: but saying, perhaps very
truly, that the people to be robbed might not like it, and might offer
violence; in which case woe betide them; it was they who would be guilty
of violence; and they must take the consequences if they resisted the
reasonable, propositions of himself and his friends! That, I suppose, is
among the new ideas with which Kenelm is more familiar than I am. Do you
entertain those new ideas?"

"Certainly not: I despise the fools who do."

"And you will not abet revolutionary measures if you get into
Parliament?"

"My dear Sir Peter, I fear you have heard very false reports of my
opinions if you put such questions. Listen," and therewith Gordon
launched into dissertations very clever, very subtle, which committed
him to nothing, beyond the wisdom of guiding popular opinions into right
directions: what might be right directions he did not define; he left
Sir Peter to guess them. Sir Peter did guess them, as Gordon meant he
should, to be the directions which he, Sir Peter, thought right; and he
was satisfied.

That subject disposed of, Gordon said, with much apparent feeling, "May
I ask you to complete the favours you have lavished on me? I have never
seen Exmundham, and the home of the race from which I sprang has a deep
interest for time. Will you allow me to spend a few days with you, and
under the shade of your own trees take lessons in political science from
one who has evidently reflected on it profoundly?"

"Profoundly, no; a little,--a little, as a mere bystander," said Sir
Peter, modestly, but much flattered. "Come, my dear boy, by all means;
you will have a hearty welcome. By the by, Travers and his handsome
daughter promised to visit me in about a fortnight, why not come at the
same time?"

A sudden flash lit up the young man's countenance.

"I shall be so delighted," he cried. "I am but slightly acquainted with
Mr. Travers, but I like him much, and Mrs. Campion is so well informed."

"And what say you to the girl?"

"The girl, Miss Travers. Oh, she is very well in her way. But I don't
talk with young ladies more than I can help."

"Then you are like your cousin Kenelm?"

"I wish I were like him in other things."

"No, one such oddity in a family is quite enough. But though I would
not have you change to a Kenelm, I would not change Kenelm for the most
perfect model of a son that the world can exhibit." Delivering himself
of this burst of parental fondness, Sir Peter shook hands