The club was very full, and there was a clatter of voices, and the
clatter round the Prince was the noisiest and merriest. Mr. Bonteen
was there, of course, and Phineas as he sat alone could hear him as
he edged his words in upon the royal ears. Every now and again there
was a royal joke, and then Mr. Bonteen's laughter was conspicuous. As
far as Phineas could distinguish the sounds no special amount of the
royal attention was devoted to Mr. Bonteen. That very able editor,
and one of the Academicians, and the poet, seemed to be the most
honoured, and when the Prince went,--which he did when his cigar was
finished,--Phineas observed with inward satisfaction that the royal
hand, which was given to the poet, to the editor, and to the painter,
was not extended to the President of the Board of Trade. And then,
having taken delight in this, he accused himself of meanness in
having even observed a matter so trivial. Soon after this a ruck of
men left the club, and then Phineas rose to go. As he went down the
stairs Barrington Erle followed him with Laurence Fitzgibbon, and the
three stood for a moment at the door in the street talking to each
other.
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