SCENE I.—_Committee-room of the Conservatives, Charles-street_; LORD FLUMM; MARQUIS OF FLAMBOROUGH; LORD GEORGE; LORD CHARLES; _other Tory Lords, and_ TRIM. _A table covered with papers_; LORD CHARLES _smoking a cigar_; LORD GEORGE _half asleep in an arm-chair_; TRIM _busy in looking over a list of the House of Commons_.
_Trim._ It will be a devilish close run I see!—yet I think we might manage some of them (_Pause_). Does anybody know _Turnstile_?
_Marquis._ Never heard of him!
_Lord George._ (_Mumbling_). The reform Member for Puddledock, isn’t he?—the author of a book on Pinmaking, and things of that kind. An ironmonger in Newgate-street!
_Trim._ No, no! Member for Shoreditch;—with Smooth, the Colonial Secretary!
_Lord Charles._ (_Taking the cigar from his mouth._) I think I’ve heard something of him at Cambridge: he was Newtonian Professor of Chemistry when I was at College.
_Trim._ Can’t we talk him over?
_Lord Charles._ No, no! he is too sharp for that.
_Trim._ Will anybody speak to him?—and if he won’t vote with us, keep him out of the way.
_Marquis._ Perhaps a hint at an appointment!—
_Lord Charles._ Nor that either; he is a fellow of some spirit; and devilish proud. {278}
_Lord Flumm._ But what are his tastes?—how does he employ himself?—who are his friends?
_Trim._ Why he’s—a sort of a—philosopher,—that wants to be a man of the world!
_Lord Flumm._ Oh!—now I begin to recollect;—I must have seen him at Sir Phillip’s. Leave him to me;—I think Lady Flumm and my daughter can manage to keep him quiet on Thursday night.
_Trim._ But for Tuesday,—my Lord?
_Lord Flumm._ Two nights!—Then I must try what I can do for you, myself. [_Exit._
SCENE IV.—_Grosvenor-square._
_Enter_ TURNSTILE, _musing_.
_Turnstile._ This will never do! They make use of me, and laugh at me in their sleeves;—push me round and go by. That break down _was_ a devil of a business! They didn’t laugh out to be sure; but they coughed and looked unutterably!! And where is this to end? What shall I have to show for it? Confounded loss of time;—to hear those fellows prosing, instead of seeing the occultation last night. And that book of Ls.’; so much that _I_ had begun upon,—and might have finished! It never will do! (_Rousing himself after a pause._) But knowledge, after all, _is_ power! That at least is certain,—power—to do what? to refuse Lord Doodle’s invitation; and to ask Lord Humbug for a favour, which it is ten to one he will refuse! But the Royal Society is defunct! That I _have_ accomplished. Gilbert, and the Duke! and the Secretaries! I have driven them all before me!—and, now, though _I_ must not be a knight of the Guelphic order, (yet a riband is a pretty looking thing! and {279} a star too!—) I will show that I can teach _them_ how to make knights; and describe the decorations that other men are to wear. But here comes Lord Flumm, and I am saved the bore of calling upon him.
