Ralph the Heir I

believe their wings strong enough for soaring? There might be shipwreck of course, — but he believed that he now saw his way. As to the difficulty of speaking in public, — that he had altogether overcome. Some further education as to facts, historical and political, might be necessary. That he acknowl­edged to himself; — but he would not spare himself in his efforts to acquire such education. He went pacing through the damp, muddy, dark streets, making speeches that were de­liciously eloquent to his own ears. That night he was certainly the happiest man in Percycross, never doubting his success on the morrow, — not questioning that. Had not the whole town greeted him with loudest acclamation as their chosen mem­ber? He was deliciously happy; — while poor Sir Thomas was suffering the double pain of his broken arm and his dissipated hopes, and Griffenbottom was lying in his bed, with a doctor on one side and a nurse on the other, hardly able to restrain himself from cursing all the world in his agony.

These at least were the numbers as they came from the con­servative books. Westmacott was placed nearer to Moggs by his own tellers. For Moggs no special books were kept. He was content to abide by the official counting.

When the chairmen and presidents waited upon Moggs, telling him of the final result, and informing him that he must come to the hustings and make a speech, they endeavoured to console him by an assurance that he, and he alone, had fought the fight fairly. “They’ll both be unseated, you know, as sure as eggs,” said the president. “It can’t be otherwise. They’ve been busy up in a little room in Petticoat Court all the afternoon, and the men have been getting as much as fifteen shillings a head!” Moggs was not consoled, but he did make his speech. It was poor and vapid; — but still there was just enough of manhood left in him for that. As soon as his speech had been spoken he escaped up to London by the night mail train. West­macott also spoke; but announcement was made on behalf of the members of the borough that they were, both of them, in their beds.