only that it might be reported in the
newspapers, to show that they had behaved with generosity, instead of
having injured their enemy by false attacks. Whatever Mr Alf might
say, he might at any rate be sure of a favourable reporter.

About two o'clock in the day, Mr Alf did make a speech,--and a very good
speech it was, if correctly reported in the 'Evening Pulpit.' Mr Alf
was a clever man, ready at all points, with all his powers immediately
at command, and, no doubt, he did make a good speech. But in this
speech, in which we may presume that it would be his intention to
convince the electors that they ought to return him to Parliament,
because, of the two candidates, he was the fittest to represent their
views, he did not say a word as to his own political ideas, not,
indeed, a word that could be accepted as manifesting his own fitness
for the place which it was his ambition to fill. He contented himself
with endeavouring to show that the other man was not fit;--and that he
and his friends, though solicitous of proving to the electors that Mr
Melmotte was about the most unfit man in the world, had been guilty of
nothing shabby in their manner of doing so. 'Mr Melmotte,' he said,
'comes before you as a Conservative, and has told us, by the mouths of
his friends,--for he has not favoured us with many words of his own,--
that he is supported by the whole Conservative party. That party is
not my party, but I respect it. Where, however, are these Conservative
supporters? We have heard, till we are sick of it, of the banquet
which Mr Melmotte gave yesterday. I am told that very few of those
whom he calls his Conservative friends could be induced to attend that
banquet. It is equally notorious that the leading merchants of the
City refused to grace the table of this great commercial prince. I say
that the leaders of the Conservative party have at last found their
candidate out, have repudiated him;--and are seeking now to free
themselves from the individual shame of having supported the
candidature of such a man by remaining in their own houses instead of
clustering round the polling booths. Go to Mr Melmotte's
committee-room and inquire if those leading Conservatives be there.
Look about, and see whether they are walking with him in the streets,
or standing with him in public places, or taking the air with him in
the parks. I respect the leaders of the Conservative party; but they
have made a mistake in this matter, and