I Forbid the Banns! — page 380: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

370° “7 FORBID THE BANNSI” sion; but another dose of that unpalatable medicine of frankness, and he had quieted down. In what direction should his adroitness be exercised now? That was the question which presented itself to him as he rose from his chair, hearing the division bells clamoring for his presence, and put his novel under a blue-book. Then—of course without inquiring what the point was upon which the division was being taken—he went into the lobby with the other ministerialists. When the counting was over and the opposition were cheering at having gained a great moral victory—the opposition are great on morality when numerically they are about 150 less than the immoral government—Sir Ecroyd found himself beside the Minister for Public Safety. ‘“T wonder could you telephone to Tracey to be at my room in half an hour,” he said to that minister. “Certainly. What do you want with Tracey, anyway ?” said the Minister for Public Safety.” ‘“T want his advice about a threatening letter,” said Sir Ecroyd, who did not feel it incumbent on him to be straight- forward with his colleagues, His straighforwardness he used as an instrument for the chastisement of his enemies. “A threatening letter? Better hand it over to my department.” ‘“T’ll have Tracey’s advice first. What are they bellow- ing about now?” The remark had reference to the business of the House, which seemed to demand a considerable amount of shouting and gesticulating from some of the members. ‘“ The usualthing. The McBratney declines to withdraw the word liar as applied to General Anderson, the Orange- man who represents Ulster. You'll have to move the sus- pension of The McBratney if he is named.” “ All right. Don’t forget about Tracey.” GOMmIichooks