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A tremendous hullaboo began outside； and a lot of fresh people came
into the room。
Isabel； flushed but not out of breath； Heaven knows where she had
sprung from at that time of night！ was running her hand down my
sleeve almost caressingly； with the innocent bold affection of a
girl。 〃Got you in！〃 she said。 〃It's been no end of a lark。〃
〃And now；〃 said I； 〃I must go and be constructive。〃
〃Now you must go and be constructive；〃 she said。
〃You've got to live here；〃 she added。
〃By Jove！ yes；〃 I said。 〃We'll have to house hunt。〃
〃I shall read all your speeches。〃
She hesitated。
〃I wish I was you；〃 she said； and said it as though it was not
exactly the thing she was meaning to say。
〃They want you to speak；〃 said Margaret； with something unsaid in
her face。
〃You must come out with me；〃 I answered； putting my arm through
hers； and felt someone urging me to the French windows that gave on
the balcony。
〃If you think〃 she said； yielding gladly
〃Oh； RATHER！〃 said I。
The Mayor of Kinghamstead； a managing little man with no great
belief in my oratorical powers； was sticking his face up to mine。
〃It's all over；〃 he said； 〃 and you've won。 Say all the nice things
you can and say them plainly。〃
I turned and handed Margaret out through the window and stood
looking over the Market…place； which was more than half filled with
swaying people。 The crowd set up a roar of approval at the sight of
us； tempered by a little booing。 Down in one corner of the square a
fight was going on for a flag； a fight that even the prospect of a
speech could not instantly check。 〃Speech！〃 cried voices； 〃Speech！〃
and then a brief 〃boo…oo…oo〃 that was drowned in a cascade of shouts
and cheers。 The conflict round the flag culminated in the smashing
of a pane of glass in the chemist's window and instantly sank to
peace。
〃Gentlemen voters of the Kinghamstead Division；〃 I began。
〃Votes for Women！〃 yelled a voice； amidst laughterthe first time I
remember hearing that memorable war…cry。
〃Three cheers for Mrs。 Remington！〃
〃Mrs。 Remington asks me to thank you；〃 I said； amidst further uproar
and reiterated cries of 〃Speech！〃
Then silence came with a startling swiftness。
Isabel was still in my mind； I suppose。 〃I shall go to
Westminster；〃 I began。 I sought for some compelling phrase and
could not find one。 〃To do my share；〃 I went on； 〃in building up a
great and splendid civilisation。〃
I paused； and there was a weak gust of cheering； and then a renewal
of booing。
〃This election；〃 I said； 〃 has been the end and the beginning of
much。 New ideas are abroad〃
〃Chinese labour；〃 yelled a voice； and across the square swept a
wildfire of booting and bawling。
It is one of the few occasions when I quite lost my hold on a
speech。 I glanced sideways and saw the Mayor of Kinghamstead
speaking behind his hand to Parvill。 By a happy chance Parvill
caught my eye。
〃What do they want？〃 I asked。
〃Eh？〃
〃What do they want？〃
〃Say something about general fairnessthe other side；〃 prompted
Parvill； flattered but a little surprised by my appeal。 I pulled
myself hastily into a more popular strain with a gross eulogy of my
opponent's good taste。
〃Chinese labour！〃 cried the voice again。
〃You've given that notice to quit；〃 I answered。
The Market…place roared delight； but whether that delight expressed
hostility to Chinamen or hostility to their practical enslavement no
student of the General Election of 1906 has ever been able to
determine。 Certainly one of the most effective posters on our side
displayed a hideous yellow face； just that and nothing more。 There
was not even a legend to it。 How it impressed the electorate we did
not know； but that it impressed the electorate profoundly there can
be no disputing。
6
Kinghamstead was one of the earliest constituencies fought； and we
came backit must have been Saturdaytriumphant but very tired； to
our house in Radnor Square。 In the train we read the first
intimations that the victory of our party was likely to be a
sweeping one。
Then came a period when one was going about receiving and giving
congratulations and watching the other men arrive； very like a boy
who has returned to school with the first batch after the holidays。
The London world reeked with the General Election； it had invaded
the nurseries。 All the children of one's friends had got big maps
of England cut up into squares to represent constituencies and were
busy sticking gummed blue labels over the conquered red of Unionism
that had hitherto submerged the country。 And there were also orange
labels； if I remember rightly； to represent the new Labour party；
and green for the Irish。 I engaged myself to speak at one or two
London meetings； and lunched at the Reform； which was fairly tepid；
and dined and spent one or two tumultuous evenings at the National
Liberal Club； which was in active eruption。 The National Liberal
became feverishly congested towards midnight as the results of the
counting came dropping in。 A big green…baize screen had been fixed
up at one end of the large smoking…room with the names of the
constituencies that were voting that day； and directly the figures
came to hand； up they went； amidst cheers that at last lost their
energy through sheer repetition； whenever there was record of a
Liberal gain。 I don't remember what happened when there was a
Liberal loss； I don't think that any were announced while I was
there。
How packed and noisy the place was； and what a reek of tobacco and
whisky fumes we made！ Everybody was excited and talking； making
waves of harsh confused sound that beat upon one's ears； and every
now and then hoarse voices would shout for someone to speak。 Our
little set was much in evidence。 Both the Cramptons were in； Lewis；
Bunting Harblow。 We gave brief addresses attuned to this excitement
and the late hour； amidst much enthusiasm。
Now we can DO things！〃 I said amidst a rapture of applause。 Men I
did not know from Adam held up glasses and nodded to me in solemn
fuddled approval as I came down past them into the crowd again。
Men were betting whether the Unionists would lose more or less than
two hundred seats。
〃I wonder just what we shall do with it all；〃 I heard one sceptic
speculating。 。 。 。
After these orgies I would get home very tired and excited； and find
it difficult to get to sleep。 I would lie and speculate about what
it was we WERE going to do。 One hadn't anticipated quite such a
tremendous accession to power for one's party。 Liberalism was
swirling in like a flood。 。 。 。
I found the next few weeks very unsatisfactory and distressing。 I
don't clearly remember what it was I had expected； I suppose the
fuss and strain