“I understand, and I wish to know how large a sum would relieve Mr. Bodley from his immediate pressure.”
“I think about eight or nine thousand dollars. Perhaps a thousand more.”
“I suppose,” said General Belch, slowly, still looking into the blank, dismal grate, and rubbing his fat nose steadily with his fat forefinger and thumb, “I suppose that a man situated as Mr. Bodley is finds it very detrimental to his business to be engaged in public life, and might possibly feel it to be his duty to his family and creditors to resign his place, if he saw a promising way of righting his business, without depending upon the chances of a Congressional career.”
As he drew to the end of this hypothetical harangue General Belch looked sideways at his companion to see if he probably understood him.
The Honorable Mr. Ele shook his head in turn, looked solemnly into the empty grate, and said, slowly and with gravity:
“The supposition might be entertained for the sake of the argument.”
The General was apparently satisfied with this reply, for he continued:
“Let us, then, suppose that a sum of eight or nine thousand dollars having been raised—and Mr. Bodley having resigned—that a new candidate is to be selected who shall—who shall, in fact, serve his country from our point of view, who ought the man to be?”
“Precisely; who ought the man to be?” replied Mr. Ele.
The two gentlemen looked gravely into the grate. General Belch squirted reflectively. The Honorable Mr. Ele raised his hand and shaded his eyes, and gazed steadfastly, as if he expected to see the candidate emerge from the chimney. While they still sat thoughtfully a knock was heard at the door. The General started and brought down his chair with a crash. Mr. Ele turned sharply round, as if the candidate had taken him by surprise in coming in by the door.