'It's a proud thing to lead the people, Gashford,' he added as he made a
sudden halt.
'By force of reason too,' returned the pliant secretary.
'Ay, to be sure. They may cough and jeer, and groan in Parliament, and
call me fool and madman, but which of them can raise this human sea and
make it swell and roar at pleasure? Not one.'
'Not one,' repeated Gashford.
'Which of them can say for his honesty, what I can say for mine; which
of them has refused a minister's bribe of one thousand pounds a year, to
resign his seat in favour of another? Not one.'
'Not one,' repeated Gashford again--taking the lion's share of the
mulled wine between whiles.
'And as we are honest, true, and in a sacred cause, Gashford,' said Lord
George with a heightened colour and in a louder voice, as he laid his
fevered hand upon his shoulder, 'and are the only men who regard the
mass of people out of doors, or are regarded by them, we will uphold
them to the last; and will raise a cry against these un-English Papists
which shall re-echo through the country, and roll with a noise like
thunder. I will be worthy of the motto on my coat of arms, "Called and
chosen and faithful."
'Called,' said the secretary, 'by Heaven.
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