The quarrels of rival Ministers were dear to the House, and as
long as they could be continued the benches were crowded by gentlemen
enthralled by the interest of the occasion. But to sink from that
to private legislation about beer was to fall into a bathos which
gentlemen could not endure; and so the House was emptied, and at
about half-past seven there was a count-out. That gentleman whose
statistics had been procured with so much care, and who had been at
work for the last twelve months on his effort to prolong the lives
of his fellow-countrymen, was almost broken-hearted. But he knew the
world too well to complain. He would try again next year, if by dint
of energetic perseverance he could procure a day.
Mr. Monk and Phineas Finn, behaving no better than the others,
slipped out in the crowd. It had indeed been arranged that they
should leave the House early, so that they might dine together at
Mr. Monk's house. Though Phineas had been released from his prison
now for nearly a month, he had not as yet once dined out of his own
rooms.
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