A free translation, GORST says, but gives you the swing and the spirit
of the distich. Rather hard on CURZON that my popularity should spoil
his speech, but a good thing for the country."

_Business done_.--Budget brought in.

_Tuesday_.--Wonderfully good muster in Lords to-night. Every man upon
his mettle. As the MARKISS says, with that epigrammatic style that
makes him so delightful, "The first duty of a Peer is to appear."
Those Radicals been protesting that talk about necessity for
prolonging Session over week all a flam. Simply meant to make it
impossible for our delicate friend, the British Workman, to get
to poll. Peers must show they mean business, by turning up with
regularity and despatch.

[Illustration: "All over at last!"]

Appeal to patriotic feelings nobly answered; nearly a hundred Lords
in place to-night. CHELMSFORD, walking down with his umbrella, just
about to add a unit to the number; stopped on the threshold by strange
sight; looking in from room beyond the Throne, sees DENMAN standing
at Table, shaking his fist at Prime Minister. DENMAN is wearing
what CHELMSFORD, who is short-sighted, at first took to be red Cap
of Liberty. But it's nothing more dangerous than a red skull-cap,
designed to resist draughts. Needn't be red, but it is. Business
before House, Third Reading of Small Holdings Bill Occurs to DENMAN
to move its rejection; talks for ten minutes; difficulty to catch his
remarks; understood from fragmentary phrases to be extolling someone
as a luminous Statesman; seeing measure before the House is Small