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The Eland, and was to be entertained one night at the India Office The Secretary of State for the second great Asiatic Empire was to entertain the ruler of the first This was on Saturday the 6th of July, and Mel Monday Very great interest was enerally to obtain ad of such interest consisting in thefor tickets of admission, addressed to the Secretary of State, to all the under secretaries, to assistant secretaries, secretaries of departers and their wives If a petitioner could not be aduest into the splendour of the reception rooe whence the Eht perhaps be seen,--so that, if possible, the petitioner's nauests which would be published on the next ? Now Mr Melmotte with his family was, of course, supplied with tickets He, as to spend a fortune in giving the Emperor a dinner, was of course entitled to be present at other places to which the Eht to be shown Melmotte had already seen the Emperor at a breakfast in Windsor Park, and at a ball in royal halls But hitherto he had not been presented to the Emperor Presentations have to be restricted,--if only on the score of tiht that as Mr Melmotte would of course have some communication with the hardworked Emperor at his own house, that would suffice But he had felt himself to be ill-used and was offended He spoke with bitterness to soenerally, because he had not been brought to the front rank either at the breakfast or at the ball,--and now, at the India Office, was determined to have his due But he was not on the list of those whom the Secretary of State intended on this occasion to present to the Brother of the Sun

He had dined freely At this period of his career he had taken to dining freely,--which was in itself ience Let it not be understood that he was tipsy He was a man ine did not often affect after that fashion But it ance till he was almost sure to totter It was probably at so the cutting whip of which he had spoken Melhter to the India Office, and soon left theround with a request,--we may say an order,--to Lord Alfred to take care of thereat a curiosity as the Eirl who had atteone without her lover Melmotte entertained some foolish idea that as the India Office was in Westht to demand an introduction on this occasion because of his candidature He did succeed in getting hold of an unfortunate under secretary of state, a studious and invaluable young peer, known as Earl De Griffin He was a shy reat physical ability, who never aht and day, and read everything that anybody could write, and more than any other person could read, about India Had Mr Melmotte wanted to know the exact dietary of the peasants in Orissa, or the revenue of the Punjaub, or the amount of crime in Bombay, Lord De Griffin would have infor the E to do, and would have been the last ed in such a service He was, however, second in command at the India Office, and of his official rank Melmotte was unfortunatelyhis de presented to his Imperial Majesty' Lord De Griffin looked at hi one of the few men in that room who did not know him