"Don't take this too much to heart," I said. "Good deal of talk about it just now, but soon be forgotten."
"Take what to heart?" he asked, with pretty air of surprise. "Smith is only confirming what I said when I promised an inquiry."
"But then you refused it afterwards."
"Exactly. So, if Smith had come down and refused the inquiry, I would still have been all right. Don't you see?"
I didn't, quite. Perhaps it will come on further reflection. Business done.—Supply.
Thursday.—Came upon curious scene in Lobby this afternoon, just after prayers. F. W. Maclean, Member for Woodstock Division of Oxfordshire, standing at full length near the Post-Office. To him enter Grandolph, making for House, anxious to see how Matthews is looking to-day. Maclean, drawing himself up another inch, looked down on Grandolph. Grandolph, seizing the situation, half turned round, and looked up at his successor in the re-adjusted representation of Woodstock. Neither spoke; but it was a pretty scene, not needing words.
Past and Present Members for Woodstock.
Grandolph found Matthews on Treasury Bench, looking as if nothing had happened, and as if nothing was going to happen. House curiously crowded, considering. The old story over again, with just a difference in enumeration of the chapter. Hitherto been on Coercion Bill, First Reading, Second Reading, Committee Stage, and Report Stage. Now Third Reading moved. Gladstone begins it all over again, as if nothing had yet been said. Benches filled to hear him, and no one moved till speech ended in glowing peroration. Then Members, simultaneously struck with conviction that they'd heard this before, streamed out. Rest of Sitting dull talk and empty benches. Business done.—Third Reading of Coercion Bill moved.
Friday.—Coercion Bill through at last! Final bout of talking dull till towards end, when Dillon made one of his impassioned speeches (wonderfully improved has John since he first entered House). Harcourt stroked Ministerialist back wrong way; and Goschen replied in animated speech. One little flash disturbed monotony of earlier part of sitting. Elderly young man, name of Coleridge, trotted out again the mean and spiteful reference to Old Morality's Book-stall connection. O. M., for once moved to anger, hotly resented impertinence.