they were received in the boardroom , by the new first lord and the other commissioners : the government had changed again in their absence , over the question of catholic emancipation , laurence gathered ; and the tories were in once more : lord mulgrave sat now at the head of the table , a little heavy by the jowls , with a serious expression and pulling a little at the end of his nose ; the tories did not think much of the corps , under any circumstances .