“My name is Runciman, Sir.  I’m the landlord here.”

“I hope I see you well, Mr. Runciman.  I have about come to an end of my business here.”

“I dare say you have, sir.  I should say so.  Perhaps I might express an opinion that you never came across a greater blackguard than Goarly either in this country or your own.”

“That’s a strong opinion, Mr. Runciman.”

“It’s the general opinion here, sir.  I should have thought you’d found it out before this.”

“I don’t know that I am prepared at this moment to declare all that I have found out”

“I thought you’d have been tired of it by this time, Mr. Gotobed.”

“Tired of what?”

“Tired of the wrong side, sir.”

“I don’t know that I am on the wrong side.  A man may be in the right on one point even though his life isn’t all that it ought to be.”

“That’s true, sir; but if they told you all that they know up street,”—­and Runciman pointed to the part of the town in which Bearside’s office was situated,—­“I should have thought you would have understood who was going to win and who was going to lose.  Good day, sir; I hope you’ll have a pleasant journey.  Much obliged to you for your patronage, sir;” and Runciman, still smiling unpleasantly, touched his hat as the Senator got into the omnibus.

The Senator was not very happy as to the Goarly business.  He had paid some money and had half promised more, and had found out that he was in a boat with thoroughly disreputable persons.  As he had said to the landlord, a man may have the right on his side in an action at law though he be a knave or a rascal; and if a lord be unjust to a poor man, the poor man should have justice done him, even though he be not quite a pattern poor man.  But now he was led to believe by what the landlord had said to him that he was being kept in the dark, and that there were facts generally known that he did not know.  He had learned something of English manners and English institutions by his interference, but there might be a question whether he was not paying too dearly for his whistle.  And there was growing upon him a feeling that before he had done he would have to blush for his colleagues.

As the omnibus went away Dr. Nupper joined Mr. Runciman under the archway.  “I’m blessed if I can understand that man,” said Runciman.  “What is it he’s after?”

“Notoriety,” said the doctor, with the air of a man who has completely solved a difficult question.

“He’ll have to pay for it, and that pretty smart,” said Runciman.  “I never heard of such a foolish thing in all my life.  What the dickens is it to him?  One can understand Bearside, and Scrobby too.  When a fellow has something to get, one does understand it.  But why an old fellow like that should come down from the moon to pay ever so much money for such a man as Goarly, is what I don’t understand.”

“Notoriety,” said the doctor.