that it had been nine
thousand instead of nine hundred. You deserved it."

Brooks laughed heartily.

"Well, we were satisfied to win the seat," he declared.

Molyneux leaned forward tea-cup in hand.

"Well, you deserved it," he remarked. "Our old man opened his mouth a
bit, but yours knocked him silly. Upon my word, I didn't think that any
one man had cheek stupendous enough to humbug a constituency like
Henslow did. It took my breath away to read his speeches."

"Do you really mean that?" asked Brooks.

"Mean it? Of course I do. What I can't understand is how people can
swallow such stuff, election after election. Doesn't every Radical
candidate get up and talk in the same maudlin way--hasn't he done so
for the last fifty years? And when he gets into Parliament is there a
more Conservative person on the face of the earth than the Radical
member pledged to social reform? It's the same with your man Henslow.
He'll do nothing! He'll attempt nothing! Silly farce, politics, I
think."

Lady Caroom laughed softly.

"I have never heard you so eloquent in my life, Sydney," she exclaimed.
"Do go on. It is most entertaining. When you have quite finished I can
see that Mr. Brooks is getting ready to pulverize you."

Brooks shook his head.

"Lady Sybil tells me that Mr. Molyneux is not to be taken seriously,"
he answered.

Molyneux brought up his cup for some more tea.

"Don't you listen to Lady Sybil, Brooks," he retorted. "She is annoyed
with me because I have been spoken of as a future Prime Minister, and
she rather fancies her cousin for the post. Two knobs, please, and
plenty of cream. As a matter of fact I am in serious and downright
earnest. I say that Henslow won his seat by kidding the working
classes. He promised them a sort of political Arabian Nights. He'll go
up to Westminster, and I'm open to bet what you like that he makes not
one serious practical effort to push forward one of the startling
measures he talked about so glibly. I will trouble you for the toast,
Brooks. Thanks!"

"He is always cynical like this," Sybil murmured, "when his party have
lost a seat. Don't take any notice of him, Mr. Brooks. I have great
faith in Mr. Henslow, and I believe that he will do his best."

Molyneux smiled.

"Henslow is a politician," he remarked, "a professional politician.
What you Radicals want is Englishmen who are interested in politics.
Henslow knows how to get votes. He's got his seat, and he'll keep
it