“You ought to know better than to say so, sir,” said the Judge, with a stern severity. “It is to men like myself the public look for example and direction, and it would be to falsify all the teaching of my life if I were to misuse my patronage. Come up early on Saturday morning, and go over the lists with me. There are one hundred and twenty-three applicants, backed by peers, bishops, members of Parliament, and men in power.”
“I don't envy you your patronage.”
“Of course not, sir. The one hundred and twenty-two disappointed candidates would present more terror to a mind like yours than any consciousness of a duty fulfilled would compensate for; but I am fashioned of other stuff.”
“Well, I only hope it may be a worthy fellow gets it.”
“If you mean worthy in what regards a devotion to the public service, I may possibly be able to assure you on that head.”
“No, no; I mean a good fellow,—a true-hearted, honest fellow, to whom the salary will be a means of comfort and happiness.”
“Sir, you ask far too much. Men in my station investigate fitness and capacity; they cannot descend to inquire how far the domestic virtues influence those whom they advance to office.”
“You may drop me here: I am near home,” said Haire, who began to feel a little weary of being lectured.
“You will not dine with me?”
“Not to-day. I have some business this evening. I have a case to look over.”