berlain that never lifts. Now and then, the
sulky and sullen and frowning silence was broken by an observation
evidently of bitter scornfulness addressed to Sir Henry James, and once
there seemed even to be an angry interchange between him and Mr.
Courtney because Mr. Courtney had ventured to put a civil question to
Mr. Morley. Mr. Morley had to address a few words of hearty
congratulation to Mr. Austen Chamberlain on his very successful speech.
He spoke with the slowness, hesitation, and effort that betrayed a
certain glimpse of the pain and grief that the political separations of
life produce in all but the hardest and coldest natures. It was a
graceful, generous, feeling tribute, but it did not soften Mr.
Chamberlain--the same steady unlifting frown was there--the same
"puss"--and when Mr. Morley had finished, there was a repetition of the
evidently scornful comment of Mr. Chamberlain.

[Sidenote: A hit at Mr. Chamberlain.]

But Mr. Morley may well bear all this, for he was able to strike some
very effective blows at Mr. Chamberlain, and Mr. Chamberlain for a
hard-hitter has a wonderfully keen appreciation and a very sensitive
skin for anything like a dexterous hit at his own expense. Alluding to
the favourite argument of Mr. Chamberlain, that the speeches of Irish
members in the past may have been deplorable, Mr. Morley asked were they
the only people who had made such speeches? They might be repentant
sinners, but who so great a prodigal as the member for Birmingham? The
loud and triumphant laughter which this produced at the expense of Mr.
Chamberlain, was followed up by another even more victorious thrust. The
Irish members had abandoned prairie value in the same way as the member
for Birmingham had surrendered the doctrines of "ransom" and natural
rights. Mr. Chamberlain was very uncomfortable, and soon showed it by an
interrupting cheer. "Seriously," said Mr. Morley, passing from this
lighter, but very effective vein. And then he was interrupted by his
foe. "Hear, hear," shouted Mr. Chamberlain in that deep, raucous, fierce
note, in which he reveals the fierceness of his hatred, as though to say
that it was time for Mr. Morley to address himself to serious things.

[Sidenote: Mr. Sexton.]

So the debate proceeded during the earlier part of the week; as it
neared its close it increased in brilliancy, until in the last night it
went out in a blaze of splendour and glory. On the Thursday evening Mr.
Sexton was