Phineas Finn had thrice before this been chosen to sit in
Parliament--twice for the Irish borough of Loughshane, and once for
the English borough of Loughton; but he had been so happy as hitherto
to have known nothing of the miseries and occasional hopelessness of
a contested election. At Loughton he had come forward as the nominee
of the Earl of Brentford, and had been returned without any chance of
failure by that nobleman's influence. At Loughshane things had nearly
been as pleasant with him. He had almost been taught to think that
nothing could be easier than getting into Parliament if only a man
could live when he was there. But Loughton and Loughshane were gone,
with so many other comfortable things of old days, and now he found
himself relegated to a borough to which, as it seemed to him, he was
sent to fight, not that he might win, but because it was necessary
to his party that the seat should not be allowed to be lost without
fighting. He had had the pleasant things of parliamentary adventure,
and now must undergo those which were unpleasant. No doubt he could
have refused, but he had listened to the tempter, and could not now
go back, though Mr. Ruddles was hardly more encouraging than Mr.
Molescroft.

"Browborough has been at work for the last three days," said Mr.
Ruddles, in a tone of reproach. Mr. Ruddles had always thought that
no amount of work could be too heavy for his candidates.

"Will that make much difference?" asked Mr. Molescroft.

"Well, it does. Of course, he has been among the colliers,--when we
ought to have been before him."