only great objection which
he saw, was that if he happened to get in, it must mean that he would
have to work all day and all night too. Well, he was strong and the more
work he did the better--it kept him from thinking.

In due course Beatrice's answer came. Her view coincided with his own;
she recommended him to take the opportunity, and pointed out that with
his growing legal reputation there was no office in the State to which
he might not aspire, when he had once proved himself a capable member of
Parliament. Geoffrey read the letter through; then immediately sat
down and wrote to his friend the whip, accepting the suggestion of the
Government.

The next fortnight was a hard one for him, but Geoffrey was as good a
man on the platform as in court, and he had, moreover, the very valuable
knack of suiting himself to his audience. As his canvass went on it was
generally recognised that the seat which had been considered hopeless
was now doubtful. A great amount of public interest was concentrated
on the election, both upon the Unionist and the Separatist side, each
claiming that the result of the poll would show to their advantage. The
Home Rule party strained every nerve against him, being most anxious to
show that the free and independent electors of this single division,
and therefore of the country at large, held the Government policy in
particular horror. Letters were obtained from great authorities and
freely printed. Irish members, fresh from gaol, were brought down to
detail their grievances. It was even suggested that one of them should
appear on the platform in prison garb--in short, every electioneering
engine known to political science was brought to bear to forward the
fortunes of either side.

As time went on Lady Honoria, who had been somewhat indifferent at
first, grew quite excited about the result. For one thing she found that
the contest attached an importance to herself in the eyes of the truly
great, which was not without its charm. On the day of the poll she drove
about all day in an open carriage under a bright blue parasol, having
Effie (who had become very bored) by her side, and two noble lords on
the front seat. As a consequence the result was universally declared by
a certain section of the press to be entirely due to the efforts of an
unprincipled but titled and lovely woman. It was even said that, like
another lady of rank in a past generation, she kissed a butcher in
order to win his