_ BOOK TWELFTH CHAPTER XXIV
The chiefs of the Blue party went in state from Lansmere Park; the two candidates in open carriages, each attended with his proposer and seconder. Other carriages were devoted to Harley and Levy, and the principal members of the Committee. Riccabocca was seized with a fit of melancholy or cynicism, and declined to join the procession. But just before they started, as all were assembling without the front door, the postman arrived with his welcome bag. There were letters for Harley, some for Levy, many for Egerton, one for Randal Leslie.
Levy, soon hurrying over his own correspondence, looked, in the familiar freedom wherewith he usually treated his particular friends, over Randal's shoulder.
"From the squire?" said he. "Ah, he has written at last! What made him delay so long? Hope he relieves your mind?"
"Yes," cried Randal, giving way to a joy that rarely lighted up his close and secret countenance,--"yes, he does not write from Hazeldean,--not there when my letter arrived, in London, could not rest at the Hall,--the place reminded him too much of Frank;--went again to town, on the receipt of my first letter concerning the rupture of the marriage, to see after his son, and take up some money to pay off his post-obit. Read what he says:--
"'So, while I was about a mortgage--never did I guess that I should be the man to encumber the Hazeldean estate--I thought I might as well add L20,000 as L10,000 to the total. Why should you be indebted at all to that Baron Levy? Don't have dealings with money- lenders. Your grandmother was a Hazeldean; and from a Hazeldean you shall have the whole sum required in advance for those Rood lands,-- good light soil some of them. As to repayment, we'll talk of that later. If Frank and I come together again, as we did of old, why, my estates will be his some day, and he'll not grudge the mortgage, so fond as he always was of you; and if we don't come together, what do I care for hundreds or thousands, either more or less? So I shall be down at Lansmere the day after to-morrow, just in the thick of your polling. Beat the manufacturer, my boy, and stick up for the land. Tell Levy to have all ready. I shall bring the money down in good bank-notes, and a brace of pistols in my coat pocket to take care of them in ease robbers get scent of the notes and attack me on the road, as they did my grandfather sixty years ago, come next Michaelmas. A Lansmere election puts one in mind of pistols. I once fought a duel with an officer in his Majesty's service, R.N., and had a ball lodged in my right shoulder, on account of an election at Lansmere; but I have forgiven Audley his share in that transaction. Remember me to him kindly. Don't get into a duel yourself; but I suppose manufacturers don't fight,--not that I blame them for that--far from it.'" The letter then ran on to express surprise, and hazard conjecture, as to the wealthy marriage which Randal had announced as a pleasing surprise to the squire.
"Well," said Levy, returning the letter, "you must have written as cleverly as you talk, or the squire is a booby indeed."
Randal smiled, pocketed his letter, and responding to the impatient call of his proposer, sprang lightly into the carriage.
Harley, too, seemed pleased with the letters delivered to himself, and now joined Levy, as the candidates drove slowly off.
"Has not Mr. Leslie received from the squire an answer to that letter of which you informed me?"
"Yes, my Lord, the squire will be here to-morrow."
"To-morrow? Thank you for apprising me; his rooms shall be prepared."
"I suppose he will only stay to see Leslie and myself, and pay the money."
"Aha! Pay the money. Is it so, then?"
"Twice the sum, and, it seems, as a gift, which Leslie only asked as a loan. Really, my Lord, Mr. Leslie is a very clever man; and though I am at your commands, I should not like to injure him. With such matrimonial prospects, he could be a very powerful enemy; and if he succeed in parliament, still more so."
"Baron, these gentlemen are waiting for you. I will follow by myself." _