"The speech of Lord **** last night upon the much discussed subject of the sugar question, has no doubt been read and commented upon, in their various ways, and according to their different impressions--shall we say prejudices?--by our readers. The performance, it is upon all hands agreed, was masterly, and, as far as eloquence is concerned, that the accomplished statesman who uttered this remarkable speech did only justice to..." "Well--well--well--_well_," in a sneering tone--"I really do wonder how long you could go on droning and dinning, and dinning and droning such palpably empty editorial nonsense as that into a man's ears. Now, I would be glad to ask you--merely to ask you, as a rational woman, Mrs. Melwyn--what possible amusement or profit can be drawn from a long exordium which says absolutely nothing--tells one absolutely nothing but what every one knew before--stuff with which all editors of newspapers seem to think it necessary to preface their remarks. What in the name of--is the use of wasting your breath and my patience--can't you skip? Are you a mere reading machine, madam?" "Shall I pass on to the next subject?" "No, that's not my meaning--if you could take a meaning. What I want is only what every rational person expects when these confounded lucubrations of a stupid newspaper editor are read up--that the reader will have the sense to leave all these useless phrases and useless syllables out, and give the pith and marrow to the listener. Well--well, never mind--if you can't, you can't: get on, at all events." Mrs. Melwyn colored faintly, looked nervous and uneasy--glanced down the columns of the newspaper, and hesitated. "Well--can't you go on? What's the use of sitting there looking like a child of six years old, who's afraid of being whipped? If you can't, you can't--if you haven't the sense you haven't, but for ---- sake get on." "'Mr. **** rose, and in a manner upon which we can not exactly bestow our approbation, but which, nevertheless, seemed to us in an unaccountable manner to obtain the ear and the attention of a very crowded house, &c., &c.'" "There you are again! why the deuce can't you pass over all that, and tell us what the confounded blockheads on that side did really say?" "I read this debate to you yesterday, you know. These are only the editor's remarks upon it. Shall I give you the summary of last night's debate?" "No, let's hear what the fool says upon this cursed sugar question. He's against the measure, that's one comfort." "He does not seem to be so exactly," glancing down the page. "I'll take the liberty of judging that matter myself, Mrs. Melwyn, if you'll only be so particularly obliging as to read on." Which she did. Now reproached for reading in such a low, cluttering manner, with that d----d soft voice of hers, that it was impossible to hear; and when she raised it, asked, "What the deuce was the use of shouting so as to be heard by the fellows in the servants' hall?"