ing his head,
and frowning angrily at poor Mr Brown.

'The honourable member,' said the Speaker, with the most good-natured
voice which he could assume, 'is not perhaps as yet aware that he
should not call another member by his name. He should speak of the
gentleman to whom he alluded as the honourable member for Whitechapel.
And in speaking he should address, not another honourable member, but
the chair.'

'You should take your hat off,' said the good-natured gentleman
behind.

In such a position how should any man understand so many and such
complicated instructions at once, and at the same time remember the
gist of the argument to be produced? He did take off his hat, and was
of course made hotter and more confused by doing so. 'What he said was
all wrong,' continued Melmotte; 'and I should have thought a man out
of the City, like Mr Brown, ought to have known better.' Then there
were repeated calls of order, and a violent ebullition of laughter
from both sides of the House. The man stood for a while glaring around
him, summoning his own pluck for a renewal of his attack on Mr Brown,
determined that he would be appalled and put down neither by the
ridicule of those around him, nor by his want of familiarity with the
place; but still utterly unable to find words with which to carry on
the combat. 'I ought to know something about it,' said Melmotte
sitting down and hiding his indignation and his shame under his hat.

'We are sure that the honourable member for Westminster does
understand the subject,' said the leader of the House, 'and we shall
be very glad to hear his remarks. The House I am sure will pardon
ignorance of its rules in so young a member.'

But Mr Melmotte would not rise again. He had made a great effort, and
had at any rate exhibited his courage. Though they might all say that
he had not displayed much eloquence, they would be driven to admit
that he had not been ashamed to show himself. He kept his seat till
the regular stampede was made for dinner, and then walked out with as
stately a demeanour as he could assume.

'Well, that was plucky!' said Cohenlupe, taking his friend's arm in
the lobby.

'I don't see any pluck in it. That old fool Brown didn't know what he
was talking about, and I wanted to tell them so. They wouldn't let me
do it, and there's an end of it. It seems to me to be a stupid sort of
a place.'

'Has Longestaffe's money been paid?' said Cohenlupe opening his black
eyes whi