"Yes," said the Member for Sark, waking up from gentle slumber indulged in in corner seat at end of Gallery; "but why didn't he halve his adversity? If he'd been content with an hour we should all have been grateful, and he would have been spared a moiety of his anguish."
Business done.—Second Reading of Home-Rule Bill moved in House of Lords.
Thursday.—Again a crowded assembly in Lords to-night to hear its most brilliant Member. The Bishops, in great force, clustered, a group of fluttering white lawn, on right of Woolsack. "The white flower of a blameless Parliamentary life," the Markiss says of them. Not an inch of red benches visible on Opposition side. Even Ministerial benches full, though, as was made clear in course of debate, not all who sit there are Ministerialists. Rosebery, looking more boyish than ever, sat amid the elders on Front Bench; makes no sign of intention to follow Selborne; takes no note nor betrays other evidence of uneasiness. Selborne preaches for hour and half. Understood to be sermon worthy of his fame; we Commoners in gallery over bar could hear only fragmentary portions of sentences. Reported that Selborne had lost his notes; Member for Sark recognises most kindly interposition of Providence.
"If he speaks for hour and half with only recollection of his notes where would he have been if he had them?" Must get Weir to put that conundrum to Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Grateful to Rosebery, since at least we can hear him, though he, too, now and then falls into habit of dropping end of sentence. This the less excusable, since none of them are heavy. A clever speech, scarcely obscuring what seems to be difficult position. "Dancing among the eggs," is Balfour of Burghley's commentary. Of all listeners in the brilliant throng none so attentive as the Markiss. Seems, on the whole, to like speech better than does Spencer.
"Reminds me, Toby," Markiss says, "of what Lovelace wrote to Lucasta, 'on going to the wars.' How does it run?
I could not love Home Rule so much
Loved I not Gladstone more."
In the Commons pegging away at estimates; occasional explosions; Joseph, popping in from Lords, said a few genial words just to keep matters going, and disappeared again. Came back after midnight in time to have a round with Squire of Malwood.
