"Are you aware, sir, that the Strathaivron Branch of the
Land League met last week and passed a resolution declaring salmon to be
ground-game? What are you to do with people like that? How are you to
reason with them? What is the use of pacifying them? They are in the
hands of violent and malevolent revolutionaries--it is war they
want--it is 1789 they want--it is plunder and robbery and confiscation
they want--and the right of every man to live idle at the cost of the
state! Why, God bless my soul! the idea that you are to try to pacify
these ignorant savages--"
But here Lionel, who began to fancy that he had discovered another
Octavius Quirk, was afforded relief; for the minister himself appeared;
and at the very sight of him Lord Fareborough indignantly quitted the
room. The minister, who was a rather irascible-looking little man with a
weather-reddened face and rusty whiskers, inquired of Lionel whether it
was possible to procure a glass of milk; but when Lionel rang the bell
and had some brought for him, the minister observed that milk by itself
was a dangerous thing in the morning; whereupon the butler had to be
sent for, who produced the spirit-decanter; and then, and finally, the
minister, boldly discarding the milk altogether, poured out for himself
a good solid dram, and drank it off with much evident satisfaction.
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