There would be no
question of entertainment. His bereavement would make that
impossible. But there would come from his presence a certain
savour of proprietorship, and a sense of power, which would be
beneficial to his son, and would not, as the Duke thought, be
contrary to the spirit of the constitution. But all this was now
at an end. He told himself that he did not care how the elections
might go;--that he did not care much how anything might go.
Silverbridge might stand for Silverbridge if he so pleased. He
would give neither assistance nor obstruction, either in the
county or in the borough. He wrote to this effect to his agent, Mr
Morton;--but at the same time desired that gentleman to pay Lord
Silverbridge's electioneering expenses, feeling it to be his duty
as a father to do so much for his son.
But though he endeavoured to engage his thoughts in these
parliamentary matters, though he tried to make himself believe
that this political apostasy was the trouble which vexed him, in
truth that other misery was so crushing, as to make the affairs of
his son insignificant.
Pages:
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117