a man who has done a good hour's work.farrant,who has been mooning depressedly around, now backs towards the door.

farrant.In one way, of course, Trebell won't care a damn. I mean, he knows as well as we do that office isn't worth having . . he has never been a place-hunter. On the other hand . . what with one thing and the other . . Blackborough is a sensible fellow. I suppose it can't be helped.

horsham.Blackborough will tell you so. Good-night.

Sofarrantdeparts, leaving the two cousins together.cantelupehas not moved and now faceshorshamjust as accusingly.

cantelupe.Cyril, this is tragic.

horsham.[More to himself than in answer.] Yes . . most annoying.

cantelupe.Lucifer, son of the morning! Why is it always the highest who fall?

horshamshies fastidiously at this touch of poetry.

horsham.No, my dear Charles, let us above all things keep our mental balance. Trebell is a most capable fellow. I'd set my heart on having him with me . . he'll be most awkward to deal with in opposition. But we shall survive his loss and so would the country.

cantelupe.[Desperately.] Cyril, promise me there shall be no compromise over this measure.

horsham.[Charmingly candid.] No . . no unnecessary compromise, I promise you.

cantelupe.[With a sigh.] If we had done what we have done to-night in the right spirit! Blackborough was almost vindictive.

horsham.[Smiling without amusement.] Didn't you keep thinking . . I did . . of that affair of his with Mrs. Parkington . . years ago?

cantelupe.There was never any proof of it.

horsham.No . . he bought off the husband.

cantelupe.[Uneasily.] His objections to Trebell were—political.

horsham.Yours weren't.

cantelupe.[More uneasily still.] I withdrew mine.

horsham.[With elderly reproof.] I don't think, Charles, you have the least conception of what a nicely balanced machine a cabinet is.

cantelupe.[Imploring comfort.] But should we have held together through Trebell's bill?

horsham.[A little impatient.] Perhaps not. But once I had them all round a table . . Trebell is very keen on office for all his independent airs . . he and Percival could have argued the thing out. However, it's too late now.

cantelupe.Is it?

For a momenthorshamis tempted to indulge in the luxury of changing his mind; but he puts Satan behind him with a shake of the head.

horsham.Well, you see . . Percival I can't do without. Now that Blackborough knows of his objections to the finance he'd go to him and take Chisholm and offer to back them up. I know he would . . he didn't take Farrant away with him for nothing. [Then he flashes out rather shrilly.] It's Trebell's own fault. He ought not to have committed himself definitely to any scheme until he was safely in office. I warned him about Percival . . I warned him not to be explicit. One cannot work withmen who will make up their minds prematurely. No, I shall not change my mind. I shall write to him.

He goes firmly to his writing desk leavingcantelupeforlorn.

cantelupe.What about a messenger?

horsham.Not at this time of night. I'll post it.

cantelupe.I'll post it as I go.

He seeks comfort again in the piano and this time starts to play, with one finger and some hesitation, the first bars of a Bach fugue.horsham'spen-nib is disappointing him and the letter is not easy to phrase.

horsham.But I hate coming to immediate decisions. The administrative part of my brain always tires after half an hour. Does yours, Charles?

cantelupe.What do you think Trebell will do now?

horsham.[A little grimly.] Punish us all he can.

On reaching the second voice in the fuguecantelupe'svirtuosity breaks down.

cantelupe.All that ability turned to destructiveness . . what a pity! That's the paradox of human activities . .

Suddenlyhorshamlooks up and his face is lighted with a seraphic smile.

horsham.Charles . . I wish we could do without Blackborough.

cantelupe.[Struck with the idea.] Well . . why not?

horsham.Yes . . I must think about it. [They both get up, cheered considerably.] You won't forget this, will you?

cantelupe.[The letter inhorsham'shand accusing him.] No . . no. I don't think I have been the cause of your dropping Trebell, have I?

horsham,rid of the letter, is rid of responsibility and his charming equable self again. He comforts his cousin paternally.

horsham.I don't think so. The split would havecome when Blackborough checkmated my forming a cabinet. It would have pleased him to do that . . and he could have, over Trebell. But now that question's out of the way . . you won't get such a bad measure with Trebell in opposition. He'll frighten us into keeping it up to the mark, so to speak.

cantelupe.[A little comforted.] But I shall miss one or two of those ideas . .

horsham.[So pleasantly sceptical.] Do you think they'd have outlasted the second reading? Dullness in the country one expects. Dullness in the House one can cope with. But do you know, I have never sat in a cabinet yet that didn't greet anything like a new idea in chilling silence.

cantelupe.Well, I should regret to have caused you trouble, Cyril.

horsham.[His hand on the other's shoulder.] Oh . . we don't take politics so much to heart as that, I hope.

cantelupe.[With sweet gravity.] I take politics very much to heart. Yes, I know what you mean . . but that's the sort of remark that makes people call you cynical. [horshamsmiles as if at a compliment and starts withcantelupetowards the door.cantelupe,who would not hurt his feelings, changes the subject.] By the bye, I'm glad we met this evening! Do you hear Aunt Mary wants to sell the Burford Holbein? Can she?

horsham.[Taking as keen, but no keener, an interest in this than in the difficulty he has just surmounted.] Yes, by the will she can, but she mustn't. Dear me, I thought I'd put a stop to that foolishness. Well now, we must take that matter up very seriously. . .

They go out talking arm in arm.

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