But the difficulties were so great that Mr. Palliser's hair was already
grey from toil, and his shoulders bent by the burden imposed upon them.
Mr. Bonteen, with two private secretaries from the Treasury, was now at
Matching to assist Mr. Palliser; and it was thought that both Mr. and Mrs.
Bonteen were near to madness under the pressure of the five-farthing
penny. Mr. Bonteen had remarked to many of his political friends that
those two extra farthings that could not be made to go into the shilling
would put him into his cold grave before the world would know what he had
done--or had rewarded him for it with a handle to his name, and a pension.
Lord Fawn was also at Matching--a suggestion having been made to Lady
Glencora by some leading Liberals that he should be supported in his
difficulties by her hospitality.
The mind of Mr. Palliser himself was too deeply engaged to admit of its
being interested in the great necklace affair; but, of all the others
assembled, there was not one who did not listen anxiously for news on the
subject. As regarded the old duke, it had been found to be quite a
godsend; and from post to post as the facts reached Matching they were
communicated to him.
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