A little provoking for the
Old Salts descanting on Naval affairs to observe smile of pitying
toleration with which he listens. Doesn't _say_ they're all wrong, but
smiles it. Even the voice of the Reverberating COLOMB falters when,
glancing round the great gaps of empty Benches opposite, his eye falls
on HARCOURT.
"Sir, I repeat," he said, quite angrily, though no one had
contradicted him, "that during the period that has elapsed since
commencement of the present reign, the revenue of the United Kingdom
has increased only one-and-a-half times, while that of the outlying
Empire has multiplied five-fold."
General admission that HARCOURT is a master in nearly every department
of human knowledge. Up to to-night fondly thought that at least he
knew nothing about the Navy. But he does; knows more than Admiral
FIELD, or Admiral MAYNE, or even Colonel GOURLEY. Presently rose and
delivered slashing speech, laying low the Reverberating COLOMB as
if he had been set up in the Place Vendome; reviewing the British
Fleet in masterly style; nimbly running up the mainmast and sighting
Jerusalem and Madagascar, to the absolute confounding of the First
Lord of the Admiralty.
[Illustration: Something more than his full height.]
"Well," said KERANS, drawing himself up to something more than his
full height, "that's the most remarkable exhibition I ever heard,
even from HARCOURT.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50