"Have the goodness to be quiet," said Dyce. "It isn't a thing to scream about, but to talk over quietly and sensibly. I thought you had got out of that habit." "I'm very sorry. Don't be cross. Tell me more about it. Who is the present member?" Dyce gave an account of the state of politics at Hollingford, sketching the character of Mr. Robb on the lines suggested by Breakspeare. As she listened, Mrs. Woolstan had much ado to preserve outward calm; she was flushed with delight; words of enthusiasm trembled on her lips. "When will the election be?" she asked in the first pause. "Certainly not this year. Possibly not even next There's plenty of time." "Oh, you are _sure_ to win! How can a wretched old Tory like that stand against you? Go and make friends with everybody. You only need to be known. How I should like to hear you make a speech! Of course I must be there when you do. How does one get to Hollingford? What are the trains?" "If you leave Euston by the newspaper train to-morrow morning," said Dyce, gravely, "you may be just in time to hear the declaration of the poll.--Meanwhile," he added, "suppose we think for a moment of the trifling fact that my income is nothing a year. How does that affect my chances in a political career, I wonder?" Mrs. Woolstan's countenance fell. "Oh--but--it's impossible for that to stand in your way. You said yourself that you didn't seriously trouble about it. Of course you will get an income--somehow. Men who go in for public life always do--don't they?" She spoke timidly, with downcast eyes, a smile hovering about her lips. Dyce did not look at her. He had thrust his hands into his trouser pockets, and crossed his legs; he smiled frowningly at the fire. "Does Lady Ogram know your circumstances?" Iris asked, in a lower voice. "I can't be sure. She may have heard something about them from--my friend. Naturally, I didn't tell her that I was penniless." "But--if she is bent on having you for a candidate don't you think she will very likely make some suggestion? A wealthy woman--" The voice failed; the speaker had an abashed air. "We can't take anything of that kind into account," said Lashmar, with masculine decision. "If any such suggestion were made, I should have to consider it very carefully indeed. As yet I know Lady Ogram very slightly. We may quarrel, you know; it would be the easiest thing in the world. My independence is the first consideration. You mustn't imagine that I _clutch_ at this opportunity. Nothing of the kind. It's an opening, perhaps; but in any case I should have found one before long. I don't even know yet whether Hollingford will suit me. It's a very unimportant borough; I may decide that it would be better to look to one of the large, intelligent constituencies. I'm afraid--" he became rather severe--"you are inclined to weigh my claims to recognition by the fact that I happen to have no money--"