The Old Man--suave, calm, unutterably courteous--hears him politely; and then puts the whole case of the Government in a few, dignified, and tranquil words.
[Sidenote: In the depths.] But the House, exalted to a higher plane of feeling by this great little speech, was soon dragged down again to the arena of chaos let loose; and, of course, Mr.Chamberlain was the person to lead the way to the dusty pit.

Mr.Mellor had very properly attempted to stop the disorderly discussion of the closure; but Mr.Chamberlain was not in the mood to respect the authority of the chair or the traditions of the House of Commons, and audaciously, shamelessly--with a perky self-satisfaction painful to witness--he proceeded to violate the ruling of the chair--to trample on the order of Parliament, and to flout the Chairman.

And then the waters of the great deep were loosed.

A hurricane of shouts, yells, protests arose.

Member got up after member--here, there, everywhere--always excepting the sternly silent Irish Bench, where sate the Irish leaders.