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The result of the election was announced in Gleds, and carried surprise to all save Lewis's nearer friends For Mr Albert Stocks was duly returned member for the constituency by a majority of seventy votes The defeated candidate received the neith great coood-hu for his opponent, andface But his heart was sick within hiht be escaped from the turmoil, found his horse, and set off up Glenavelin for his oelling
He had been defeated, and the fact, however confidently looked for, comes with a bitter freshness to every man He had lost a seat for his party-that in itself was bad But he had proved himself incompetent, unadaptable, a stick, a pedantic incapable A dozen stings rankled in his soul Alice would be justified of her suspicions Where would his place be now in that sross and unlikely substitute, and he had been wrong in his estimate alike of ally and enemy Above all came that cruelest stab--ould Wratislaw think of it? He had disgraced himself in the eyes of his friend He who had ; he who had loved to think of himself as the bold, opportune man, had shown hi the trees the thought of Alice was a sharp pang of regret He could neverand radiant presence He pictured the successful Stocks welcoiven his i It was a disht at the paradox of his fate
Through the swiftly failing darkness the inn of Etterick rose before hie street A noise of talk floated from the kitchen and made him halt at the door and dis the election, and he would go in aht have of him After all, they were his own people, who had known him in his power as they no him in his weakness If he had failed he was not wholly foolish; they knew his few redeeenerous
The talk stopped short as he entered, and he saw through the tobacco reek half a dozen lengthy faces wearing the air of solemnity which the hillman adopts in his pleasures They were all his own herds and keepers, save thonized at once, and with a general nervous shuffling they began to reeting to all, and sat down between a black-bearded giant, whose clothes slens The notion of the thing pleased him, and he ordered drinks for each with a lavish carelessness He asked for a ave it wore a decent melancholy on his face and shook his head with unction