written about him, and his views of
life and politics should be discussed.

In spite of all these things, however, the session came to an end
without Paul Stepaside having tried to speak a word in the British
House of Commons. His time had not come yet, but it was coming, and he
knew how to wait. Those months were to him months of education. He
was accustoming himself to his surroundings and preparing for the
future. He was studying the methods of the men whose words carried
weight. He was seeing the inwardness of this great parliamentary game
which was being played, and he was learning to understand how he could
use his knowledge, not simply as a means of self-aggrandisement, but
for the betterment of the people he loved.

Three times during the session he had gone to Brunford on matters of
business, but nothing had happened worthy of recording. His mother had
inquired eagerly concerning his doings in London, and had stored within
her memory every incident which he had related to her.

"I'm glad you have not spoken in the House yet, Paul," she said, again
and again. "When you speak it must be on something which is near and
dear to you--something which has gripped your life. Then you will make
them feel what you feel. Ay, and you will, too, my boy! It's coming!
I can see it!"

"Yes," replied Paul. "I'm going to do it, mother. I'm going to make
the name of Stepaside honoured."

"Nay, but you're going to have another name, Paul--your own!"

"Have you found out anything yet?" he asked repeatedly. But at this
she would shake her head, as if all her efforts had been in vain, and
yet Paul felt assured that she knew more than she cared to tell him.

During the second session Paul made his first speech. As he thought of
it afterwards, he was terribly disappointed. It seemed to him that he
had not said the things he wanted to say, while the things he had said
seemed crude and unimportant. The atmosphere of the House of Commons
was so utterly different from that of any assembly he had ever
addressed, and he knew that he was speaking to what was perhaps one of
the most critical audiences in the world. As fortune would have it,
too, the House was full when he spoke, and a great deal of interest was
attached to the Bill that was being discussed. That was why he was so
disappointed that his language, especially during the first few
minutes, was so poor and stilted. He imagined, too, that he had been
listen