careful. And the amount is almost certain to be over two
pounds. Even Vittie's character must be worth more than that."

"Vittie," said Lalage, "appears to be the very kind of man we want to
get at. I've been reading his speeches."

"I expect," I said, "that you'll enjoy O'Donoghue too. But Vittie is to
be your chief prey. I wonder Mr. Titherington didn't insist on inserting
a clause to that effect in the agreement."

"Tither's hated signing it. I was obliged to keep prodding him on or he
wouldn't have done it. Selby-Harrison said that either you or he must,
so of course it had to be him. We couldn't go for you in any way because
we'd promised to respect your scruples."

I recollected the telegram I had received just before leaving Lisbon.

"I wish," I said, "that I felt sure you had respected my scruples. What
about Selby-Harrison's father? Has he been consulted?"

"Selby-Harrison isn't coming, only me and Hilda."

"Why?"

"Well, for one thing he's in the Divinity School now."

"That needn't stop him," I said. "My constituency is full of parsons,
priests, and Presbyterian ministers, all rampant. Selby-Harrison will be
in good company. But how did he get into the Divinity School? I thought
the Provost said he must take up medicine on account of that trouble
with the bishops."

"Oh, that's all blown over long ago. And being a divinity student
wasn't his only reason for not coming. The fact is his father lives down
there."

"Ah," I said, "That's more serious."

"He wrote to his father and told him to be sure to vote for you. That
was as far as he cared to go in the matter."

"It was very good of him to do so much. And now about your mother,
Hilda. Has she given her consent?"

"Not quite," said Hilda. "But she hasn't forbidden me.

"We haven't told her," said Lalage.

"Lalage, you haven't respected my scruples and you promised you would.
You promised in the most solemn way in a telegram which must have cost
you twopence a word."

"We have respected them," said Lalage.

"You have not. My chief scruple was Hilda's mother."

"My point is that you haven't had anything to do with the business. We
arranged it all with Tithers and you weren't even asked to give your
consent. I don't see what more could have been done for your scruples."

"Hilda's mother might have been asked."

"I can't stop here arguing with you all afternoon," said Lalage. "Come
on, Hilda."

"Don't go just yet. I promise not to ment