ection had been of a very peculiar kind. It had been considered by
many of his supporters that his name should be withdrawn just before
the ballot; by others that he would be deterred by shame from showing
himself even if he were elected; and again by another party that his
appearance in Parliament would be prevented by his disappearance
within the walls of Newgate. But here he was, not only in his seat,
but on his legs! The favourable grace, the air of courteous attention,
which is always shown to a new member when he first speaks, was
extended also to Melmotte. There was an excitement in the thing which
made gentlemen willing to listen, and a consequent hum, almost of
approbation.

As soon as Melmotte was on his legs, and, looking round, found that
everybody was silent with the intent of listening to him, a good deal
of his courage oozed out of his fingers' ends. The House, which, to
his thinking, had by no means been august while Mr Brown had been
toddling through his speech, now became awful. He caught the eyes of
great men fixed upon him,--of men who had not seemed to him to be at
all great as he had watched them a few minutes before, yawning beneath
their hats. Mr Brown, poor as his speech had been, had, no doubt,
prepared it,--and had perhaps made three or four such speeches every
year for the last fifteen years. Melmotte had not dreamed of putting
two words together. He had thought, as far as he had thought at all,
that he could rattle off what he had to say just as he might do it
when seated in his chair at the Mexican Railway Board. But there was
the Speaker, and those three clerks in their wigs, and the mace,--and
worse than all, the eyes of that long row of statesmen opposite to
him! His position was felt by him to be dreadful. He had forgotten
even the very point on which he had intended to crush Mr Brown.

But the courage of the man was too high to allow him to be altogether
quelled at once. The hum was prolonged; and though he was red in the
face, perspiring, and utterly confused, he was determined to make a
dash at the matter with the first words which would occur to him. 'Mr
Brown is all wrong,' he said. He had not even taken off his hat as he
rose. Mr Brown turned slowly round and looked up at him. Some one,
whom he could not exactly hear, touching him behind, suggested that he
should take off his hat. There was a cry of order, which of course he
did not understand. 'Yes, you are,' said Melmotte, nodd