of Agriculture was created, moved to double my screw. But to go and
propose to dock it altogether at the end of the first year is, if I
may say so, not encouraging."

"Oh," I said, "you mustn't mind SAGE of QUEEN ANNE'S GATE; his bark is
worse than his bite."

"Yes, I know," said CHAPLIN; "but I should be obliged to him if he'd
bark at someone else's heels. Not, mind you, that I care so much
about the money question. Between you and me (though don't let it go
further, or they might be holding me to my bargain), I would rather
pay £2000 a year than not have a seat on the Treasury Bench in charge
of a department. You've never tasted the delight of standing up in
a full House and reading out answer to a question, whilst all the
world hangs on your lips. Nor have you ever drunk the deep delight of
explaining a Bill, or replying on behalf of HER MAJESTY's Government
to an Amendment. The joy is all the greater to me, since it is newly
acquired. For years I sat below the Gangway, striving to catch the
SPEAKER's eye in competition with the herd, and when I succeeded
Members either howled at me or left the House. Now I speak without
waiting for the SPEAKER's call, and the House listens attentively to
the utterances of the Minister for Agriculture. That's better than
salary paid quarterly: worth paying for as I say. Still it's not
pleasant to have LABBY seriously proposing to stop your wages. Wish
he'd try it on someone else. There's PLUNKET for example; must put him
up in that quarter."

_Business done_.--In Committee of Supply.

[Illustration: A Salmon Fisher.]