Phineas Finn Takes His Seat Phineas had many serious, almost solemn thoughts on his journey towards London.

I am sorry I must assure my female readers that very few of them had reference to Mary Flood Jones.

He had, however, very carefully packed up the tress, and could bring that out for proper acts of erotic worship at seasons in which his mind might be less engaged with affairs of state than it was at present.

Would he make a failure of this great matter which he had taken in hand?
He could not but tell himself that the chances were twenty to one against him.

Now that he looked nearer at it all, the difficulties loomed larger than ever, and the rewards seemed to be less, more difficult of approach, and more evanescent.