proceedings until Mr. Morley came back.

[Sidenote: While a wronged nation waits.]

Mr. Morley did appear in due course, and then there was an attempt to
assail him for his absence. There was also an attempt to take advantage
of his presence to resume the discussion of the very topics which had
already been discussed for many hours in his absence. Mr. Morley
refused to fall into the trap. Speaking quietly, but with a deadly blow
between every word, he declined to be a party to obstruction by
answering again questions which had already been answered many times
over. At this, there was a loud shout of approval from the Liberal
benches--exasperated almost beyond endurance by the shameless waste of
time in which the Tories, aided by Mr. Chamberlain, had indulged in for
so many hours. Mr. Chamberlain professed to be greatly shocked. But the
House was not in a mood to stand any more nonsense. Mr. Chamberlain and
Mr. Lowther, and the rest of the obstructive gang, had to submit to have
the vote taken. In the meantime there stood the business of the country
to be done. All its needs, its pressing grievances, its vast chorus of
sighs and wails from wasted lives--rose up and called for justice; but
tricksters, and self-seekers, and horse-jockeys stopped the way.

[Sidenote: Carlton Club echoes.]

There were signs of the meeting at the Carlton when the House met on
Thursday evening, March 9th. The Tory benches were crowded; the young
bloods were fuller than ever of that self-consciousness to which I have
adverted, and there were signs of movement, excitement, and the spirit
of mischief and evil in all their faces and in their general demeanour.
There were nearly one hundred questions on the paper--and questions had