left the side of their
leader, and was separated from him by several others, the rumour would
run like wildfire through the House of Commons that the relations of the
Premier and one of his chief lieutenants were strained.

[Sidenote: Deadly foes.]

So Mr. Balfour watches Lord Randolph and Lord Randolph watches Mr.
Balfour, with the deadly vigilance of two men who stand opposite each
other in a wood with drawn swords in their hands. There is another
gentleman, besides, whom the Tory leader has to watch, and, perhaps,
more keenly. Lord Randolph Churchill is not always in his place, and his
movements in these days are leisurely--I remember when they were
electric in their rapidity and frequency. But Mr. Chamberlain is a
distinctly ready man. Whatever gifts he has, are always at his command.
He is like the shopman who puts all his goods in the window. The goods
are not very fine nor very good, but they are showy and cheap, and,
above all things, take the eye. Mr. Chamberlain in his day has been a
poor attendant in Parliament--a friend of his used to tell him, when he
was supposed to have the reversion of the Liberal leadership, that his
inability to remain for hours in succession in the House of Commons
would always stand in the way of his being the leader of that assembly.
But he turns up now usually after dinner, and from his seat on the third
bench below the gangway, on the Liberal side, watches the progress of
battle. It is known to the intimates of Mr. Balfour that he has not a
particularly high opinion of his partner in the work of obstructing the
cause of Home Rule. Indeed, it is impossible that the two men should be
really sympathetic with each other. With all his faults, Mr. Balfour
does represent the literary and cultured side of political life; while
Mr. Chamberlain is illiteracy embodied. Then, Mr. Chamberlain has a
knack of attributing every victory to himself--modesty isn't one of his
many virtues--and this cannot be particularly agreeable to the real
leader of the Opposition. There is thus a constant competition between
the two men as to which shall give the marching orders to the enemies of
the Government.

[Sidenote: Mr. Chamberlain's slatternly inaccuracy.]

There was a singular scene on March 6th, which brought out the relations
of the two in a singular manner. There appeared that day in the
congenial columns of the _Times_ a letter, a column in length, and set
forth with all the resources of leaded