He gave thanks to the Returning Officer, and then,
with his agent, left the building by the back door. He did not wait for
the announcement of Carnac's triumph, and he knew his work was done for
ever in public life.
Soon he had said his say at the club where his supporters, discomfited,
awaited him. To demands for a speech, he said he owed to his workers
what he could never repay, and that the long years they had kept him in
Parliament would be the happiest memory of his life.
"We'll soon have you back," shouted a voice from the crowd.
"It's been a good fight," said Barode Barouche. Somehow the fact he had
not beaten his son by the story of his secret marriage was the sole
comfort he had. He advised his followers to "play the game" and let the
new member have his triumph without belittlement.
"It's the best fight I've had in thirty years," he said at last, "and
I've been beaten fairly."
In another hour he was driving into the country on his way to visit an
old ex-Cabinet Minister, who had been his friend through all the years
of his Parliamentary life. It did not matter that the hour was late.
He knew the veteran would be waiting for him, and unprepared for the bad
news he brought. The night was spent in pain of mind, and the comfort
the ex-Minister gave him, that a seat would be found for him by the
Government, gave him no thrill. He knew he had enemies in the
Government, that the Prime Minister was the friend of the successful
only, and that there were others, glad of his defeat, who would be
looking for his place.
Pages:
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97