pening his lips, had observed the precaution of propping
himself up against the wall. "GEDGE, of all men, to spoil the
Ministerial plan, and imperil their arrangements for the week! It's
all COURTNEY's fault. Since GEDGE tasted COURTNEY's blood, on the
night he interrupted his speech by chatting in the Chair with HERBERT
GARDNER, GEDGE has never been the same man. There's no knowing to what
lengths he may not go."

_Business done_.--SYDNEY GEDGE broken out again worse than ever.

_Tuesday_.--MARJORIBANKS rather depressed as he rose to move his
Resolution for appointment of Royal Commission on New Magazine Rifle.
Had hoped to appear under very different circumstances. Meant quite to
put in the shade LYON PLAYFAIR's historic lecture on Margarine, when
he had the tables covered with pots of that substance, with penny
loaves and small knives for Members to sample withal. For weeks
MARJORIBANKS been preparing for occasion. Had possessed himself of
quite an armoury of rifles: intended to bring them into the House and
illustrate his lecture with practical experiments. The climax was to
be the shooting-off scene. BOBBY SPENCER and ANSTRUTHER on in this.
BOBBY standing at the Bar with an apple held on palm of extended right
hand; MARJORIBANKS, using Martini-Henry Rifle, was to clear the apple
off, leaving BOBBY's hair unsinged, and not a wrinkle added to his
collar. ANSTRUTHER was next to stand in the same place, braving the
fire of the Magazine Rifle. But he didn't have an apple, as it was
arranged that the new arm should jam.

[Illustration: Standing Fire.]

"Suppose it doesn't?" ANSTRUTHER inquired, when MARJORIBANKS first
unfolded his scheme.

"Oh, that'll be all right," said MARJORIBANKS, cheerily.

Long practice on the Terrace made the arrangements perfect, when
they were suddenly upset by interference from unexpected quarter. The
SPEAKER, wondering what all this rifle-popping was, came to hear of
the project; at once said it wouldn't do; no arms of any kind admitted
in House of Commons, except the sword worn by SERGEANT-AT-ARMS,
and once a year the lethal weapons carried by the Naval or Military
gentlemen who move and second Address. BOBBY SPENCER rather glad,
I fancy; ANSTRUTHER not inconsolable. But MARJORIBANKS distinctly
depressed.

"Not often I occupy time of House," he said. "We Whips make Houses,
and you empty them. DUFF--and he's not a Whip now--made all the
running with his orations on the herring brand.