HORSHAM. No, my dear Charles, let us above all things keep our mental
balance. Trebell is a most capable fellow. I'd set my heart on having him
with me ... he'll be most awkward to deal with in opposition. But we shall
survive his loss and so would the country.
CANTELUPE. [_Desperately._] Cyril, promise me there shall be no compromise
over this measure.
HORSHAM. [_Charmingly candid._] No ... no unnecessary compromise, I promise
you.
CANTELUPE. [_With a sigh._] If we had done what we have done to-night in
the right spirit! Blackborough was almost vindictive.
HORSHAM. [_Smiling without amusement._] Didn't you keep thinking ... I did
... of that affair of his with Mrs. Parkington ... years ago?
CANTELUPE. There was never any proof of it.
HORSHAM. No ... he bought off the husband.
CANTELUPE. [_Uneasily._] His objections to Trebell were--political.
HORSHAM. Yours weren't.
CANTELUPE. [_More uneasily still._] I withdrew mine.
HORSHAM. [_With elderly reproof._] I don't think, Charles, you have the
least conception of what a nicely balanced machine a cabinet is.
CANTELUPE. [_Imploring comfort._] But should we have held together through
Trebell's bill?
HORSHAM. [_A little impatient._] Perhaps not. But once I had them all round
a table ... Trebell is very keen on office for all his independent airs ...
he and Percival could have argued the thing out. However, it's too late now.
CANTELUPE. Is it?
_For a moment_ HORSHAM _is tempted to indulge in the luxury of
changing his mind; but he puts Satan behind him with a shake of the
head._
HORSHAM. Well, you see ... Percival I can't do without. Now that
Blackborough knows of his objections to the finance he'd go to him and take
Chisholm and offer to back them up. I know he would ... he didn't take
Farrant away with him for nothing. [_Then he flashes out rather shrilly._]
It's Trebell's own fault. He ought not to have committed himself definitely
to any scheme until he was safely in office. I warned him about Percival ...
I warned him not to be explicit. One cannot work with men who will make up
their minds prematurely. No, I shall not change my mind. I shall write to
him.
_He goes firmly to his writing desk leaving_ CANTELUPE _forlorn._
CANTELUPE. What about a messenger?
HORSHAM. Not at this time of night. I'll post it.
CANTELUPE. I'll post it as I go.
_He seeks comfort again in the piano and this time starts to play,
with one finger and some hesitation, the first bars of a Bach fugue_,
HORSHAM'S _pen-nib is disappointing him and the letter is not easy to
phrase._
HORSHAM. But I hate coming to immediate decisions. The administrative part
of my brain always tires after half an hour. Does yours, Charles?
CANTELUPE. What do you think Trebell will do now?
HORSHAM. [_A little grimly._] Punish us all he can.
_On reaching the second voice in the fugue_ CANTELUPE'S _virtuosity
breaks down._
CANTELUPE. All that ability turned to destructiveness ... what a pity!
That's the paradox of human activities....
_Suddenly_ HORSHAM _looks up and his face is lighted with a seraphic
smile._
HORSHAM. Charles ... I wish we could do without Blackborough.
CANTELUPE. [_Struck with the idea._] Well ... why not?
HORSHAM. Yes ... I must think about it. [_They both get up, cheered
considerably._] You won't forget this, will you?
CANTELUPE. [_The letter in_ HORSHAM'S _hand accusing him._] No ... no. I
don't think I have been the cause of your dropping Trebell, have I?
HORSHAM, _rid of the letter, is rid of responsibility and his charming
equable self again. He comforts his cousin paternally._
HORSHAM. I don't think so. The split would have come when Blackborough
checkmated my forming a cabinet. It would have pleased him to do that ...
and he could have, over Trebell. But now that question's out of the way ...
you won't get such a bad measure with Trebell in opposition. He'll frighten
us into keeping it up to the mark, so to speak.
CANTELUPE. [_A little comforted._] But I shall miss one or two of those
ideas ...
HORSHAM. [_So pleasantly sceptical._] Do you think they'd have outlasted the
second reading? Dullness in the country one expects. Dullness in the House
one can cope with. But do you know, I have never sat in a cabinet yet that
didn't greet anything like a new idea in chilling silence.
CANTELUPE. Well, I should regret to have caused you trouble, Cyril.
HORSHAM. [_His hand on the other's shoulder._] Oh ... we don't take politics
so much to heart as that, I hope.
CANTELUPE. [_With sweet gravity._] I take politics very much to heart. Yes,
I know what you mean ... but that's the sort of remark that makes people
call you cynical. [HORSHAM _smiles as if at a compliment and starts with_
CANTELUPE _towards the door._ CANTELUPE, _who would not hurt his feelings,
changes the subject._] By the bye, I'm glad we met this evening! Do you hear
Aunt Mary wants to sell the Burford Holbein? Can she?
HORSHAM. [_Taking as keen, but no keener, an interest in this than in the
difficulty he has just surmounted._] Yes, by the will she can, but she
mustn't. Dear me, I thought I'd put a stop to that foolishness. Well now, we
must take that matter up very seriously ...
_They go out talking arm in arm._