He had been long enough in the House to have lost the original awe inspired by the Speaker and the clerks of the House, by the row of Ministers, and by the unequalled importance of the place.

On ordinary occasions he could saunter in and out, and whisper at his ease to a neighbour.

But on this occasion he went direct to the bench on which he ordinarily sat, and began at once to rehearse to himself his speech.

He had in truth been doing this all day, in spite of the effort that he had made to rid himself of all memory of the occasion.

He had been collecting the heads of his speech while Mr.Low had been talking to him, and refreshing his quotations in the presence of Lord Chiltern and the dumb-bells.