be carefully searched. This was done, but in
vain; and many of the family at the manor had disturbed sleep that night.
 

                                   Chapter 13

 »Give sorrow leave awhile, to tutor me
 To this submission.« -
                                                                     Richard II.
 
Meanwhile Felix Holt had been making his way back from Sproxton to Treby in some
irritation and bitterness of spirit. For a little while he walked slowly along
the direct road, hoping that Mr Johnson would overtake him, in which case he
would have the pleasure of quarrelling with him, and telling him what he thought
of his intentions in coming to cant at the Sugar Loaf. But he presently checked
himself in this folly and turned off again towards the canal, that he might
avoid the temptation of getting into a passion to no purpose.
    »Where's the good,« he thought, »of pulling at such a tangled skein as this
electioneering trickery? As long as three-fourths of the men in this country see
nothing in an election but self-interest, and nothing in self-interest but some
form of greed, one might as well try to purify the proceedings of the fishes and
say to a hungry cod-fish - My good friend, abstain; don't goggle your eyes so,
or show such a stupid gluttonous mouth, or think the little fishes are worth
nothing except in relation to your own inside. He'd be open to no argument short
of crimping him. I should get into a rage with this fellow, and perhaps end by
thrashing him. There's some reason in me as long as I keep my temper, but my
rash humour is drunkenness without wine. I shouldn't wonder if he upsets all my
plans with these colliers. Of course he's going to treat them for the sake of
getting up a posse at the nomination and speechifyings. They'll drink double,
and never come near me on a Saturday evening. I don't know what sort of man
Transome really is. It's no use my speaking to anybody else, but if I could get
at him, he might put a veto on this thing. Though, when once the men have been
promised and set agoing, the mischief is likely to be past mending. Hang the
Liberal cod-fish! I shouldn't have minded so much if he'd been a Tory!«
    Felix went along in the twilight struggling in this way with the intricacies
of life, which would certainly be greatly simplified if corrupt practices were
the invariable mark of wrong opinions. When he had crossed the common