City had been in everybody's mouth, and Melmotte's
committee-room had been almost deserted. At six o'clock there were
some who suggested that his name should be withdrawn. No such
suggestion, however, was made to him,--perhaps, because no one dared to
make it. On the Monday evening all work and strategy for the election,
as regarded Melmotte and his party, died away; and the interest of the
hour was turned to the dinner.

But Mr Alf's supporters were very busy. There had been a close
consultation among a few of them as to what should be done by their
Committee as to these charges against the opposite candidate. In the
'Pulpit' of that evening an allusion had been made to the affair,
which was of course sufficiently intelligible to those who were
immediately concerned in the matter, but which had given no name and
mentioned no details. Mr Alf explained that this had been put in by
the sub-editor, and that it only afforded such news as the paper was
bound to give to the public. He himself pointed out the fact that no
note of triumph had been sounded, and that the rumour had not been
connected with the election.

One old gentleman was of opinion that they were bound to make the most
of it. 'It's no more than we've all believed all along,' said the old
gentleman, 'and why are we to let a fellow like that get the seat if
we can keep him out?' He was of opinion that everything should be done
to make the rumour with all its exaggerations as public as possible,--
so that there should be no opening for an indictment for libel; and
the clever old gentleman was full of devices by which this might be
effected. But the Committee generally was averse to fight in this
manner. Public opinion has its Bar as well as the Law Courts. If,
after all, Melmotte had committed no fraud,--or, as was much more
probable, should not be convicted of fraud,--then it would be said that
the accusation had been forged for purely electioneering purposes, and
there might be a rebound which would pretty well crush all those who
had been concerned. Individual gentlemen could, of course, say what
they pleased to individual voters; but it was agreed at last that no
overt use should be made of the rumours by Mr Alf's Committee. In
regard to other matters, they who worked under the Committee were busy
enough. The dinner to the Emperor was turned into ridicule, and the
electors were asked whether they felt themselves bound to return a
gentleman out of the City