Page:Lady Anne Granard 3.pdf/260

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258
LADY ANNE GRANARD.


To love and praise poor Granard, was the way to the candidate's heart, not less than to prove the speaker had one of his own; and Mr. Wigram and he soon understood each other, as good men generally do, and when Mr. Glentworth inquired whether the chance of being chosen was equivalent to the trouble and expence before him, he felt a certainty of hearing the simple truth in reply.

"I really think it is, or I would say go back at once, and let your handsome, inefficient opponent walk over the course, for beyond his vote he will never do either good or harm. He is a cadet of the noble family whose heir vacates the seat from the demise of Lord M———, and is in the army (which, perhaps, gives me a trifling predilection in his behalf, as a gentleman, though not as a senator); in fact, one of those persons from which the Reform Bill intended to free the country, but which it has not yet done, nor, perhaps, will do very hastily."

"I suppose the borough is radical, like most others?"

"Perfectly rabid, but accompanied with the usual symptoms, 'one word for the country, and ten for myself,’ in general; but there are some