Altogether it was a splendid
fighting speech, and dissipated in a few moments all prophecies of gloom
and forebodings of dark disaster which have been prevalent for so many
weeks with regard to the health of the old leader. Thus in fire and fury
began the Session, the leaders on both sides fully equal to their
reputation and at their best, and all the dark and slumbering forces
that lie behind them as yet an undiscovered country of grim and strange
possibilities.
[Sidenote: Lord Randolph.]
But the solid and united ranks of the Tories were broken by one figure
that was once the most potent among them all. I had been strangely moved
at a theatre, a week or so before, as I looked at Lord Randolph
Churchill. I remembered him twelve years ago--a mere boy in appearance,
with clean-shaven face, dapper and slight figure, the alertness and
grace of youth, and a face smooth as the cheek of a maiden. And
now--bearded, slightly bowed, with lines deep as the wrinkles of an
octogenarian, he sometimes looks like the grandfather of his youthful
self. It is in the deep-set, brilliant eyes that you still see all the
fire of his extraordinary political genius, and the embers, that may
quickly burst into flame, of all the passion and force of a violently
strong character.
Pages:
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33