But come along, TOBY,
let's get on to your House."
"It will be no use going now," said TIME, holding up his hour-glass;
"it is five o'clock; the working day is practically over, and we shall
find these sensible dogs travelling off to take a turn in the park,
or pay a round of visits in search of the culinary receptacle that
cheers, but does not intoxicate."
[Illustration]
"Wrong again, young Cock-sure," I said; "we shall just find our house
of Commons settling down to the business of the night. We begin about
four o'clock in the afternoon, and peg away till any hour to-morrow
morning that one or two Members please. It is true we have a rule
which enjoins the suspension of business at midnight; but instead of
suspending business we can (and do) suspend the Rule, and sometimes
sit all night."
"Ah!" said _Mr. Punch_, gravely shaking his head, "we manage things
much better than that at Westminster."
Got my two friends with some difficulty across Palace Yard, eyed
suspiciously by the police-dogs on duty. One concentrated his
attention on _Mr. Punch's_ dorsal peculiarity.
"We have strict orders from the Sergeant-at-Arms," he said, "to
examine all parcels carried by strangers."
"That's not a parcel," I said, hurriedly, and taking him on one side,
succinctly explained the personal peculiarity of my esteemed Master.
Pages:
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52