Mr Moffat had been put forward by the de Courcy interest; and that noble family with its dependants was not to go to the wall because Mr Moffat had had a thrashing.

No; the petition was to go on; and Mr Nearthewinde declared, that no petition in his hands had half so good a chance of success.

"Chance, no, but certainty," said Mr Nearthewinde; for Mr Nearthewinde had learnt something with reference to that honest publican and the payment of his little bill.
The petition was presented and duly backed; the recognisances were signed, and all the proper formalities formally executed; and Sir Roger found that his seat was in jeopardy.

His return had been a great triumph to him; and, unfortunately, he had celebrated that triumph as he had been in the habit of celebrating most of the very triumphant occasions of his life.

Though he was than hardly yet recovered from the effects of his last attack, he indulged in another violent drinking bout; and, strange to say, did so without any immediate visible bad effects.
In February he took his seat amidst the warm congratulations of all men of his own class, and early in the month of April his case came on for trial.