e got up to
walk back to the Grange. "Well, that was natural too. What an ass a
man is to care for such things as that!"

On that evening and the next morning the Cornburys were very gracious
to him; and then he returned to Baslehurst, on the whole well pleased
with his visit.

CHAPTER XII.

IN WHICH THE QUESTION OF THE BREWERY IS SETTLED.

During the day or two immediately subsequent to the election, Mr.
Tappitt found himself to be rather downhearted. The excitement of the
contest was over. He was no longer buoyed up by the consoling and
almost triumphant assurances of success for himself against his enemy
Rowan, which had been administered to him by those with whom he had
been acting on behalf of Mr. Hart. He was alone and thoughtful in
his counting-house, or else subjected to the pressure of his wife's
arguments in his private dwelling. He had never yet been won over to
say that he would agree to any proposition, but he knew that he must
now form some decision. Rowan would not even wait till the lawsuit
should be decided by legal means. If Mr. Tappitt would not consent
to one of the three propositions made to him, Rowan would at once
commence the building of his new brewery. "He is that sort of man,"
said Honyman, "that if he puts a brick down nothing in the world will
prevent him from going on."

"Of course it won't," said Mrs. Tappitt. "Oh dear, oh dear, T.! if
you go on in this way we shall all be ruined; and then people will
say that it was my fault, and that I ought to have had you inquired
into about your senses."

Tappitt gnashed his teeth and rushed out of the dining-room back into
his brewery. Among all those who were around him there was not one
to befriend him. Even Worts had turned against him, and had received
notice to go with a stern satisfaction which Tappitt had perfectly
understood.

Tappitt was in this frame of mind, and was seated on his office
stool, with his hat over his eyes, when he was informed by one of the
boys about the place that a deputation from the town had come to wait
upon him;--so he pulled off his hat, and begged that the deputation
might be shown into the counting-house. The deputation consisted of
three tradesmen who were desirous of convening a meeting with the
view of discussing the petition against Mr. Cornbury's return to
Parliament, and they begged that Mr. Tappitt would take the chair.
The meeting was to be held at the Dragon, and it was proposed that
aft