Dr. von Pessler (to the Chair).  ‘Do not drive us to extremities!’

The tempest burst out again:  yells of approval from the Left, catcalls and ironical laughter from the Right.  At this point a new and most effective noise-maker was pressed into service.  Each desk has an extension, consisting of a removable board eighteen inches long, six wide, and a half-inch thick.  A member pulled one of these out and began to belabour the top of his desk with it.  Instantly other members followed suit, and perhaps you can imagine the result.  Of all conceivable rackets it is the most ear-splitting, intolerable, and altogether fiendish.

The persecuted President leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, clasped his hands in his lap, and a look of pathetic resignation crept over his long face.  It is the way a country schoolmaster used to look in days long past when he had refused his school a holiday and it had risen against him in ill-mannered riot and violence and insurrection.  Twice a motion to adjourn had been offered—­a motion always in order in other Houses, and doubtless so in this one also.  The President had refused to put these motions.  By consequence, he was not in a pleasant place now, and was having a right hard time.  Votes upon motions, whether carried or defeated, could make endless delay, and postpone the Ausgleich to next century.

In the midst of these sorrowful circumstances and this hurricane of yells and screams and satanic clatter of desk-boards, Representative Dr. Kronawetter unfeelingly reminds the Chair that a motion has been offered, and adds:  ’Say yes, or no!  What do you sit there for, and give no answer?’

P.  ’After I have given a speaker the floor, I cannot give it to another.  After Dr. Lecher is through, I will put your motion.’ [Storm of indignation from the Left.]

Wolf (to the Chair).  ’Thunder and lightning! look at the Rule governing the case!’

Kronawetter.  ’I move the close of the sitting!  And I demand the ayes and noes!’

Dr. Lecher.  ‘Mr. President, have I the floor?’

P.  ‘You have the floor.’

Wolf (to the Chair, in a stentorian voice which cleaves its way through the storm).  ’It is by such brutalities as these that you drive us to extremities!  Are you waiting till someone shall throw into your face the word that shall describe what you are bringing about?[1] [Tempest of insulted fury from the Right.] Is that what you are waiting for, old Grayhead?’ [Long-continued clatter of desk-boards from the Left, with shouts of ‘The vote! the vote!’ An ironical shout from the Right, ’Wolf is boss!’]

Wolf keeps on demanding the floor for his motion.  At length—­

P.  ’I call Representative Wolf to order!  Your conduct is unheard of, sir!  You forget that you are in a parliament; you must remember where you are, sir.’ [Applause from the Right.  Dr. Lecher is still peacefully speaking, the stenographers listening at his lips.]