Thus ended the generous dialogue of Dora and her affectionate brother, who after all might have been induced by her to remain in his native country and share whatever fate it might allot him, were it not that in a few days afterwards, his father found that the only terms on which he could obtain his farm were such as could scarcely be said to come within the meaning and spirit of the landlord’s adage, “live and let live.”  It is true that for the terms on which his farm was offered him he was indebted to Chevydale himself, who said that as he knew his father had entertained a high respect for old M’Mahon, he would not suffer him to be put out.  The father besides voted for him, and always had voted for the family.  “Do what you please with the son,” he proceeded—­“get rid of him as you like, but I shan’t suffer the father to be removed.  Let him have the farm upon reasonable terms; and, by the way, Fethertonge, don’t you think now it was rather an independent act of the young fellow to vote for Vanston, although he knew that I had it in my power to send him about his business?”

“It was about as impudent a piece of gratitude and defiance as ever I witnessed,” returned the other.  “The wily rascal calculated upon your forbearance and easiness of disposition, and so imagined that he might do what he pleased with impunity.  We shall undeceive him, however.”

“Well, but you forget that he, had some cause of displeasure against us, in consequence of having neglected his memorial to the Commissioners of Excise.”

“Yes; but as I said before, how could we with credit involve ourselves in the illegal villany of a smuggler?  It is actually a discredit to have such a fellow upon the estate.  He is, in the first place, a bad example, and calculated by his conduct and influence to spread dangerous principles among the tenantry.  However, as it is, he is, fortunately for us, rather well known at present.  It is now perfectly notorious—­and I have it from the best authority—­one of the parties who was cognizant of his conduct—­that his vote against you was the result of a deliberate compact with our enemy, Vanston, and that he received a bribe of fifty pounds from him.  This he has had the audacity to acknowledge himself, being the very amount of the sum to which the penalty against him was mitigated by Vanston’s interference.  In fact the scoundrel is already infamous in the country.”

“What, for receiving a bribe!” exclaimed Chevydale, looking at the agent with a significant smile; “and what, pray, is the distinction between him who gives and him who takes a bribe?  Let us look at home a little, my good Fethertonge, and learn a little charity to those who err as we do.  A man would think now to hear you attack M’Mahon for bribery, that you never had bribed a man in your life; and yet you know that it is the consciousness of bribery on our own part that prevents us from attempting to unseat Vanston.”