"Oh! certainly—certainly," muttered the Marquis of Holmesford, who, in consequence of swollen gums, had been compelled to lay aside his false teeth for a few days, and was therefore somewhat incomprehensible in his speech. "Always defend the aristocracy! _The millions_, as they call themselves, are ever ready to assail us: they're jealous of us, you see—because we have carriages and horses, and they have not." "And for many other reasons," observed Mr. Greenwood. "But I always know how to serve the scurvy riff-raff. Why, it was but the other day that some thirty or forty of the independent and intelligent electors of Rottenborough assembled together at the _Blue Lion_ in their town, to address a remonstrance to me on my parliamentary conduct, and call upon me to resign." "And what did you do?" asked Lord Dunstable. "Oh! I knew my men well enough: it was not the first time they had taken this step," continued Greenwood. "My agent down there wrote me up an account of their intentions; and I sent him instructions how to act. The malcontents met; there was a great deal of speechifying; and the tide flowed strong against my interests. The chairman was about to put to the vote a Resolution condemnatory of my conduct, when the landlord entered, and addressed the meeting in this manner:—'Gentlemen, Mr. Greenwood, having heard that it was your intention to assemble here this evening, has conveyed to me his commands to serve up a little supper—poultry, turtle, venison, and other trifles of the same kind, together with as much port and sherry as you can drink. The supper is now ready, gentlemen: you had better partake of it first, and continue your deliberations afterwards.'" "Capital—excellent!" exclaimed Lord Dunstable. "Glowiouth—thuperfine—bwilliant!" cried Sir Cherry Bounce, who was one of the group. "Strike me—but it was uncommon good!" observed Major Dapper, who was also present. "Well—what followed?" demanded Colonel Cholmondeley. "Yes, do tell us," said Mr. Smicksmack. "Oh! the result was simple enough," continued Greenwood. "The free and independent electors of Rottenborough adjourned to the supper-room, gorged and drank till their senses were completely obfuscated, and then passed a vote of confidence in their Member, one gentleman alone not holding up his hand in its favour." "What was the reason of that?" inquired the Marquis of Holmesford. "Simply because he was dead drunk under the table," answered Greenwood. "And then this fellow had the impudence to write a letter next day to all the newspapers to say _that he alone had remained dissentient upon principle_!" "Pwepothterouth!" loudly exclaimed Sir Cherry Bounce. "Hold your tongue, Cherry," said Major Smilax Dapper. "You're a——" "A what, Thmilackth?" asked the youthful baronet. "A bore—strike me!" replied the major. There was a general laugh at the expense of Sir Cherry Bounce, who coloured up to the very roots of his hair.