expelled him from the
House of Commons. Here he seated himself, and for an hour neither
stirred from his seat, nor touched a pen, nor opened a book. He was
trying to calculate in his mind what might be the consequences of
paying the money to Mr. Lopez. But when the calculation slipped
from him,--as it did,--then he demanded of himself whether strict
high-minded justice did not call upon him to pay the money let the
consequences be what they might. And here his mind was truer to him,
and he was able to fix himself to a purpose,--though the resolution
to which he came was not, perhaps, wise.

When the hour was over he went to his desk, drew a cheque for L500 in
favour of Ferdinand Lopez, and then caused his Secretary to send it
in the following note:--

Matching, August 4, 187--.

SIR,--

The Duke of Omnium has read the letter you have addressed to him,
dated the 3rd instant. The Duke of Omnium, feeling that you may
have been induced to undertake the late contest at Silverbridge by
misrepresentations made to you at Gatherum Castle, directs me to
enclose a cheque for L500, that being the sum stated by you to have
been expended in carrying on the contest at Silverbridge.

I am, sir,
Your obedient servant,

ARTHUR WARBURTON.

Ferdinand Lopez, Esq.

CHAPTER XLIII

Kauri Gum

The reader will no doubt think that Ferdinand Lopez must have been
very hardly driven indeed by circumstances before he would have made
such an appeal to the Duke as that given in the last chapter. But
it was not want of money only that had brought it about. It may
be remembered that the L500 had already been once repaid him by
his father-in-law,--that special sum having been given to him for
that special purpose. And Lopez, when he wrote to the Duke, assured
himself that if, by any miracle, his letter should produce pecuniary
results in the shape of a payment from the Duke, he would refund the
money so obtained to Mr. Wharton. But when he wrote the letter he did
not expect to get money,--nor, indeed, did he expect that aid towards
another seat, to which he alluded at the close of his letter. He
expected probably nothing but to vex the Duke, and to drive the Duke
into a correspondence with him.

Though this man had lived nearly all his life in England, he had not
quite acquired that knowledge of the way in which things are done
which is so general among men of a certain class, and so rare amon