since, when your friend Mr Closerstil
brought a friend of his down to stand here--it wasn't Sir Roger
then--but when he brought a friend of his down, and when I drew
two or three hogsheads of ale on their side, and when my bill was
questioned and only half-settled, I did say that I wouldn't interfere
with no election no more. And no more I will, Mr Romer--unless it be
to give a quiet vote for the nobleman under whom I and mine always
lived respectable."

"Oh!" said Mr Romer.

"A man do like to have his bill paid, you know, Mr Romer."

Mr Romer could not but acknowledge that this was a natural feeling on
the part of an ordinary mortal publican.

"It goes agin the grain with a man not to have his little bill paid,
and specially at election time," again urged Mr Reddypalm.

Mr Romer had not much time to think about it; but he knew well that
matters were so nearly balanced, that the votes of Mr Reddypalm and
his son were of inestimable value.

"If it's only about your bill," said Mr Romer, "I'll see to have that
settled. I'll speak to Closerstil about that."

"All right!" said Reddypalm, seizing the young barrister's hand, and
shaking it warmly; "all right!" And late in the afternoon when a vote
or two became matter of intense interest, Mr Reddypalm and his son
came up to the hustings and boldly tendered theirs for their old
friend, Sir Roger.

There was a great deal of eloquence heard in Barchester on that day.
Sir Roger had by this time so far recovered as to be able to go
through the dreadfully hard work of canvassing and addressing the
electors from eight in the morning till near sunset. A very perfect
recovery, most men will say. Yes; a perfect recovery as regarded the
temporary use of his faculties, both physical and mental; though
it may be doubted whether there can be any permanent recovery from
such disease as his. What amount of brandy he consumed to enable
him to perform this election work, and what lurking evil effect the
excitement might have on him--of these matters no record was kept in
the history of those proceedings.

Sir Roger's eloquence was of a rough kind; but not perhaps the less
operative on those for whom it was intended. The aristocracy of
Barchester consisted chiefly of clerical dignitaries, bishops, deans,
prebendaries, and such like: on them and theirs it was not probable
that anything said by Sir Roger would have much effect. Those men
would either abstain from voting, or vote for