“Look out for him, my child ! He means mischief, sure. It is said that
he claims to know of improper practices having been used in the interest
of this bill, and he thinks be sees a chance to make a great sensation
when the bill comes up. Be wary. Be very, very careful, my dear.
Do your very-ablest talking, now. You can convince a man of anything,
when you try. You must convince him that if anything improper has been
done, you at least are ignorant of it and sorry for it. And if you could
only persuade him out of his hostility to the bill, too–but don’t overdo
the thing; don’t seem too anxious, dear.”
“I won’t; I’ll be ever so careful. I’ll talk as sweetly to him as if he
were my own child! You may trust me–indeed you may.”
The door-bell rang.
“That is the gentleman now,” said Laura. Senator Dilworthy retired to
his study.
Laura welcomed Mr. Trollop, a grave, carefully dressed and very
respectable looking man, with a bald head, standing collar and old
fashioned watch seals.
“Promptness is a virtue, Mr. Trollop, and I perceive that you have it.
You are always prompt with me.”
“I always meet my engagements, of every kind, Miss Hawkins.”
“It is a quality which is rarer in the world than it has been, I believe.
I wished to see you on business, Mr. Trollop.”
“I judged so. What can I do for you?”
“You know my bill–the Knobs University bill?”
“Ah, I believe it is your bill. I had forgotten. Yes, I know the bill.”
“Well, would you mind telling me your opinion of it?”
“Indeed, since you seem to ask it without reserve, I am obliged to say
that I do not regard it favorably. I have not seen the bill itself, but
from what I can hear, it–it–well, it has a bad look about it. It–”
“Speak it out–never fear.”
“Well, it–they say it contemplates a fraud upon the government.”
“Well?” said Laura tranquilly.
“Well! I say ‘Well?’ too.”
“Well, suppose it were a fraud–which I feel able to deny–would it be
the first one?”
“You take a body’s breath away! Would you–did you wish me to vote for
it? Was that what you wanted to see me about?”
“Your instinct is correct. I did want you–I do want you to vote for
it.”
“Vote for a fr–for a measure which is generally believed to be at least
questionable? I am afraid we cannot come to an understanding, Miss
Hawkins.”
“No, I am afraid not–if you have resumed your principles, Mr. Trollop.”
“Did you send for we merely to insult me? It is time for me to take my
leave, Miss Hawkins.”
“No-wait a moment. Don’t be offended at a trifle. Do not be offish and
unsociable. The Steamship Subsidy bill was a fraud on the government.
You voted for it, Mr. Trollop, though you always opposed the measure
until after you had an interview one evening with a certain Mrs. McCarter
at her house. She was my agent. She was acting for me. Ah, that is
right–sit down again. You can be sociable, easily enough if you have a
mind to. Well? I am waiting. Have you nothing to say?”
“Miss Hawkins, I voted for that bill because when I came to examine into
it–”
“Ah yes. When you came to examine into it. Well, I only want you to
examine into my bill. Mr. Trollop, you would not sell your vote on that
subsidy bill–which was perfectly right–but you accepted of some of the
stock, with the understanding that it was to stand in your brother-in-
law’s name.”
“There is no pr–I mean, this is, utterly groundless, Miss Hawkins.” But
the gentleman seemed somewhat uneasy, nevertheless.
“Well, not entirely so, perhaps. I and a person whom we will call Miss
Blank (never mind the real name,) were in a closet at your elbow all the
while.”
Mr. Trollop winced–then he said with dignity:
“Miss Hawkins is it possible that you were capable of such a thing as
that?”
“It was bad; I confess that. It was bad. Almost as bad as selling one’s
vote for–but I forget; you did not sell your vote–you only accepted a