"Do I disturb you, sir?" said Randal, entering.

"No; I have just done."

The house-steward withdrew, much surprised and disgusted, and meditating
the resignation of his own office,--in order, not like Egerton, to save,
but to spend. The house steward had private dealings with Baron Levy,
and was in fact the veritable X. Y. of the "Times," for whom Dick Avenel
had been mistaken. He invested his wages and perquisites in the discount
of bills; and it was part of his own money that had (though unknown to
himself) swelled the last L5,000 which Egerton had borrowed from Levy.

"I have settled with our committee; and, with Lord Lansmere's consent,"
said Egerton, briefly, "you will stand for the borough, as we proposed,
in conjunction with myself. And should any accident happen to me,--that
is, should I vacate this seat from any cause,--you may succeed to it,
very shortly perhaps. Ingratiate yourself with the electors, and speak
at the public-houses for both of us. I shall stand on my dignity, and
leave the work of the election to you. No thanks,--you know how I hate
thanks. Good-night."

"I never stood so near to fortune and to power," said Randal, as he
slowly undressed. "And I owe it but to knowledge,--knowledge of men,
life, of all that books can teach us."

So his slight thin fingers dropped the extinguisher on the candle, and
the prosperous Schemer laid himself down to rest in the dark. Shutters
closed, curtains drawn--never was rest more quiet, never was room more
dark!