P. ‘You have the floor.’
Wolf (to the Chair, in a stentorian voice which cleaves its way through the storm). ‘It is by such brutalities as these that you drive us to extremities! Are you waiting till someone shall throw into your face the word that shall describe what you are bringing about?(1) (Tempest of insulted fury from the Right.) Is that what you are waiting for, old Grayhead?’ (Long-continued clatter of desk-boards from the Left, with shouts of ‘The vote! the vote!’ An ironical shout from the Right, ‘Wolf is boss!’)
Wolf keeps on demanding the floor for his motion. At length—
P. ‘I call Representative Wolf to order! Your conduct is unheard of, sir! You forget that you are in a parliament; you must remember where you are, sir.’ (Applause from the Right. Dr. Lecher is still peacefully speaking, the stenographers listening at his lips.)
Wolf (banging on his desk with his desk-board). ‘I demand the floor for my motion! I won’t stand this trampling of the Rules under foot—no, not if I die for it! I will never yield. You have got to stop me by force. Have I the floor?’
P. ‘Representative Wolf, what kind of behaviour is this? I call you to order again. You should have some regard for your dignity.’
Dr. Lecher speaks on. Wolf turns upon him with an offensive innuendo.
Dr. Lecher. ‘Mr. Wolf, I beg you to refrain from that sort of suggestions.’ (Storm of hand-clapping from the Right.)
This was applause from the enemy, for Lecher himself, like Wolf, was an Obstructionist.
Wolf growls to Lecher, ‘You can scribble that applause in your album!’