On the intermediate day the Earl begged for a few minutes' private conversation with him, and the two were closeted together for an hour.

The Earl, in truth, had little or nothing to say.

Things had so gone with him that he had hardly a will of his own left, and did simply that which his daughter directed him to do.

He pretended to consult Phineas as to the expediency of his returning to Saulsby.
Did Phineas think that his return would be of any use to the party?
Phineas knew very well that the party would not recognise the difference whether the Earl lived at Dresden or in London.

When a man has come to the end of his influence as the Earl had done he is as much a nothing in politics as though he had never risen above that quantity.