'Surely we ought to listen to him,' said the Duke. And for a short
time they did listen. 'Sir Timothy is not a man I like, you know,'
said the son, feeling himself obliged to apologise for his
subjection to such a chief.
'I never particularly loved him myself.'
'They say he is a sort of necessity.'
'A Conservative Fate,' said the Duke.
'Well, yes; he is so,--so awfully clever! We all feel that we could
not get on without him. When you were in, he was one of your
party.'
'Oh yes;--he was one of us. I have no right to complain of you for
using him. But when you say you could not get on without him, does
it not occur to you that should he,--let us say be taken to
heaven,--you would have to get on without him.'
'Then he would be,--out of the way, sir.'
'What you mean perhaps is that you do not know how to get rid of
him.'
'Of course I don't pretend to know much about it; but they all
think that he does know how to keep the party together. I don't
think we are proud of him.'
'Hardly that.'
'He is awfully useful. A man has to look out so sharp to be always
ready for those other fellows! I beg your pardon, sir, but I mean
your side.
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