At preconcerted signal Brodrick rapidly entered; bustled down to Front Opposition Bench. Attention of Members thus attracted, the Pirate Peer followed, strode with firm step down House. "Just as if he were walking the plank," said Donald Currie, looking on admiringly. Before House knew what had happened, there he sat, smiling and blushing, between those pillars of Law and Order, Joe and Courtney. Never since Parliaments began had British Constitution received such a staggering blow. Sage of Queen Anne's Gate, whilst anxious to see destruction of House of Lords, is not disposed to have stray fragments incorporated with fabric of Commons. Called Speaker's attention to presence in their midst of the Pirate Peer. Asked what they were going to do with him?
An anxious moment. George Curzon tugged nervously at the arsenal scarcely concealed under his frock coat. St. John Brodrick involuntarily stretched forth his hand in direction of Mace. Suppose he were to seize it, sweep the Treasury Bench clear at a blow, whilst George Curzon, with pistol in either hand, and dagger between his teeth, let fly a volley or two? We might have had a revolution. Quieter counsels prevailed. Speaker directed Pirate Peer to withdraw below Bar whilst his case was being discussed.
Selborne obeyed the mandate, and the ground thus left clear, Joe and the Squire of Malwood had a tussle. Joseph accused the Squire of acting in a fit of temper. The Squire retorted that it was not only untrue, but that at the time of offering remark Joseph was perfectly well acquainted with its entire freedom from the trammels of truth.
"Dear me," said Pirate Peer, looking round uneasily. "I hope they don't talk like that in the House of Lords."
Business done.—Clause I. Welsh Disestablishment Bill through Committee.
Tuesday.—Pirate Peer in the offing again. Ran in, as before, under protection of guns of consorts, George Curzon and St. John Brodrick. Lay to under gallery whilst question discussed at large. House never able to keep up interest in this kind of thing over successive days. Novel and exciting enough yesterday; steam not to be got up for second day. Only for Joe, business would have come to conclusion after formal proposal by Squire Of Malwood to refer whole matter to Select Committee. Joseph's interposition led to inevitable row. Wanted, for some inexplicable reason, to drag in Carmichael. Quoted Debrett to establish his claim to dormant Earldom of Hyndford.
Evidently a Dormant Duke!
(Mr. Kn-tchb-ll-H-g-ss-n.)
Joe left alone in advocacy of this line. Squire of Malwood had rare good time. Read passage from Joe's speech of last year, when question to succession of Coleridge Barony under discussion. Had said then exactly the reverse of what he to-day averred in respect of succession to Selborne Peerage, and status of new Peer in House of Commons.
"The fatal thing about Joseph," said Sark, "is that when he makes a statement on one side of a case or the other, he does it with such point, in such felicitous phrase, with such convincing emphasis, that it sticks in the memory. When, twelve months or nine years later, circumstances lead him to other side of question, he delivers himself on it with same incomparable gifts of point and lucidity. The bringing out of his former assertion is not so conclusive as you would think, because the two—affirming a thing is white one day, protesting on the next it is black—are so evenly balanced that the case stands exactly where it did. This sharp confronting of Joseph denying with Joseph affirming would be fatal to some men. To our Joe it is not even embarrassing. House roars with delight. He sits silent, apparently unconcerned, and somebody else will suffer by-and-by."