He who had made a fetish of competence had manifestly proved wanting; he who had loved to think of himself as the bold, opportune man, had shown himself formal and hidebound.
As he passed Glenavelin among the trees the thought of Alice was a sharp pang of regret.

He could never more lift his eyes in that young and radiant presence.

He pictured the successful Stocks welcomed by her, and words of praise for which he would have given his immortal soul, meted out lavishly to that owl-like being.

It was a dismal business, and ruefully, but half-humorously, he caught at the paradox of his fate.
Through the swiftly failing darkness the inn of Etterick rose before him, a place a little apart from the village street.

A noise of talk floated from the kitchen and made him halt at the door and dismount.
The place would be full of folk discussing the election, and he would go in among them and learn the worst opinion which men might have of him.
After all, they were his own people, who had known him in his power as they now saw him in his weakness.