Was not the offer a good one ?--and he was obliged to confess that it was.

Were the duties such as he could not perform?
Not at all! there was nothing in the duties which alarmed him.

Did he object to it because of his southern prejudices against the administration?
Oh, no! he had no political feeling to stand in his way.

What, then, could be his reason for refusing?
Carrington resorted again to silence, until Mrs.Lee, a little impatiently, asked whether it was possible that his personal dislike to Racliffe could blind him so far as to make him reject so fair a proposal.

Carrington, finding himself more and more uncomfortable, rose restlessly from his chair and paced the room.