He had shown himself to be ready at all hours to fight the battle of the party he had joined.

And no man knew so well as did Sir Timothy how to elevate a simple legislative attempt into a good faction fight.

He had so mastered his tricks of conjuring that no one could get to the bottom of them, and had assumed a look of preternatural gravity which made many young Members think that Sir Timothy was born to be a king of men.
There were no doubt some among his older supporters who felt their thraldom grievously.

There were some lords in the Upper House and some sons of the lords in the Lower,--with pedigrees going back far enough for pride,--who found it irksome to recognise Sir Timothy as a master.

No doubt he had worked very hard, and had worked for them.
No doubt he knew how to do the work, and they did not.