Salisbury. You can take the Home Office. Smith, the Stallkeeper, you must take the lion’s part—the Secretary for War. And I hope here is a Cabinet fitted.
Smith. Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.
Salisbury. You may do it extempore, as I do, for it is nothing but roaring.
Churchill. Let me play the lion too. I will roar, that it will do any man’s heart good to hear me; I will roar, that I will make the Tories say, “Let him roar again! Let him roar again!”
Salisbury. An’ you should do it too terribly, you would fright the Liberals, that they would shriek; and that would turn us all out.
All. That would turn us all out, every mother’s son.
Churchill. I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the Liberals out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to turn us out; but I will aggravate my voice so that I will roar you as gently as any Liberal, I will roar you an ’twere any Radical.
Salisbury. You can play no part but Secretary for India; for you took a Cook’s tour there, wear an indigo-dyed suit, use India tea for breakfast—therefore, who knows India as you do?
Churchill. Well, I will undertake it. What way had I best to play it?
Salisbury. Why, what you will.