’No man better, my dear fellow, if it were proposing a toast to the poor devils and asking them to drink it.  But a dry speech, like leading them over the desert without a well to cheer them—­no oasis, as we used to call a five-pound note and a holiday—­I haven’t the heart for that.  Is your Miss Denham a Radical?’

Beauchamp asserted that he had not yet met a woman at all inclining in the direction of Radicalism.  ’I don’t call furies Radicals.  There may be women who think as well as feel; I don’t know them.’

’Lots of them, Beauchamp.  Take my word for it.  I do know women.  They haven’t a shift, nor a trick, I don’t know.  They’re as clear to me as glass.  I’ll wager your Miss Denham goes to the meetings.  Now, doesn’t she?  Of course she does.  And there couldn’t be a gallanter way of spending an evening, so I’ll try it.  Nothing to repent of next morning!  That’s to be said for politics, Beauchamp, and I confess I’m rather jealous of you.  A thoroughly good-looking girl who takes to a fellow for what he’s doing in the world, must have ideas of him precious different from the adoration of six feet three and a fine seat in the saddle.  I see that.  There’s Baskelett in the Blues; and if I were he I should detest my cuirass and helmet, for if he’s half as successful as he boasts—­it’s the uniform.’

Two notorious Radicals, Peter Molyneux and Samuel Killick, were called on.  The first saw Beauchamp and refused him; the second declined to see him.  He was amazed and staggered, but said little.

Among the remainder of the electors of Bevisham, roused that day to a sense of their independence by the summons of the candidates, only one man made himself conspicuous, by premising that he had two important questions to ask, and he trusted Commander Beauchamp to answer them unreservedly.  They were:  first, What is a French marquees? arid second:  Who was EURYDICEY?

Beauchamp referred him to the Tory camp, whence the placard alluding to those ladies had issued.

’Both of them ‘s ladies!  I guessed it,’ said the elector.

‘Did you guess that one of them is a mythological lady?’

’I’m not far wrong in guessing t’other’s not much better, I reckon.  Now, sir, may I ask you, is there any tale concerning your morals?’

‘No:  you may not ask; you take a liberty.’

’Then I’ll take the liberty to postpone talking about my vote.  Look here, Mr. Commander; if the upper classes want anything of me and come to me for it, I’ll know what sort of an example they’re setting; now that’s me.’

‘You pay attention to a stupid Tory squib?’

‘Where there’s smoke there’s fire, sir.’

Beauchamp glanced at his note-book for the name of this man, who was a ragman and dustman.

‘My private character has nothing whatever to do with my politics,’ he said, and had barely said it when he remembered having spoken somewhat differently, upon the abstract consideration of the case, to Mr. Tomlinson.