第52章

unlessIhaverecoursetoJewsandmoney-lenders-tosupportAnnette；presentherwitharticlesofdressandjewellery，andpurchaseahorseandcabrioletworthyofconveyingherangelicpersonthroughthestreetsofLondon。’

Afterapause，inwhichFrancisArdryappearedlostinthought，hismindbeingprobablyoccupiedwiththesubjectofAnnette，Ibrokesilencebyobserving，’Soyourfellow-religionistsarereallygoingtomakeaseriousattempttoprocuretheiremancipation？’

’Yes，’saidFrancisArdry，startingfromhisreverie；’everythinghasbeenarranged；evenaleaderhasbeenchosen，atleastforusofIreland，uponthewholethemostsuitablemanintheworldfortheoccasion-abarristerofconsiderabletalent，mightyvoice，andmagnificentimpudence。Withemancipation，liberty，andredressforthewrongsofIrelandinhismouth，heistoforcehiswayintotheBritishHouseofCommons，draggingmyselfandothersbehindhim-hewillsucceed，andwhenheisinhewillcutafigure；Ihaveheard-himself，whohasheardhimspeak，saythathewillcutafigure。’

’Andis-competenttojudge？’Idemanded。

’Whobuthe？’saidFrancisArdry；’noonequestionshisjudgmentconcerningwhatrelatestoelocution。Hisfameonthatpointissowellestablished，thatthegreatestoratorsdonotdisdainoccasionallytoconsulthim；C-himself，asIhavebeentold，whenanxioustoproduceanyparticulareffectintheHouse，isinthehabitofcallingin-foraconsultation。’

’Astomatter，ormanner？’saidI。

’Chieflythelatter，’saidFrancisArdry，’thoughheiscompetenttogiveadviceastoboth，forhehasbeenanoratorinhisday，andaleaderofthepeople；thoughheconfessedtomethathewasnotexactlyqualifiedtoplaythelatterpart-“Iwantpaunch，“

saidhe。’

’Itisnotalwaysindispensable，’saidI；’thereisanoratorinmytown，ahunchbackandwatchmaker，withoutit，whonotonlyleadsthepeople，butthemayortoo；perhapshehasasuccedaneuminhishunch：but，tellme，istheleaderofyourmovementinpossessionofthatwhich-wants？’

’Nomoredeficientinitthaninbrass，’saidFrancisArdry。

’Well，’saidI，’whateverhisqualificationsmaybe，Iwishhimsuccessinthecausewhichhehastakenup-Ilovereligiousliberty。’

’Weshallsucceed，’saidFrancisArdry；’JohnBulluponthewholeisratherindifferentonthesubject，andthenwearesuretobebackedbytheRadicalparty，who，togratifytheirpoliticalprejudices，wouldjoinwithSatanhimself。’

’Thereisonething，’saidI，’connectedwiththismatterwhichsurprisesme-yourownlukewarmness。Yes，makingeveryallowanceforyournaturalpredilectionfordog-fighting，andyourpresentenamouredstateofmind，yourapathyatthecommencementofsuchamovementistomeunaccountable。’

’Youwouldnothavecausetocomplainofmyindifference，’saidFrank，’providedIthoughtmycountrywouldbebenefitedbythismovement；butIhappentoknowtheoriginofit。Thepriestsaretheoriginators，’andwhatcountrywaseverbenefitedbyamovementwhichoweditsorigintothem？’sosaysVoltaire，apageofwhomI

occasionallyread。Bythepresentmovetheyhopetoincreasetheirinfluence，andtofurthercertaindesignswhichtheyentertainbothwithregardtothiscountryandIreland。Idonotspeakrashlyorunadvisedly。Astrangefellow-ahalf-Italian，half-Englishpriest，-whowasrecommendedtomebymy