laughter of
Cannae that field which, at Waterloo, restored the landmarks of nations;
or may jeer with Juvenal at the dust of Hannibal, because he sought to
deliver Carthage from ruin, and free a world from Rome.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Once then, grappling manfully with the task he had undertaken, and
constraining himself to look on what Riccabocca would have called "the
southern side of things," whatever there was really great in principle
or honourable to human nature, deep below the sordid details and pitiful
interests apparent on the face of the agitated current, came clear to
his vision. The ardour of those around him began to be contagious:
the generous devotion to some cause apart from self, which pervades an
election, and to which the poorest voter will often render sacrifices
that may be called sublime; the warm personal affection which community
of zeal creates for the defender of beloved opinions,--all concurred to
dispel that indifference to party politics, and counteract that disgust
of their baser leaven, which the young poet had first conceived. He
even began to look with complacency, for itself, on a career of toil and
honours strange to his habitual labours and intellectual ambition. He
threw the poetry of idea within him (as poets ever do) into the prose of
action to which he was hurried forward. He no longer opposed Dick Avenel
when that gentleman represented how detrimental it would be to his
business at Screwstown if he devoted to his country the time and the
acumen required by his mill and its steamengine; and how desirable it
would be, on all accounts, that Leonard Fairfield should become the
parliamentary representative of the Avenels. "If, therefore," said
Dick, "two of us cannot come in, and one must retire, leave it to me
to arrange with the Committee that you shall be the one to persist. Oh,
never fear but what all scruples of honour shall be satisfied. I
would not for the sake of the Avenels have a word said against their
representative."

"But," answered Leonard, "if I grant this, I fear that you have some
intention of suffering the votes that your resignation would release to
favour Leslie at the expense of Egerton."

"What the deuce is Egerton to you?"

"Nothing, except through my gratitude to his friend Lord L'Estrange."

"Pooh! I will tell you a secret. Levy informs me privately that
L'Estrange will be well satisfied if the choice of Lansmere fall upon
Leslie instead of Egerton; a