liament,
where I knew well that I should show to some advantage. Now, without
risk or expense to myself, an opportunity of gratifying this ambition
was given to me. Indeed, if I succeeded in winning this city, which
had always been a Tory stronghold, for the Radical party I should be a
marked man from the beginning, and if my career was not one of assured
prosperity the fault would be my own. Already in imagination I saw
myself rich (for in this way or in that the money would come),
a favourite of the people, a trusted minister of the Crown and
perhaps--who could tell?--ennobled, living a life of dignity and repute,
and at last leaving my honours and my fame to those who came after me.

On the other hand, if I refused this offer the chance would pass away
from me, never to return again; it was probable even that I should lose
Stephen Strong's friendship and support, for he was not a man who liked
his generosity to be slighted, moreover he would believe me unsound upon
his favourite dogmas. In short, for ever abandoning my brilliant hopes
I condemned myself to an experience of struggle as a doctor with a
practice among second-class people.

After all, although the thought of it shocked me at first, the price I
was asked to pay was not so very heavy, merely one of the usual election
platform formulas, whereby the candidate binds himself to support all
sorts of things in which he has little or no beliefs. Already I was half
committed to this anti-vaccination crusade, and, if I took a step or
two farther in it, what did it matter? One crank more added to the great
army of British enthusiasts could make little difference in the scheme
of things.

If ever a man went through a "psychological moment" in this hour I was
that man. The struggle was short and sharp, but it ended as might be
expected in the case of one of my history and character. Could I have
foreseen the dreadful issues which hung upon my decision, I believe that
rather than speak it, for the second time in my life I would have sought
the solace to be found in the phials of my medicine chest. But I did
not foresee them, I thought only of myself, of my own hopes, fears and
ambitions, forgetting that no man can live to himself alone, and that
his every deed must act and re-act upon others until humanity ceases to
exist.

"Well," said Mr. Strong after a two or three minutes' pause, during
which these thoughts were wrestling in my mind.

"Well," I answered, "as