sm,
and the duty of adhering to the old family party, while his mind was
entirely preoccupied with his daughter? It had suddenly become almost
indifferent to him whether Silverbridge should be a Conservative or a
Liberal. But as he dressed he told himself that, as a man, he ought
to be able to do a plain duty, marked out for him as this had been by
his own judgment, without regard to personal suffering. The hedger
and ditcher must make his hedge and clean his ditch even though he be
tormented by rheumatism. His duty by his son he must do, even though
his heart were torn to pieces.

During breakfast he tried to be gracious, and condescended to ask his
son a question about Prime Minister. Racing was an amusement to which
English noblemen had been addicted for many ages, and had been held
to be serviceable rather than disgraceful, if conducted in a noble
fashion. He did not credit Tifto with much nobility. He knew but
little about the Major. He would much have preferred that his son
should have owned a horse alone, if he must have anything to do with
ownership. "Would it not be better to buy the other share?" asked the
Duke.

"It would take a deal of money, sir. The Major would ask a couple of
thousand, I should think."

"That is a great deal."

"And then the Major is a very useful man. He thoroughly understands
the turf."

"I hope he doesn't live by it?"

"Oh no; he doesn't live by it. That is, he has a great many irons in
the fire."

"I do not mind a young man owning a horse, if he can afford the
expense,--as you perhaps can do; but I hope you don't bet."

"Nothing to speak of."

"Nothing to speak of is so apt to grow into that which has to be
spoken of." So much the father said at breakfast, hardly giving his
mind to the matter discussed,--his mind being on other things. But
when their breakfast was eaten, then it was necessary that he should
begin. "Silverbridge," he said, "I hope you have thought better of
what we were talking about as to these coming elections."

"Well, sir;--of course I have thought about it."

"And you can do as I would have you?"

"You see, sir, a man's political opinion is a kind of thing he can't
get rid of."

"You can hardly as yet have any very confirmed political opinion.
You are still young, and I do not suppose that you have thought much
about politics."

"Well, sir; I think I have. I've got my own ideas. We've got to
protect our position as well as we can against the R