recovering. As physicians recommend
change of air to ordinary patients--so I am about to try change of
habit. Active I must be--action is the condition of my being; but I must
have done with books from the present. You see me in a new character."

"How?"

"That of a public man--I have entered parliament."

"You astonish me!--I have read the papers this morning. I see not even a
vacancy, much less an election."

"It is all managed by the lawyer and the banker. In other words, my seat
is a close borough."

"No bore of constituents. I congratulate you, and envy. I wish I were in
parliament myself."

"You! I never fancied you bitten by the political mania."

"Political!--no. But it is the most respectable way, with luck, of
living on the public. Better than swindling."

"A candid way of viewing the question. But I thought at one time you
were half a Benthamite, and that your motto was, 'The greatest happiness
of the greatest number.'"

"The greatest number to me is number _one_. I agree with the
Pythagoreans--unity is the perfect principle of creation! Seriously, how
can you mistake the principles of opinion for the principles of conduct?
I am a Benthamite, a benevolist, as a logician--but the moment I leave
the closet for the world, I lay aside speculation for others, and act
for myself."

"You are, at least, more frank than prudent in these confessions."

"There you are wrong. It is by affecting to be worse than we are that
we become popular--and we get credit for being both honest and practical
fellows. My uncle's mistake is to be a hypocrite in words: it rarely
answers. Be frank in words, and nobody will suspect hypocrisy in your
designs."

Maltravers gazed hard at Ferrers--something revolted and displeased
his high-wrought Platonism in the easy wisdom of his old friend. But he
felt, almost for the first time, that Ferrers was a man to get on in the
world--and he sighed; I hope it was for the world's sake.

After a short conversation on indifferent matters, Cleveland was
announced; and Ferrers, who could make nothing out of Cleveland, soon
withdrew. Ferrers was now becoming an economist in his time.

"My dear Maltravers," said Cleveland, when they were alone, "I am so
glad to see you; for, in the first place, I rejoice to find you are
extending your career of usefulness."

"Usefulness--ah, let me think so! Life is so uncertain and so short,
that we cannot too soon bring the little it can yield into t