the hour of four
Even the poll-clerks were touched ; and when Dick , leaving his place , was seen by the crowd assisting Lord L'Estrange to place poor John again in the carriage , that picture of family love in the midst of political difference -- of the prosperous , wealthy , energetic son , who , as a boy , had played at marbles in the very kennel , and who had risen in life by his own exertions , and was now virtually M. P. for his native town , tending on the broken-down , aged father , whom even the interests of a son he was so proud of could not win from the colours which he associated with truth and rectitude -- had such an effect upon the rudest of the mob there present , that you might have heard a pin fall , -- till the carriage drove away back to John 's humble home ; and then there rose such a tempest of huzzas ! John Avenel 's vote for Egerton gave another turn to the vicissitudes of that memorable election . As yet Avenel had been ahead of Audley ; but a plumper in favour of Egerton , from Avenel 's own father , set an example and gave an excuse to many a Blue who had not yet voted , and could not prevail on himself to split his vote between Dick and Audley ; and , therefore , several leading tradesmen , who , seeing that Egerton was safe , had previously resolved not to vote at all , came up in the last hour , plumped for Egerton , and carried him to the head of the poll ; so that poor John , whose vote , involving that of Mark Fairfield , had secured the first opening in public life to the young ambition of the unknown son-in-law , still contributed to connect with success and triumph , but also with sorrow , and , it may be , with death , the names of the high-born Egerton and the humble Avenel . The great town-clock strikes the hour of four ; the returning officer declares the poll closed ; the formal announcement of the result will be made later . But all the town knows that Audley Egerton and Richard Avenel are the members for Lausmere . And flags stream , and drums beat , and men shake each other by the hand heartily ; and there is talk of the chairing to-morrow ; and the public-houses are crowded ; and there is an indistinct hubbub in street and alley , with sudden bursts of uproarious shouting ; and the clouds to the west look red and lurid round the sun , which has gone down behind the church tower , -- behind the yew-trees that overshadow the quiet grave of Nora Avenel . CHAPTER XXXIII .