The very circumstance of the son’s not having trusted the father completely, saved the commissioner, for this time, from utter ruin: he took breath; and presently--oh, weak man! doomed never to know how to deal with a strong character--fancying that his intercession might avail for his son, and that the pride of Lord Oldborough might be appeased, and might be suddenly wrought to forgiveness, by that tone and posture of submission and supplication used only by the subject to offended majesty, he actually threw himself at the feet of the minister. “My gracious lord--a pardon for my son!” “I beseech you, sir!” cried Lord Oldborough, endeavouring to stop him from kneeling--the commissioner sunk instantly on his knee. “Never will the unhappy father rise till his son be restored to your favour, my lord.” “Sir,” said Lord Oldborough, “I have no favour for those who have no sense of honour: rise, Mr. Falconer, and let not the father degrade himself for the son--_unavailingly_.” The accent and look were decisive--the commissioner rose. Instead of being gratified, his patron seemed shocked, if not disgusted: far from being propitiated by this sacrifice of dignity, it rendered him still more averse; and no consolatory omen appearing, the commissioner withdrew in silence, repenting that he had abased himself. After this, some days and nights passed with him in all the horrors of indecision--Could the minister weather the storm or not?--should Mr. Falconer endeavour to reinstate himself with Lord Oldborough, or secure in time favour with the Duke of Greenwich?--Mrs. Falconer, to whom her husband’s groans in the middle of the night at last betrayed the sufferings of his mind, drew from him the secret of his fears and meditations. She advised strongly the going over, decidedly, and in time, but secretly, to the Greenwich faction. The commissioner knew that this could not be done secretly. The attention of the minister was now awake to all his motions, and the smallest movement towards his grace of Greenwich must be observed and understood. On the other hand, to abide by a falling minister was folly, especially when he had positively withdrawn his favour from Cunningham, who had the most to expect from his patronage. Between these opposite difficulties, notwithstanding the urgent excitations of Mrs. Falconer, the poor commissioner could not bring himself to decide, till the time for action was past.