really, as Mr. Farquhar supposed him, completely absent,
questioning himself as to how far his practice tallied with his principle. By
degrees he came to himself; he found the conversation still turned on the
election; and Mr. Hickson, who felt that he had jarred against the little
minister's principles, and yet knew, from the carte du pays which the scouts of
the parliamentary agent had given him, that Mr. Benson was a person to be
conciliated, on account of his influence over many of the working-people, began
to ask him questions with an air of deferring to superior knowledge, that almost
surprised Mr. Bradshaw, who had been accustomed to treat Benson in a very
different fashion, of civil condescending indulgence, just as one listens to a
child who can have had no opportunities of knowing better.
    At the end of a conversation that Mr. Hickson held with Mr. Benson, on a
subject in which the latter was really interested, and on which he had expressed
himself at some length, the young barrister turned to Mr. Bradshaw and said very
audibly -
    »I wish Donne had been here. This conversation during the last half-hour
would have interested him almost as much as it has done me.«
    Mr. Bradshaw little guessed the truth, that Mr. Donne was, at that very
moment, coaching up the various subjects of public interest at Eccleston, and
privately cursing the particular subject on which Mr. Benson had been holding
forth, as being an unintelligible piece of Quixotism; or the leading Dissenter
of the town need not have experienced a pang of jealousy at the possible future
admiration his minister might excite in the possible future member for
Eccleston. And if Mr. Benson had been clairvoyant, he need not have made an
especial subject of gratitude out of the likelihood that he might have an
opportunity of so far interesting Mr. Donne in the condition of the people of
Eccleston as to induce him to set his face against any attempts at bribery.
    Mr. Benson thought of this half the night through; and ended by determining
to write a sermon on the Christian view of political duties, which might be good
for all, both electors and member, to hear on the eve of an election. For Mr.
Donne was expected at Mr. Bradshaw's before the next Sunday; and, of course, as
Mr. and Miss Benson had settled it, he would appear at the chapel with them on
that day. But the stinging conscience refused to be quieted. No present plan of
usefulness allayed the aching remembrance of the evil he