m he
most trusted, that he would neglect his duty and show himself to be
a coward, if he abstained from taking his place. "Coward is a hard
word," he said to Mr. Low, who had used it.

"So men think when this or that other man is accused of running away
in battle or the like. Nobody will charge you with cowardice of that
kind. But there is moral cowardice as well as physical."

"As when a man lies. I am telling no lie."

"But you are afraid to meet the eyes of your fellow-creatures."

"Yes, I am. You may call me a coward if you like. What matters the
name, if the charge be true? I have been so treated that I am afraid
to meet the eyes of my fellow-creatures. I am like a man who has had
his knees broken, or his arms cut off. Of course I cannot be the same
afterwards as I was before." Mr. Low said a great deal more to him on
the subject, and all that Mr. Low said was true; but he was somewhat
rough, and did not succeed. Barrington Erle and Lord Cantrip also
tried their eloquence upon him; but it was Mr. Monk who at last drew
from him a promise that he would go down to the House and be sworn
in early on a certain Tuesday afternoon. "I am quite sure of this,"
Mr. Monk had said, "that the sooner you do it the less will be the
annoyance. Indeed there will be no trouble in the doing of it. The
trouble is all in the anticipation, and is therefore only increased
and prolonged by delay." "Of course it is your duty to go at once,"
Mr. Monk had said again, when his friend argued that he had never
undertaken to sit before the expiration of Parliament. "You did
consent to be put in nomination, and you owe your immediate services
just as does any other member."

"If a man's grandmother dies he is held to be exempted."

"But your grandmother has not died, and your sorrow is not of the
kind that requires or is supposed to require retirement." He gave way
at last, and on the Tuesday afternoon Mr. Monk called for him at Mrs.
Bunce's house, and went down with him to Westminster. They reached
their destination somewhat too soon, and walked the length of
Westminster Hall two or three times while Phineas tried to justify
himself. "I don't think," said he, "that Low quite understands my
position when he calls me a coward."

"I am sure, Phineas, he did not mean to do that."

"Do not suppose that I am angry with him. I owe him a great deal too
much for that. He is one of the few friends I have who are entitled
to say to me just what th