her was the Ministerial candidate, and Sir Charles Macabaw was
patronised by the Opposition. The two Members for Oldborough of course
took different sides, the baronet being of the Pincher faction, while
Mr. William Pitt Scully strongly supported the Macabaw party.

It was Mr. Scully's intention to deliver an impromptu speech upon the
occasion of the election, and he and his faithful Perkins prepared
it between them: for the latter gentleman had wisely kept his uncle's
counsel and his own and Mr. Scully was quite ignorant of the conspiracy
that was brooding. Indeed, so artfully had that young Machiavel of a
Perkins conducted himself, that when asked by his patron whether he had
given up his place in the Tape and Sealing Wax Office, he replied that
"he HAD tendered his resignation," but did not say one word about having
recalled it.

"You were right, my boy, quite right," said Mr. Scully. "A man of
uncompromising principles should make no compromise." And herewith he
sat down and wrote off a couple of letters, one to Mr. Hawksby, telling
him that the place in the Sealing-Wax Office was, as he had reason to
know, vacant; and the other to his nephew, stating that it was to be
his. "Under the rose, my dear Bob," added Mr. Scully, "it will cost you
five hundred pounds; but you cannot invest your money better."

It is needless to state that the affair was to be conducted "with the
strictest secresy and honour," and that the money was to pass through
Mr. Scully's hands.

While, however, the great Pincher and Macabaw question was yet
undecided, an event occurred to Mr. Scully, which had a great influence
upon his after-life. A second grand banquet was given at the Earl of
Mantrap's: Lady Mantrap requested him to conduct Lady Gorgon to dinner;
and the latter, with a charming timidity, and a gracious melancholy look
into his face (after which her veined eyelids veiled her azure eyes),
put her hand into the trembling one of Mr. Scully and said as much as
looks could say, "Forgive and forget."

Down went Scully to dinner. There were dukes on his right hand and earls
on his left; there were but two persons without title in the midst of
that glittering assemblage; the very servants looked like noblemen. The
cook had done wonders; the wines were cool and rich, and Lady Gorgon was
splendid! What attention did everybody pay to her and to him! Why WOULD
she go on gazing into his face with that tender imploring look? In
other words,