A half-dozen men were on their feet--all shouting, gesticulating, speaking at the same time.

In short, it was utterly unlike anything ever seen before in the House of Commons; it brought vividly back to the mind the tumultuous French Convention in the days of the French Revolution.
[Sidenote: Deeper and deeper still.] It was almost a welcome break in this passionate and scarcely civilized din that a personal encounter between Mr.Chamberlain and Mr.Byles for a moment interrupted the tempest.

Mr.Chamberlain, in his characteristically genial way, had spoken of the Irish members as having been "squared." The Irish members, habituated to insult--conscious of Mr.Chamberlain's object--had allowed the observation to pass unnoticed; but Mr.Byles--ardent, sincere, an enthusiast on the Irish question--shouted out, "How much would it take to square you ?" At once there rose a fierce tropical storm.

There were loud shouts of approval--equally loud shouts demanding an instant withdrawal; members rose from every part of the House; in short, it was Bedlam let loose, and a scene impossible to describe.
This was deep enough, but there was a lower depth still to be sounded; and again it was Mr.Chamberlain's plummet that descended down to the unfathomable bottom.

"I do not," he said to Mr.Byles, "object to the question, and I will answer it by saying that it would take a great deal more than the hon.