would not suffer to be oppressed by the hand of power,
or persecuted by the malice of party spirit.
A large number of grateful independent constituents
united to support this gentleman. Sir Hyacinth
O’Brien had reason to tremble for his fate; it
was to him a desperate game. He canvassed the
county with the most keen activity; and took care
to engage in his interest all those underlings
who delight in galloping round the country to electioneer,
and who think themselves paid by the momentary consequence
they enjoy, and the bustle they create.
Amongst these busy-bodies was Simon O’Dougherty:
indolent in all his own concerns, he was remarkably
active in managing the affairs of others. His
home being now insufferable to him, he was glad to
stroll about the country; and to him Sir Hyacinth
O’Brien left all the dirty work of the canvass.
Soft Simon had reduced himself to the lowest class
of stalkoes or walking gentlemen, as
they are termed; men who have nothing to do, and no
fortune to support them, but who style themselves
esquire; and who, to use their own mode of expression,
are jealous of that title, and of their claims to
family antiquity. Sir Hyacinth O’Brien
knew at once how to flatter Simon’s pride, and
to lure him on by promises. Soft Simon believed
that the baronet, if he gained his election, would
procure him some place equivalent to that of which
he had been lately deprived. Upon the faith of
this promise, Simon worked harder for his patron than
he ever was known to do upon any previous occasion;
and he was not deficient in that essential characteristic
of an electioneerer, boasting. He carried this
habit sometimes rather too far, for he not only boasted
so as to bully the opposite party, but so as to deceive
his friends: over his bottle, he often persuaded
his patron that he could command voters, with whom
he had no manner of influence. For instance:
he told Sir Hyacinth O’Brien that he was certain
all the Grays would vote for him; and it was in consequence
of this assurance that the cards of invitation to
the ball had been sent to Rose and her mother, and
that the baronet was now come in person to pay his
respects at Rosanna.
We have kept him waiting an unconscionable time at
the cottage door; we must now show him in.
CHAPTER IV.
The beauty of Rose was the first thing that struck
him upon his entrance. The impression was so
sudden, and so lively, that, for a few minutes, the
election, and all that belonged to it, vanished from
his memory. The politeness of a county candidate
made him appear, in other houses, charmed with father,
mother, son, and daughter; but in this cottage there
was no occasion for dissimulation; he was really pleased
with each individual of the family. The natural
feelings of the heart were touched. The ambitious
man forgot all his schemes, and all his cares, in
the contemplation of this humble picture of happiness
and content; and the baronet conversed a full quarter
of an hour with farmer Gray, before he relapsed into
himself.
Copyrights
Tales and Novels — Volume 02 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
