ete and cruel; his scornful attack
upon 'the Limpets' sent the Opposition into paroxysms of delighted
laughter, and roused a storm of angry protest from the crowded benches
behind the Ministry. That night was the memorable event of the session.
For long enough after those who witnessed it carried in their memories
the picture of that pale, handsome young man, standing up in that corner
seat below the gangway and assailing the Ministry of which he had been
the most remarkable Minister with so much cold passion, so much fierce
disdain. 'By Jove! he's smashed them!' cried Wynter, M.P., excitedly,
when Rupert Langley sat down after his speech of an hour and a quarter,
which had been listened to by a crowded House amidst a storm of cheering
and disapproval. Wynter was sitting on a lower gangway seat, for every
space of sitting room in the chamber was occupied that night, and he had
made this remark to one of the Opposition leaders on the front bench,
craning over to call it into his ear. The leader of the Opposition heard
Wynter's remark, looked round at the excited Radical, and, smiling,
shook his head. The excitement faded from Wynter's face. His chief was
never wrong.

The usual exodus after a long speech did not take place when Rupert sat
down. It was expected that the leader of the House would reply to Sir
Rupert, but the expectation was not realised. To the surprise of almost
everyone present the Government put up as their spokesman one of the men
who had been most allied with Sir Rupert in the old T.T. party, Sidney
Blenheim. Something like a frown passed over Sir Rupert's face as
Blenheim rose; then he sat immovable, expressionless, while Blenheim
made his speech. It was a very clever speech, delicately ironical,
sharply cutting, tinged all through with an intolerable condescension,
with a gallingly gracious recognition of Langley's merits, an irritating
regret for his errors. There was a certain languidness in Blenheim's
deportment, a certain air of sweetness in his face, which made his
satire the more severe, his attack the more telling. People were as much
surprised as if what looked like a dandy's cane had proved to be a sword
of tempered steel. Whatever else that night did, it made Blenheim's
reputation.

Langley did not carry a hundred men with him into the lobby against the
Government. The Opposition, as a body, supported the Administration; a
certain proportion of Radicals, a much smaller number of men from