. Open and serious argument was at no time
unwelcome to him.

All very well! But how was one to argue, beyond a certain point, with a
man twenty-five years your senior, who had known you in jackets, and was
also your political chief?

Moreover, he had argued--to the best of his ability. Ferrier had written
him a striking series of letters, no doubt, and he had replied to them.
As to Ferrier's wish that he should communicate certain points in those
letters to Barton and Lankester, he had done it, to some extent. But it
was a most useless proceeding. The arguments employed had been
considered and rejected a hundred times already by every member of the
dissident group.

And with regard to the meeting, which had apparently roused so sharp a
resentment in Ferrier, Marsham maintained simply that he was not
responsible. It was a meeting of the advanced Radicals of the division.
Neither Marsham nor his agents had been present. Certain remarks and
opinions of his own had been quoted indeed, even in public, as leading
up to it, and justifying it. A great mistake. He had never meant to
countenance any personal attack on Ferrier or his leadership. Yet he
uncomfortably admitted that the meeting had told badly on the election.
In the view of one side, he had not had pluck enough to go to it; in the
view of the other, he had disgracefully connived at it.

* * * * *

The arrival of the evening post and papers did something to brush away
these dismal self-communings. Wonderful news from the counties! The
success of the latest batch of advanced candidates had been astonishing.
Other men, it seemed, had been free to liberate their souls! Well, now
the arbiter of the situation was Lord Philip, and there would certainly
be a strong advanced infusion in the new Ministry. Marsham considered
that he had as good claims as any of the younger men; and if it came to
another election in Brookshire, hateful as the prospect was, he should
be fighting in the open, and choosing his own weapons. No shirking! His
whole being gathered itself into a passionate determination to retaliate
upon the persons who had injured, thwarted, and calumniated him during
the contest just over. He would fight again--next week, if
necessary--and he would win!

As to the particular and personal calumnies with which he had been
assailed--why, of course, he absolved Diana. She could have had no
hand in them.

Suddenly he pushed his pape