The nerves of
the House, raised to expectancy--tension, almost hysteria, by the joy of
the one side, the anger and dread of the other, have a preternatural
readiness in catching points, in producing outbursts of feeling. And so
it is to-day. The Prime Minister has scarcely uttered the words which
reveal the determination of the Government to resort to the most extreme
measures, when there burst simultaneously from the Irish and the Tory
Benches cheers and counter cheers--the cheer of pride, joy, and delirium
almost, in the one case; the answering cheer and counter cheer of
haughty and angered defiance in the other.
[Sidenote: Balfour the unready.]
The Old Man bears himself splendidly amidst all this. He is very excited
and very resolute--you can see that by the very deadliness of
tranquillity which he seeks to put in his voice, by the gentleness of
his tone, by the almost deprecatory smile. All the same, the prevalent
note of his voice and manner is composure. For the moment, either from
surprise, relief, the joy they can badly conceal--whatever the reason,
the Tories seem to be nonplussed. The audacious ally who is always ready
to rush rashly into the breach on such occasions is away in Birmingham;
and with all his excellent qualities, Mr.
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