"I know I'm right," said Macfarlane, and the sceptics, gazing respectfully at his flowing beard, withdrew from controversy.
House divided on Motion by Legh to reduce Foreign Office Vote. Ministerial majority run up at a jump to 225. Time by Westminster clock, 6.10 P.M.; in twenty minutes, sitting will be suspended; Vote must be through Committee to-day; Tommy Bowles (who hasn't made a speech for a quarter of an hour) on his feet; sheafs of manuscript in his hand; would certainly oblige to extent of twenty minutes; Baron de Worms also has a few remarks to offer; probable length of Channel Tunnel. Mr. G. interposes.
EASTER AT THE ZOO.
"Mr. Mellor," he said, addressing Chairman, "I claim to have the question now put."
Ringing cheers went up from Ministerialists. Tommy resumed his seat; gruefully glanced at notes. The Noble Baron saw in this manœuvre fresh proof that Mr. G. had sold himself to Germany; having completed preparation for separation of the Empire on the side of the Irish Channel, would immediately after, by medium of Watkin's Tunnel, place what was left of the country at the mercy of a foreign foe. Meanwhile Closure moved; what's more, carried on division by swingeing majority of over a hundred. So Vote agreed to; Mr. G. gets off for short drive before dressing for dinner.
Earned a night's rest, and a longer Easter holiday than he has allotted to himself and us. Older he gets, the younger he seems. His work to-day should make the eight-hours' man blush. At bay in Downing Street since twelve o'clock with two hostile deputations. Came from Ulster and the City, resolved to beard Home-Rule Lion in his den. Alone he met them; one down, the other come on; no interval of rest; picked men from Ulster, Selected Captains from the City, surged around table at which he sat. Hardly left him time to reply. Having politely conducted Ulster to door, enter the City Fathers, fresh and eager for fray. Told him over again in varied phrase how he was bringing country to verge of ruin; listened with perfect courtesy, as if they'd been discussing someone else—say, his next-door neighbour, Squire of Malwood and Junior Lord of Downing Street. Up again when last in list of City speakers had concluded. Almost persuaded John Lubbock to be a Home-Ruler; then down to House, dealing with mass of correspondence littering his table in room behind Speaker's chair; alert on sound of division-bell; comes in to move Closure; remembers that in long list of speeches never made this particular one before; looks up Palgrave's Handbook; cons his lesson and declaims brief formula in deep rich voice that lends touch of eloquence to its unadorned, remorseless demand. All this, too, following on a day like yesterday, when two other deputations stormed Downing Street; drew from him weighty reply; followed, after hasty dinner, by a speech in the House on the eternal Irish question, which Grandolph rightly termed, "entrancing."
"A Grand Old Man, indeed!" said Prince Arthur, talking over these things to-night, when he should have been listening to Tommy Bowles, who having at the morning sitting had his speech on Vote on Account closured, delivered another at evening sitting on the question of the Depreciation of Silver as it affects domestic architecture in China and Peru.