same, my lord.'

'Tappertit is an earnest man,' said Lord George, thoughtfully. 'Eh,
Gashford?'

'One of the foremost among them all, my lord. He snuffs the battle from
afar, like the war-horse. He throws his hat up in the street as if he
were inspired, and makes most stirring speeches from the shoulders of
his friends.'

'Make a note of Tappertit,' said Lord George Gordon. 'We may advance him
to a place of trust.'

'That,' rejoined the secretary, doing as he was told, 'is all--except
Mrs Varden's box (fourteenth time of opening), seven shillings and
sixpence in silver and copper, and half-a-guinea in gold; and Miggs
(being the saving of a quarter's wages), one-and-threepence.'

'Miggs,' said Lord George. 'Is that a man?'

'The name is entered on the list as a woman,' replied the secretary. 'I
think she is the tall spare female of whom you spoke just now, my
lord, as not being well-favoured, who sometimes comes to hear the
speeches--along with Tappertit and Mrs Varden.'

'Mrs Varden is the elderly lady then, is she?'

The secretary nodded, and rubbed the bridge of his nose with the feather
of his pen.

'She is a zealous sister,' said Lord George. 'Her collection goes on
prosperously, and is pursued with fervour. Has her husband joined?'

'A malignant,' returned the secretary, folding up his papers. 'Unworthy
such a wife. He remains in outer darkness and steadily refuses.'

'The consequences be upon his own head!--Gashford!'

'My lord!'

'You don't think,' he turned restlessly in his bed as he spoke, 'these
people will desert me, when the hour arrives? I have spoken boldly for
them, ventured much, suppressed nothing. They'll not fall off, will
they?'

'No fear of that, my lord,' said Gashford, with a meaning look, which
was rather the involuntary expression of his own thoughts than intended
as any confirmation of his words, for the other's face was turned away.
'Be sure there is no fear of that.'

'Nor,' he said with a more restless motion than before, 'of their--but
they CAN sustain no harm from leaguing for this purpose. Right is on
our side, though Might may be against us. You feel as sure of that as
I--honestly, you do?'

The secretary was beginning with 'You do not doubt,' when the other
interrupted him, and impatiently rejoined:

'Doubt. No. Who says I doubt? If I doubted, should I cast away
relatives, friends, everything, for this unhappy country's sake; this
unhappy country,' he cried, spr