Was there really any reason why one of the commissioners should not sit in Parliament?
Would his doing so be subversive of the constitution?
Or would the ministers of the day object to an additional certain vote?
This last point of view was one in which it did not at all delight Sir Gregory to look at the subject in question.

He determined that he would not speak on the matter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, or to any of the Government wigs who might be considered to be bigger wigs than himself.
And Alaric thought over the matter coolly also.

He looked at it till the bugbears shrank into utter insignificance; till they became no more than forms of shreds and patches put up to frighten birds out of cherry-orchards.
Why should the constitution be wounded by the presence of one more commissioner in Parliament?
Why should not he do his public duty and hold his seat at the same time, as was done by so many others?
But he would have to go out if the ministry went out.
That was another difficulty, another bugbear, more substantial perhaps than the others; but he was prepared to meet even that.
He was a poor man; his profession was that of the Civil Service; his ambition was to sit in Parliament.

He would see whether he could not combine his poverty with his profession, and with his ambition also.

Sir Gregory resolved in his fear that he would not speak to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the matter; Alaric, on the other hand, in his audacity, resolved that he would do so.
It was thus that Sir Gregory regarded the matter.