“Mr. Savelli,” said Mr. Finn, “it was precisely so that we should not be opponents that I have taken this unusual step.”

“I don’t quite understand,” said Paul.

“Mr. Finn wants you to retire in favour of some other Conservative candidate,” said Jane calmly.

“Retire?  I retire?”

Paul looked at her, then at Barney Bill, who nodded his white head, then at Mr. Finn, whose deep eyes met his with a curious tragical mournfulness.  The proposal took his breath away.  It was crazily preposterous.  But for their long faces he would have burst into laughter.  “Why on earth do you want me to retire?” he asked good-humouredly.

“I will tell you,” said Mr. Finn.  “Because you will have God against you.”

Paul saw a gleam of light in the dark mystery of the visit.  “You may believe it, Mr. Finn, but I don’t.  I believe that my war cry, ’God for England, Savelli and Saint George,’ is quite as acceptable to, the Almighty as yours.”

Mr. Finn stretched out two hands in earnest deprecation.  “Forgive me if I say it; but you don’t know what you’re talking about.  God has not revealed Himself to you.  He has to me.  When my fellow-citizens asked me to stand as the Liberal candidate, I thought it was because they knew me to be an upright man, who had worked hard on their council, an active apostle in the cause of religion, temperance and the suppression of vice.  I thought I had merely deserved well in their opinion.  When I fell on my knees and prayed the glory of the Lord spread about me and I knew that they had been divinely inspired.  It was revealed to me that this was a Divine Call to represent the Truth in the Parliament of the nation.”

“I remember your saying, when I first had the pleasure of meeting you,” Paul remarked, with unwonted dryness, “that the Kingdom of Heaven was not adequately represented in the House of Commons.”

“I have not changed my opinion, Mr Savelli.  The hand of God has guided my business.  The hand of God is placing me in the House of Commons to work His will.  You cannot oppose God’s purpose, Paul Savelli—­and that is why I beg you not to stand against me.”

“You see, he likes yer,” interjected Barney Bill, with anxiety in his glittering eyes.  “That’s why he’s a-doing of it.  He says to hisself, says he, ’ere’s a young chap what I likes with his first great chance in front of him, with the eyes of the country sot on him—­now if I comes in and smashes him, as I can’t help myself from doing, it’ll be all u-p with that young chap’s glorious career.  But if I warns him in time, then he can retire—­find an honourable retreat—­that’s what he wants yer to have—­an honourable retreat.  Isn’t that it, Silas?”

“Those are the feelings by which I am actuated,” said Mr. Finn.

Paul stretched himself out in his chair, his ankles crossed, and surveyed his guests.  “What do you think of it, Jane?” said he, not without a touch of irony.