by their silence that some little space of time should be
allowed to him. Mr. Pile was leaning forward on his stick with his
eyes fixed upon Sir Thomas's face. Mr. Spicer was amusing himself
with a third glass of sherry. Mr. Griffenbottom had assumed a look of
absolute indifference, and was sitting with his eyes fixed upon the
ceiling. Mr. Trigger, with a pleasant smile on his face, was leaning
back in his chair with his hands in his trousers pockets. He had done
his disagreeable job of work, and upon the whole he thought that he
had done it well.

"I shall do nothing of the kind," said Sir Thomas at last.

"You'll be wrong, Sir Thomas," said Mr. Trigger.

"You'll disfranchise the borough," said Mr. Spicer.

"You'll not be able to keep your seat," said Mr. Trigger.

"And there'll be all the money to pay," said Mr. Spicer.

"Sir Thomas don't mind that," said Mr. Griffenbottom.

"As for paying the money, I do mind it very much," said Sir Thomas.
"As for disfranchising the borough, I cannot say that I regard it in
the least. As to your seat, Mr. Griffenbottom--"

"My seat is quite safe," said the senior member.

"As to your seat, which I am well aware must be jeopardised if mine
be in jeopardy, it would have been matter of more regret to me, had
I experienced from you any similar sympathy for myself. As it is, it
seems that each of us is to do the best he can for himself, and I
shall do the best I can for myself. Good morning."

"What then do you mean to do?" said Mr. Trigger.

"On that matter I shall prefer to converse with my friends."

"You mean," said Mr. Trigger, "that you will put it into other
hands."

"You have made a proposition to me, Mr. Trigger, and I have given you
my answer. I have nothing else to say. What steps I may take I do not
even know at present."

"You will let us hear from you," said Mr. Trigger.

"I cannot say that I will."

"This comes of bringing a gentleman learned in the law down into the
borough," said Mr. Griffenbottom.

"Gentlemen, I must ask you to leave me," said Sir Thomas, rising from
his chair and ringing the bell.

"Look here, Sir Thomas Underwood," said Mr. Griffenbottom. "This to
me is a very important matter."

"And to me also," said Sir Thomas.

"I do not know anything about that. Like a good many others, you may
like to have a seat in Parliament, and may like to get it without any
trouble and without any money. I have sat for Percycross for many
years, a