"That I am sure was my mother," said Lord Marney.

"No," said Egremont; "it was the effusion of a far more
experienced mind. My mother was in hourly communication with
head quarters, and Mr Taper sent down the cry by express."

"Peel, in or out, will support the Poor Law," said Lord
Marney, rather audaciously, as he reseated himself after the
ladies had retired. "He must;" and he looked at his brother,
whose return had in a great degree been secured by crying that
Poor Law down.

"It is impossible," said Charles, fresh from the hustings, and
speaking from the card of Taper, for the condition of the
people was a subject of which he knew nothing.

"He will carry it out," said Lord Marney, "you'll see, or the
land will not support him."

"I wish," said Sir Vavasour, "we could manage some
modification about out-door relief."

"Modification!" said Lord Marney; "why there has been nothing
but modification. What we want is stringency."

"The people will never bear it," said Egremont; "there must be
some change."

"You cannot go back to the abuses of the old system," said
Captain Grouse, making, as he thought, a safe observation.