Original subtitles

And so it must be understood

that I am in complete agreement

with all the reasons urged by my right honorable friend

against the introduction of the secret ballot.

The measure would be of dubious efficacy.

The time is not right for it

There are other pressing matters, such as the broadening of...

Did you not hear the Prime Minister's speech?

I was detained at home by an unexpeded guest.

How's it going?

Well, Mildmay spoke against the ballot and now Monk is supporting him.

We expect trouble from Tumbull later on.

..change in the procedure for casting votes.

Mr Speaker.

There he is.

Mr Speaker, sir,

that the right honorable leader of the present Government

resists the wishes of the people of England and continues to oppose the ballot

need come as no surprise.

Hear, hear!

But that my right honorable friend, the last speaker,

a man who has always advertised himself

as a fighter for progressive and radical views,

that a man such as this should oppose the ballot

is a matter first for astonishment

and then for grave embarrassment.

Hear, hear!

For, can it be, one must ask oneself,

that the right honorable Member has been corrupted...

You know we're expecting you to speak tonight

I have played with a few ideas.

Gather them together good and sharp and be ready to answer Turnbull when he's done.

Well, don't you understand, man?

This is your big chance to show what you're made of.

We're counting on you to defend Monk against Turnbull's attack.

I hadn't thought of anything so important as that.

It's my first speech, Barlington. I can't take on a man like Turnbull.

He'll be sure to make a mess of me.

Take it or not as you please. Turnbull will speak for another 20 minutes.

I'll give you ten minutes...

No, no, I'll give you five to decide.

I'll give you five minutes, Finn.

That will give me a chance to find somebody else if you decide to back out.

"the case is clear enough.

This one-lime champion of freedom now lolls on his cushions

while an enslaved people groans in its shackles

Hear, hear!

Lady Laura?

Mr Finn!

I come to confess a failure.

Well, I suppose Sunday's as good a day as any for such admission.

Mr Kennedy doesn't approve of Sunday visitors, Mr Finn.

- Well, then I'd better go. - No, no.

I've been bored out of my mind all day with the reading of prayers and sermons.

At least you'll not preach at me.

What is this failure?

Well, during the debate after the Queen's speech on Thursday night...

...l finally got my chance to make my mark.

Barrington Erle came and asked me to defend Monk

He'd been attacked by Turnbull over the ballot.

And I refused

because I fell the responsibility was too great

So it was.

How could an untried man defend a minister in such a case?

Barrington thinks I refused because secretly I'm in favour of the ballot.

But in fact you did so out of modesty.

I did so because I was afraid.

I think you were quite right to decline.

I'm sure Mr Monk him self would agree and so would Mr Kennedy.

Mr Kennedy was sitting right in front of me.

He didn't seem very sympathetic at the time.

I don't care what Mr Kennedy may think.

You shouldn't say that, Mr Finn.

I only care what Mr Kennedy's wife may think.

It's nice to find two people in this house who are not reading the Bible.

You both look positively animated. You mustn't let Mr Kennedy catch you.

We mustn't mock Mr Kennedy's soruples, Violet.

Oh, I don't. But I'm not looking animated and I'm just off to evensong.

- Are you coming, Laura? - No, I have a headache.

Oh, do you? Too much animation, I fear.

Mr Finn, will you see me across the park?

With the greatest of pleasure, Miss Effingham.

- Ah, hello, Finn. - Barrington.

- Miss Effingham. - Oh, another Sunday visitor.

Why, Mr Finn, we must fly from contamination.

Mr Finn, Laura tells me you're going down to Willingford to hunt with Lord Chiltern.

Yes. May I take him any message from you?

No, Mr Finn, absolutely none.

But I do have a message for you.

Please be careful.

They tell me Chiltern keeps dangerous horses.

I believe he has a few fiery on...

I understand Mr Finn was too diffident to speak in the debate on Thursday.

Hm. He was too frightened of making a fool of himself.

Several people have told him not to speak too soon.

Ah. He must begin to pull his weight, Laura.

- He must make us sure of him. - Why so urgent, Barrington?

Oh, this reform bill is beginning to turn sour on us.

Turnbull and the extreme radicals want more than we're prepared to give

and the Conservatives, of course, want no reform at all.

If the radicals combine with the Tories against us,

why, IL could be a very near thing.

I shall think it very wicked of Mr Turnbull

if he helps the Conservatives to wreck your bill just because...

Oh, Kennedy.

Erie.

Just because he can't have his own way in everything. It would be sheer pique.

Wickedness and pique are often the stuff of politics, Laura.

What do you say, Kennedy?

We had better not disturb ourselves about it new.

How can we help being disturbed about it?

By turning our minds to subjects more worthy of the Sabbath day.

Kennedy.

I understood you to say, Laura, that you had a headache.

Yes, and still have.

Yet you are well enough to receive visitors but not to attend evensong.

Oh, for goodness sake, Robert, Barrington's my cousin.

I thought he might cheer me up.

I see-

And do you still need cheering up?

Please don't concern yourself. I'll be all right presently.

I do concern myself, Laura.

And I tell you that the use of novels in my house on Sundays is of great pain to me.

The text for this sermon is taken from the 27th chapter of the first book of Kings.

'Feed him with the bread of affliction,

and with water of afliction

until I come in peace. '

It went for 2,000 guineas.

I call that very reasonable. What about the tenants?

Ah, well, there'll be some evictions.

- Regrettable. - Inevitable.

- Laurence? - We can talk later, Laurence.

Yes, Phinny, what's all the excitement?

You should know, Laurence. There's a man called Clarkson.

He's persecuting me about that bill.

What bill?

- The one I signed for you last summer. - Oh, that! That will be paid soon enough.

It must be paid straight away. I cannot endure Mr Clarkson's attentions any longer.

Poor old Clarkson. He's quite harmless. He can't arrest you or anything near,

not while Parliament's sitting, then you can give him the dodge.

I very much doubt it, Laurence. Mr Clarkson is practically living in my chambers.

He settles in at breakfast as though I'd known him all my life.

Yes, he's a friendly old soul is Clarkson.

All you've got to do is make him feel at home.

Give him a nice spot of breakfast.

Tell Goody Bunce to get in a drop of Porto.

I cannot afford to refresh Mr Clarkson...

Better still, tell her to get in a drop of Madeira.

Then he'll just sit there purring and he won't bother you one little bit.

Men were deceivers ever

One foot in sea

And one on shore

To one thing constant never

To one thing constant never

Then sigh not so

But let them go

And be you blithe and bonny

And be you blithe and bonny

Convening all your sounds of woe

Convening all your sounds of woe

To hey, nanny, nanny

Hey, nanny, nanny

Hey, nanny, nanny

Hey, nanny, nanny

Very elegant, Dolly, very elegant.

Greetings, Madame Max. Thank God for a civilised household.

This time yesterday I was at the Kennedys

and the whole place was draped in gloom like a coffin,

and Kennedy nearly ate us alive because we talked politics on the Sabbath day.

I think Mr Kennedy perhaps wants his treasure in heaven

as well as here also on earth.

The question is, what does Lady Laura want with marrying such a man?

A husband to give her a position at the centre of politics.

Well, her father gave her that.

Lord Bremford is an old man.

And Mr Kennedy behaves like one.

Everywhere he goes, he leaves a trail of dust and ashes.

Oh, dear. That's all poor Laura's marriage has been, I fear.

She's beginning to look ashen herself.

Except, so I am told, when she sets eyes on Phineas Finn.

And who shall blame her for that, Mr Longstaffe?

- Mr Finn is a tonic for us all. - Yes.

A damned sight too stimulating.

Whenever Laura sees him, she's like a jack-in-the-box.

- Jill-in-the-box

Jill-in-the-box, and there's others nearly as bad.

Violet Effingham is staying at the Kennedys.

She swept Finn off to the park yesterday like a tigress with a lump of raw meat.

Poor Mr Finn.

Yes, poor in pocket as well as in spirit,

or so I'm told.

I hear he had his chance in the House the other day, Barlington.

Yes, he did, and he quite simply funked it.

- I really don't think that he need... - Gentlemen.

Gentlemen, please.

Surely you two do not grudge poor Mr Finn his place, such as it is.

You know he won it for himself.

Yes, he did, by smirking and flattering and smarming.

We all saw him at his tricks up at Loughlinter last August.

It is posible, Mr Erle,

that people just simply like him.

And new, gentlemen, I wonder if you would excuse me, please.

I find all this small talk so very tiring.

Perhaps Mr Kennedy is right, we should pray more and gossip less.

You know, we are all vulnerable on one point or another.

His Grace the Duke of Omnium.

Your Grace, you are all too punctual.

Oh.

Nice to see you, Mr Finn.

It's been very lonely this afternoon without you.

Er, now this is getting very bad, Mr Finn.

Of course, you being a Parliament gent, you're protected.

But very soon the session will end and you'll have to...

- Your tea, sir. - Er...oh, yes.

Oh, and another cup for Mr Finn.

Er, can I have some more muffins?

Yes, I have it in my power to be severe, very severe, Mr Finn.

Mr Fitzgibbon has assured me that the bill will be paid.

Assurances ain't coin of the realm, you know that, Mr Finn.

You come and sit down and have your tea.

No good starving yourself, I don't require my gents to go as far as that

Now, I've been thinking... Oh.

Yes, now, supposing you was to pay just half this little bill

and I was to renew the other half for six momhs.

I can pay no part of it.

- Your bath will be up in a minute, sir. - Soon as you can, Mr Bunce.

Now, Mr Clarkson, I must ask you to leave me. I have to bath and change.

Oh, don't mind me, Mr Finn.

I'm pressed for time, I have business in the House.

Oh, bless you, sir. Business at the House never presses.

- Milk and sugar? - Mr Clarkson, I am a Member of Parliament.

Oh, ho, I know what Parliament is.

Don't put me off with Parliament.

I've known Parliament gents these 30 years, would you believe it?

Yes, I've had a Prime Minister's name in here,

Lord Chancellor's name in here,

and an Archbishop's name in here.

- Now, is that to your liking? - Mr Clarkson!

Certain newspaper editors are very interested

when they know I got a Parliament gent's name in here for longer than it ought to be.

There's Mr Quintus Slide of the People's Banner.

He'd be very interested.

He wouldn't be interested in a little name like mine.

Oh, yes, indeed.

You've been to Loughlimer, been to Lady Glencora Palliser.

- He'd be interested in you all right. - ls there no privacy?

Not for you Parliament gents

You pull yourself in the public eye.

You can't take yourself out of it when it suits you.

Thanks very much, Mr Bunce, I'll do that.

Mr Clarkson is just leaving. Show him down, please.

No, no, not just at the moment.

I'll just sit here quite quiet and...

yeah, finish my tea.

Ah.

And who's growing up to be a great big boy?

- My little Planty-kin, yes he is. - Really, Glenoora.

And what's he going to be when he grows up, eh?

He's going to be a tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor,

rich man, poor man, politician...

Yes. Yes, he is.

He's going to be a dukey-wukey.

Yes-

Only one.

That's a good boy.

- He's going to be like his big uncle, yes. - Oh, my dear...

Rich and proud and grand and wicked, yes.

I hope the boy doesn't remember all that.

Remember, you're not to remember.

- Mr Barlington Erie, my Lady. - Thank you, Collingwood.

Oh, Ede, I'm afraid you catch us at a domestic hour.

Yes, which is just concluding. My powers of monologue are quite exhausted.

There we are. Goodbye. Goodbye.

- Enchanting. - Yes.

Well, Mr Erie, tell me about the grown-up world.

I can tell you about somebody very grown up indeed.

- The Duke of Omnium. - The Duke of Omnium?

Pray, be careful not to commit less-majesty. It upsets Mr Palliser.

And rightly so.

Dolly Longstaffe and I were with Madame Max Goesler this afternoon.

Just as we were leaving, his Grace the Duke of Omnium arrived.

- Was he expected? - He was certainly shown straight up.

And Madame Max asked Dolly and me to leave because she was, as she said, tired.

- But she didn't ask the Duke to leave? - No.

Perhaps she thought that would be lese-majesty.

Hey, ho. Planty, have you been listening to all this.

The Duke is always getting fond of some woman. He will to the end.

There are women and women and Madame Goesler is a very clever woman.

Perhaps we need not to concern ourselves. The Duke prefers the foolish ones.

Ah, but she's clever enough to make herself foolish to suit his taste.

But she wouldn't like it, Lady Glen. She likes to sparkle, does Madame Max.

Yes, exactly. The lady will soon get bored.

Bored with the Duke of Omnium?

Why, Plantagenet, here is less-majesty indeed.

And from the heir himself.

But only the heir presumptive, I should add,

as long as there are women like Madame Goesler around.

Oh, why oh why can't she stick to Phineas Finn?

Ah, she was speaking very warmly for him this afternoon.

Good. I shall have another crush here next week and I shall positively chain them together.

Oh, no, Finn's going down to the country next week, Lady Glen.

- Hunting with Lord Chiltern at Willingford. - Lord Chiltern's an ogre.

- He killed a man at Newmarket. - No, no, no, no, no, it wasn't really that.

It was more a brawl.

Red Lord Chiltern they call him.

And his horses are even wilder than he is.

Steady, Bonebreaker, steady. I'll break you.

Aptly named, that horse. I'd get rid of him if l was you.

How do you find Meg Merrilies?

She'll run like flowing water if you leave her mouth alone.

If you don't, I won't be answerable for it.

My God, Phineas, they've found again.

No, no, this way.

Head them off.

No, masters, no, not that way!

No, masters.

Not down there, there's a dyke.

A dyke-.

- What's that fool shouting? - There's a dyke ahead.

Dyke? It's only a stream.

You go first, Phineas. You go ahead and you'll be all right.

Damn you, Bonebreakel!

I'd like the arrangements just as they were last time, Collingwood.

A table there and then the large sideboard there.

A group of chairs there and then...

- another table there. - Very well, my Lady.

Oh, yes, and one small change about the food - fewer cakes and more sandwiches.

More sandwiches. Very good, my Lady.

Cora?

What on earth is the matter?

Plantagenet

- Oh, Cora. - I shan't move till it's gone.

My dear, you should not concern yourself with that.

At a time like this, you should avoid all worry.

One can no more avoid worrying than breathing the air.

But there's no need to get up worries out of nothing.

Perhaps you'd better cancel all your receptions from new on.

- Let this one be the last. - What nonsense. I'm much better occupied.

Besides, the Duke of St Bungay said that my receptions are a great help to you.

Well, so long as you are happy, my dear.

- You will know when it is time to desist. - Oh, very well.

From now on I shall be as calm and as unconcerned...

as a cauliflower.

- And this time, Cora, a girl? - Another boy, I hope.

- Then it will be safe. - Safe?

The line will be safe.

- How are you now, old fellow'? - I'll do. Damned fine run.

Hm. Have some of this.

Damn Bonebreaker.

Miss Effingham warned me you kept unruly horses.

How is she?

She's as charming as ever.

I pressed her pretty hard to marry me before I came down here, Finn.

- I know. You told me. - I shan't ask her again.

I've loved her all my life but I shan't ask her again.

Why not?

I hate going on at people.

I'm damned if I'll let any other man get her.

Squire?

Doctor is sent for.

Thank you.

Won't be long now.

- Thank you, Finn, for pulling me out. - Oh, it was nothing.

Nothing? It was a damned fine run and you were still there when I wanted you.

Thank God you Irish fellows can ride.

- Of course he'll kill himself some day. - Oh, I think not, my Lord.

He's a magnificent horseman.

Yes, but accidents will happen.

It's cost him four broken ribs and a shattered kneecap.

But you say there's no danger?

The doctor at Willingford says none.

I'd like to see him but Mr Kennedy says there's no occasion.

Your brother will be lonely laid up by himself in the country,

but apart from that, there's nothing to fear.

Can you go down to see him again, Mr Finn?

Mr Finn will have his work cut out up here, we all shall,

with Mr Mildmay's bill to be got through

and the people rioting in the streets for the ballot.

Time for all good men to close ranks

and time for you and me, Laura, to have a word together.

Excuse me, Violet, Finn.

I've just had the oddest communication from Mr Kennedy.

That man is totally...

What really happened, Mr Finn?

About Lord Chiltern.

Oh, he came to grief at a stream. Luckily I was there to help him out.

There is a more exciting account come up from the country.

They say you leapt over a raging torrent and took on a mad horse single-handed.

Lord Chiltern was riding a brute that no-one should ever have ridden.

There was never any danger in it for me.

You are modest, Mr Finn. I think you behaved very bravely.

I'm so glad.

He talked about you,

Lord Chillem did,

the day before the accident

He said he would be very angry with any other man who might presume to address you.

He had no right

Who is Lord Chiltern to discourage my suitors?

That's what I thought.

Miss Effingham...

Violet...

If you go on like this, Mr Finn, I shall have to report you to my Aunt Baldock.

Her revenge will be terrible.

I think you'd better go before you say something really foolish.

I shall go if you wish.

I do.

And yet, I shall be so pleased when we meet again.

When might that be, Miss Effingham?

When chance dictates.

I think it's so much nicer and easier, don't you think,

to leave these matters to chance.

Well, goodbye for now, Mr Finn.

Mr Finn has an appointment.

What did your father want?

Mr Kennedy has been raising the question of my dowry.

- I thought you were to go to him without one. - He's now asking about its payment.

Something must have happened to annoy him.

Mr Finn has happened to annoy him.

Well, you have a certain way of looking at that young man, Laura,

which would give no comfort to a husband.

Mr Finn's my friend, and my husband's.

I sometimes think it is you, Violet, who looks at Mr Finn in the manner you speak of.

I am decidedly partial to Mr Finn.

You don't mean to fall in love with him?

Well, if l do, I'll be sure to give you notice.

It's time we went home

or Mr Kennedy will wonder what's become of us.

- I hope we meet no rioters. - Nonsense, these are nice English rioters.

They're far too respectful of their betters to come near you or me.

The secret ballot, Mr Mildmay. What about the secret ballot?

Mr Mildmay, give us an answer.

What about the secret ballot?

Don't let them turn too ugly.

Pressure we must bring but not violence.

Turnbull.

Turnbull!

There's Turnbull!

Gentlemen, gentlemen, you speak for all true Englishmen.

The new Reform Bill,

which this Government proposes,

seeks among other things to extend the suffrage

and to reduce the number of boroughs which are controlled by privileged men.

But, as I have previously indicated to this House,

we are making no provision whatever

but any system of secret ballot

ls it because we feel that men, free men of a quality fit to vote,

should have the proper courage of their own opinions?

Hear, hear!

And let me tell you frankly, Mr Speaker, sir,

that in this matter,

I refuse to be cut..

either by rioters outside this House,

or radicals within it.

Mildmay out! Bring the Government down!

We want the ballot! We want the ballot!

Mildmay out!

They're getting angry, Mr Bunce.

Yes, I know. I wonder which way it will go.

Go on!

No violence! No violence!

Come on!

We'll never win this way!

We'll never win this way, friends.

No violence, please.

So I say the country demands the vote.

From Thames to Tees,

from Pembroke to the Stump of Boston,

the cry is for free citizens a free vote and the only free vote is a secret one.

Hear, hear!

If any Member here have any doubt as to the temper of the people of this country

let them hark to the shout of those massing from Chelsea to the Fleet.

'No ballot, no bill.'

Mr Speaker, sir.

A sane man will close his ears to the rant of demagogues

and reason somewhat as follows.

It may be that a sane man will tell himself the Government is wrong to refuse the ballot.

But even if this is so, the fact remains

that what is offered is both important and profitable,

so why reject it?

A sane man will take what he can get now and return to ask for the rest.

- When? - Later on.

M Speaker.

Malls to the Exchequer to detail those affairs

And this consideration must be decisive.

No mechanism exists in this country for conducting a ballot

and none can be devised in the foreseeable future

without calling upon financial resources which this country cannot spare.

Mr Speaker, sir.

Ah, there's Finn.

Mr Speaker, sir,

your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions.

That is, your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams.

It's his first speech, we must see him through.

What I mean to say is that visions, no matter how bright and promising,

may be misleading, like will of the wisps.

Wills of the wisp.

Er, will of the wisps.

What it comes down to, Mr Speaker, sir, is that Mr Turnbull is a will of the wisp.

Order, order.

- That is the honorable member for... - Wolverhampton Potteries.

Thank you. ..for Wolverpam... Wolverhampton Potteries is a will of the wisp

and that unless he hastens more slowly

neither he nor we shall arrive.

For my right honorable colleague to assert

that thousands are massing in the streets of London to make it plain...

I hope the last speakers will be as brief so that we may divide and know the worst.

You think we shall lose?

I think the riots may just turn 'rt against us.

No ballot, no bill!

All right, make way. Make way, now. Keep out of the way.

...no bill! No ballot, no bill! No ballot...

How did 'it go? Was the Government defeated?

No.

I've just heard...

I've just heard

that the Government has got its bill through.

It got through by one vote, the Speaker's vote.

- Close thing. - Very close.

We can't stand on that

Do not despair, we shall win the day.

I promise you the time will come for us.

Victory will be ours

The traitor.

A nod to what he believes in and a hero to the crowd.

The mob, you mean.

I hope he doesn't get home till three in the morning and dies of hunger.

He knows all about that, Phineas. He had a meal at home before he left.

And I'm sure if you searched his carriage,

you would find 'rt stacked with sandwiches and sherry.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I trust...

I trust...

I trust that you will obtain all your just demands.

We may have lost but the Government can't say it's won.

We cut 'em down to size.

- I'm going to shake him by the hand. - You be careful.

Let the carriage get away.

Hey, you, keep away!

- Get away from this carriage. - I only want to shake his hand.

Mr Phineas?

Mr Phineas!

- What is it, Mrs Bunoe? - It's Bunce, sir.

I've been up, waiting and waiting.

One of those friends of his just come and told me. He's...

- He's been took in. - Eh?

By the police.

It's all those politics and unions and shillings a week.

I knew no good would come of it.

Those votes and ballots,

what no decent men ever ought to be mixed up with.

And now he's been tooken.

- Tooken off and tooken in. - Ssh.

Oh, Mr Phineas, what's to become of me?

Now, now, now, Mrs Bunce. Ssh.

Try and remember. Did Bunce's friend say where he'd been taken?

- The police office. - Which police office, Mrs Bunce?

Westminster.

My name is Phineas Finn.

- Oh, yes, sir. - I'm a Member of Parliament.

- Indeed, sir. - I've come about a man called Bunce,

Mr Bunce, whom I believe you're holding in the cells here.

Yes, that's so, sir. One of 36 men or more, held for breach of peace outside Parliament.

I'm sure Mr Bunce committed no breach of peace. He's my landlord.

He's a very respectable man.

So respectable that he was trying to enter Mr Turnbull's carriage with...

a threatening demeanour.

That's just the whole point.

Mr Bunce admires and supports Mr Tumbull.

- He couldn't have meant any harm. - That's for the magistrate to say in the morning.

- Sergeant, what exactly are the charges? - Breach of peace, like I said, sir.

I am also a barrister. What are the grounds, the specifications? I'd like to see them.

Well, the charge has just been made out, sir.

- You mean, I can't see them yet? - No, not just now, sir.

Your fellow sits in a cell for over three hours

without proper charges flamed against him?

There was too many of 'em, sir. Four to a cell.

We couldn't tell which was rubbish and which wasn't...

The fact is, you have held a man without charges.

You know as well as I do that if I went and roused a judge,

and I know one or two, I could get a writ for Mr Bunce's release just like that

Though it wouldn't be the end of the affair.

And you wouldn't be too popular rousing a judge at this hour of the morning.

Just for your...landlord.

Sergeant, we neither of us want any unpleasantness, hm?

Rather the opposite.

Now, we know the sensible thing to do, you and I,

to save everybody trouble,

and to do right by an honest citizen.

Well, if you put it like that, sir...

...l'll put it like this.

I knew l could rely on your good judgment, sergeant.

Oh, and I thought I could rely on yours, sir, but...

Ah, now l see I was right, sir. Thank you.

Constable Kershav!

- Fetch Mr em... - Bunce.

...Bunce up from the cells.

Well, it's very lucky for me you came along, sir.

Indeed?

Oh, yes. I mean, we might have made a terrible mistake, sir,

if it hadn't been for a gentleman like yourself

to explain it all...

satisfactory.

For myself I'm very glad you've accepted, particularly with this present trouble.

- Your standing is very high with the public. - So...

Turnbull and his merry men voted against you but you won the debate on the Speaker's vote.

Where's the trouble in that?

In a matter of this importance, we must have a solid majority, Dolly.

The Speaker's casting vote will not give us proper warrant to go ahead with the Reform Bill.

So, you drop the bill and we don't have any reform.

That's quite all right by me.

But not all right by the country, Dolly.

Well, the issue is so serious that there will have to be a general election.

They said by this morning that the riots had died out completely.

The British people dislike riots and seldom sustain them for long.

A significant number of the people want more reform than we are prepared to give them.

- Indeed. - Mr Monk will tell you.

- We shall have to go to the nation. - But not before the end of the session.

We can stay till then on the plea of other business.

Hang on for a few more months and everyone will forget the row.

I'm afraid not, Lady Glencora.

A general election there must be by July at the latest.

Yes, and indeed some gesture we must make at once.

My dear, there are going to be some changes.

- We're going to shuffle the pack. - Push out a few old faces.

- Bring in some other old faces. - No, handsome new ones, Dolly,

to show real penitence.

Well, what about Phinny here?

Don't be frivolous. We need men of substance.

Kennedy, for example. He's been offered the Duchy of Lancaster.

I seem to remember you saying he liked his independence.

In the present circumstances, he feels it's his duty to accept.

Well, it's only to put on a good show in front of his wife,

before Phinny cuts him out.

That's enough, Dolly.

Mr Finn.

Hello, Mr Finn. I expect you're glad to have made a start in the House.

You know I made a terrible ass of myself.

No more than many other men when they speak for the first time.

Now that you have started, you'll improve.

I haven't got much time for that, have I?

They say there's going to be a general election.

- Not till the end of the session. - That's soon enough.

I heard from Ireland this morning. Lord Tulla wants his borough back for his brother.

There are more seats than Tulla, Mr Finn. Excuse me.

- More expensive on. - Look around you, Mr Finn.

Look around while you still have time.

One of the things I like so much in the winter is the Spanish riding school.

- About that bill. - Phinny, I am sorry, I missed your speech.

- There we are. Now come and sit down. - And how did you find Mr Finn?

He's rather depressed. He's going to find it difficult to find a seat. Sit down.

Don't fuss. He is so promising, everyone says.

How did you find his maiden speech?

Exceedingly silly but he's got certain powers of attack.

Don't you understand, Laurence? I'm in trouble enough as it is

without having Clarkson round my neck like an albatross.

I told you to get him some Madeira.

He's eating me out of house and home as it is.

It can't go on. It isn't kind of you, it isn't fair and it isn't honest.

I know, you're upset about your speech, but you really must learn to have paiience.

My patience has run out.

Dolly, my dear chap, I'll die if l don't have some caviar.

Mr Finn, at last.

Oh, but how sad you look.

I am. I made a prime fool of myself in the House last night

I'll have lost my seat before I have time to make up for it.

Don't be foolish, Mr Finn.

You have all summer long to make the chamber ring with your speeches.

Yes, but after that, when the election comes.

Ah, well, of course I cannot say about that.

But you have a lucky face, Mr Finn,

and a most attractive one.

Why don't you try smiling a little?

Open your mouth. Perhaps someone might drop a plum into it.

He had the courage to call Mr Turnbull of Wolverhampton Potteries a will of the wisp.

- Will of the wisp? - Sounds rather poetic.

- He had some difficulty in expressing himself. - Planty said he did show powers of attack.

- Hm. - What did you think about the speech?

I thought very little about it. And I suggest you should do the same.

Do you mean the speech was bad?

I mean, Laura, that you concern yoursetf far too much with the activities of Mr Finn.

Mr Finn, Ruben, has just saved my brother's life.

Those hunting stories are always exaggerated. Chiltern was probably drunk.

Now you've been given a place in the Cabinet and a chance to be a bigger man,

a certain enlargement of mind and of heart might become you.

Do you complain about my qualities in mind and heart?

Have they altered since you became my wife?

Yes. My father tells me you are now asking for my dowry.

- Asking for what belongs to me. - But you agreed.

I agree to wait and I have now waited long enough.

- You can't possibly need the money. - But by God's law and man's, I am entitled to it.

Robert.

Planty, the Kennedys are getting up a quarrel.

The motion's brought no happiness there.

What do you want with a canting fallacy like that in the Cabinet?

- He has a very good name with the public - Well, then, he's good for something.

Lady Glencora.

Mr Finn?

- Yes? - You are going down to the House?

- Yes. - Then I will walk with you if l may.

- Of course, sir. - And speak a word with you as we go.

I am aware, Mr Finn, that you were a friend of my wife's before I married her

and that you are somewhat of a favourite in her family.

Nevertheless, I must ask you not to visit her on Sundays.

I beg your pardon, Kennedy?

- Mr Finn, you are, I believe, a Papist. - I'm a Catholic.

And therefore lax in your observance of the Sabbath day.

I care not how you endanger your own soul but I will not suffer you to corrupt my wife's soul.

- For goodness sake! - In the name of the living God, sir,

I forbid you to consult wilh my wife on the Sabbath day.

Now, then.

So, no permanent damage, hm?

The doctors say not

May God bless you.

Amen.

Why, Mr Finn, what a paladin you are.

But you help men in distress instead of maidens.

- That's my bad luck. - The other will come in time, I expect.

- Then you shall get your reward. - Please stay and take care of Mr Kennedy.

My father wants to thank you in person. I'd like to take you to him at once.

Before you go, Finn,

any...anger there was between us on that unhappy oocasion must be forgotten now.

With all my heart.

And, of course, you will join us at Loughlinter for the Easter recess?

Oswald! Laura!

Well, well, Finn.

- So you see, I'm back again. - I'll go and find Papa.

They say you saved Kennedy from the garrote.

Hm, got there just in time.

- Fool. Should be garrotted yourself. - Now, now, where would we be

without our new Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster?

We'd be thinking up lies to put on his tombstone

and carving up his money, that's where we'd be.

So, I'm to thank you again, Mr Finn.

I'm glad to be of service, Lord Brentford.

And now we may be of service to you.

Er, I understand Lord Tulla has withdrawn his support

and you can't stand for his borough at the general election.

Oh, I can stand all right, my Lord, but I shan't get in.

Precisely. How would you care to stand for the borough of Brentford?

I promise you you won't be opposed and it will only cost you a couple of hundred.

I have no right to such a favour.

That is for me to judge.

After all, Lord Brentford,

I will belong to a p...

We both belong to a party that proposes to do away with boroughs such as this.

Yes, I've no doubt they'll do away with mine before long.

In the meantime, do you want it or not?

Please, Mr Finn, you must continue in the House.

Thank you, my Lord. I accept your offer with gratitude.

Very well. I'll let my people know next time I'm down there.

They'll know what to do.

All of which brings me, Mr Speaker, to one question.

Should the Liberal party be returned with a majority in the general election this July,

what programme of reform does it propose to adopt?

I venture to answer the honorable member for Wolverhampton Potteries very briefly.

Should the Liberal party, which is incidentally the party of the honorable member,

retain its majority,

it shall see fit to pursue its existing policies.

That is to say, we shall not legislate for the ballot

and we shall substantially increase the suffrage

and also do away with spurious boroughs -

such boroughs, that is to say, as house too few voters

to warrant their returning a Member of Parliament solely in their name,

or rather, to speak frankly, solely in the name of the landlord

or proprietor who controls them.

On the last point, the following observations are in order...

Very clear and sensible. Not so difficult, you see.

I knew you'd find your feet in time.

I felt rather odd about denouncing rotten boroughs

when I sit for one and have accepted another.

You may as well take advantage of them while they still last.

Yes, we must use the methods of the time,

however keen we may be to reform them.

- Are you coming to Loughlimer this Easter? - Yes.

Good. I'll look forward to another game of chess.

Mr! Finn?

Quintus Slide.

Quintus Slide, Mr Finn, of the People's Banner.

Oh, yes, Mr Slide.

We see you as a promising young man, Mr Finn, as coming up in the world,

and all by your own efforts.

Now, we like that, Mr Finn,

and the People's Banner would be proud to assist you with its backing.

- I'm very grateful. - But there is just one little thing first.

We want you to take up the ballot.

You must have heard me earlier. I am committed to opposing the ballot.

Yes, indeed, but you side with Mr Turnbull and speak out for the ballot,

and the People's Banner will speak out strong for you.

- And if l don't? - Then we'll be speaking out against you, not...

I have nothing to fear from you.

Not yet perhaps

Though a little bird did whisper that you might be rather embarassed

over a certain financial transaction.

I think you are impertinent.

And another little bird, Mr Finn,

was whistling away about a certain lady's husband turning up nasty.

Mr Kennedy is one of my cl...

There you are, you see,

guilty conscience.

Sooner or later, Finn, we get something on everybody,

and don't think that God has made an exception of you.