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The speech came to an end at last,-all things do, all things must, and the law must be an inexorable one, or the genius of Reuben Medlicott would not have submitted to it. The moment he ceased, Alderman Codd jumped up to ask a question about the National Debt, but Mr. Broad pulled him down, and for so doing well deserved the thanks of the meeting. The other Alderman, however, Mr. Gosling, managed to get in a word, and a very sensible one it was.

"He begged to know whether Mr. Medlicott did or did not accept the invitation; for though he had paid his eloquent speech the greatest attention, he had heard nothing distinct upon that which was the main point."

"I must say," said Mr. Bavard, maliciously supporting the Alderman, "I never heard a more admirable speech than my eloquent friend has made upon every subject in the world except the question at issue."

Mr. Broad was furious at this, and exclaimed that he had never heard anything more explicit than the language of his distinguished townsman. Friend Harvey was also most indignant. Friend Wilson concurred with Alderman Gosling. The Proctor and the Attorney differed as usual. All spoke at once, while Mr. Medlicott, piqued at the nature of the dispute, (involving as it did an unpleasant criticism upon his display,) preserved a dignified and sarcastic silence. At length, after a little tumult for five minutes, Mr. Trevor made the shrewd suggestion that one word from the learned gentleman himself would settle the question.

"Yes, or no," he said, addressing Mr. Medlicott.

"Yea, or nay," said Friend Wilson, with a deep, hollow voice, as if it issued from the jaws of a sepulchre.

Reuben looked at neither of the speakers, but rising again with much state, addressed himself to Mr. Broad, and said, "he thought he had explained himself sufficiently; if he had not, he was sorry for it; but he begged now to assure that gentleman that he wanted words to thank his friends at Chichester for the honour they had done him, and he would take the earliest opportunity of waiting on the electors and canvassing them in person."

"Now, Alderman, I hope you are satisfied," said Mr. Broad, accosting his colleague triumphantly.

"You ought to have held your tongue, brother," said the other Alderman, "if it was only for your son's sake."

"I believe I was a goose," said Gosling.

A collation followed, and Mr. Medlicott appearing to be exhausted by his effort, one of the old Quakeresses addressed him and said

"Friend Reuben, thou needest the refreshment of repose more than thy victuals; if thou wilt take my advice thou wilt go to thy chamber and take a lay."

His wife explained to him afterwards that "taking a lay" meant, in Quaker phraseology, stretching one's-self on the bed without undressing, the common practice of the Society of Friends at their great anniversaries, in the intervals between their morning and afternoon Meetings; the Jacobs and Obadiahs, moved by the spirit of drowsiness, retiring to one side of the corridor, and the Rachels and Hannahs seceding to the other.

Mr. Medlicott, however, remained to do the honours of his feast, which was extremely acceptable to everybody after so much speaking. A very industrious hour was spent over the viands, and it was nearly six o'clock before the majority of the guests dispersed. The deputies lingered after the rest, and so did Friend Harvey, Mr. Trevor and Mr. Reynard. They lingered, however, for practical objects, although the bottle went round while they were discussing them. One of the objects was secured by the obliging and handsome manner in which Mr. Reynard undertook to conduct the election, in the capacity of Mr. Medlicott's law agent. This, however, it is to be observed, to the credit of the solicitor's sagacity, he did not do until he was informed by Mr. Broad that upwards of three thousand pounds had been raised, and was actually forthcoming, if necessary, to secure the return.

Reuben said, he knew nothing of the expenses of elections; but since the subject had been mentioned, he might as well take that opportunity of stating most distinctly, that he intended to represent the city of Chichester, and not his own, or any other man's pocket. He begged the deputies to take a note of what he said; there must be no bribery-no treating-and no intimidation. He would only stand upon these three conditions.

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"In regard to bribery," said Reynard, addressing Reuben, you may be perfectly satisfied, sir, if I have the management of the election, there will be nothing of that sort. The name of Reynard is, I hope and trust, security enough in itself that everything done under his direction will be done honourably and above-board."

"If I might presume to advise thee, friend Reuben," said Harvey, "I would say thou shouldst start for Chichester thyself, at thy earliest convenience."

"By all means," said Reynard, "the sooner the better. Manage a public entry, if you can, in an open carriage. Address the mob from the box, and leave everything else to Mr. Broad and me."

Mr. Broad said he was entirely at Mr. Reynard's disposal, and he would say the same for his colleagues, the Aldermen.

"The Aldermen ought to go down, this very night," said Reynard, "to convey Mr. Medlicott's determination to the constituency, and order the flags, music, and all that sort of thing."

The Aldermen looked at one another, and seemed disconcerted. "The fact is," said Alderman Codd, "my brother and I are invited to-morrow to a grand feast at Fishmongers' Hall, to meet the Lord Mayor of London."

"That," said Mr. Reynard, "may be done by proxy."

The Aldermen evidently disliked the notion of dining with the Fishmongers by proxy, and Mr. Medlicott, observing their perplexity, said he should be extremely sorry if his worthy friends were put to any inconvenience upon his account.

"By the bye," he added, addressing Alderman Gosling, "I am greatly taken with that fine boy of yours. Judging from his answers to some questions I put to him, I should say he has a decided talent for social statistics. Make him mind his arithmetic. I may yet be in a position to serve him."

This well-timed hit made Gosling his own for ever. He cheerfully sacrificed turtle and venison, setting a bright example to his brother Alderman, which the latter did not fail to follow; and after drinking a final bumper to the toast of Medlicott and universal philanthropy, the municipal dignitaries took leave of their host, and hurried away to be in time for the mail.

The rest of the company soon dispersed. The solicitor and Mr. Broad walked away arm-in-arm. The former was anxious to collect from the latter as much information about local politics as he could procure, and he was further desirous of having some portion of the three thousand pounds lodged in his own hands with the least possible delay.

"I must have a few hundreds this evening, or very early tomorrow," said Reynard.

"We had better go to friend Harvey's," said the cutler. "The Quakers (to their credit be it spoken) are greatly interested

in the election, and have undertaken to advance a large sum, should money be wanting."

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'Money will be wanting, let me tell you," said Mr. Reynard. "Five or six hundred pounds will cover everything, won't it ?" said the other.

"The Quakers you say," said Reynard, instead of directly answering the question, "are interested in Mr. Medlicott's

election ?"

ested!

"Interested, sir-to be sure they are everybody is interDid you ever see such an important meeting? Did you ever hear such a wonderful speech? Why, sir, it will be a great era in English history, Mr. Medlicott coming into Parliament. It will change the face of the world."

"The thing must be done, cost what it may," said Reynard. "Cost what it may, sir," said Broad, energetically; "at all

sacrifices and risks."

"Nobody has a greater respect for purity, or a livelier horror of corruption in every shape, than the man who is now talking to you," said Reynard; "but I'll tell you a maxim of mine, ever since I began to practise this branch of my profession. If a man is going to dine with a friend, and if there's no way to his house but through a dirty lane, he takes the dirty lane."

"He does, sir," said Broad, "of course he does."

"Or he would lose his dinner," added the Attorney.

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Nobody likes that," said Broad.

"I have no reason to think Chichester a particularly dirty place," said Reynard, "but I don't know as much about it as you do."

"It is not a particularly dirty place, I'll say that for it," replied the cutler, "but there are dirty people in Chichester, let me tell you, and dirty people that have votes, sir."

"The votes of dirty people count for as much as the votes of clean people at an election," said Mr. Reynard.

money, Broad. We must have the

"That's a just observation," said Mr. Broad. "And the upshot is, that we must have the or we can't make sure of returning our man. money, and we must spend the money; when a great object is to be carried, it won't do to be squeamish."

"I'll tell you what it is, Mr. Reynard," said Broad, speaking very confidentially, but at the same time very eagerly ; "I'll be frank with you;-I hate foul play of every sort, and I trust we will not have much of it; but I would strain a point or two,

that I would, sir, to secure the return of my eloquent and distinguished townsman."

"The feeling does you infinite credit," said Reynard, “let us go and call upon Mr. Harvey."

They found Harvey and Friend Wilson confabulating together over a cup of tea. The spirit of Jesuitry is not confined to the Jesuits. There was not a pair of more arrant Jesuits, after a fashion of their own, in all England, than Friends Harvey and Wilson; that is to say, the value they set upon an object made them shamefully indifferent as to the choice of the means of accomplishing it. Had you talked to either of them of any species. of corruption in connexion with some movement which did not concern them, you would have found them as pure as any men need be; but when they believed that the interests of their sect were involved, when the advancement of their thousand philanthropic schemes and speculations was in question; when, in short, the dirty lane had such "a treat" at the end of it as the genius and services of a man like Mr. Medlicott, the muck and the mire must have been very thick indeed that would have deterred either of those worthy Quakers from tramping through it. Mr. Wilson, indeed, was beginning to put one or two very natural questions to Mr. Reynard, as to the employment of the gold he required, when he was checked by Harvey, who said—

"Thou art not a man of the law, Friend Wilson, any more than myself. Neither thou nor I understandest these matters; sufficient to every man is the knowledge that appertaineth to his own trade and calling. Friend Reynard will take care that everything is done that ought to be done, and that nothing is done that ought not to be done. If thou requirest three hundred pounds, Friend Reynard, thou shalt have it,-in what shape wouldest thou like the money?"

"A bag of sovereigns," said Reynard.

"If thou callest on me at ten o'clock in the morning, thou shalt have the bag."

Reynard pondered a moment, and then said, it would be impossible for him to call himself, but he would send a trusty person to Mr. Harvey at the hour appointed.

"As thou pleasest, Friend," said Harvey.

"Better still," said Reynard, "you will hand the bag over to Mr. Wilson, who will hand it over to my messenger."

"Thou hast good reasons, Friend, I have no doubt," said Harvey, "for thy circumben libus; everything shall be done agreeable to thy wishes."

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