The existing Parliament had still a year and a half, or possibly two years and a half, to run.

He had already been withdrawn from the public eye longer than he thought was suitable to the success of his career.

He particularly disliked obscurity for he had found that in his case obscurity had meant comparative poverty.

An obscure man, as he observed early in life, had nothing to sell.

Now, Undy had once had something to sell, and a very good market he had made of it.
He was of course anxious that those halcyon days should return.
Fond of him as the electors of Tillietudlem no doubt were, devoted as they might be in a general way to his interests still, still it was possible that they might forget him, if he remained too long away from their embraces.