I have come down here to support the case of a poor man who is I think being trampled on by this do-nothing legislator. But I am bound to say that the lord in his kind is very much better than the poor man in his. Such a wretched, squalid, lying, cowardly creature I did not think that even England could produce. And yet the man has a property in land on which he ought to be able to live in humble comfort. I feel sure that I have leagued myself with a rascal, whereas I believe the lord, in spite of his ignorance and his idleness, to be honest. But yet the man is being hardly used, and has had the spirit, or rather perhaps has been instigated by others, to rebel. His crops have been eaten up by the lord’s pheasants, and the lord, exercising plenary power as though he were subject to no laws, will only pay what compensation he himself chooses to award. The whole country here is in arms against the rebel, thinking it monstrous that a man living in a hovel should contest such a point with the owner of half-a-dozen palaces. I have come forward to help the man for the sake of seeing how the matter will go; and I have to confess that though those under the lord have treated me as though I were a miscreant, the lord himself and his friends have been civil enough.
I say what I think wherever I go, and I do not find it taken in bad part. In that respect we might learn something even from Englishmen. When a Britisher over in the States says what he thinks about us, we are apt to be a little rough with him. I have, indeed, known towns in which he couldn’t speak out with personal safety. Here there is no danger of that kind. I am getting together the materials for a lecture on British institutions in general, in which I shall certainly speak my mind plainly, and I think I shall venture to deliver it in London before I leave for New York in the course of next spring. I will, however, write to you again before that time comes.
On the morning of the Senator’s departure from Dillsborough, Mr. Runciman met him standing under the covered way leading from the inn yard into the street. He was waiting for the omnibus which was being driven about the town, and which was to call for him and take him down to the railway station. Mr. Runciman had not as yet spoken to him since he had been at the inn, and had not even made himself personally known to his guest. “So, sir, you are going to leave us,” said the landlord, with a smile which was intended probably as a smile of triumph.
“Yes, sir,” said the Senator. “It’s about time, I guess, that I should get back to London.”
“I dare say it is, sir,” said the landlord. “I dare say you’ve seen enough of Mr. Goarly by this time.”
“That’s as may be. I don’t know whom I have the pleasure of speaking to.”
“My name is Runciman, sir. I’m the landlord here.”
“I hope I see you well, Mr. Runciman. I have about come to an end of my business here.”
“I dare say you have, sir. I should say so. Perhaps I might express an opinion that you never came across a greater blackguard than Goarly either in this country or your own.”
“That’s a strong opinion, Mr. Runciman.”
“It’s the general opinion here, sir. I should have thought you’d found it out before this.”
“I don’t know that I am prepared at this moment to declare all that I have found out.”
“I thought you’d have been tired of it by this time, Mr. Gotobed.”
“Tired of what?”
“Tired of the wrong side, sir.”
“I don’t know that I am on the wrong side. A man may be in the right on one point even though his life isn’t all that it ought to be.”
“That’s true, sir; but if they told you all that they know up street,”—and Runciman pointed to the part of the town in which Bearside’s office was situated—“I should have thought you would have understood who was going to win and who was going to lose. Good day, sir; I hope you’ll have a pleasant journey. Much obliged to you for your patronage, sir,” and Runciman, still smiling unpleasantly, touched his hat as the Senator got into the omnibus.
The Senator was not very happy as to the Goarly business. He had paid some money and had half promised more, and had found out that he was in a boat with thoroughly disreputable persons. As he had said to the landlord, a man may have the right on his side in an action at law though he be a knave or a rascal; and if a lord be unjust to a poor man, the poor man should have justice done him, even though he be not quite a pattern poor man. But now he was led to believe by what the landlord had said to him that he was being kept in the dark, and that there were facts generally known that he did not know. He had learned something of English manners and English institutions by his interference, but there might be a question whether he was not paying too dearly for his whistle. And there was growing upon him a feeling that before he had done he would have to blush for his colleagues.
As the omnibus went away Dr. Nupper joined Mr. Runciman under the archway. “I’m blessed if I can understand that man,” said Runciman. “What is it he’s after?”
“Notoriety,” said the