"By our sooth," said the King, "he shall have a silver cup."
One was forthwith requisitioned from the nearest silversmith's, and this it is which now adorns the sideboard in the best parlour at St. Margaret's House, Victoria Street, S.W.
These interesting reminiscences of family history George Christopher Trout recited to a charmed House in support of proposed new Clause, moved by Dick Webster, exempting from estate duty heirlooms under settlement. Squire of Malwood, usually impervious to argument in favour of alterations in his prized Budget, evidently moved. If Bartley had only thought of bringing the cup with him, had at this moment produced it from under his cloak, and flashed it forth on gaze of House, the Clause would have been added, and the cup, Estate-duty free, would have passed on through the ages, telling its simple story to successive strata of the Bartley family. As it was, Squire stood firm, and Webster's Clause negatived.
"Couldn't do it, my dear Webster," the Squire found opportunity of saying, as he met disappointed legislator behind Speaker's Chair. "Of course I said the polite thing about Bartley's Cup. But I wasn't thinking of that. I know very well what you had in mind in bringing in this Clause. The heirlooms you thought of are those cups and medals you won for Cambridge when, twenty-nine years ago, you met the Oxford Champion in the two-mile race, and in the one-mile spin. If we could do something in the Schedules specially exempting them I should be glad. Think it over, and see me later."
An Interesting Specimen. The Coleridge Caterpillar!
Webster wrung the Squire's hand, and passed on, saying nothing. There are moments when speech is superfluous. 'Tis true, they don't often occur in House of Commons; but here was one. Let us cherish its memory.
Business done.—Considering and negativing new Clauses to Budget Bill.
Thursday.—All the cheerfulness of to-day has brightened Committee-room, where question of issue of Writ, following on application for Chiltern Hundreds, is considered. The Squire under examination for nearly two hours and a-half. Difficult to say which the more enjoyed it, the witness or the Committee.
"What is the state of a Peer pending issue of Writ of Summons?" asked the Squire, suddenly taking to interrogate the Committee assembled to question him. "Is he a caterpillar passing through a larva, spinning a cocoon of silk until he reaches a condition where they toil not neither do they spin?" (Here, quite by accident, his glance fell upon Joseph, supposed to be sitting upon him in judicial capacity.) "There is," he continued (and here he glanced at Prince Arthur, smiling at the sly hit dealt at his dear friend Joe) "an opening for philosophic doubt as to the precise condition of this impounded Peer in his intermediary state."