EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.
House of Commons, Monday, July 17.—"Et tu, Bowlsey!" said Grandolph, a tear glistening on his long eyelashes. Of course he should have said "Brute," but that is not Member for King's Lynn's name. Remark followed upon incident that ruffled unusually dull evening. Tommy was making one of his rare speeches; instructing Chief Secretary on intricate point in Home-Rule Bill; complaining of an omission in Amendment under discussion. Grandolph, turning round, explained to him the bearing of things. Audacious, it is true. "The attempt," as Jemmy Lowther said, "to instruct your grandmother in the art of imbibing light but nutritious refreshment a slight thing compared with the temerity of teaching Tommy anything." When he detected Grandolph in attempt, he for moment fixed him with surprised stare. Enough in ordinary circumstances to paralyse a rhinoceros. Grandolph, who from precarious retreat in a tree-top in Central Africa has watched the noon slumbers of a horde of thirty lions, did not flinch. Then through the startled House rang Tommy's withering rebuke: "Pray hold your tongue!" an injunction which drew from Grandolph the pained remark quoted above.
Coming from such a source it was doubly painful. Always understood that Tommy founded his Parliamentary style upon Grandolph's earlier manner. Whispered that Member for King's Lynn had dreamed a dream of a new Fourth Party. He of course would play the part of Grandolph; Hanbury (selected chiefly on account of his height and slimness of his figure) would stand for Arthur Balfour before he came into his Princedom. The glories of Gorst would live again in Bartley; and Tommy had spent sleepless night in doubt as to whether he should enlist Parker Smith or Ambrose in place of Wolffy, who now, in distant Madrid, wears a sombrero, drapes his svelte figure in a cloak, and interlards his conversation with cries of "Carramba!"
This point was decided by curious incident. One afternoon Tommy came upon Parker Smith conversing with Tomlinson.
"Don't you think Parker Smith's getting something of a bore?" Tommy asked, when that eminent statesman moved away.
