Volume 2 starts from exactly the point where Volume 1 finishes with Laurence and Phineas leaving London to fight a duel with Lord Chiltern in Belgium.
 |
The duel
AI generated image |
Trollope doesn't give us a lot of detail of the duel, other than Phineas ends up with a shoulder wound and Lord Chiltern is unharmed. Phineas had said during their earlier encounter that he would not fire at Lord Chiltern, but we do not know if this is why he is unharmed or if Phineas simply missed.
As the story develops in the first five chapters of Volume 2 we see the rumours about the duel having taken place spreading around London society, and we are also introduced to the enigmatic Madame Max Goesler, who seems to take a shine to Phineas, and we also meet Lord Fawn, who we will meet again in the Eustace Diamonds, and who is also showing an interest in Violet Effingham. We are told that Violet currently has four suitors.
Phineas is finally promoted to the Government benches, much to the delight of his lady friends. Lady Laura is still struggling in her marriage to Kennedy, mostly because Kennedy is so cold and formal, but also because she is jealous that Phineas has switched his affections to Violet. When Phineas asks Lady Laura to help him in his pursuit of Violet she initially refuses.
Despite all of London society apparently knowing that Phineas has fought a duel with Lord Chiltern, it appears that Lord Brentford, Lord Chiltern's father and Phineas' sponsor, does not know. We are left in no doubt that the SH will really hit the fan for Phineas when Lord Brentford does get to know what happened.
Quintus Slide continues to attack Phineas Finn through the "People's Banner", a widely read scandal sheet, and we are told is making plans to stand as a candidate in Phineas Finn's constituency of Loughton.
 |
Quintus Slide attacks Phineas
AI generated image |
All the time the Reform Bill is making its way through due Parliamentary process, although it is having to undergo many changes to make it acceptable and avoid another division in Parliament.
Lady Laura oversteps her brief and decides to suggest to Violet that she should marry Phineas. When this is unsuccessful Lady Laura sets Violet up and tells Phineas where she will be at a certain time. Phineas meets Violet and asks her to be his wife, but she refuses his advances.
The book then turns back to the politics of the time. Because Phineas has been promoted, he has to stand for election again at Loughton in compliance with the rules of the day. Quintus Slide stands against him but Phineas is successful. Quintus makes a very defamatory speech against Phineas and his aristocratic connections and is pelted with rubbish and run out of town. Slide is able to use the speech in an article in “The People’s Banner”.
Back in Parliament, the radical Turnbull makes trouble for his party by proposing that seven constituencies, one of which is Finn's at Loughton, were too closely linked to aristocratic privilege and should be scrapped. A vote is forced over the amendment and the decision falls in favour of Turnbull. Although Phineas sees the sense in what Turnbull proposes, he has to vote against the amendment in order to keep his job in the government.
The defeat is such that the Prime Minister resigns and another General Election is called. Following the sacking of Laurence Fitzgibbon, basically for not doing his job, Phineas is promoted again.
All he has to do now is find himself a constituency to stand in.
In the Autumn Phineas finds himself at Matching Priory as the guest of Plantagenet and Glencora Palliser. Phineas is briefly introduced to the Duke of Omnium (Plantagenet is The Duke's nephew and heir) who comes to Matching for a few days. I struggle with Trollope's portrayal of the Duke who comes across as a randy old goat - apologies if that interpretation is incorrect.
 |
Randy old goat? - The Duke of Omnium and Madame Max Goesler at Matching Priory
AI generated image |
The Duke takes a shine to Madame Max Goesler who is at Matching, but Madame Max is beginning to fall for Phineas and offers to help him in his political ambitions. Phineas remains devoted to Violet, who is also at Matching, and things get really complicated when Oswald (Lord Chiltern) arrives and he and Phineas rekindle their friendship after the duel. Both seek to win Violet's hand, but Phineas feels it is too soon to ask her again after her recent refusal.
By a stroke of good fortune Phineas is able to stand for his original parliamentary seat, Loughshane, when the present MP dies and Lord Tulla (the MP's brother) decides he will not fight the seat. Trollope explains that Lord Tulla has been able to retain the seat in his gift as the current bill had not touched Ireland, hence Loughshane remained subject to Lord Tulla's influence. Phineas is once again successful.
While he is in Ireland Phineas visits Mary Flood Jones. We are told at the end of the chapter that Mary is very much in love with Phineas and hopes that one day he will come for her, and if he doesn't then she will bear it as well as she can.
Meanwhile there are troubles at Loughlinter.
Lady Laura continues to make things prickly for Mr Kennedy, who she always seems able to get the better of in any argument. He has to admit that he had been told that Violet Effingham will be at Loughlinter for Christmas and accept that Lord Chiltern will also be present in order that he can ask Violet again to marry him. All Kennedy wants is a quiet life, but he doesn't seem to be getting it.
 |
Lord Chiltern wins Violet's heart
AI generated image |
When news reaches Loughlinter of Phineas' success at Loughshane, Kennedy erroneously believes that Lady Laura has been in contact with Finn, and this drives another wedge between the Kennedys. They have a frosty November until Violet arrives and surprises us all by accepting Lord Chiltern's proposal of marriage. The fact that Phineas was on the rebound from Lady Laura when he proposed to her seems to have played a part in Violet's decision to finally accept Chiltern.
Phineas takes the news badly, and Trollope describes it as having broken his back, an injury which he seems to quickly recover from, aided by hard work and the attentions of Madame Max Goesler. Fascinatingly, Madame Max describes Finn as having the "ball at his feet", presumably an early reference to the game of soccer in classical literature (the English Football Association having been formed a few years earlier in 1863).
In the meantime, Lord Chiltern has returned to Saulsby and achieved some sort of reconciliation with his father and set the date of his wedding for July. His father is disappointed that Chiltern does not see a future for himself in politics, preferring instead to spend his summers on the continent (for Violet's entertainment) and his winters hunting (for his entertainment).
 |
The reconciliation at Saulsby
AI generated image |
Lady Laura is at Saulsby at this time, and tells Chiltern how unhappy she is as Mrs Kennedy, but realises she has made her bed and has to lie in it for now.
The book proceeds quite tediously at this point. Finn starts to understand that he has made political enemies amongst his fellow parliamentarians and Lady Laura gives him an express instruction not to accept any dinner invites from her husband. It is evident from their discussion that Lady Laura is still carrying a torch for Phineas and he wonders if he should play the long game in the hope that Kennedy may die soon.
He hears from Laurence Fitzgibbon that Violet has fallen out with Chiltern and he encourages Phineas to "strike while the irons hot" but Phineas does not believe what he has been told. Meanwhile Madame Max Goesler is playing with the affections of the Duke of Omnium and has dreams of perhaps becoming a Duchess herself. Obviously, this is of great concern to Glencora Palliser who also has her sights set on being the next Duchess when the old Duke dies and Plantagenet inherits. Glencora sets about keeping an eye on Madame Max.
Things come nicely to a head when the old Duke propositions Madame Max, an offer which she indignantly refuses. I said he always came across as a randy old goat!
Phineas agrees that he will take Mr Monk to Ireland in advance of a new Irish Reform Bill and Kennedy gets upset with Phineas for refusing his invitations to dinner, which results in Phineas having to suggest that it is as a result of things Lady Laura has indicated to him.
Phineas realises that he's probably dropped Lady Laura in it.
The story takes another twist when Phineas bumps into Lord Brentford who has finally heard about the duel in Belgium. He’s not happy with Finn, who he feels has used his contacts with his family to gain access to Violet. But the Earl does admit that Chiltern and Violet have split, confirming the rumour that Phineas had heard earlier.
Phineas refuses to give Lord Brentford his word that he won’t use the split to pursue Violet. Phineas finds that he has become a favourite with Mrs Baldock, Violet’s aunt and chaperone, on the basis that anyone would be a better husband than Lord Chiltern.
Trollope sets the battle between Madame Max and Lady Glencora as to who will be the future Duchess of Omnium as another duel, but one fought with words, and one in which Madame Max holds her own. Ultimately, Madame Max turns down the Duke's offer of marriage on the basis that she feels she is too common to be the wife of a Duke.
Madame Max tells Lady Glencora of her decision and they agree to become best mates, although Lady Glencora tells herself that she will keep Madame Max away from the Duke in future!
The Duke puts his disappointment behind him by arranging a slap-up evening soiree, towards the end of July, and just as the parliamentary session is drawing to a close. Everybody who is anybody is there, and a few who think they should be there miss out, but our chief protagonists are all present to keep the story moving along. Lady Laura takes Phineas aside to tell him that she is leaving Kennedy, as he has accused her of taking Phineas as her lover. She shares her letter to Kennedy with Phineas.
For his part Phineas is keen to find Violet but in searching for her he finds Madame Max instead. They discuss the Duke's merits before agreeing to meet when they are back in London before Christmas.
 |
"Do you wish that I should read the letter?" Phineas and Lady Laura at the Duke's party.
AI generated image |
Phineas finally finds Violet just after he has been speaking to Lady Laura. Violet tells him that although she is currently estranged from Lord Chiltern she will always love him and could love no other man. Phineas realises that he has missed his opportunity and that he must give up his ambitions of marrying Violet and her money.
We now move onto Phineas and Monk's ill fated trip to Ireland.
As I said previously you don't have to understand the politics of the day to appreciate Phineas Finn, but it does help. The story turns on the dichotomy which faces many politicians, namely the question of supporting party policy when it conflicts with personal principle. This was particularly acute for Phineas as he was dependent on his Government salary to fund his parliamentary way of life. The principle that Phineas decides he must die in a ditch over is the rights of Irish Tenants, but I suppose Trollope could have chosen anything (in fact Phineas came quite close to voting against the Government over secret ballots).
After a bit of padding to cover Mr Monk's trip to Phineas' hometown of Killaloe they move on to Limerick and Dublin where against Monk's advice Phineas pledged himself to support a bill advocating tenant rights in Ireland during the next session of Parliament. "I am sorry you went so far as that" says Mr Monk.
Before leaving Ireland Phineas has a heart to heart with Mary Flood Jones, explains his predicament to her and then proposes to her; she accepts much to the delight of Phineas' sister Barbara and all the Finn clan. Phineas tells Mary there may be a delay before they can marry.
"I do not care a straw for delay if you will be true to me" she said.
 |
"I do not care a straw for delay if you will be true to me"
AI generated image |
Phineas returns to London to face the music.
I have to say Trollope brings the story to an excellent and efficient conclusion. Chiltern and Violet settle their differences and are to be married, Lady Laura is to escape to Dresden to avoid Kennedy claiming his lawful conjugal rights, Phineas resigns and Monk puts forward his Irish Tenants Rights Bill, supported by Phineas, which brings down the Government and forces another General Election.
Before parliament is dissolved the Government push through an Irish Reform Act which sees Finn’s constituency removed from the political map.
The last hurdle Phineas has to overcome is in the form of the elegant Madame Max Goesler; can he resist her undoubtable charms and the lifestyle that her money will provide him?
Trollope manages to generate a little bit of a cliff hanger until this question is answered. He suggests that Phineas is in two minds, contrasting his life in London to that which he will face in Ireland, and it is also noticeable that he does not tell anyone in London about his plans to marry Mary. Having postponed his resignation from the government on the Friday, Phineas visits Madame Max on the Sunday when most people are out of the house at church. The two parry with clever words and repartee until we reach the climax of the scene where Madame Max offers Phineas her hand in marriage; Phineas tells her it cannot be, and Madame Max runs from the room fearing that she has betrayed herself.
 |
"Take the hand then first"
AI generated image |
Phineas resigns his post, makes his peace with his former employer and land lady and has another run in with Quintus Slide before making an excellent speech in favour of Monk's Bill. He says goodbye to Chiltern and Violet and Lady Laura who tells him that Madame Max had turned down the Duke of Omnium for his sake. Phineas chooses not to believe this.
Phineas and Madame Max exchange notes to wish each other well and Phineas returns to Ireland to start out again as a solicitor away from the bright lights of London. Although he faces an uncertain future with Mary, all comes right when his friends in London offer him the job of poor-law inspector in Ireland at a salary of £1000 per year.
My final thoughts on Phineas Finn. Not the most enjoyable of the novels we've read so far, we should note that Lady Glencora has grown up remarkably from the young mother we left at the end of "Can You Forgive Her?". And it was noticeable how easily Finn seemed able to switch his affections around, he didn't seem to stay broken hearted for long.
Strange then, that a man with such fickle principles should decide to throw his political career away on the issue of Irish Tenant Rights. Trollope does not really explain why this was such a do or die issue for Phineas, other than he was Irish, he wishes to support his hero Monk and gets carried away with the sound of his own voice when debating the topic on Monk's Irish tour.
Of course, we know Phineas will return in the fourth book in the series, Phineas Redux, and we know that in the next book, The Eustace Diamonds, Madame Max is still hanging around the Duke of Omnium and giving Glencora cause for concern.
Links
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harveywetdog/Author - David Robinson CEng FIET
David spent approaching 50 years in Her Majesty's Electricity Supply Industry before retiring
He was part of the highly successful design team on the Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station Project before spending 25 years producing safety cases to keep our aging AGR fleet generating for the good of the nation
He is responsible for the Harveywetdog YouTube Channel which he maintains as an outlet for his creative talents
David has twice experienced blood cancer treatment but absolutely refuses to be a victim
All views are of course his own but might be influenced by the medication he's having to take
Comments
Post a Comment