human
Look here, Paul, he said,
gpt
Change my what?
human
Change your platform--or whatever you call it! You're on the wrong horse, Paul, my boy. Even your own agent admits it--though I never mentioned your name at first or told him who I was. All the people round here with votes are farmers, agricultural laborers and small shopkeepers. Your platform's of no use to them.
gpt
Well, that's what we've got to find out! I protested.
human
Personally, I am convinced that it is.
gpt
Now look here! Mr. Bundercombe argued;
human
Where have you been? I asked, a strange misgiving stealing into my mind.
gpt
Have you been talking to Mr. Ansell like this?
human
Ansell? No! Who's he?
gpt
My agent.
human
Chap I palled up with was called Harrison.
gpt
You've been to the other fellow's agent, I told him;
human
You don't say! he murmured.
gpt
Well, I'll tell you what it is, Paul, there are no flies on that chap! He's a real nippy little worker--that's what he is! If you take my advice, he went on persuasively,
human
That's the man, I admitted.
gpt
He and his father before him, and his grandfather, have been solicitors to my people for I don't know how many years!
human
He looked it! Mr. Bundercombe declared.
gpt
A withered old skunk, if ever there was one! You want a live man to see you through this, Paul. You let me go down and sound Harrison this afternoon. No reason that I can see why we shouldn't use this fellow's address, too, if we can make terms with him.
human
Look here! I said.
gpt
Politics over on this side don't admit of such violent changes. My address is in the printer's hands and I've got to stick to it; and Ansell will have to be my agent whatever happens. It isn't all talk that wins these elections. The Walmsleys are well known in the county and we've done a bit for the country during the last hundred years. This other fellow--Horrocks, his name is--has never been near the place before. I grant you he's going to promise a lot of very interesting things, but that's been going on just a little too long. The people have had enough of that sort of thing. I think you'll find they'll put more trust in the little we can promise than in that rigmarole of Harrison's.
human
Well, he sighed,
gpt
I'm only on the outside edge of this thing yet. I must give it another morning.