85 lines
2.4 KiB
Plaintext
85 lines
2.4 KiB
Plaintext
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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
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<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1">
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<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Middleton, by Anthony Eliot</title>
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</head>
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<body>
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<h1>MIDDLETON</h1>
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<h2>by Anthony Eliot</h2>
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<h2>TABLE OF CONTENTS</h2>
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<p>
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<b>
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I. The Roots of the Enmity<br>
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II. An Unhappy Meeting<br>
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III. Middleton's Resolve<br>
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IV. The Election
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</b>
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</p>
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<h2>CHAPTER III</h2>
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<h2>MIDDLETON'S RESOLVE</h2>
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<p>"I shall go down to Wokingham", said Middleton, "a few days
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before the election, and the Major will stay here. I
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understand that there will be no other candidate, and <i>I</i>
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shall take the seat.</p>
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<p>"The Major is a . . . <i>flâneur</i>. He has no interest beyond
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his own advancement. I can buy him for a hundred pounds.
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<i>Here</i> is his answer."</p>
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<p>Wallace wondered at the <i>hubris</i> of his friend, and
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examined the note Middleton thrust upon him.</p>
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<p>"Sir,<br>
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No consideration would induce me to
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change my resolve in this matter, but I am
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willing to engage your services as my agent
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for a fee of £100.<br>
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H. Middleton"</p>
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<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2>
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<h2>THE ELECTION</h2>
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<p> Now hatred is by far the longest pleasure;<br>
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Men love in haste, but they detest at leisure.<br>
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---- BYRON</p>
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<p>On hearing of Middleton's visit, Mr. Wentworth began his
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preparations. Meeting with Thomas Lake and Riley at the
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back of the tap-room of The Bull & Gate—where the landlord
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saw to it that they remained undisturbed—he laid out their
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plan of campaign.</p>
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<p>"That d---l Middleton shall not have the seat," he raved,
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"not for Lord H———; no, nor for a hundred Lords! We
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shall see to it that every man's hand is turned against
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him when he arrives."</p>
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<p>Lake unfolded a paper from his vest-pocket and smoothed it
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on the table. "Here are the expenses we should undertake."<br>
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Doran £13 10s.<br>
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Titwell £ 8 7s. 6d.<br>
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St. Charles £25<br>
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</p>
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</body>
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</html>
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