"Why, sir, I believe _I am_ pretty punctual in my attendance. I was there to-day, sir, till the House rose. Sir, I am of opinion that hereditary legislators--a practical anomaly in a free state like this--but one which has innumerable unperceived advantages to recommend it--Sir, our country expects at our hands, in discharge of so grave a trust--in short, if we were not to be true to--we who are in a peculiar sense the guardians of public liberty--if we were once to betray our trust--Let me trouble you sir, for a little of that----," said the earl, using some foreign word which Titmouse had never heard of before, and looking towards a delicately constructed fabric, as of compressed snow, which stood before Titmouse. A servant was in a twinkling beside him, with his Lordship's plate. Ah me! that I should have to relate so sad an event as presently occurred to Titmouse! He took a spoon; and, imagining the glistening fabric before him to be as solid as it looked, brought to bear upon it an adequate degree of force, even as if he had been going to scoop out a piece of Stilton cheese--and inserting his spoon at the summit of the snowy and deceitful structure, souse to the bottom went spoon, hand, coat-cuff, and all, and a very dismal noise evidenced that the dish on which the aforesaid spoon had descended, with so much force--was no longer a dish. It was, in fact, broken in halves, and the liquid from within, ran about on the cloth.... A cluster of servants was quickly around him.... A mist came over his eyes; the color deserted his cheek; and he had a strange feeling, as if verily the end of all things was at hand. "I beg you will think nothing of it--for it really signifies nothing at all, Mr. Titmouse," said the earl, kindly, observing his agitation. "Oh dear! oh my Lord--your Ladyship--what an _uncommon_ stupid ass!" faltered Titmouse. "Pray _don't_ distress yourself, Mr. Titmouse," said Lady Cecilia, really feeling for his evident misery, "or you will distress _us_." "I beg--humbly beg pardon--please your Lordship--your Ladyship. I'll replace it with the best in London the very first thing in the morning." Here the servant beside him, who was arranging the table-cloth, uttered a faint sound of suppressed laughter, which disconcerted Titmouse still more. "Give yourself no concern--'tis only a _trifle_, Mr. Titmouse!--You understand, ha, ha?" said the earl, kindly. "But if your Lordship will only allow me--expense is no object. I know the very best shop in Oxford Street."