"
This continued for half-an-hour, and then Lady Laura came in. Nothing
had come, or could have come, from the consultation with the Earl.
Had it gone on for another hour, he would simply have continued
to grumble, and have persevered in insisting upon the hardships
he endured. Lady Laura was in black, and looked sad, and old, and
careworn; but she did not seem to be ill. Phineas could not but think
at the moment how entirely her youth had passed away from her. She
came and sat close by him, and began at once to speak of the late
debate. "Of course they'll go out," she said.
"I presume they will."
"And our party will come in."
"Oh, yes;--Mr. Gresham, and the two dukes, and Lord Cantrip,--with
Legge Wilson, Sir Harry Coldfoot, and the rest of them."
"And you?"
Phineas smiled, and tried to smile pleasantly, as he answered, "I
don't know that they'll put themselves out by doing very much for
me."
"They'll do something."
"I fancy not. Indeed, Lady Laura, to tell the truth at once, I know
that they don't mean to offer me anything.
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