were to go up to the Peers, we should lose even that one vote; and
would it be common sense in us to incur such a loss? Mr. Scully,
the Liberal, would return another Member of his own way of thinking;
and as for the Lords, we have, you know, a majority there."

"Oh, that horrid man!" said Lady Gorgon, cursing Mr. Scully in her
heart, and beginning to play a rapid tattoo with her feet, "that
miscreant, that traitor, that--that attorney has been our ruin."

"Horrid man, if you please, but give me leave to tell you that the
horrid man is not the sole cause of your ruin--if ruin you will call
it. I am sorry to say that I do candidly think Ministers believe
that Sir George Gorgon has lost his influence in Oldborough as much
through his own fault as through Mr. Scully's cleverness."

"Our own fault! Good heavens! Have we not done
everything--everything that persons of our station in the county
could do, to keep those misguided men? Have we not remonstrated,
threatened, taken away our custom from the Mayor, established a
Conservative apothecary--in fact, done all that gentlemen could do?
But these are such times, Mr. Crampton: the spirit of revolution is
abroad, and the great families of England are menaced by democratic
insolence."

This was Sir George Gorgon's speech always after dinner, and was
delivered by his lady with a great deal of stateliness. Somewhat,
perhaps, to her annoyance, Mr. Crampton only smiled, shook his head,
and said--

"Nonsense, my dear Lady Gorgon--pardon the phrase, but I am a plain