indignation; evidently he had come, ready to bear down on Sir William
and the Government generally with the cyclone of attack. But this
notable design was prevented by two accidents. First, Sir William
Harcourt got up and explained that the notice he had given was exactly
the same kind of notice that was always, and had been always, given in
like circumstances. Everybody who knows anything about Parliamentary
matters knows that this was the literal truth. The dirty trick which Mr.
Chamberlain had attributed to Sir William Harcourt existed only in his
own uninstructed and treacherous memory; and so he was crushed. Still he
wanted to have a word in, and more than once he showed signs of rising
to his feet. But he stopped half-way, and, when he did finally get up,
Mr. Balfour was before him, and he had to sit down again. Then his
opportunity was lost, for Mr. Balfour had declared that he was perfectly
satisfied with what Sir William Harcourt had done, and that prevented
Joe from entering on the filibustering tactics which apparently he
contemplated. This appeared to the whole House to be a very distinct and
unpleasant snub for Joseph. A short time afterwards he and Mr. Balfour
were seen in the lobby, engaged in a conversation that was apparently
vehement, and everybody jumped to the conclusion that they were having
it out, and that Joseph was resenting the rejection of his advice with
that haughtiness of temper which is so well-known a characteristic of
the Radical whom wealth has converted into a leader of the aristocracy.
The papers afterwards contained an announcement that the two
conspirators against Mr. Gladstone's Government were in the heartiest
accord. This was one of the semi-official denials which are generally
regarded as the best testimony to the truth of the report denied.

[Sidenote: Mr. Morley.]

If one were on the look-out for dramatic and instructive contrast in the