第29章

　　CynthiaandMollyhadbothspokenofthebrotherswithfamiliarregard，implyingconsiderableintimacy；theirflowershadbeenpreferredtohisontheoccasionoftheball；mostpeoplespokewellofthem；andMrPrestonhadananimal’sinstinctivejealousyandcombativenessagainstallpopularyoungmen。Their’position’

　　—poorastheHamleysmightbe—wasfarhigherthanhisowninthecounty；

　　and，moreover，hewasagenttothegreatWhiglord，whosepoliticalinterestswerediametricallyopposedtothoseoftheoldTorysquire。NotthatLordCumnortroubledhimselfmuchabouthispoliticalinterests。HisfamilyhadobtainedpropertyandtitlefromtheWhigsatthetimeoftheHanoveriansuccession；andso，traditionally，hewasaWhig，andhadbelongedinhisyouthtoWhigclubs，wherehehadlostconsiderablesumsofmoneytoWhiggamblers。Allthiswassatisfactoryandconsistentenough。AndifLordHollingfordhadnotbeenreturnedforthecountyontheWhiginterest—

　　ashisfatherhadbeenbeforehim，untilhehadsucceededtothetitle—itisquiteprobableLordCumnorwouldhaveconsideredtheBritishconstitutionindanger，andthepatriotismofhisancestorsungratefullyignored。But，exceptingatelections，hehadnonotionofmakingWhigandToryapartycry。HehadlivedtoomuchinLondon，andwasoftoosociableanature，toexcludeanymanwhojumpedwithhishumour，fromthehospitalityhewasalwaysreadytooffer，betheagreeableacquaintanceWhig，Tory，orRadical。Butinthecountyofwhichhewaslord—lieutenant，theoldpartydistinctionwasstillashibbolethbywhichmenweretestedfortheirfitnessforsocialintercourse，aswellasonthehustings。IfbyanychanceaWhigfoundhimselfataTorydinner—table—orvice—vers&acirc；—thefoodwashardofdigestion，andwineandviandswerecriticizedratherthanenjoyed。Amarriagebetweentheyoungpeopleoftheseparatepartieswasalmostasunheard—ofandprohibitedanallianceasthatofRomeoandJuliet’s。AndofcourseMrPrestonwasnotamaninwhosebreastsuchprejudiceswoulddieaway。Theywereanexcitementtohimforonething，andcalledoutallhistalentforintrigueonbehalfofthepartytowhichhewasallied。Moreover，heconsidereditasloyaltytohisemployerto’scatterhisenemies’byanymeansinhispower。HehadalwayshatedanddespisedtheToriesingeneral；andafterthatinterviewonthemarshycommoninfrontofSilas’scottage，hehatedtheHamleysandRogerespecially，withaverychoiceandparticularhatred。’Thatprig，’ashereafterhealwaysdesignatedRoger—’heshallpayforityet，’hesaidtohimselfbywayofconsolation，afterthefatherandsonhadlefthim。’Whataloutitis！’—watchingtherecedingfigure。’Theoldchaphastwiceasmuchspunk，’

　　asthesquiretuggedathisbridle—reins。’Theoldmarecouldmakeherwaybetterwithoutbeingled，myfinefellow。ButIseethroughyourdodge。