JOKIM sits on Treasury Bench affecting the virtue of a smile though he has it not.  Wriggles like a snail under dispensation of salt.  When HARCOURT finished, HENRY FOWLER stepped in, and with fresh array of figures and new marshalling of argument, completed the demolition of JOKIM’S system of finance.  Mr. G. looked smilingly on, delighting in the energy and aptitude of his Young Men.  JOKIM, anxious to change the subject on any terms, tried to draw Mr. G. into the controversy.  “I think not,” said Mr. G., with a smile of ineffable sweetness.  “Right Hon. Gentleman need not go so far afield:  will have pretty tough job in answering HARCOURT.”

A pretty scene; admirable Parliamentary play.  Oddly enough boxes empty; stalls a wilderness; pit only half full.  Energies of House so sapped with dreary flood of talk on Irish Land Bill cannot be reanimated even for a brisk battle over the Budget.

Business done.—­JOKIM pummelled to pulp.

Tuesday.—­OLD MORALITY walked out of House just now, his back suffused with sense of duty done, alike to QUEEN and Country.  Irish Land Bill, which, as CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN says, makes a Moated Grange of House of Commons, on again all day.  SAGE OF QUEEN ANNE’S GATE and his Party active as usual.  The PARTY a little doubtful of the SAGE.  Sometimes, in blessed intervals of silence, is discovered gazing on a bald space on back of SAGE’S head, striving, as it were, to pierce through this weak spot, and discover what is in the SAGE’S mind.  The SAGE in outward manner most deferential and encouraging.  Misses no opportunity of publicly applauding him.  It is true that when the SAGE has got him on his legs, starting afresh on new Amendment, he seizes the opportunity to slink out of the House, and take another cigarette, quite certain that the PARTY is good for half-an-hour.  This, and one or two other little things, create a suspicion in the mind of the PARTY, who was not brought up in India for nothing.  WILFRID LAWSON, who sits close by, and keenly watches progress of events, says he has no doubt the time will come when the PARTY will revolt.

“KEAY,” says WILFRID, “occupies a strategical position, which gives him a great pull over LABBY.  His respected Leader sits on the bench immediately below him.  Some day SEYMOUR KEAY’S wild Mahratta blood may boil over, an unsuspected scimitar may flash forth from his trouser pocket, and the SAGE’S head, falling gory on the floor of the House, may gently, from mere force of habit, roll in the direction of Queen Anne’s Gate.”

“For a real sanguinary-minded man,” said RITCHIE, to whom I told this story, “give me a teetotaller.”

The PARTY, with some assistance from Windbag SEXTON, wasted sitting till quarter to seven.  By this time, all Amendments to Clause 3 being wearily worn off, opportunity just left to pass Clause before Sitting adjourned.  Question put that Clause 3 pass.  Then SAGE, smelling obtrusively of cigarettes, interposed, and declared it “would be indecent” to accept the Clause without further discussion.  Nothing House shrinks from just now more abjectly than from charge of indecency.  Accordingly debate stood over, and Thursday may, if the SAGE and his Party please, and the Closure is not invoked, be appropriated for further discussion of Clause 3.