who brought me into the world--my father, John, was always a regular good
Blue,--and my respect for yourself since I came into this room has gone
up in the market a very great rise indeed,--considerable. So I should
just like to see if we could set our heads together, and settle the
borough between us two, in a snug private way, as public men ought to do
when they get together, nobody else by, and no necessity for that sort of
humbug, which is so common in this rotten old country. Eh, my Lord?"

"Mr. Avenel," said Harley, slowly, recovering himself from the
abstraction with which he had listened to Dick's earlier sentences, "I
fear I do not quite understand you; but I have no other interest in the
next election for the borough of Lansmere than as may serve one whom,
whatever be your politics, you must acknowledge to be--"

"A humbug!"

"Mr. Avenel, you cannot mean the person I mean. I speak of one of the
first statesmen of our time,--of Mr. Audley Egerton, of--"

"A stiff-necked, pompous--"

"My earliest and dearest friend."

The rebuke, though gently said, sufficed to silence Dick for a moment;
and when he spoke again, it was in an altered tone.

"I beg your pardon, my Lord, I am sure. Of course, I can say nothing
disrespectful of your friend,--very sorry that he is your friend. In
that case, I am almost afraid that nothing is to be done. But Mr. Audley
Egerton has not a chance.