I don't
know that anybody wants to attack anything.'
'Somebody soon would want to attack if there no defenders.'
'I suppose there is an outside power,--the people, or public
opinion, or whatever they choose to call it. And the country will
have to go very much as that outside power chooses. Here, in
Parliament, everybody will be as conservative as the outside will
let them. I don't think it matters on which side you sit;--but it
does matter that you shouldn't have to act with those who go
against the grain with you.'
'I never heard worse political arguments in my life.'
'I daresay not. However, there's Sir Timothy. When he looks in
that way, all buckram, deportment, and solemnity, I know he's
going to pitch into somebody.'
At this moment the Leader of the House came in from behind the
Speaker's chair and took his place between Mr Roper and Sir
Orlando Drought. When a man has to declare a solemn purpose on a
solemn occasion in a solemn place, it is needful that he should be
solemn himself. And though the solemnity which befits a man best
will be that which the importance of the moment may produce,
without thought given by himself to his own outward person, still,
who is there can refrain himself from some attempt? Who can boast,
who that has been versed in the ways and duties of high places,
that he has kept himself free from all study of grace, of feature,
or attitude, of gait--or even of dress? For most of our bishops,
for most of our judges, or our statesmen, our orators, our
generals, for many even of our doctors and our parsons, even our
attorneys, our taxgatherers, and certainly our butlers and our
coachmen.
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