Part 19 (2/2)

'Certainly not,' said Mr Gregsbury

The members of the deputation looked fiercely at each other, and afterwards at thestare at Mr Gregsbury over the tops of his spectacles, resumed his list of inquiries

'Question nuive a voluntary pledge that you would support your colleague on every occasion; and whether you did not, the night before last, desert him and vote upon the other side, because the wife of a leader on that other side had invited Mrs Gregsbury to an evening party?'

'Go on,' said Mr Gregsbury

'Nothing to say on that, either, sir?' asked the spokessbury The deputation, who had only seen hi or election time, were struck dumb by his coolness He didn't appear like the same man; then he was all ar But men ARE so different at different tistyles, es, that it was your fir proposed; to divide the house upon every question, to move for returns on every subject, to place a motion on the books every day, and, in short, in your ownand everybody?' With this costyles folded up his list of questions, as did all his backers

Mr Gregsbury reflected, blew his nose, threw hi his elbows on the table, ers, and tapping his nose with the apex thereof, replied (s'

At this unexpected answer, a hoarse entle nature of the introductory speech, again n!' Which growl being taken up by his felloelled into a very earnest and general remonstrance

'I astyles, with a distant bow, 'that on receiving a requisition to that effect froreat majority of your constituents, you will not object at once to resign your seat in favour of some candidate whosbury read the following reply, which, anticipating the request, he had composed in the form of a letter, whereof copies had been made to send round to the newspapers

'MY DEAR MR PUGSTYLES, 'Next to the welfare of our beloved island-this great and free and happy country, whose powers and resources are, I sincerely believe, illilishman's proudest boast, and which I fondly hope to bequeath to my children, untarnished and unsullied Actuated by no personal reat constitutional considerations; which I will not attempt to explain, for they are really beneath the comprehension of those who have not made themselves masters, as I have, of the intricate and arduous study of politics; I would rather keepso

'Will you do me the favour to present my compliments to the constituent body, and acquaint thereat esteestyles, '&c&c'

'Then you will not resign, under any circusbury s, sir,' said Pugstyles, angrily

'Heaven bless you!' said Mr Gregsbury And the deputation, with rowls and scowls, filed off as quickly as the narrowness of the staircase would allow of their getting down

The last sbury rubbed his hands and chuckled, as merry felloill, when they think they have said or done a rossed in this self-congratulation, that he did not observe that Nicholas had been left behind in the shadow of the -curtains, until that young gentleht otherwise overhear sohed twice or thrice, to attract the sbury, in sharp accents

Nicholas stepped forward, and bowed

'What do you do here, sir?' asked Mr Gregsbury; 'a spy upon my privacy! A concealed voter! You have heard my answer, sir Pray follow the deputation'

'I should have done so, if I had belonged to it, but I do not,' said Nicholas

'Then how casbury, MP 'And where the devil have you come froht this card fro to offerthat you stood in need of one'

'That's all you have co him in some doubt

Nicholas replied in the affirmative

'You have no connection with any of those rascally papers have you?' said Mr Gregsbury 'You didn't get into the roo forward, and put it in print, eh?'

'I have no connection, I a at present,' rejoined Nicholas,-politely enough, but quite at his ease

'Oh!' said Mr Gregsbury 'How did you find your way up here, then?'

Nicholas related how he had been forced up by the deputation

'That was the as it?' said Mr Gregsbury 'Sit down'

Nicholas took a chair, and Mr Gregsbury stared at hi time, as if to make certain, before he asked any further questions, that there were no objections to his outward appearance

'You want to be th

'I wish to be employed in that capacity, sir,' replied Nicholas

'Well,' said Mr Gregsbury; 'nohat can you do?'

'I suppose,' replied Nicholas, s, 'that I can do what usually falls to the lot of other secretaries'

'What's that?' inquired Mr Gregsbury

'What is it?' replied Nicholas

'Ah! What is it?' retorted theshrewdly at him, with his head on one side

'A secretary's duties are rather difficult to define, perhaps,' said Nicholas, considering 'They include, I presusbury

'The arrangement of papers and documents?'