aid Lord Marney with energy.

"My informant was a woman," said Egremont.

"Lady Maud, I suppose; second-hand from Mr St Lys."

"Mv informant was a woman, and one of the people," said Egremont.

"Some poacher's drab! I don't care what women say, high or low, they
always exaggerate."

"The misery of a family who live upon seven or even eight shillings
a-week can scarcely be exaggerated."

"What should you know about it? Did you ever live on seven or eight
shillings a-week? What can you know about the people who pass your time
at London clubs or in fine country houses? I suppose you want the people
to live as they do at a house dinner at Boodle's. I say that a family
can live very well on seven shillings a-week, and on eight shillings
very well indeed. The poor are very well off, at least the agricultural
poor, very well off indeed. Their incomes are certain, that is a
great point, and they have no cares, no anxieties; they always have
a resource, they always have the House. People without cares do not
require as much food as those whose life entails anxieties. See how long
they live! Compare the rate of mortality among them with that of the
manufacturing districts. Incendiarism indeed! If there had been a proper
rural police, such a thing as incendiarism would never have been heard
of!"

There was a pause. Lord Marney dashed off another bumper; Egremont
sipped his wine. At length he said, "This argument made me forget the
principal reason, George, why I am glad that we are alone together
to-day. I am sorry to bore you, but I am bored myself deucedly. I find a
letter from my agent. These election accounts must be settled."

"Why, I thought they were settled."

"How do you mean?"

"I thought my mother had given you a thousand pounds."

"No doubt of that, but that was long ago disposed of."

"In my opinion quite enough for a seat in these times. Instead of paying
to get into Parliament, a man ought to be paid for entering it."

"There may be a good deal in what you say," said Egremont; "but it
is too late to take that view of the business. The expense has been
incurred and must be met."

"I don't see that," said Lord Marney, "we have paid one thousand pounds
and there is a balance unsettled. When was there ever a contest without
a balance being unsettled? I remember hearing my father often say that
when he stood for this county, our grandfather paid more than a
hundred thousand pounds, and yet I know to this