"After all," said Fitzgibbon, "this kind of thing means nothing.

I know as well as possible, and so do you, what Mr.Mildmay will say,--and then Gresham will say a few words; and then Turnbull will make a murmur, and then we shall all assent,--to anything or to nothing;--and then it will be over." Still Phineas did not understand whether the assent required would or would not be an individual personal assent.

When the affair was over he found that he was disappointed, and that he might almost as well have stayed away from the meeting,--except that he had attended at Mr.Mildmay's bidding, and had given a silent adhesion to Mr.Mildmay's plan of reform for that session.

Laurence Fitzgibbon had been very nearly correct in his description of what would occur.
Mr.Mildmay made a long speech.

Mr.Turnbull, the great Radical of the day,--the man who was supposed to represent what many called the Manchester school of politics,--asked half a dozen questions.