Now Mr.
Sprout and Mr.Sprugeon were Conservatives, but Mr.Du Boung was a strong Liberal.
"We are, all of us, particularly glad to see your Lordship among us," said Mr.Du Boung.
"I have told his Lordship how perfectly satisfied you are to see the borough in his Lordship's hands," said Mr.Sprugeon.
"I am sure it could not be in better," said Mr.Du Boung.

"For myself I am quite willing to postpone any peculiar shade of politics to the advantage of having your father's son as our representative." This Mr.Du Boung said with much intention of imparting both grace and dignity to the occasion.

He thought that he was doing a great thing for the house of Omnium, and that the house of Omnium ought to know it.
"That's very kind of you," said Lord Silverbridge, who had not read as carefully as he should have done the letters which had been sent to him, and did not therefore quite understand the position.
"Mr.Du Boung had intended to stand himself," said Mr.Sprout.
"But retired in your Lordship's favour," said Mr.Sprugeon.
"In doing which I considered that I studied the interest of the borough," said Mr.Du Boung.
"I thought you gave it up because there was hardly a footing for a Liberal," said his Lordship, very imprudently.
"The borough was always Liberal till the last election," said Mr.Du Boung, drawing himself up.
"The borough wishes on this occasion to be magnanimous," said Mr.Sprout, probably having on his mind some confusion between magnanimity and unanimity.
"As your Lordship is coming among us, the borough is anxious to sink politics altogether for the moment," said Mr.Sprugeon.There had no doubt been a compact between the Sprugeon and Sprout party and the Du Boung party in accordance with which it had been arranged that Mr.Du Boung should be entitled to a certain amount of glorification in the presence of Lord Silverbridge.
"And it was in compliance with that wish on the part of the borough, my Lord," said Mr.Du Boung,--"as to which my own feelings were quite as strong as that of any other gentleman in the borough,--that I conceived it to be my duty to give way." "His Lordship is quite aware how much he owes to Mr.Du Boung," said Tregear.

Whereupon Lord Silverbridge bowed.
"And now what are we to do ?" said Lord Silverbridge.
Then there was a little whispering between Mr.Sprout and Mr.
Sprugeon.

"Perhaps, Mr.Du Boung," said Sprugeon, "his Lordship had better call first on Dr.Tempest." "Perhaps," said the injured brewer, "as it is to be a party affair after all I had better retire from the scene." "I thought all that was to be given up," said Tregear.
"Oh, certainly," said Sprout.