Description

---

The hands of the clock on the front of the Strangers' Gallery were nearing six. The longexpected introductory speech of the Minister in charge of the new Land Bill was over, andthe leader of the Opposition was on his feet. The House of Commons was full and excited.The side galleries were no less crowded than the benches below, and round the entrancedoor stood a compact throng of members for whom no seats were available. With everysentence, almost, the speaker addressing the House struck from it assent or protest; cheersand counter-cheers ran through its ranks; while below the gangway a few passionatefigures on either side, the freebooters of the two great parties, watched one anotherangrily, sitting on the very edge of their seats, like arrows drawn to the string.Within that privileged section of the Ladies' Gallery to which only the Speaker's orderadmits, there was no less agitation than on the floor below, though the signs of it were lessevident. Some half a dozen chairs placed close against the grille were filled by dusky formsinvisible, save as a dim patchwork, to the House beneath them-women with their facespressed against the lattice-work which divided them from the Chamber, endeavoring tohear and see, in spite of all the difficulties placed in their way by a graceless Commons.Behind them stood other women, bending forward sometimes over the heads of those infront, in the feverish effort to catch the words of the speech. It was so dark in the little roomthat no inmate of it could be sure of the identity of any other unless she was close besideher; and it was pervaded by a constant soft frou-frou of silk and satin, as persons from aninner room moved in and out, or some lady silently gave up her seat to a new-comer, or oneof those in front bent over to whisper to a friend behind. The background of all seemedfilled with a shadowy medley of plumed hats, from which sometimes a face emerged as ashaft of faint light from the illumined ceiling of the House struck upon it.The atmosphere was very hot, and heavy with the scent of violets, which seemed to comefrom a large bunch worn by a slim standing girl. In front of the girl sat a lady who wasevidently absorbed in the scene below. She rarely moved, except occasionally to put up aneyeglass the better to enable her to identify some face on the Parliamentary benches, or theauthor of some interruption to the speaker. Meanwhile the girl held her hands upon theback of the lady's chair, and once or twice stooped to speak to her.Next to this pair, but in a corner of the gallery, and occupying what seemed to be aprivileged and habitual seat, was a woman of uncouth figure and strange headgear. Sincethe Opposition leader had risen, her attention had wholly wandered. She yawnedperpetually, and talked a great deal to a lady behind her. Once or twice her neighbor threwher an angry glance. But it was too dark for her to see it; though if she had seen it she wouldhave paid no attention.