“It can only be,” he began—and this time the sound of his voice did not perturb him—“from a strict sense of duty, Mr. Bernal, it cannot be without pain that any Member—and I say this not on my account only, but on behalf of many Honourable Members of this House——”
“No! No! Leave us out.”
The words were uttered so loudly and so rudely that they silenced him; and he looked in the direction whence they came. At once cries of “No, no! Divide! No! No!” poured on him from all parts of the House, accompanied by a dropping fire of catcalls and cockcrows. He lost the thread of his remarks, and for a moment stood abashed and confounded. The Chairman did not interfere and for an instant it looked as if the young speaker would be compelled to sit down.
But he recovered himself, gaining courage from the very vigour with which he was attacked; and which seemed out of proportion to his importance. The moment a lull in the fire of interruption occurred, he spoke in a louder voice.
“I say, sir,” he proceeded, looking about him courageously, “that it is only with pain, only under the force majeure of a love of their country, that any Member can support the deletion from the Borough Roll of this House, of that Constituency which has honoured him with its confidence.”
“Divide! Divide!” roared many on both sides of the House. For the Tories were uncertain on which side he was speaking. “Cock-a-doodle-doo-doo-doo!”
But this fresh burst of disapproval found him better prepared. Firmly, though the beads of perspiration stood on his brow, he persisted. “And if,” he continued, “in the case which appeals so nearly to himself an Honourable Member sees that the standard which justifies the survival of a representative can be reached, with what gratification, sir, whether he sits on this side of the House or on that——”
“No! No! Leave us out!” in a roar of sound. And “Divide! Divide!”
“Or on that,” he repeated.
“Divide! Divide!”