It sounded as if he were a turncoat, it brought down upon Oliver the indignant accusation and ugly name, though there was nothing on earth to be gained by it, as Fan protested piteously. Oliver achieved the climax of inconsistency by figuring as a Conservative. ‘I am not a Conservative,’ he denied, and then added hastily, ‘but what’s in a name? I never was and never will be a party man,’ he cried; ‘and I am going to stand by Hastings because I think he is less of a party man than Hartley. I don’t say that both are not honest men according to their lights, but Hastings is either better qualified to judge for himself, or he is more bent on acting in obedience to his judgment and conscience. He has pledged himself to do what he can for more than one or two measures which carry justice and righteousness on their face, that I would to God Englishmen of all parties were manly and true enough to unite and carry through, but which are not in the _rôle_ of Hastings’ party any more than they are on the cards of the Liberals. Hartley will not bring forward or second one of these bills; on the contrary, he will throw what weight he possesses in the opposite scale. He has said as much. He is too cautious, too Conservative at heart—under his Liberal cloak if you will—too selfish in grasping and not scattering—not even risking his gains, too bound to a clique to do anything else. I don’t go in for Hastings in everything, not by a long chalk; I am not a Conservative, but since there is only the choice between these two, on the whole I prefer Hastings and his individual politics, let us say, to Hartley and his general creed.’ Oliver might prefer whom he liked. He was a freeborn subject of her Majesty, and undoubtedly he was at liberty to make his selection, but he received little toleration and less sympathy in his withdrawal from his party. His secession was met with a burst of reprobation. Old Dadd called him ‘that hair-splitting fool.’ Mrs. Polley argued it was all very well to have a mind of one’s own, but sheer refractoriness would not sell loaves. See if Oliver Constable had not managed with his college learning to anger his customers all round. She went in for her own opinions, as most of her hearers knew, but for men and women in business not to be able to keep their minds to themselves on occasions, and behave as their best friends had a right to expect of them, which was not to be weathercocks, and fly in the face of their associates and supporters, was rank conceit and impertinence, little short of madness. Not even Mr. Holland with the deacons of the chapel could pass by Oliver’s conduct without remonstrance, seeing that it threatened serious damage to the brilliant prosperity just dawning on the congregation.