; MARKISS
approached table; DENMAN drew himself up to full height, and glared
on MARKISS. Knew of old his jealousy of him; stops at no means of
gratifying it; now moves, "That Lord ESHER be heard." LORD CHANCELLOR,
that minion of the majority, promptly puts question, and declares it
carried. For a moment DENMAN stands irresolutely at table, looking
round. Suppose he were to lightly skip on to table, and, standing
there, defy them all? Suppose he were to lower his head, and run
a-butt at the stomach of the LORD CHANCELLOR? What delight to topple
him over--to see his heels rise in the air, and disappear with rest of
his body at other side of Woolsack! DENMAN laughed to think he should
see such fun. Content for the present with contemplation of it, and
so resumed seat. "But I'll form a Party," said he; "have my own Whips,
and shake this effete Government to its foundation."

_Business done_.--In Commons: a dull night, lighted up by luminous
speech from RATHBONE on Government of Western Australia.

_Wednesday_.--House hard at work all afternoon on Directors' Liability
Bill. WARMINGTON in charge of measure; intends to make it warm for
Guinea-pigs. ROPER LETHBRIDGE, DIXON HARTLAND, JAMES MACLEAN, and
KIMBER, Q.C., protest at length. ROBERT FOWLER, Bart., breaks into
lava flood of burning eloquence. If the Bill is carried, what is to
become of the City?

"You may," he moans, "write on the front of the Bill, '_Delendum est
Londinium_,' um? um?" He, for one, will have no responsibility in the
matter; and so, tucking his hands under his coat-tails, he strides
forth, to vote against Third Reading of Bill. All in vain; Third
Reading carried by 224 votes against 50.

[Illustration: SCENE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 4.

Oh, what a surprise! One lovely Black Rod interrupts the G.O.M.
speaking,--and meets with a warm reception.]

_Monday, July 7_.--Opposition in high feather to-night. DUNCAN fresh
from great triumph at Barrow, come to take his seat. Liberals and
Irish Members crowd round him as he sits below Gallery waiting signal
to advance.

"Then DUNCAN is _not_ in his grave?" said MACBETH--I mean MACLURE.

Evidently not. Here in the flesh and high spirits. Everybody dropping
into poetry all round. WADDY, who was down at Barrow, gives lengthy
account of the contest, "And," he says--

"to conclude,
The victory fell on us."

_Duncan_. "Great happiness!
No more the CAINE of C