If you will ask your son, I
think he will tell you the same."
"I have asked him. It was he who told me of the duel."
"When did he tell you, my lord?"
"Just now; this morning." Thus Phineas learned that Lord Chiltern was
at this moment in the house,--or at least in London.
"And did he complain of my conduct?"
"I complain of it, sir. I complain of it very bitterly. I placed the
greatest confidence in you, especially in regard to my son's affairs,
and you deceived me." The Earl was very angry, and was more angry
from the fact that this young man who had offended him, to whom he
had given such vital assistance when assistance was needed, had used
that assistance to its utmost before his sin was found out. Had
Phineas still been sitting for Loughton, so that the Earl could have
said to him, "You are now bound to retreat from this borough because
you have offended me, your patron," I think that he would have
forgiven the offender and allowed him to remain in his seat. There
would have been a scene, and the Earl would have been pacified. But
now the offender was beyond his reach altogether, having used the
borough as a most convenient stepping-stone over his difficulties,
and having so used it just at the time when he was committing this
sin.
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