of

he must have been led a pretty round! 'Twas in consequence this interview that Ben made the application to Gammon, which had so disturbed him, and which has been already described. And to return to our friend: what was he to do? On returning to the Hall, he opened a secret drawer in his desk, and took out a thin slip of paper which he had deposited there that morning, it having been then received by him from town, marked "Private and Confidential," and franked " BLOSSOM and Box." 'Twas but a line, and written in a bold hand, but in evident haste; for it had in fact been penned by Lord Blossom and Box while he was sitting in the Court of Chancery. This is a copy of it :—

"The election must be won. You will hear from E. by this post. Don't address any note to me.

"B. and B."

With this great man, Lord Chancellor Blossom and Box, when plain Mr Quicksilver, Mr Gammon had had a pretty familiar acquaintance, as the reader may easily suppose; and had a natural desire to acquit himself creditably in the eyes of so distinguished and powerful a personage. Gammon had volunteered an assurance to his lordship, shortly before leaving town, that the election was safe, and in his (Gammon's) hands; guess, then, his chagrin and fury at finding the systematic and determined opposition which had suddenly sprung up against him; and the intensity of his desire to defeat it. And the more anxious he was on this score, the more vividly he perceived the necessity of acting with a caution which should ensure real ultimate success, instead of a mere noisy and temporary triumph, which should be afterwards converted into most galling, disgraceful, and public defeat. The more that Gammon reflected on the sudden but determined manner in which Lord De la Zouch had entered into the contest, the more confident he became that his lordship had an important ultimate object to secure; and that he had at command immense means of every description, Gammon but too well knew, in common with all the world. Was, for instance, Mr Crafty brought down, at an enormous expense, for nothing? What the deuce were the Quaint Club about? Was ever any thing so monstrous heard of―ten pounds a man received—the bargain finally struck -and now their original demand suddenly and peremptorily

doubled? Venal miscreants! Was the other side really outbidding him, or laying a deep plan for entrapping him into an act of wholesale bribery? In short, were the Quaint Club now actuated by avarice, or by treachery? Again and again did he go over his list of promises; having marked the favourable, hostile, neutral, doubtful, from a table as accurately compiled and classified as that of Mr Crafty. Like his wily and practised op. ponent, also, Gammon entrusted his principal movements to scarce a soul of those who were engaged with him; fearing, indeed, though then with no definite grounds, that Messrs Mudflint, Woodlouse, Centipede, Bloodsuck, and Going Gone, were already too deep in the secrets of the election. According to his calculations, supposing all his promises to stand, Titmouse was, independently of the Quaint Club, and some eighteen or twenty others whom he had set down as " to be had"-only twenty-five a-head of Delamere; thus making a difference of eight only between his calculation and that of Crafty. Of course, therefore, that cursed Quaint Club had it all their own way; and how to jockey them, was a problem that wellnigh split his head. He gave Lord De la Zouch credit for doing all that he-Gammon—could do, to win the election; and believed him, therefore, capable of buying over any number of the club, to turn king's evidence against their original benefactor. The Bloodsucks assured him that the club were all good men and true-stanch-game to the backbone; but Gammon had obtained information as to the political sentiments of several of the members, before they had acquired the new franchise, and became banded into so sudden and formidable a confederacy, which led him to speculate rather apprehensively on the effects which might follow any bold and skilful scheme which might be resorted to by his enemies. Now, as far as the club were concerned, its members were all quiet respectable men, who made the affair a dry matter of business. They justly looked on each of the candidates as equally worthy of the honour they coveted of representing the borough, and considered that they would always go on right at headquarters—i. e. that the country would be properly governed-without the least reference to the quality or complexion of the House of Commons. They saw the desperate and unceasing fight going on amongst their betters for the loaves and fishes; and imitated their example with reference to the crumbs and fragments. First they divided themselves, as near

.

as their number would admit of, into tens, giving one to the odd nine, equally with each body of ten, and thus produced a body of eleven representatives. These eleven, again, in the presence of the whole club, chose five of their number for the purpose of conducting the negotiations between the club and the two candidates; and these five again selected one of themselves—Ben Bran-to be the actual medium of communication: the actual state of the market never went beyond the first body of eleven; and in the exercise of an exquisite dexterity, Mr Crafty had contrived to inspire these eleven, through their deputy and mouthpiece, Bran, with a determination to exact fifteen pounds per head more from Titmouse, before recording their votes in his favour and this untoward state of things was duly intimated to Gammon by Ben Bran, by silently outstretching both hands and then one hand. That would make a total of two thousand seven hundred and twenty-five pounds disbursed among that accursed Quaint Club alone!-thought Gammon with a shudder: and suppose they should even then turn tail upon him, seduced by the splendid temptations of Lord De la Zouch? Just to conceive the possibility, for one moment, of Mr Benjamin Bran having been bought over to betray all his companions, and Gammon and his party also, into the hands of Lord De la Zouch? Saith the immortal author of Hudibras―

"Ah me, the perils that environ

The man that meddles with cold iron!"

But I shall make an exclamation of my own—

What pen his troubles shall describe,

Who voters once begins to bribe!

"Oh!" thought Mr Gammon, a thousand times, "that cursed Quaint Club! That cursed Crafty!"

The very first person on whom Delamere waited, in order to solicit his support, was little Dr Tatham, who, I need hardly say, gave it promptly and cordially; but he added, shaking his head, that he knew he was giving huge offence to the people at the Hall, who had already been several times very urgent indeed with him. "Well, rather, sir, than sow dissension between you and Mr Titmouse, your neighbour," said Delamere spiritedly, "I at once release you from your promise."

"Ah! indeed?" cried Dr Tatham briskly-" Do you? Can

you? Ought you to do so? I look upon the exercise of my franchise to be a sacred duty, and I shall discharge it as readily and as conscientiously as any other duty, come what may." Delamere looked at him, and thought how often he had heard Miss Aubrey talk of him with affectionate enthusiasm, and he believed the little Doctor to be every way worthy of it. "For myself," continued Dr Tatham, "I care little; but I have reason greatly to apprehend the effects of his displeasure upon those who are disposed-as such I know there are—to go counter to his wishes. He'll make them rue the day'

دو

“Ay?—Let him!" exclaimed Mr Delamere, with an eye of bright defiance; but it kindled only a faint momentary spark of consolation in the breast of Dr Tatham.

The rivals, Mr Delamere and Mr Titmouse, encountered one another, as it were in full state, on the second day of the former's canvass. 'Twas in the street. Mr Delamere was attended by Mr Parkinson, Sir Percival Pickering, Mr St Aubyn, Mr Aylward Elvet, Mr Gold, and one or two others. Mr Delamere looked certainly very handsome. About his person, countenance, and carriage, there was an air of manly frankness, refinement, and simplicity; and a glance at his aristocratic cast of features, told you that a certain latent tendency to hauteur was kept in check by sincere good-nature. He was tall and well-proportioned, and his motions had a natural ease and grace; and as for his dress, it combined a rigid simplicity with an undoubted fashion and elegance. Though the air was very cold and frosty, he wore only a plain dark-coloured surtout, buttoned.

"Delamere! Delamere!" whispered with a smile Mr St Aubyn, (one of the former members for the borough,) on first catching sight of the enemy approaching them on the same side of the street, at about twenty yards' distance-" Here comes your opponent; he's a little beauty, eh?"

Mr Titmouse walked first, dressed in a fine drab-coloured great-coat, with velvet collar of the same hue, and sable near a foot deep at the wrists. It was buttoned tightly round a pinchedin waist, and a white cambric handkerchief peeped out of a pocket in the breast. He had a red and green plaid waistcoat, and a full satin stock, glistening with little pins and chains. His trousers were sky-blue, and very tight, and covered almost the

whole of his boot; so that it was a wonder to the vulgar how he ever got into or out of them. The little that was seen of his boots shone wonderfully; and he wore spurs at his heels. His span-new glossy hat was perched aslant on his bushy hair; he wore lemon-coloured kid gloves, and a delicate little ebony cane. Following this pretty little figure were the sallow insolent-looking "Reverend" Smirk Mudflint, (such was the title he assumed,) Mr Centipede, Mr Grogram, Mr Bloodsuck, junior, (who had approached as near, in point of personal appearance, to his illustrious client, as he knew how,) and—Mr Gammon. As the hostile companies neared each other, that of Delamere observed some one hastily whisper to Titmouse, who instantly stuck his chased gold eyeglass into his eye, and stared very vulgarly at Mr Delamere-who, on passing him, with the courtesy he conceived due to an opponent, took off his hat, and bowed with politeness and grace, his example being followed by all his party. Titmouse, however, took not the least notice of the compliment; but, without removing his glass from his eye, throwing an odious sneer into his face, stared steadily at Mr Delamere, and so passed on. Mr Barnabas Bloodsuck ably seconded him. Mudflint, with a bitter smirk, touched his hat slightly; Centipede affected to look another way; Grogram blushed, and bowed as to his very best customer. Mr Gammon came last; and bursting with disgust at the reception given to Mr Delamere, coloured all over as he took off his hat, and with an expression of very anxious and pointed politeness, endeavoured to satisfy Mr Delamere and his party, that there was at all events one in the train of Titmouse who had some pretensions to the character of a gentleman.

"Who can that last man be? He's a gentleman," enquired Sir Percival with an air of much surprise.

"Mr Gammon—a man who is lord-paramount at the Hall," replied one.

"Gammon-Is that Mr -"echoed Delamere, with much interest; and as he turned round to look at Gammon, observed that Gammon was doing the same; on which both hastily turned away.

As the important day approached, each party professed complete confidence as to the result. The Yorkshire Stingo declared

VOL. III.

B