Having done this, he went on with what work he had before him, as though his friend's decision were a matter of no consequence to him.

As far as he was concerned the thing was done, and there should be an end of it.

So he told himself; but nevertheless his mind was full of it all day; and, though he wrote not a word of answer to Phineas, he made a reply within his own mind to every one of the arguments used in the letter.

"Great honour! How can there be honour in what comes, as he says, by chance?
He hasn't sense enough to understand that the honour comes from the mode of winning it, and from the mode of wearing it; and that the very fact of his being member for Loughshane at this instant simply proves that Loughshane should have had no privilege to return a member! No one dependent on him! Are not his father and his mother and his sisters dependent on him as long as he must eat their bread till he can earn bread of his own?
He will never earn bread of his own.

He will always be eating bread that others have earned." In this way, before the day was over, Mr.Low became very angry, and swore to himself that he would have nothing more to say to Phineas Finn.