Such was the young man; and then came the old. To all this inarticulate, hoarse, stammering passion, Mr. Gladstone opposed a speech gentle, persuasive, self-possessed; as admirable in its courtesy as in its reserve of gigantic strength. With the deadly pallor of his face more remarkable than ever--the white hair shining out, as it were, with the peaceful suggestion of calm and strong old age--in a voice, low, soft, gentle--Mr. Gladstone uttered a few words which revealed all the great depths. In completely quiet, almost inaudible tones, he uttered these pregnant words: "As to other passages in the noble lord's speech, I do not know whether he intended to intimidate me; but if he did, I do not think he will succeed." There they are--these few words--so simple, plain, even commonplace; but what a history--what a character--what a grandeur there is behind and beneath them! So splendid are they that even Lord Randolph is touched to the quick, and he rises to explain. The Old Man--suave, calm, unutterably courteous--hears him politely; and then puts the whole case of the Government in a few, dignified, and tranquil words. [Sidenote: In the depths.] But the House, exalted to a higher plane of feeling by this great little speech, was soon dragged down again to the arena of chaos let loose; and, of course, Mr. Chamberlain was the person to lead the way to the dusty pit. Mr. Mellor had very properly attempted to stop the disorderly discussion of the closure; but Mr. Chamberlain was not in the mood to respect the authority of the chair or the traditions of the House of Commons, and audaciously, shamelessly--with a perky self-satisfaction painful to witness--he proceeded to violate the ruling of the chair--to trample on the order of Parliament, and to flout the Chairman. And then the waters of the great deep were loosed. A hurricane of shouts, yells, protests arose. Member got up after member--here, there, everywhere--always excepting the sternly silent Irish Bench, where sate the Irish leaders. A half-dozen men were on their feet--all shouting, gesticulating, speaking at the same time. In short, it was utterly unlike anything ever seen before in the House of Commons; it brought vividly back to the mind the tumultuous French Convention in the days of the French Revolution. [Sidenote: Deeper and deeper still.]