’Well, sir, it’s nothing to offend a young lady’s ears.  Beauchamp is for socially enfranchising the sex—­that is all.  Quite enough.  Not a whit politically.  Love is to be the test:  and if a lady ceases to love her husband . . . if she sets her fancy elsewhere, she’s bound to leave him.  The laws are tyrannical, our objections are cowardly.  Well, this Dr. Shrapnel harangued about society; and men as well as women are to sacrifice their passions on that altar.  If he could burlesque himself it would be in coming out as a cleric—­the old Pagan!’

‘Did he convince Captain Beauchamp?’ the colonel asked, manifestly for his daughter to hear the reply; which was:  ‘Oh dear, no!’

’Were you able to gather from Captain Beauchamp’s remarks whether he is much disappointed by the result of the election?’ said Cecilia.

Mr. Tuckham could tell her only that Captain Beauchamp was incensed against an elector named Tomlinson for withdrawing a promised vote on account of lying rumours, and elated by the conquest of a Mr. Carpendike, who was reckoned a tough one to drag by the neck.  ’The only sane people in the house are a Miss Denham and the cook:  I lunched there,’ Mr. Tuckham nodded approvingly.  ’Lydiard must be mad.  What he’s wasting his time there for I can’t guess.  He says he’s engaged there in writing a prefatory essay to a new publication of Harry Denham’s poems—­whoever that may be.  And why wasting it there?  I don’t like it.  He ought to be earning his bread.  He’ll be sure to be borrowing money by-and-by.  We’ve got ten thousand too many fellows writing already, and they ’ve seen a few inches of the world, on the Continent!  He can write.  But it’s all unproductive-dead weight on the country, these fellows with their writings!  He says Beauchamp’s praise of Miss Denham is quite deserved.  He tells me, that at great peril to herself—­and she nearly had her arm broken by a stone he saved Shrapnel from rough usage on the election-day.’

‘Hum!’ Colonel Halkett grunted significantly.

‘So I thought,’ Mr. Tuckham responded.  ’One doesn’t want the man to be hurt, but he ought to be put down in some way.  My belief is he’s a Fire-worshipper.  I warrant I would extinguish him if he came before me.  He’s an incendiary, at any rate.’

‘Do you think,’ said Cecilia, ’that Captain Beauchamp is now satisfied with his experience of politics?’

‘Dear me, no,’ said Mr. Tuckham.  ’It’s the opening of a campaign.  He’s off to the North, after he has been to Sussex and Bucks.  He’s to be at it all his life.  One thing he shows common sense in.  If I heard him once I heard him say half-a-dozen times, that he must have money:—­ “I must have money!” And so he must if he ’s to head the Radicals.  He wants to start a newspaper!  Is he likely to get money from his uncle Romfrey?’

‘Not for his present plan of campaign.’  Colonel Halkett enunciated the military word sarcastically.  ‘Let’s hope he won’t get money.’