The glorious reform of the law will justify, in my idea, all
means to obtain the end--that law, from the profession of which I
have withdrawn myself from perhaps a too scrupulous conscience!"
he concluded softly to himself.
"We are not to do evil that good my come," said Mr. Benson. He
was startled at the deep sound of his own voice as he uttered
these words; but he had not been speaking for some time, and his
voice came forth strong and unmodulated.
"True, sir; most true," said Mr. Hickson, bowing. "I honour you
for the observation." And he profited by it, insomuch that he
confined his further remarks on elections to the end of the
table, where he sat near Mr. Bradshaw, and one or two equally
eager, though not equally influential, partisans of Mr. Donne's.
Meanwhile Mr. Farquhar took up Mr. Benson's quotation, at the end
where he and Jemima sat near to Mrs. Bradshaw and him.
"But in the present state of the world, as Mr. Hickson says, it
is rather difficult to act upon that precept."
"Oh, Mr. Farquhar!" said Jemima indignantly, the tears springing
to her eyes with a feeling of disappointment. For she had been
chafing under all that Mr. Hickson had been saying, perhaps the
more for one or two attempts on his part at flirtation with the
daughter of his wealthy host, which she resented with all the
loathing of a preoccupied heart; and she had longed to be a man,
to speak out her wrath at this paltering with right and wrong.
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