the turning of the
election at the last hour, must then be paid at their own prices, and
after that would not be safe! Mr. Trigger, in his disgust, declared
that things had got into so vile a form that he didn't care if he
never had anything to do with an election in Percycross again.

And then there was almost as much ill-feeling between the
old-fashioned Griffenbottomites and the Underwooders as there was
between Westmacott's Liberals and Moggs's Radicals. The two gentlemen
themselves still eat their breakfasts and dinners together, and still
paraded the streets of Percycross in each other's company. But
Sir Thomas had made himself very odious even to Mr. Griffenbottom
himself. He was always protesting against beer which he did see, and
bribery which he did not see but did suspect. He swore that he would
pay not a shilling, as to which the cause of the expenditure was not
explained to him. Griffenbottom snarled at him, and expressed an
opinion that Sir Thomas would of course do the same as any other
gentleman. Mr. Trigger, with much dignity in his mien as he spoke,
declared that the discussion of any such matter at the present moment
was indecorous. Mr. Pile was for sending Sir Thomas back to town, and
very strongly advocated that measure. Mr. Spicer, as to whom there
was a story abroad in the borough in respect of a large order for
mustard, supposed to have reached him from New York through Liverpool
by the influence of Sir Thomas Underwood, thought that the borough
should return the two conservative candidates. Sir Thomas might be
a little indiscreet; but, upon the whole, his principles did him
honour. So thought Mr. Spicer, who, perhaps, believed that the order
for the mustard was coming. We need hardly say that the story, at any
rate in so far as it regarded Sir Thomas Underwood, was altogether
untrue. "Yes; principles!" said Mr. Pile. "I think we all know Sam
Spicer's principles. All for hisself, and nothing for a poor man.
That's Sam Spicer." Of Mr. Pile, it must be acknowledged that he was
not a pure-minded politician. He loved bribery in his very heart.
But it is equally true that he did not want to be bribed himself. It
was the old-fashioned privilege of a poor man to receive some small
consideration for his vote in Percycross, and Mr. Pile could not
endure to think that the poor man should be robbed of his little
comforts.

In the meantime, Sir Thomas himself was in a state of great misery.
From hour to h