to vote at all:—­he had, he said, given over politics, and was not inclined to trouble his mind again with the subject; then he had spoken of his great devotion to the Duke of Omnium, under whose grandfathers his grandfather had been bred:  Mr Nearthewinde had, as he said, been with him, and proved to him beyond a shadow of a doubt that it would show the deepest ingratitude on his part to vote against the duke’s candidate.

Mr Closerstil thought he understood all this, and sent more, and still more men to drink beer.  He even caused—­taking infinite trouble to secure secrecy in the matter—­three gallons of British brandy to be ordered and paid for as the best French.  But, nevertheless, Mr Reddypalm made no sign to show that he considered that the right thing had been done.  On the evening before the election, he told one of Mr Closerstil’s confidential men, that he had thought a good deal about it, and that he believed he should be constrained by his conscience to vote for Mr Moffat.

We have said that Mr Closerstil was accompanied by a learned friend of his, one Mr Romer, a barrister, who was greatly interested in Sir Roger, and who, being a strong Liberal, was assisting in the canvass with much energy.  He, hearing how matters were likely to go with this conscientious publican, and feeling himself peculiarly capable of dealing with such delicate scruples, undertook to look into the case in hand.  Early, therefore, on the morning of the election, he sauntered down the cross street in which hung out the sign of the Brown Bear, and, as he expected, found Mr Reddypalm near his own door.

Now it was quite an understood thing that there was to be no bribery.  This was understood by no one better than Mr Romer, who had, in truth, drawn up many of the published assurances to that effect.  And, to give him his due, he was fully minded to act in accordance with these assurances.  The object of all the parties was to make it worth the voters’ while to give their votes; but to do so without bribery.  Mr Romer had repeatedly declared that he would have nothing to do with any illegal practising; but he had also declared that, as long as all was done according to law, he was ready to lend his best efforts to assist Sir Roger.  How he assisted Sir Roger, and adhered to the law, will now be seen.

Oh, Mr Romer!  Mr Romer! is it not the case with thee that thou ‘wouldst not play false, and yet wouldst wrongly win?’ Not in electioneering, Mr Romer, any more than in any other pursuits, can a man touch pitch and not be defiled; as thou, innocent as thou art, wilt soon learn to thy terrible cost.

‘Well, Reddypalm,’ said Mr Romer, shaking hands with him.  Mr Romer had not been equally cautious as Nearthewinde, and had already drunk sundry glasses of ale at the Brown Bear, in the hope of softening the stern Bear-warden.  ‘How is it to-day?  Which is to be the man?’

’If any one knows that, Mr Romer, you must be the man.  A poor numbskull like me knows nothing of them matters.  How should I?  All I looks to, Mr Romer, is selling a trifle of drink now and then—­selling it, and getting paid for it, you know, Mr Romer.’