第79章

His house was apparently open in Sir Roger's interest. Beer, at any rate, was flowing there as elsewhere; and scarlet ribbons going in--not perhaps, in a state of perfect steadiness--came out more unsteady than before. Still had Mr Reddypalm been deaf to the voice of that charmer, Closerstil, though he had charmed with all his wisdom. Mr Reddypalm had stated, first his unwillingness to vote at all:--he had, he said, given over politics, and was not inclined to trouble his mind again with the subject; then he had spoken of his great devotion to the Duke of Omnium, under whose grandfathers his grandfather had been bred: Mr Nearthewinde had, as he said, been with him, and proved to him beyond a shadow of a doubt that it would show the deepest ingratitude on his part to vote against the duke's candidate.

Mr Closerstil thought he understood all this, and sent more, and still more men to drink beer. He even caused--taking infinite trouble to secure secrecy in the matter--three gallons of British brandy to be ordered and paid for as the best French. But, nevertheless, Mr Reddypalm made no sign to show that he considered that the right thing had been done. On the evening before the election, he told one of Mr Closerstil's confidential men, that he had thought a good deal about it, and that he believed he should be constrained by his conscience to vote for Mr Moffat.

We have said that Mr Closerstil was accompanied by a learned friend of his, one Mr Romer, a barrister, who was greatly interested in Sir Roger, and who, being a strong Liberal, was assisting in the canvass with much energy. He, hearing how matters were likely to go with this conscientious publican, and feeling himself peculiarly capable of dealing with such delicate scruples, undertook to look into the case in hand. Early, therefore, on the morning of the election, he sauntered down the cross street in which hung out the sign of the Brown Bear, and, as he expected, found Mr Reddypalm near his own door.

Now it was quite an understood thing that there was to be no bribery.

This was understood by no one better than Mr Romer, who had, in truth, drawn up many of the published assurances to that effect. And, to give him his due, he was fully minded to act in accordance with these assurances. The object of all the parties was to make it worth the voters' while to give their votes; but to do so without bribery. Mr Romer had repeatedly declared that he would have nothing to do with any illegal practising; but he had also declared that, as long as all was done according to law, he was ready to lend his best efforts to assist Sir Roger. How he assisted Sir Roger, and adhered to the law, will now be seen.

Oh, Mr Romer! Mr Romer! is it not the case with thee that thou 'wouldst not play false, and yet wouldst wrongly win?' Not in electioneering, Mr Romer, any more than in any other pursuits, can a man touch pitch and not be defiled; as thou, innocent as thou art, wilt soon learn to thy terrible cost.

'Well, Reddypalm,' said Mr Romer, shaking hands with him. Mr Romer had not been equally cautious as Neatherwinde, and had already drunk sundry glasses of ale at the Brown Bear, in the hope of softening the stern Bear-warden. 'How is it to-day? Which is to be the man?'

'If any one knows that, Mr Romer, you must be the man. A poor numbskull like me knows nothing of them matters. How should I? All I looks to, Mr Romer, is selling a trifle of drink now and then--selling it, and getting paid for it, you know, Mr Romer.'

'Yes, that's important, no doubt. But come, Reddypalm, such an old friend as Sir Roger as you are, a man he speaks of as one of his intimate friends, I wonder how you can hesitate about it? Now with another man, I should think that he wanted to be paid for voting--'

'Oh, Mr Romer! fie--fie--fie!'

'I know it's not the case with you. It would be an insult to offer you money, even if money were going. I should not mention this, only as money is not going, neither, on our side nor on the other, no harm can be done.'

'Mr Romer, if you speak of such a thing, you'll hurt me. I know the value of an Englishman's franchise too well to wish to sell it. I would not demean myself so low; no, not though five-and-twenty pound a vote was going, as there was in the good old times--and that's not so long either.'

'I am sure you wouldn't, Reddypalm; I'm sure you wouldn't. But an honest man like you should stick to old friends. Now, tell me,' and putting his arm through Reddypalm's, he walked with him into the passage of his own house; 'Now, tell me--is there anything wrong? It's between friends, you know. Is there anything wrong?'

'I wouldn't sell my vote for untold gold,' said Reddypalm, who was perhaps aware that untold gold would hardly be offered to him for it.

'I am sure you would not,' said Mr Romer.

'But,' said Reddypalm, 'a man likes to be paid his little bill.'

'Surely, surely,' said the barrister.

'And I did say two years since, when your friend Mr Closerstil brought a friend of his down to stand here--it wasn't Sir Roger then--but when he brought a friend of his down, and when I drew two or three hogsheads of ale on their side, and when my bill was questioned, and only half-settled, I did say that I wouldn't interfere with no election no more. And no more I will, Mr Romer--unless it be to give a quiet vote for the nobleman under whom I and mine always lived respectable.'

'Oh!' said Mr Romer.

'A man do like to have his bill paid, you know, Mr Romer.'

Mr Romer could not but acknowledge that this was a natural feeling on the part of an ordinary mortal publican.

'It goes agin the grain with a man not to have his little bill paid, and specially at election time,' again urged Mr Reddypalm.

Mr Romer had not much time to think about it; but he knew well that matters were so nearly balanced, that the votes of Mr Reddypalm and his son were of inestimable value.

'If it's only about your bill,' said Mr Romer, 'I'll see to have it settled. I'll speak to Closerstil about that.'