the world. But I imagine it will beat you,
all the same!"

He stopped in a heat. As usual what he found to say was not equal to
what he wanted to say, and beneath his anger with Wharton was the
familiar fuming at his own lack of impressiveness.

"Well, I dare say," said Wharton, serenely. "However, let's take your
'political economy' a moment, and see if I can understand what you mean
by it. There never were two words that meant all things to all men so
disreputably!"

And thereupon to the constant accompaniment of his cigarette, and with
the utmost composure and good temper, he began to "heckle" his
companion, putting questions, suggesting perfidious illustrations,
extracting innocent admissions, with a practised shrewdness and malice,
which presently left the unfortunate Bateson floundering in a sea of his
own contradictions, and totally unable for the moment to attach any
rational idea whatever to those great words of his favourite science,
wherewith he was generally accustomed to make such triumphant play, both
on the platform and in the bosom of the family.

The permanent official round the corner watched the unequal fight with
attentive amusement. Once when it was a question of Mill's doctrine of
cost of production as compared with that of a leading modern
collectivist, he leant forward and supplied a correction of something
Wharton had said. Wharton instantly put down his cigarette and addressed
him in another tone. A rapid dialogue passed between them, the dialogue
of experts, sharp, allusive, elliptical, in the midst of which the host
gave the signal for joining the ladies.

"Well, all I know is," said Bateson, as he got up, "that these kinds of
questions, if you and your friends have your way, will _wreck_ the
Liberal party before long--far more effectually than anything Irish has
ever done. On these things some of us will fight, if it must come to
that."

Wharton laughed.

"It would be a national misfortune if you didn't give us a stiff job,"
he said, with an airy good-humour which at once made the other's
blustering look ridiculous.

"I wonder what that fellow is going to do in the House," said the
permanent official to his companion as they went slowly upstairs,
Wharton being some distance ahead. "People are all beginning to talk of
him as a coming man, though nobody quite knows why, as yet. They tell me
he frames well in speaking, and will probably make a mark with his
speech next Friday. But h