gentlemen, who generally knew their business so well as did the
political leaders at Percycross, had got themselves into the same
boat with a man silly enough to ask such a question as that?

"I shan't spend money," said Griffenbottom; "it's out of the
question. They can't touch me. I've spent my money, and got my
article. If others want the article, they must spend theirs."

Mr. Trigger thought it might be as well to change the subject for a
moment, or, at any rate, to pass on to another clause of the same
bill. "I was very sorry, Sir Thomas," said he, "that you wrote that
letter to Mr. Givantake."

"I wrote no letter to Mr. Givantake. A man named Piper addressed me."

"Well, well, well; that's the same thing. It was Givantake, though of
course he isn't going to sign his name to everything. If you could
just have written a line to your friend the Postmaster-General, I
really think we could have squared it all."

"I wouldn't have made a request so improper for all Percycross," said
Sir Thomas.

"Patronage is open to everybody," suggested Mr. Griffenbottom.

"Those sort of favours are asked every day," said Trigger.

"We live in a free country," said Spicer.

"Givantake is a d---- scoundrel all the same," said Mr. Pile; "and
as for his wife's Irish cousin, I should be very sorry to leave my
letters in his hands."

"It wouldn't have come off, Mr. Pile," said Trigger, "but the request
might have been made. If Sir Thomas will allow me to say as much, the
request ought to have been made."

"I will allow nothing of the kind, Mr. Trigger," said Sir Thomas,
with an assumption of personal dignity which caused everyone in the
room to alter his position in his chair. "I understand these things
are given by merit." Mr. Trigger smiled, and Mr. Griffenbottom
laughed outright. "At any rate, they ought to be, and in this office
I believe they are." Mr. Griffenbottom, who had had the bestowal of
some local patronage, laughed again.

"The thing is over now, at any rate," said Mr. Trigger.

"I saw Givantake yesterday," said Spicer. "He won't stir a finger
now."

"He never would have stirred a finger," said Mr. Pile; "and if he'd
stirred both his fistesses, he wouldn't have done a ha'porth of good.
Givantake, indeed! He be blowed!" There was a species of honesty
about Mr. Pile which almost endeared him to Sir Thomas.

"Something must be settled," said Trigger.

"I thought you'd got a proposition to make," said Spicer.