Passing on to the table, with his hat still on | hardly think that that ought to have any his head, and with a dark scowl upon his weight. The threat had no weight." brow, the young lord stood for a few moments perfectly silent. Then he chucked a letter across the table to the spot at which Phineas was standing. Phineas, taking up the letter, perceived that it was that which he, in his great attempt to be honest, had written from the inn at Loughton. "It is my own letter to you," he said. 66 66 Yes; it is your letter to me. I received it oddly enough together with your own note at Mauregy's, on Monday morning. It has been round the world, I suppose, and reached me only then. You must withdraw it." "Withdraw it ?" 66 Yes, sir, withdraw it. As far as I can learn, without asking any question which would have committed myself or the young lady, you have not acted upon it. You have not yet done what you there threaten to do. In that you have been very wise, and there can be no difficulty in your withdrawing the letter." "I certainly shall not withdraw it, Lord Chiltern." 66 - "It was not spoken as a threat, sir, and that you know as well as I do. It was said from a friend to a friend,-as I thought then. But it is not the less true. I wonder what you can think of faith and truth and honesty of purpose when you took advantage of my absence,-you, whom I had told a thousand times that I loved her better than my own soul! You stand before the world as a rising man, and I stand before the world as a man - damned. You have been chosen by my father to sit for our family borough, while I am an outcast from his house. You have Cabinet Ministers for your friends, while I have hardly a decent associate left to me in the world. But I can say of myself that I have never done anything unworthy of a gentleman, while this thing that you are doing is unworthy of the lowest man." 66 "I have done nothing unworthy," said Phineas. "I wrote to you instantly when I had resolved, though it was painful to me to have to tell such a secret to any one." You wrote! Yes; when I was miles Do you remember what-I once distant; weeks, months away. But I did told you, about myself and Miss Effing- not come here to ballyrag like an old woham?" This question he asked very slow-man. I got your letter only on Monday, and ly, pausing between the words, and looking know nothing of what has occurred. Is full into the face of his rival, towards whom Miss Effingham to be-your wife?" Lord he had gradually come nearer. And his Chiltern had now come quite close to Phincountenance, as he did so, was by no means eas, and Phineas felt that that clenched fist pleasant. The redness of his complexion might be in his face in half a moment. Miss had become more ruddy than usual; he still Effingham of course was not engaged to him, wore his hat as though with studied inso- but it seemed to him that if he were now so lence; his right hand was clenched; and to declare, such declaration would appear there was that look of angry purpose in his to have been drawn from him by fear. “I eye which no man likes to see in the eye of ask you," said Lord Chiltern, in what poan antagonist. Phineas was afraid of no sition you now stand towards Miss Effingviolence, personal to himself; but he was ham. If you are not a coward you will tell afraid of,- of what I may, perhaps, best me." call "a row." To be tumbling over the chairs and tables with his late friend and present enemy in Mrs. Bunce's room would be most unpleasant to him. If there were to be blows he, too, must strike; and he was very averse to strike Lady Laura's brother, Lord Brentford's son, Violet Effingham's friend. If need be, however, he would strike. "I suppose I remember what you mean," said Phineas. "I think you declared that you would quarrel with any man who might presume to address Miss Effingham. Is it that to which you allude?" "It is that," said Lord Chiltern. "I remember what you said very well. If nothing else was to deter me from asking Miss Effingham to be my wife, you will LIVING AGE. VOL. X. 396 "Whether I tell you or not, you know that I am not a coward," said Phineas. "I shall have to try," said Lord Chiltern. "But if you please I will ask you for an answer to my question." Phineas paused for a moment, thinking what honesty of purpose and a high spirit would, when combined together, demand of him, and together with these requirements he felt that he was bound to join some feeling of duty towards Miss Effingham. Lord Chiltern was standing there, fiery red, with his hand still clenched, and his hat still on, waiting for his answer. "Let me have your question again," said Phineas," and I will answer it if I find that I can do so without loss of self-respect." "I ask you in what position you stand "Had you said an indifferent acquaintance, you would, I think, have been nearer the mark. But we will let that be. II presume I may understand that you have given up any idea of changing that position ? " "You may understand nothing of the kind, Lord Chiltern." "Why; what hope have you?" "That is another thing. I shall not speak of that; at any rate not to you." 66 66 Then, sir, -" and now Lord Chiltern advanced another step and raised his hand as though he were about to put it with some form of violence on the person of his rival. Stop, Chiltern," said Phineas, stepping back, so that there was some article of furniture between him and his adversary. "I do not choose that there should be a riot here." "What do you call a riot, sir? I believe that after all you are a poltroon. What I require of you is that you shall meet me. Will you do that?" 66 - to fight?" You mean, "Yes, to fight; to fight; to fight. For what other purpose do you suppose that I can wish to meet you?" Phineas felt at the moment that the fighting of a duel would be destructive to all his political hopes. Few Englishmen fight duels in these days. They who do so are always reckoned to be fools. And a duel between him and Lord Brentford's son must; as he thought, separate him from Violet, from Lady Laura, from Lord Brentford, and from his borough. But yet how could he refuse? "What have you to think of, sir, when such an offer as that is made to you?" said the fiery-red lord. "I have to think whether I have courage enough to refuse to make myself an ass." 66 You say that you do not wish to have a riot. That is your way to escape what you calla riot." You want to bully me, Chiltern." "No, sir;-I simply want this, that you should leave me where you found me, and not interfere with that which you have long known I claim as my own." "But it is not your own." Then you can only fight me." "You had better send some friend to me, and I will name some one, whom he shall meet." "Perhaps you will see him at once then, so that Colepepper may arrange with him this afternoon. And let me assure you, Mr. Finn, that there will be a meeting between us after some fashion, let the ideas of your friend Mr. Fitzgibbon be what they may." Then Lord Chiltern proposed to go, but turned again as he was going. "And remember this," he said, my complaint is that you have been false to me,- damnably false; not that you have fallen in love with this young lady or with that." Then the fiery-red lord opened the door for himself and took his departure. 66 Phineas, as soon as he was alone, walked down to the House, at which there was an early sitting. As he went there was one great question which he had to settle with himself, was there any justice in the charge made against him that he had been false to his friend? When he had thought over the matter at Saulsby, after rushing down there that he might throw himself at Violet's feet, he had assured himself that such a letter as that which he resolved to write to Lord Chiltern would be even chivalrous in its absolute honesty. He would tell his purpose to Lord Chiltern the moment that his purpose was formed; -and would afterwards speak of Lord Chiltern behind his back as one dear friend should speak of another. Had Miss Effingham shown the slightest intention of accepting Lord Chiltern's offer, he would have aeknowledged to himself that the circumstances of his position made it impossible that he should, with honour, become his friend's rival. But was he to be debarred for ever from getting that which he wanted because Lord Chiltern wanted it also, knowing, as he did so well, that Lord Chiltern could not get the thing which he wanted? All this had been quite sufficient for him at Saulsby. But now the charge against him that he had been false to his friend rang in his ears and made him unhappy. It certainly was true that Lord Chiltern had not given up his hopes, and that he had spoken probably more openly to Phineas respecting them than he had done to any other human being. If it was true that he had been false, evening meeting. Lord Brentford was then he must comply with any requisition there, and the Bonteens, and Barringwhich Lord Chiltern might make, short ton Erle, and Lady Glencora Palliser, and of voluntarily giving up the lady. He must Lord Cantrip with his young wife. It was fight if he were asked to do so, even though manifestly a meeting of Liberals, semi-social fighting were his ruin. and semi-political;-so arranged that ladies might feel that some interest in politics was allowed to them, and perhaps some influence also. Afterwards Mr. Palliser himself came in. Phineas, however, was most struck by finding that Laurence Fitzgibbon was there, and that Mr. Kennedy was not. In regard to Mr. Kennedy, he was quite sure that had such a meeting taken place before Lady Laura's marriage, Mr. Kennedy would have been present."I must speak to you as we go away," said Phineas, whispering a word into Fitzgibbon's ear. have been leaving notes for you all about the town." "Not a duel, I hope," said Fitzgibbon. How pleasant it was,- that meeting; or would have been had there not been that nightmare on his breast! They all talked as though there were perfect accord between them and perfect confidence. There were there great men, Cabinet Ministers, and beautiful women, - the wives and daughters of some of England's highest nobles. And Phineas Finn, throwing back, now and again, a thought to Killaloe, found himself among them as one of themselves. How could any Mr. Low say that he was wrong? When again in the House yesterday's scene came back upon him, and more than one man came to him congratulating him. Mr. Monk took his hand and spoke a word to him. The old Premier nodded to him. Mr. Gresham greeted him; and Plantagenet Palliser openly told him that he had made a good speech. How sweet would all this have been had there not been ever at his heart the remembrance of his terrible difficulty, the consciousness that he was about to be forced into an absurdity which would put an end to all this sweetness. Why was the world in England so severe against duelling? After all, as he regarded the matter now, a duel might be the best way, nay, the only way, out of a difficulty. If he might only be allowed to go out with Lord Chiltern the whole thing might be arranged. If he were not shot he might carry on his suit with Miss Effingham unfettered by any impediment on that side. And if he were shot, what matter was that to any one but himself? Why should the world be so thin-skinned, so foolishly chary of human life? Laurence Fitzgibbon did not come to the House, and Phineas looked for him at both the clubs which he frequented, leaving a note at each as he did not find him. He also left a note for him at his lodgings in Duke street. "I must see you this evening. I shall dine at the Reform Club, - pray come there." After that, Phineas went up to Portman Square, in accordance with the instructions received from Lady Laura. There he saw Violet Effingham, meeting her for the first time since he had parted from her on the great steps at Saulsby. Of course he spoke to her, and of course she was gracious to him. But her graciousness was only a smile and his speech was only a word. There were many in the room, but not enough to make privacy possible, - as it becomes possible at a crowded "I On a sofa near to him, so that he could almost touch her foot with his, was sitting Violet Effingham, and as he leaned over from his chair discussing some point in Mr. Mildmay's bill with that most inveterate politician, Lady Glencora, Violet looked into his face and smiled. Oh heavens! If Lord Chiltern and he might only toss up as to which of them should go to Patagonia and remain there for the next ten years, and which should have Violet Effingham for a wife in London! "Come along, Phineas, if you mean to come," said Laurence Fitzgibbon. Phineas was of course bound to go, though Lady Glencora was still talking Radicalism, and Violet Effingham was still smiling ineffably. of the Prince and his mother fell was born at Moukden, in the province of Chingking, that she had attained her eleventh year, and that she was extremely beautiful. She belongs to a family that for fifteen years enjoyed the high favour of the late Emperor Tao-Kouang. It is stated that the majority of the Emperor Tchoung-Tché will shortly be declared, and that he will then take the direction of affairs. THE young Emperor of China has just taken | us that the young lady upon whom the choice to himself a wife, and the accompanying circumstances strongly remind us of the opening chapters in the Book of Esther: One hundred and twenty young girls, ranging from eleven to nineteen years old, were admitted to the palace on the previous evening as candidates. Seven were chosen from this number, who had to submit to an examination before the Empress-mother, whose business it is to make the choice. Letters from Pekin of the 2nd of April inform London Review. From The Christian Observer. HABAKKUK: A STUDY FOR THE TIMES. us, it becomes us, with the saints whom and a spirit of insubordination and presumption would prostrate legislative and executive government before popular deTHE book of Habakkuk is a whole. The mands; and underminings approach even first chapter leads to the second, and the the throne itself. Above all, in the churches, third springs out of the contents of the first lukewarmness and unfaithfulness convert liband the second. And throughout the book erality into licentiousness; defiance of authere is a commingling of the representative thority is met with imbecility; in doctrine, man, and of the prophet, in Habakkuk's own the foundations are destroyed by rationalisperson. Having begun, as the representa- tic and Romanising opinions and teachings; tive of the Lord's saints, in bewailing the sensous tastes and displays unspiritualise sins and obduracy of his nation (i. 2-4), he the worship of many congregations; and, is inspired, as a prophet, to denounce divine while Protestantism becomes a bye-word, awful judgments on account of them at the or is half bashfully avowed, the ceaseless inhands of the Chaldeans. (5-11.) Then, trigues of Popery are daring and fatally enpassing on into the time of judgment, he croaching. All is confusion in the church. again, as a representative of the saints, ex- "There are that raise up strife and contenpostulates with God against the terrible in- tion; and therefore the law is slacked, and fiction; and so, again, as a prophet, is in- judgment doth never go forth." And for spired to foretell destruction on the Chal-all these "abominations in the midst of" deans, for their pride and cruelties, even though they were the Lord's scourge on Judah. (ii.) And then, finally, merging the character of prophet in the character of the 2. And what "answer" from the Lord are representative of the saints, he gives expres- we to look for, as we "stand upon sion, in his "prayer" of "the prophet," to "watch and set" ourselves "upon the towindescribable feelings of awe at the judgment er," in the devotions of the closet, and in which punished his nation's sins and de- meditations on the Scriptures, and so "watch stroyed the Chaldeans; and to the calm con- to see what He will say unto" us? As we fidence of faith, in the prospect of the final have said, we anticipate no such voice as salvation of the Lord's true people. And spake to the prophet - "Write the vision!" in all this Habakkuk is a pattern to ourselves. But we may reckon on having visions which Of course, we are not to expect to become are written made plain to us, as being now prophets as he was a prophet; but we are realised in their general principles and broadto use the prophecies which have been given er features. They chose new gods; then us. And certainly, after his model, as a was war in the gates." "Shall I not visit representative of the saints, we are to be- for these things? saith the Lord; and shall wail the sins and obduracy of our times; re- not my soul be avenged on such a nation gard the evils they entail as divine judg-as this?" "Shall there be evil in a city, ments; and so, while we tremble under the display of God's righteous indignation, we shall, through the supply of the Spirit, the Comforter, rejoice in sure hope of the promised "salvation" of the faithful, which is "ready to be revealed" in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1. First, then, taking Habakkuk for our exemplar, we learn to "enter into" our "closet, and shut the door" about us and mourn before our Father, "in secret," for the sins and obduracy of our day. And truly, here we have woeful cause to take up Habakkuk's language, "O Lord, why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance?" Social, mercantile, and fashionable life teems around us with practices on account of which "the name of God and his doctrine" are blasphemed. In civil life and affairs of state, principle is, on all sides, with increasing boldness sacrificed to expediency and party interests; 66 our and the Lord hath not done it?" "Thou t conversation and godliness? Seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." vex us; and shall understand that the Lord is not doing "without cause" all that He is thus doing in us, in these "last times." True; we shall not fall into such a morbid state as to dwell exclusively on the dark 4. "Nevertheless we, according to his side of this picture. Rather, we shall ac- promise, look for new heavens and a new knowledge, that, in God's infinite mercy, earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." Yes; our churches are a blessing to our own and so, lastly, Habakkuk is the saints' reprerealms, and throughout the wide world; sentative also, in rejoicing, even amidst tributhat the charity abounds with us which vis- lations and alarm, in a "good hope through its "the fatherless and widows in their afflic-grace," "in hope of the glory of God." tion," and considers the poor; and that "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, many of the Lord's remembrances have neither shall fruit be in the vines; the "power with God" for us and "prevail." Yet this admission only increases our dilemma; for still there is a feebleness for good which is almost inexplicable. A feeling of uneasiness, a want of sober trustworthy combination, and dissensions, paralyze the exertions of those who are in the main "like-minded;" while new alarms startle us in unexpected quarters; and, with marvellous facility, long cherished and avowed sentiments are cast to the winds; our time-honoured bulwarks are betrayed in Church and State; and the foe rushes on, and shouts already for victory. God seems "not to hear," and it begins to look as though He would "not save." 66 labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock' shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places." Such was Habakkuk's calm confidence of faith, before "life and immortality" were brought to light through the Gospel." How, then, should saints lift up their heads, even though the enemy should come in like a flood," and there be " 'great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world," now that a risen and ascended Saviour has promised-"To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne; even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne "? "Such honour have all his saints." "At the end, the vision shall not lie." "The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the peo 66 Nor shall we think to escape heavier inflictions still. "The vision is yet for an appointed time." "Till the Lord come is "the end" of it; and only when "iniquity is come to the full," will the Lord say, Now will I arise!" Our spirit, therefore, will be ordered by this prescribed rule, -"Though it tarry. wait for it!" "Here is the patience of the saints." "Yet a lit-ple of the saints of the Most High." tle while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry." This is "the blessed hope" of all God's elect, at "the appearing of the Great God 3. And in this waiting season we, as and our Saviour Jesus Christ." And here, Habakkuk did, shall feel and cherish holy also," the vision" is made "plain upon tatrembling. The terrible manifestation of bles, that he may run that readeth it." And, God's hatred of sin and judgment on sinners therefore, as the crowning "answer" to ought to stimulate us, in the fear of God, their trembling intercessions and “patient to"watch and pray, lest" we "enter into waiting," it is given to the saints now, even temptation;" and the obstinacy with which in the day of trouble," to "abound in" the adversaries of God notwithstanding defy this " hope, through the power of the Holy his vengeance, ought to overwhelm us with Ghost." The Lord God will make their alarm at the power of the devil to infatuate." feet" also, with Habakkuk's, "like hinds'. And because we now witness the social, civil, and ecclesiastical convulsions, which immorality, infidelity, and religious apostacy create; and know also from the page of prophecy that even such physical convulsions shall be added to them, in "the end of all things," as Habakkuk has compared with the terrors of the deluge, and of God's descent on Sinai (iii. 3-14); the exhortation of St. Peter is most appropiate to us: "Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy feet," in ever fresh vigour in the Lord's work and for fighting the battles of the Lord, and make them to walk upon their "high places" in foretastes and exulting assurance of final victory. (1 Chron. xii. 8; Psalm xviii. 33.) 66 Then let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter." As a prophet for God's Church "in troublous times" and alarms, Habakkuk inculcates this standing practical lesson: "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him; but the just shall live |