CHAPTER I 

THE PERSISTENCY OF BORROWDEAN 

"And what does Mannering think of it all, I wonder!" Lord Redford remarked, lighting a fresh cigarette. "This may be his opportunity, who can tell!" 

"Will he have the nerve to grasp it?" Borrowdean asked. "Mannering has never been proved in a crisis." 

"He may have the nerve. I should be more inclined to question the desire," Lord Redford said. "For a man in his position he has always seemed to me singularly unambitious. I don't think that the prospect of being Prime Minister would dazzle him in the least. It is part of the genius of the politician too, to know exactly when and how to seize an opportunity. I can imagine him watching it come, examining it through his eyeglass, and standing on one side with a shrug of the shoulders." 

"You do not believe, then," Berenice said, "that he is sufficiently in earnest to grasp it?" 

"Exactly," Lord Redford said. "I have that feeling about Mannering, I must admit, especially during the last two years. He seems to have drawn away from all of us, to live altogether too absorbed and self-contained a life for a man who has great ambitions to realize, or who is in downright earnest about his work." 

"What you all forget when you discuss Lawrence Mannering is this," Berenice said. "He holds his position almost as a sacred charge. He is absolutely conscientious. He wants certain things for the sake of the people, and he will work steadily on until he gets them. I believe it is the truth that he has no personal ambition, but if the cause he has at heart is to be furthered at all it must be by his taking office. Therefore I think that when the time comes he will take it." 
Was someone smoking?
Who?
Who had a query for him?
Who were they discussing?
Who else was involved in the talk?
Did Borrowdean feel the subject of their talk, was proven?
Who questioned his hunger?
Did he find this person to be ambitious?
What political position were they discussing?
Who questioned his earnestness?
Who also doubted he had this quality?
In his opinion, had Mannering become too close to them?
Who felt he viewed his role as sacrosanct?
Did she think he was dishonest?
For whose interests did she feel he labored?
Did she feel he might give up on this easily?
Did Lord Redford feel, he desired the job they were discussing?
Did Berenice agree with this?
How did she feel he would advance his cause?
What did Lord Redford see as a component of political brilliance?
Yes.
lighting a fresh cigarette.
Lord Redford
Lord Redford
Borrowdean
Borrowdean 
Mannering
Mannering 
Berenice
Berenice 
No.
has never been proved
Lord Redford
Lord Redford 
No.
unambitious
Prime Minister
Prime Minister 
Berenice
Berenice 
Lord Redford
Lord Redford
No.
drawn away from all of us
Berenice
Berenice 
No.
He is absolutely conscientious.
the people
 the people
No.
he will work steadily on
No.
I don't think that the prospect of being Prime Minister would dazzle him in the least. 
No.
he will take it
by his taking office
 by his taking office
to know exactly when and how to seize an opportunity
 to know exactly when and how to seize an opportunity