Honourable members snatch at the opportunity of cultivating their souls
in the theatres, clubs, restaurants, and other centres of culture in
which London abounds. The Irish Party is compelled by the elemental
necessities of the situation to speak with one voice on matters
regarding which there would properly be at least two voices in an Irish
Parliament, precisely identical in personnel. Ulster Unionism presents a
similar solidarity.
Whenever a point of any novelty is made, the Chief Secretary's secretary
slips over to one of the Irish Officials who on these occasions lie
ambushed at the back of the Speaker's chair, and returns with all the
elation of a honey-laden bee. His little burden of wisdom is gratefully
noted on the margin of the typewritten brief which has been already
prepared in Dublin by the Board under discussion, and, entrenched behind
this, the Right Honourable gentleman winds up the debate. Sometimes his
solemnity wrings laughter from men, sometimes his flippancy wrings
tears from the gods, but it does not in the least matter what he says.
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