"
"No Malmsey for you, CLARENCE," said the Gracious Parent; "but if
you'd like to sit down a moment, you may."
So new Peer sat in middle chair, Father and Uncle anxiously regarding
him. LORD CHANCELLOR slewed round on Woolsack to see what was going
on behind him. New Peer, making himself quite at home, put on hat;
finding LORD CHANCELLOR staring at him, uplifted it; LORD CHANCELLOR
did same with his. Duke tried it again; LORD CHANCELLOR, comically
half turned round on the Woolsack, followed suit.
"Do it a third time, CLARENCE," whispered H.R.H., entering into fun
of thing. So the new Peer, always with his eyes gravely fixed on LORD
CHANCELLOR, who, in the excitement of the moment, had got his left leg
cocked over the Woolsack, did it a third time; LORD CHANCELLOR did the
same; Princesses in the Gallery sweetly smiling; Garter King-at-Arms
totting off the number of salutes; and Black Rod thanking his stars
that presently, when they left the House, he could walk face forward,
not as when he visited the Commons, walking backward like a crab.
"I think that'll do," said H.R.H. "HALSBURY is in very uncomfortable
attitude; besides this is a sort of game that palls after the third
round. Go and say good-bye to HALSBURY, and we'll go and have a cup
of tea with your mother."
Procession reformed; New Peer led up to Woolsack, where LORD
CHANCELLOR, with little gesture of surprise, as if he had only now
caught sight of him for first time, shook hands with him.
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