ge, and of the
conversion of shillings into francs and dollars. About this Melmotte
really did know something and he pricked up his ears. It seemed to him
that a gentleman whom he knew very well in the city,--and who had
maliciously stayed away from his dinner,--one Mr Brown, who sat just
before him on the same side of the House, and who was plodding wearily
and slowly along with some pet fiscal theory of his own, understood
nothing at all of what he was saying. Here was an opportunity for
himself! Here was at his hand the means of revenging himself for the
injury done him, and of showing to the world at the same time that
he was not afraid of his city enemies! It required some courage
certainly,--this attempt that suggested itself to him of getting upon
his legs a couple of hours after his first introduction to
parliamentary life. But he was full of the lesson which he was now ever
teaching himself. Nothing should cow him. Whatever was to be done by
brazen-faced audacity he would do. It seemed to be very easy, and he
saw no reason why he should not put that old fool right. He knew nothing
of the forms of the House;--was more ignorant of them than an ordinary
schoolboy;--but on that very account felt less trepidation than might
another parliamentary novice. Mr Brown was tedious and prolix; and
Melmotte, though he thought much of his project and had almost told
himself that he would do the thing, was still doubting, when,
suddenly, Mr Brown sat down. There did not seem to be any particular
end to the speech, nor had Melmotte followed any general thread of
argument. But a statement had been made and repeated, containing, as
Melmotte thought, a fundamental error in finance; and he longed to set
the matter right. At any rate he desired to show the House that Mr
Brown did not know what he was talking about,--because Mr Brown had not
come to his dinner. When Mr Brown was seated, nobody at once rose. The
subject was not popular, and they who understood the business of the
House were well aware that the occasion had simply been one on which
two or three commercial gentlemen, having crazes of their own, should
be allowed to ventilate them. The subject would have dropped;--but on
a sudden the new member was on his legs.

Now it was probably not in the remembrance of any gentleman there that
a member had got up to make a speech within two or three hours of his
first entry into the House. And this gentleman was one whose recent
el