On the following morning it was known that Lord De Terrier was with
the Queen at Buckingham Palace, and at about twelve a list of the new
ministry was published, which must have been in the highest degree
satisfactory to the whole brood of giants. Every son of Tellus was
included in it, as were also very many of the daughters. But then,
late in the afternoon, Lord Brock was again summoned to the palace,
and it was thought in the West End among the clubs that the gods had
again a chance. “If only,” said the _Purist_, an evening paper which
was supposed to be very much in the interest of Mr. Harold Smith, “if
only Lord Brock can have the wisdom to place the right men in the
right places. It was only the other day that he introduced Mr. Smith
into his government. That this was a step in the right direction
every one has acknowledged, though unfortunately it was made too
late to prevent the disturbance which has since occurred. It now
appears probable that his lordship will again have an opportunity
of selecting a list of statesmen with the view of carrying on the
Queen’s government; and it is to be hoped that such men as Mr. Smith
may be placed in situations in which their talents, industry, and
acknowledged official aptitudes, may be of permanent service to the
country.”
Supplehouse, when he read this at the club with Mr. Sowerby at his
elbow, declared that the style was too well marked to leave any doubt
as to the author; but we ourselves are not inclined to think that Mr.
Harold Smith wrote the article himself, although it may be probable
that he saw it in type.
But the _Jupiter_ the next morning settled the whole question, and
made it known to the world that, in spite of all the sendings and
re-sendings, Lord Brock and the gods were permanently out, and Lord
De Terrier and the giants permanently in. That fractious giant who
would only go to the Foreign Office had, in fact, gone to some sphere
of much less important duty, and Sidonia, in spite of the whispered
dislike of an illustrious personage, opened the campaign with all the
full appanages of a giant of the highest standing. “We hope,” said
the _Jupiter_, “that Lord Brock may not yet be too old to take a
lesson. If so, the present decision of the House of Commons, and we
may say of the country also, may teach him not to put his trust in
such princes as Lord Brittleback, or such broken reeds as Mr. Harold
Smith.” Now this parting blow we always thought to be exceedingly
unkind, and altogether unnecessary, on the part of Mr. Supplehouse.
“My dear,” said Mrs. Harold, when she first met Miss Dunstable
after the catastrophe was known, “how am I possibly to endure this
degradation?” And she put her deeply-laced handkerchief up to her
eyes.
“Christian resignation,” suggested Miss Dunstable.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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