The sporting chance

								

conspicuously sporting.  On the other hand, there was no question as
to the desirability of the engagement from the social and monetary
point of view, and it was to these considerations that Cicely's
father had yielded, seeing nothing unreasonable in this shelving of
his principles in favour of Mammon.  As for Pierce, he was in love
with Cicely, whose nature was akin to that of her brother Mostyn; and
he did not worry his head about the rest of her family, whom he
placidly despised, until he discovered that Mostyn was fashioned in a
different mould.  After that the two young men became firm friends,
and went about a good deal together, though John Clithero looked on
askance, believing that his son was being led astray; indeed, there
had been one or two rather stormy scenes, for a new spirit had been
aroused in Mostyn's breast, a desire to unfurl the standard of revolt.
Then came the great temptation.  Pierce Trelawny had received an
invitation to drive down to the Derby on his uncle's coach, and had
been told that he might take a friend with him.  "Why not bring your
future brother-in-law?" Sir Roderick suggested.  "I mean the lad you
introduced to me in the Park the other day.  Rowed for his college,
didn't he?  Was in the Eton eight, and did well at racquets?  That's
the sort of boy I like--a young sportsman."
"God bless my soul!" the old gentleman cried, when Pierce explained
that Mostyn had never seen a race, and the reason for this neglect.
"I did not know that any sensible people held such views nowadays.
They even wanted to keep us at work at Westminster on Derby day," he
added, with apparent inconsistency, "but I don't look for sense in
the House of Commons!  That's why I went into Parliament."  He meant,
of course, that it was his object to convince his fellow-members of
their folly.
Sir Roderick was returned for one of the divisions of Ulster, and had
held his seat, undisputed, for many years.  He was a Tory of the old
school, staunchly loyal, and to his mind no other views were
admissible.  Politics, therefore, in the sense of party division, did
not exist.  He loathed the very word.  He would say irritably, "Don't
talk to me of politics, I hate 'em--and, besides, there's no such
thing."  His Irishisms and unconscious word contortions contributed
to the amusement of the House as well as to his personal popularity.
"Bring young Clithero, Pierce," he said decidedly.  "It'll do him
good, open his eyes a bit.  He's too fine a lad to have his head
stuffed with such nonsensical ideas.  How old is he, did you say?
Twenty-five?  Well, he's quite old enough to have a will of his own."
All of which was perfectly true, but Sir Roderick, as well as Pierce,
overlooked the fact that Mostyn was utterly dependent upon his father.
As it happened, John Clithero was absent from London when Pierce
conveyed Sir Roderick's invitation to Mostyn, and so he could not be