workers must be kind to themselves and take
the matter into their own hands.

_J. N_. (_making notes_). Owners of _the capital_; workman must take the
matter--take the matter--into their own hands.

_J. F_. Well, I have no more questions to ask your Grace.

_Mr. H_. With many excuses, your Grace, _I_ will ask you a question.

_Arch_. Certainly, Mr Hungary.

_Mr. H_. You say that the audience was very small; that was at first;
but did it not increase as time went on?

_Arch_. Yes; an itinerant vendor of ices drew up his stall there, and
two policemen--these gentlemen--strolled in, and some ten or more others
stood round us before the orator had finished.

_Mr. H_. (_Aside_: H'm! old beggar will be so very specific. Let's try
him as to the sedition.) (_To_ ARCH.) My lord, you said that you were
shocked at what the prisoner said: what was the nature of his discourse?

_Arch_. I regret to have to say that it was a mass of the most frightful
incendiarism, delivered with an occasional air of jocularity and dry
humour that made my flesh creep. Amidst the persistent attacks on
property he did not spare other sacred things. He even made an attack on
my position, stating (wrongly) the amount of my moderate stipend. Indeed,
I think he recognised me, although I was partially disguised.

_J. F_. (_Aside_: True for you, old Benson, or else how could I have
subpoenaed you?)

_Mr. H_. I thank your Grace: that will do.

_J. F_. I now call Lord Tennyson.

[LORD TENNYSON _sworn_.

_J. F_. My lord, have you been present, in disguise, at a meeting of the
Socialist League in 13 Farringdon Road?

_Lord T_. What's that to you? What do you want to know for? Yes, I
have, if it comes to that.

_J. F_. Who brought you there?

_Lord T_. A policeman: one Potlegoff. I thought he was a Russian by his
name, but it seems he is an Englishman--and a liar. He said it would be
exciting: so I went.

_J. F_. And was it exciting?

_Lord T_. NO: it was _dull_.

_J. F_. How many were present?

_Lord T_. Seventeen: I counted them, because I hadn't got anything else
to do.

_J. F_. Did they plot anything dreadful?

_Lord T_. Not that I could hear. They sat and smoked; and one fool was
in the chair, and another fool read letters; and then they worried till I
was sick of it as to where such and such fools should go to spout folly
the next week; and now and then an old bald-headed fool and a stumpy
little fo