to reproach, and then to pain--are you not one of us? Have you
gone over to the enemy, Nevil?'

'I have taken my side, Cecilia; but we, on our side, don't talk of an
enemy.'

'Most unfortunate! We are Tories, you know, Nevil. Papa is a thorough
Tory. He cannot vote for you. Indeed I have heard him say he is anxious
to defeat the plots of an old Republican in Bevisham--some doctor there;
and I believe he went to London to look out for a second Tory candidate
to oppose to the Liberals. Our present Member is quite safe, of course.
Nevil, this makes me unhappy. Do you not feel that it is playing traitor
to one's class to join those men?'

Such was the Tory way of thinking, Nevil Beauchamp said: the Tories
upheld their Toryism in the place of patriotism.

'But do we not owe the grandeur of the country to the Tories?' she said,
with a lovely air of conviction. 'Papa has told me how false the Whigs
played the Duke in the Peninsula: ruining his supplies, writing him
down, declaring, all the time he was fighting his first hard battles,
that his cause was hopeless--that resistance to Napoleon was impossible.
The Duke never, never had loyal support but from the Tory Government.
The Whigs, papa says, absolutely preached submission to Napoleon! The
Whigs, I hear, were the Liberals of those days. The two Pitts were
Tories. The greatness of England has been built up by the Tories. I do
and will defend them: it is the fashion to decry them now. They have
the honour and safety of the country at heart. They do not play
disgracefully at reductions of taxes, as the Liberals do. They have
given us all our heroes. Non fu mai gloria senza invidia. They have
done service enough to despise the envious mob. They never condescend to
supplicate brute force for aid to crush their opponents. You feel in all
they do that the instincts of gentlemen are active.'

Beauchamp bowed.

'Do I speak too warmly?' she asked. 'Papa and I have talked over it
often, and especially of late. You will find him your delighted host and
your inveterate opponent.'

'And you?'

'Just the same. You will have to pardon me; I am a terrible foe.'

'I declare to you, Cecilia, I would prefer having you against me to
having you indifferent.'

'I wish I had not to think it right that you should be beaten.
And now--can you throw off political Nevil, and be sailor Nevil? I
distinguish between my old friend, and my... our...'

'Dreadful antagonist?'

'Not so dreadful