well;--very well. I did want to see you, my boy. Things haven't
turned out just as we wished--have they?"

"Not exactly, sir."

"No indeed. You know the old saying, 'God disposes it all.' I have to
make the best of it,--and so no doubt do you."

"There's no doubt about it, sir," said Arthur, speaking in a low but
almost angry voice. They were not in a room by themselves, but in a
recess which separated them from the room. "I don't know that I want
to talk about it, but to me it is one of those things for which there
is no remedy. When a man loses his leg, he hobbles on, and sometimes
has a good time of it at last;--but there he is, without a leg."

"It wasn't my fault, Arthur."

"There has been no fault but my own. I went in for the running and
got distanced. That's simply all about it, and there's no more to be
said."

"You ain't surprised that I should wish to see you."

"I'm ever so much obliged. I think it's very kind of you."

"I can't go in for a new life as you can. I can't take up politics
and Parliament. It's too late for me."

"I'm going to. There's a Bill coming on this very night that I'm
interested about. You mustn't be angry if I rush off a little before
ten. We are going to lend money to the parishes on the security
of the rates for draining bits of common land. Then we shall sell
the land and endow the unions, so as to lessen the poor rates, and
increase the cereal products of the country. We think we can bring
300,000 acres under the plough in three years, which now produce
almost nothing, and in five years would pay all the expenses. Putting
the value of the land at L25 an acre, which is low, we shall have
created property to the value of seven millions and a half. That's
something, you know."

"Oh, yes," said Mr. Wharton, who felt himself quite unable to follow
with any interest the aspirations of the young legislator.

"Of course it's complicated," continued Arthur, "but when you come to
look into it it comes out clear enough. It is one of the instances
of the omnipotence of capital. Parliament can do such a thing, not
because it has any creative power of its own, but because it has the
command of unlimited capital." Mr. Wharton looked at him, sighing
inwardly as he reflected that unrequited love should have brought a
clear-headed young barrister into mists so thick and labyrinths so
mazy as these. "A very good beefsteak indeed," said Arthur. "I don't
know when I ate a better one. Than