From the moment, however, of the announcement of Lord Spencer’s death, a change might be visibly observed in the tone of the party at Beaumanoir. They became silent, moody, and restless. There seemed a general, though not avowed, conviction that a crisis of some kind or other was at hand. The post, too, brought letters every day from town teeming with fanciful speculations, and occasionally mysterious hopes. ‘I kept this cover for Peel,’ said the Duke pensively, as he loaded his gun on the morning of the 14th. ‘Do you know, I was always against his going to Rome.’ ‘It is very odd,’ said Tadpole, ‘but I was thinking of the very same thing.’ ‘It will be fifteen years before England will see a Tory Government,’ said Mr. Rigby, drawing his ramrod, ‘and then it will only last five months.’ ‘Melbourne, Althorp, and Durham, all in the Lords,’ said Taper. ‘Three leaders! They must quarrel.’ ‘If Durham come in, mark me, he will dissolve on Household Suffrage and the Ballot,’ said Tadpole. ‘Not nearly so good a cry as Church,’ replied Taper. ‘With the Malt Tax,’ said Tadpole. ‘Church, without the Malt Tax, will not do against Household Suffrage and Ballot.’ ‘Malt Tax is madness,’ said Taper. ‘A good farmer’s friend cry without Malt Tax would work just as well.’ ‘They will never dissolve,’ said the Duke. ‘They are so strong.’ ‘They cannot go on with three hundred majority,’ said Taper. ‘Forty is as much as can be managed with open constituencies.’ ‘If he had only gone to Paris instead of Rome!’ said the Duke. ‘Yes,’ said Mr. Rigby, ‘I could have written to him then by every post, and undeceived him as to his position.’ ‘After all he is the only man,’ said the Duke; ‘and I really believe the country thinks so.’ ‘Pray, what is the country?’ inquired Mr. Rigby. ‘The country is nothing; it is the constituency you have to deal with.’ ‘And to manage them you must have a good cry,’ said Taper. ‘All now depends upon a good cry.’ ‘So much for the science of politics,’ said the Duke, bringing down a pheasant. ‘How Peel would have enjoyed this cover!’ ‘He will have plenty of time for sport during his life,’ said Mr. Rigby.