Мидлмарч

           BrookewishedtoservehiscountrybystandingforParliament—which,indeed,mayalsobedoneonprivategrounds,butbeingonceundertakendoesabsolutelydemandsomespeechifying.

           ItwasnotaboutthebeginningofhisspeechthatMr.Brookewasatallanxious;this,hefeltsure,wouldbeallright;heshouldhaveitquitepat,cutoutasneatlyasasetofcoupletsfromPope.Embarkingwouldbeeasy,butthevisionofopenseathatmightcomeafterwasalarming."Andquestions,now,"hintedthedemonjustwakingupinhisstomach,"somebodymayputquestionsabouttheschedules.—Ladislaw,"hecontinued,aloud,"justhandmethememorandumoftheschedules."

           WhenMr.Brookepresentedhimselfonthebalcony,thecheerswerequiteloudenoughtocounterbalancetheyells,groans,brayings,andotherexpressionsofadversetheory,whichweresomoderatethatMr.Standish(decidedlyanoldbird)observedintheearnexttohim,"Thislooksdangerous,byGod!Hawleyhasgotsomedeeperplanthanthis."Still,thecheerswereexhilarating,andnocandidatecouldlookmoreamiablethanMr.Brooke,withthememoranduminhisbreast-pocket,hislefthandontherailofthebalcony,andhisrighttriflingwithhiseye-glass.Thestrikingpointsinhisappearancewerehisbuffwaistcoat,short-clippedblondhair,andneutralphysiognomy.Hebeganwithsomeconfidence.