none of him. As to Lesborough, he is a fool and a boaster--who is always
puffing his own vanity with the windiest pair of oratorical bellows that
ever were made by air and brass, for the purpose of sound and smoke,
'signifying nothing.' Go to!--I will have none of him either."

"You are right in your judgment of my confreres," answered Vincent; "but
we must make use of bad tools for good purposes."

"No--no!" said I; "the commonest carpenter will tell you the reverse."

Vincent eyed me suspiciously. "Look you!" said he: "I know well that no
man loves better than you place, power, and reputation. Do you grant
this?"

"I do!" was my reply.

"Join with us; I will place you in the House of Commons immediately: if
we succeed, you shall have the first and the best post I can give you.
Now--'under which king, Bezonian, speak or die!'"

"I answer you in the words of the same worthy you quote," said I--"'A
foutra for thine office.'--Do you know, Vincent, that I have, strange as
it may seem to you, such a thing as a conscience? It is true I forget it
now and then; but in a public capacity, the recollection of others would
put me very soon in mind of it. I know your party well. I cannot imagine-
-forgive me--one more injurious to the country, nor one more revolting to
myself; and I do positively affirm, that I would sooner feed my poodle on
paunch and liver, instead of cream and fricassee, than be an instrument
in the hands of men like Lincoln and Lesborough; who talk much, who
perform nothing--who join ignorance of every principle of legislation to