What you want is new blood, or new wood, or new metal, or whatever you may choose to call it.Take my advice and try this man.He isn't a pauper.It isn't money that he wants.'
'Cora, your geese are all swans.'
'That's not fair.I have never brought to you a goose yet.My swans have been swans.Who was it brought you and your pet swan of all, Mr Grey, together? I won't name any names, but it is your swans have been geese.'
'It is not for me to return a member for Silverbridge.' When he said this, she gave him a look which almost upset even his gravity, a look which was almost the same as asking him whether he would not--"tell it to the marines." 'You don't quite understand these things, Cora,' he continued.'The influence which owners of property may have in boroughs is decreasing every day, and there arises the question whether a conscientious man will any longer use such influence.'
'I don't think you'd like to see a man from Silverbridge opposing you in the House.'
'I may have to bear worse even than that.'
'Well;--there it is.The man is here and you have the opportunity of knowing him.Of course I have not hinted at the matter to him.If there were any Palliser wanted the borough Iwouldn't say a word.What more patriotic thing can a patron do with his borough than to select a man who is unknown to him, not related to him, a perfect stranger, merely for his worth?'
'But I do not know what may be the worth of Mr Lopez.'
'I will guarantee that,' said the Duchess.Whereupon the Duke laughed, and then left her.
The Duchess had spoken with absolute truth when she told her husband that she had not said a word to Mr Lopez about Silverbridge, but it was not long before she did say a word.On that same day she found herself alone with him in the garden,--or so much alone as to be able to speak with him privately.He had certainly made the best use of his time since he had been at the Castle, having secured the good-will of many of the ladies, and the displeasure of most of the men.'You have never been in Parliament, I think,' said the Duchess.
'I have never even tried to get there.'
'Perhaps you dislike the idea of that kind of life.'
'No, indeed,' he said.'So far from it, that I regard it as the highest kind of life there is in England.A seat in Parliament gives a man a status in this country which it has never done elsewhere.'
'Then why don't you try it?'
'Because I've got into another groove.I've become essentially a City man,--one of those men who take up the trade of making money generally.'
'And does that content you?'
'No, Duchess;--certainly not.Instead of contenting me, it disgusts me.Not but that I like the money,--only it is so insufficient a use of one's life.I suppose I shall try to get into Parliament some day.Seats in Parliament don't grow like blackberries on bushes.'
'Pretty nearly,' said the Duchess.
'Not in my part of the country.These good things seem to be appointed to fall in the way of some men, and not of others.If there were a general election going on to-morrow, I should not know how to look for a seat.'
'They are to be found sometimes even without a general election.'