"It makes me smile", said SWIFT MACNEILL, walking out for fear GOSCHEN should hear his smile and clap a penny on his Income-Tax.
A long night for JOKIM, wrestling for his Budget. Ominous gathering on Front Bench. Mr. G., not seen lately, comes down. To him foregathers HARCOURT. Assaults on Budget begun from below the Gangway. Proposed to postpone clauses on which Local Budget Bill will be built up. JOKIM shakes his head. Mr. G. amazed at his refusal to listen to reasonable suggestion. HARCOURT rises, meaning to run atilt at JOKIM. Chairman of Committees puts out his foot, nearly trips him up. HARCOURT turns and bends on COURTNEY expressive glance. Never much love lost between these two. Now COURTNEY in official position can snub HARCOURT--and does. Shall HARCOURT go for him? Shall he take him up in his powerful arms and tear him to pieces with delighted teeth? A moment's pause, whilst HARCOURT, towering at table, toying nervously with eyeglass, looks down on Chairman who has just ruled him out of order. Shall he? Struggles with his suddenly awakened wrath, gulps it down, turns aside to talk of something else.
Not to-night, but some night there will be wigs (especially COURTNEY'S) on the green.
_Friday._--Met MARKISS walking with weary footsteps from Lords. Curiously depressed air. "Anything happened at East Bristol?" I asked. "But you cannot have heard yet."
"No; nothing to do with bye-elections", said the MARKISS, with sob in his throat. "It's WEMYSS; touched me to the quick; was to have made speech to-night on Socialistic legislation of last two years. Hadn't slightest idea what he meant. Came down to-night a little late; found House up. WEMYSS wouldn't deliver his speech in my absence; thing didn't come off; so Lords went home. That's what I call personal devotion. Supposed to be hard cynical man, but you see I have my soft places, and WEMYSS has touched me."
Not a dry eye between us as the MARKISS moved off.
_Business done._--Pleuro-pneumonia in House of Lords.
THE Aunt, the Uncle, and the Cousin (_f._) all desire to go to the top of the tall hill.--There is no road to the top of the tall hill.----Why is there no road?--Because they (_on_) do not permit it.----Will they permit it to-morrow?--No.----Will they permit it in several (_plusieurs_) days?--Certainly not.----When shall we be able to go to the top of the tall hill?--When Mr. BRYCE'S Bill (the Measure of Mr. BRYCE) receives the approval of Parliament.----Is it probable that Parliament will approve of it the day after to-morrow?--It is not probable that Parliament will approve of it the day after to-morrow, or for many years.----I see through the telescope of the neighbour (_m._) a man at the top of the tall hill. Why is he there?--He is guarding (he guards) the red deer.----Are the red deer then permitted (do they permit the red deer) on the top of the tall hill?--Yes.----The Aunt, the Uncle, and the Cousin (_f._) would like to talk to the beautiful deer.--But the owners (_Messieurs les Propriétaires_) of the tall hill would not like it.----Why would the owners not like it?--Because they desire to shoot the beautiful deer.----Where then may we walk (_promener_)?--We may walk where we will along the high road (_grand chemin_).----But the high road is dusty, and from it there is no view.--It is sad that there should be no view from the high road.----We came (are come) to Scotland to climb the tall hills. As we cannot climb the tall hills, we will now leave Scotland. If we now leave Scotland the hotel-keepers (keepers of hotels) will be sorry.--The keepers of hotels must speak to the owners of the tall hill.----There are now two men on the top of the tall hill; I can see them plainly. One has seized the other by the scruff of the neck (by the neck). Why has the bad man seized somebody by the scruff of the neck?--The man who has been seized (whom they have seized) by the scruff of the neck must be a Tourist.----How has the Tourist done wrong (_faire mal_)?--He has done wrong because he admires the view.----The Aunt, the Uncle, and the Cousin (_f._) are now glad that they did not go to the top of the tall hill.