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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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287 pocket; whereupon nearly every other member of the deputation pulled a written paper from his pocket, to check Mr Pugstyles off, as he read the questions. This done, Mr Pugstyles proceeded to business. ‘Question number one.--Whether, sir, you did not give a voluntary pledge previous to your election, that in event of your being returned, you would immediately put down the practice of coughing and groaning in the House of Commons. And whether you did not submit to be coughed and groaned down in the very first debate of the session, and have since made no effort to effect a reform in this respect? Whether you did not also pledge yourself to astonish the government, and make them shrink in their shoes? And whether you have astonished them, and made them shrink in their shoes, or not?’ ‘Go on to the next one, my dear Pugstyles,’ said Mr Gregsbury. ‘Have you any explanation to offer with reference to that question, sir?’ asked Mr Pugstyles. ‘Certainly not,’ said Mr Gregsbury. The members of the deputation looked fiercely at each other, and afterwards at the member. ‘Dear Pugstyles’ having taken a very long stare at Mr Gregsbury over the tops of his spectacles, resumed his list of inquiries. ‘Question number two.--Whether, sir, you did not likewise give a voluntary pledge that you would support your colleague on every occasion; and whether you did not, the night before last, desert him and vote upon the other side, because the wife of a leader on that other side had invited Mrs Gregsbury to an evening party?’ ‘Go on,’ said Mr Gregsbury. ‘Nothing to say on that, either, sir?’ asked the spokesman. |
