You have no
idea how it simplified matters at once. All I had to do was to say
to myself: 'Go ahead, and do the best you can for the country.' The
personal issue simply didn't exist."
"Yes--and then?"
"Then I turned over for three days this question of the
Attorney-Generalship. I couldn't see that it was changed--how should
_my_feelings have affected it? Fleetwood hasn't betrayed the State.
There isn't a scar on his public record--he is still the best man
for the place. My business is to appoint the best man I can find,
and I can't find any one as good as Fleetwood."
"But--but--your wife?" Shackwell stammered.
The Governor looked up with surprise. Shackwell could almost have
sworn that he had indeed forgotten the private issue.
"My wife is ready to face the consequences," he said.
Shackwell returned to his former attitude of incredulity.
"But Fleetwood? Fleetwood has no right to sacrifice--"
"To sacrifice my wife to the State? Oh, let us beware of big words.
Fleetwood was inclined to use them at first, but I managed to
restore his sense of proportion.
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