"It's the place, you know," Mr. Tulkinghorn goes on to say in the fast-increasing darkness when there is silence again, "where they wanted to put up Mrs. Rouncewell's son."
"A proposal which, as you correctly informed me at the time, he had the becoming taste and perception," observes Sir Leicester, "to decline. I cannot say that I by any means approve of the sentiments expressed by Mr. Rouncewell when he was here for some half-hour in this room, but there was a sense of propriety in his decision which I am glad to acknowledge."
"Ha!" says Mr. Tulkinghorn. "It did not prevent him from being very active in this election, though."
Sir Leicester is distinctly heard to gasp before speaking. "Did I understand you? Did you say that Mr. Rouncewell had been very active in this election?"
"Uncommonly active."

"It's the place, you know," Mr. Tulkinghorn goes on, "where they wanted to put up Mrs. Rouncewell's son."
"A proposal which, as you informed me at the time, he had the becoming taste to decline," observes Sir Leicester, "I cannot say that I approve of the sentiments expressed by Mr. Rouncewell when he was here, but there was a propriety in his decision which I am glad to acknowledge."
"Ha!" says Mr. Tulkinghorn. "It did not prevent him from being very active in this election, though."
Sir Leicester is distinctly heard to gasp. "Did I understand you? Did you say that Mr. Rouncewell had been very active in this election?"
"Uncommonly active."
