ThiswasthepictureasitwaspaintedbyMrSprout，——whohad，eventhen，heardsomethingofthelovesofthetwocandidates，andwhohadthoughtthatLopezwouldbegladtoinjureArthurFletcher’schancesofsuccess。Sofarhewasnotwrong——butthesenseofinjurydonetohimselfoppressedLopezsomuchthathecouldnotguidehimselfbyreason。Theideaofretiringwasverypainfultohim，andhedidnotbelievethesemen。HethoughtittobequitepossiblethattheyweretheretofacilitatethereturnofArthurFletcher。HehadneverevenheardofDuBoungtillhehadcometoSilverbridgetwoorthreedaysago。HestillcouldnotbelievethatDuBoungwouldbereturned。Hethoughtoveritallforamoment，andthenhegavehisanswer。’I’vebeenbroughtdownheretofight，andI’llfightittothelast，’hesaid。’Thenyou’llhandovertheboroughtoMrFletcher，’saidSprout，gettingupandusheringMrDuBoungoutoftheroom。
Itwasafterthat，butonthesameday，thatLopezandFletchermeteachotherinthestreet。Theaffairdidnottakeaminute，andthentheyparted，eachonhisownway。InthecourseoftheeveningMrSprugeontoldhiscandidatethathe，Sprugeon，couldnotconcernhimselfanyfurtherinthatelection。Hewasverysorryforwhathadoccurred，——verysorryindeed。ItwasnodoubtapitythattheDukehadbeensofirm。’But，’——andMrSprugeonshruggedhisshouldersashespoke，——’whenanoblemanliketheDukechoosestohaveawayofhisown，hemusthaveit。’
MrSprugeonwentontodeclarethatanyfurthercandidaturewouldbeawasteofmoney，wasteoftime，andwasteofenergy，andthensignifiedhisintentionofretiring，asfarastheelectionwent，intoprivatelife。Whenasked，heacknowledgedthattheywhohadbeenactingwithhimhadcometothesameresolve。MrLopezhadinfactcomethereastheDuke’snominee，andastheDukehadnonominee，MrLopezwasinfact’nowhere’。
’Idon’t’supposethatanymanwaseversotreatedbefore，sincememberswerefirstreturnedtoParliament，’saidLopez。
’Well，sir——yes，sir。itisalittlehard。But，yousee，sir，herGracemeantthebest。HerGracedidmeanthebest，nodoubt。