positions of the most important men in the House of Commons--the Leader
of the House and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Balfour, whenever he
is in the House, sits opposite his box, and so proclaims to all the
world the lofty post he holds. And when this is the case, it is in
almost the very last seat--separated by half a dozen other
individuals--Lord Randolph is to be seen. To turn to another part of the
House, it is the men in whom Mr. Gladstone most confides who sit on
either side of him--Sir William Harcourt and Mr. John Morley. If on any
day it were seen that either of these two men had left the side of their
leader, and was separated from him by several others, the rumour would
run like wildfire through the House of Commons that the relations of the
Premier and one of his chief lieutenants were strained.

[Sidenote: Deadly foes.]

So Mr. Balfour watches Lord Randolph and Lord Randolph watches Mr.
Balfour, with the deadly vigilance of two men who stand opposite each
other in a wood with drawn swords in their hands. There is another
gentleman, besides, whom the Tory leader has to watch, and, perhaps,
more keenly. Lord Randolph Churchill is not always in his place, and his
movements in these days are leisurely--I remember when they were
electric in their rapidity and frequency. But Mr. Chamberlain is a
distinctly ready man. Whatever gifts he has, are always at his command.
He is like the shopman who puts all his goods in the window. The goods
are not very fine nor very good, but they are showy and cheap, and,
above all things, take the eye. Mr. Chamberlain in his day has been a
poor attendant in Parliament--a friend of his used to tell him, when he
was supposed to have the reversion of the Liberal leadership, that his
inability to remain for hours in succession in the House of Commons
would always stand in the way of his being the leader of that assembly.