Clarice belonged to London; he did not.
In Matanga she would be content--for how long?
The roughness, the absence of her kind and class, the makeshift air of transition, would soon destroy its charm of novelty.

Every instinct would draw her back to London, and the way would be barred, whilst for him Matanga was a province in which every capacity he possessed could find employment and exercise.

He would leave England for Matanga when this short session was over; he would resign his seat and settle there for good.

For if he stayed in London, every step which he took, every advance which he made, would only add to Clarice's miseries.
Thus he decided, and walked back with his mind at rest, without regret for the loss of his ambitions, without, indeed, any real consciousness of the sacrifice which he had it in his thoughts to make.
Thus he decided, but as he left his office on the afternoon of the day whereon he was to make his speech in the House of Commons, Fielding rushed up to him with a copy of the _Meteor_.
'Look!' he said, and pointed to an article.

Drake took the paper and read the article through.