and Mrs. Grey were there, very particular friends of
Mr. Palliser's. Mr. Grey was now sitting for the borough of Silverbridge,
in which the Duke of Omnium was still presumed to have a controlling
influence, in spite of all Reform bills, and Mrs. Grey was in some distant
way connected with Lady Glencora. And Madame Max Goesler was there--a lady
whose society was still much affected by the old duke; and Mr. and Mrs.
Bonteen--who had been brought there, not perhaps altogether because they
were greatly loved, but in order that the gentleman's services might be
made available by Mr. Palliser in reference to some great reform about to
be introduced in monetary matters. Mr. Palliser, who was now Chancellor of
the Exchequer, was intending to alter the value of the penny. Unless the
work should be too much for him, and he should die before he had
accomplished the self-imposed task, the future penny was to be made, under
his auspices, to contain five farthings, and the shilling ten pennies. It
was thought that if this could be accomplished, the arithmetic of the
whole world would be so simplified that henceforward the name of Palliser
would be blessed by all schoolboys, clerks, shopkeepers, and financiers.
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