pect yours, and so I have wished to do the thing handsome and
open. Let the earl and your party be content with young Leslie."

"Young Leslie has spoken to you?"

"Not as to my coming here. Oh, no, that's a secret,--private and
confidential, my Lord. And now, to make matters still more smooth, I
propose that my man shall be one to your Lordship's own heart. I find
you have been very kind to my nephew; does you credit, my Lord,--a
wonderful young man, though I say it. I never guessed there was so much
in him. Yet all the time he was in my house, he had in his desk the very
sketch of an invention that is now saving me from ruin,--from positive
ruin,--Baron Levy, the King's Bench, and almighty smash! Now, such
a young man ought to be in parliament. I like to bring forward a
relation,--that is, when he does one credit; 't is human nature and
sacred ties--one's own flesh and blood; and besides, one hand rubs the
other, and one leg helps on the other, and relations get on best in
the world when they pull together; that is, supposing that they are the
proper sort of relations, and pull one on, not down. I had once thought
of standing for Lansmere myself,--thought of it very lately. The country
wants men like me, I know that; but I have an idea that I had better see
to my own business. The country may, or may not, do without me, stupid
old thing that she is! But my mill and my new engines--there is no doubt
that they cannot do without me. In short, as we are quite alone, and,
as I said before, there 's no kind of necessity for that sort of humbug
which exists when other people are present, provide elsewhere for Mr.
Egerton, whom I hate like poison,--I have a right to do that, I suppose,
without offence to your Lordship,--and the two younkers, Leonard
Fairfield and Randal Leslie, shall be members for the free and
independent borough of Lansmere!"

"But does Leonard wish to come into parliament?"

"No, he says not; but that's nonsense. If your Lordship will just
signify your wish that he should not lose this noble opportunity to
raise himself in life, and get something handsome out of the nation, I'm
sure he owes you too much to hesitate,--'specially when 't is to his own
advantage. And besides, one of us Avenels ought to be in parliament; and
if I have not the time and learning, and so forth, and he has, why, it
stands to reason that he should be the man. And if he can do something
for me one day--not that I want anything--bu