"But is there not some town where you are well known, and where you have influence?"
"No, none whatever."
"How would you like then to be deputy to represent the Government?"
"As a regular?"
"Yes."
"As a Conservative?"
"Yes."
I thought a moment and said: "No, I can never be a Conservative, however it might suit my interest to be so. Try as hard as I might, I should never succeed."
"That is the only way in which we can make you deputy."
"Well, it cannot be helped! I must resign myself then to amount to nothing."