There is more drama here;
no doubt, than in all the pages that are to come. But I
am explaining now how little, not how much, the Cruickshank
deputation, and especially Lorne Murchison, had the
opportunity of feeling and learning in London, in order
to show how wonderful it was that Lorne felt and learned
so widely. That, what he absorbed and took back with him
is, after all, what we have to do with; his actual
adventures are of no great importance.
The deputation to urge improved communications within
the Empire had few points of contact with the great world,
but its members were drawn into engagements of their own,
more, indeed, than some of them could conveniently
overtake. Mr Bates never saw his niece in the post-office,
and regrets it to this day. The engagements arose partly
out of business relations. Poulton who was a dyspeptic,
complained that nothing could be got through in London
without eating and drinking; for his part he would concede
a point any time not to eat and drink, but you could not
do it; you just had to suffer. Poulton was a principal
in one of the railway companies that were competing to
open up the country south of Hudson's Bay to the Pacific,
but having dealt with that circumstance in the course of
the day he desired only to be allowed to go to bed on
bread and butter and a little stewed fruit.
Pages:
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186