"
"That is on the knees of the gods, and as for the rest I take the
responsibility. I shall speak to Stocks myself. It will be a sharp
fight, but I see no reason why you should not win. After all, it is
your own countryside, and you are a better man than your opponent."
"You are the serpent who has broken up this peaceful home. I shall be
miserable for a month, and the house will be divided against itself.
Arthur has promised to help Stocks, while the Manorwaters, root and
branch, are pledged to support him."
"I'll do my best, Lewie, for old acquaintance' sake. It had to come
sooner or later, you know, and it is as well that you should seize the
favourable moment. Now let us drop the subject for to-night. I want to
enjoy myself."
And he rose, stretched his great arms, and wandered about the room.
To all appearance he had forgotten the very existence of things
political. Arthur, who had a contest to face shortly, was eager for
advice and the odds and ends of information which defend the joints in a
candidate's harness, but the well-informed man disdained to help. He
tested the guns, gave his verdict on rods, and ranged through a cabinet
of sporting requisites. Then he fell on his host's books, and for an
hour the three were content to listen to him. It was rarely that
Wratislaw fell into such moods, but when the chance came it was not to
be lightly disregarded.
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