Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/277

 showed that, notwithstanding his advancing years, he was still entirely governed by his ambition. It was also whispered that to get into power again he would not disdain the help of the democratic party, and that negociations to this end were even now going on.

He spoke with great frankness to them himself of his weakness for politics and his love of power. They had hardly taken their seats at the table, before he turned the conversation to the rumours of his candidature for Parliament on the democratic side, which had just been going the round of the papers.

"Well, what is one to do?" he said smiling. "I believe it goes just as hard with old politicians as with old coachmen. When once you have sat on the box and held the reins, and perhaps used the whip at a pinch, then you can't bear to stay at home in the stable cutting chaff and polishing harness. There was a story I heard in my youth about an old coach-driver, who for thirty years had driven a diligence; when he grew old and had to give up his work, he could never sleep without a bit of rope or something between his fingers, and once nearly died when he was very infirm because it was not given to him. So I've often told my wife that if I am ever ill, she must make me believe that I have been named President of the Council, and then I shall soon get well."

When the bishop laughed, Tönnesen did not