[Illustration: No Relation of Prince Arthur's.]

MUNDELLA, longing to be at MATTHEWS, waiting on Front Opposition
Bench; MATTHEWS, earnestly desiring collision with MUNDELLA, lingered
the long night through on Treasury Bench. At last dragged into arena
by JOHN MORLEY. Painfully conscious of GORST on his right hand. Why
couldn't he go away? Why sit there smiling when MATTHEWS floundered,
and why turn over the pages of the Blue Book with such subtle air
of contradiction when MATTHEWS quoted from proceedings of Berlin
Conference?

As midnight drew on, excitement increased. Uncertain how Division
would go. Rumours of possible defeat of the Government; AKERS-DOUGLAS
moving about smiling; therefore all must be well. House surging with
excitement; movement to and fro; a buzz of conversation rising above
the voice of Member addressing the Chair. Only one placid figure under
the glass roof. Seated in side Gallery facing Treasury Bench was J.S.
BALFOUR; (no relation of Prince ARTHUR's, _bien entendu_) Question
put; Division bell rang; the bustle of eight hundred departing feet
disturbed J.S.B., and, stepping carefully down from the inconveniently
high Bench, he walked out to take part in the Division.

"All very well, dear TOBY," he said, "talking about eleven being the
age for half-timers. Eleven seems to me about the figure at which we
should knock off here. When it gets on to twelve in this hot weather,
I almost feel as if I could go to sleep." _Business done._--SYDNEY
BUXTON's Amendment to Factories Bill carried by 202 Votes against 186.

_Friday._--Question to-night, how would Government take their defeat
of yesterday? Soon settled; at earliest moment MATTHEWS appeared