n they
are worth, but that he has been living upon the discount of bills; in
short, he has been too intimate with a man whom we all know by sight,--a
man who drives the finest horses in London, and they tell me (but that
I cannot believe) lives in the familiar society of the young puppies
he snares to perdition. What's the man's name? Levy, is it not?--yes,
Levy."

"I have seen Levy with him," said Harley; and a sinister joy lighted up
his falcon eyes. "Levy--Levy--it is well."

"I hear but the gossip of the clubs," resumed the earl; "but they do say
that Levy makes little disguise of his power over our very distinguished
friend, and rather parades it as a merit with our party (and, indeed,
with all men--for Egerton has personal friends in every party) that he
keeps sundry bills locked up in his desk until Egerton is once more safe
in parliament. Nevertheless if, after all, our friend were to lose his
election, and Levy were then to seize on his effects, and proclaim his
ruin, it would seriously damage, perhaps altogether destroy, Audley's
political career."

"So I conclude," said Harley. "A Charles Fox might be a gamester, and
a William Pitt be a pauper. But Audley Egerton is not of their giant
stature; he stands so high because he stands upon heaps of respectable
gold. Audley Egerton, needy and impoverished, out of parliament, and, as
the vulgar slang has it, out at elbows, skulking from duns, perhaps in
the Bench--"

"No, no; our party would never allow that; we would subscribe--"

"Worse than all, living as the pensioner of the party he aspired to
lead! You say truly, his political prospects would be blasted. A man
whose reputation lay in his outward respectability! Why, people would
say that Audley Egerton has been--a solemn lie; eh, my father?"

"How can you talk with such coolness of your friend? You need say
nothing to interest me in his election--if you mean that. Once in
parliament, he must soon again be in office,--and learn to live on
his salary. You must get him to submit to me the schedule of his
liabilities. I have a head for business, as you know. I will arrange his
affairs for him. And I will yet bet five to one, though I hate wagers,
that he will be prime minister in three years. He is not brilliant, it
is true; but just at this crisis we want a safe, moderate, judicious,
conciliatory man; and Audley has so much tact, such experience of the
House, such knowledge of the world, and," added the ear