After carefully weighing the pros and cons, his own view was that he should do well to stand.
Probably he would be defeated, and it might cost him five hundred pounds.

On the other hand it would certainly make his name known as a politician, and he was now in a fair way to earn so large an income that he could well afford to risk the money.

The only great objection which he saw, was that if he happened to get in, it must mean that he would have to work all day and all night too.

Well, he was strong and the more work he did the better--it kept him from thinking.
In due course Beatrice's answer came.

Her view coincided with his own; she recommended him to take the opportunity, and pointed out that with his growing legal reputation there was no office in the State to which he might not aspire, when he had once proved himself a capable member of Parliament.