knock her into a cocked hat. He said that, but for the Tories, Germany and

Britain would be fellow-workers in peace and reform. I thought of the little

black book in my pocket! A giddy lot Scudder’s friends cared for peace and

reform.

 

Yet in a queer way I liked the speech. You could see the niceness of the chap

shining out behind the muck with which he had been spoon-fed.

 

Also it took a load off my mind. I mightn’t be much of an orator, but I was a

thousand per cent better than Sir Harry.

 

I didn’t get on so badly when it came to my turn. I simply told them all I could

remember about Australia, praying there should be no Australian there—all about

its labour party and emigration and universal service. I doubt if I remembered

to mention Free Trade, but I said there were no Tories in Australia, only Labour

and Liberals. That fetched a cheer, and I woke them up a bit when I started in

to tell them the kind of glorious business I thought could be made out of the

Empire if we really put our backs into it.

 

Altogether I fancy I was rather a success. The minister didn’t like me, though,

and when he proposed a vote of thanks, spoke of Sir Harry’s speech as

“statesmanlike” and mine as having “the eloquence of an emigration agent.”

 

When we were in the car again my host was in wild spirits at having got his job

over. “A ripping speech, Twisdon,” he said. “Now, you’re coming home with me.