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Page 48
'I was too absorbed with Comrade Waller. We were talking of things of
vital moment. However, the night is yet young. We will take this cab,
wend our way to the West, seek a cafe, and cheer ourselves with light
refreshments.'
Arrived at a cafe whose window appeared to be a sort of museum of every
kind of German sausage, they took possession of a vacant table and
ordered coffee. Mike soon found himself soothed by his bright
surroundings, and gradually his impressions of blancmange, Edward, and
Comrade Prebble faded from his mind. Psmith, meanwhile, was preserving
an unusual silence, being deep in a large square book of the sort in
which Press cuttings are pasted. As Psmith scanned its contents a
curious smile lit up his face. His reflections seemed to be of an
agreeable nature.
'Hullo,' said Mike, 'what have you got hold of there? Where did you get
that?'
'Comrade Waller very kindly lent it to me. He showed it to me after
supper, knowing how enthusiastically I was attached to the Cause. Had
you been less tensely wrapped up in Comrade Prebble's conversation, I
would have desired you to step across and join us. However, you now
have your opportunity.'
'But what is it?' asked Mike.
'It is the record of the meetings of the Tulse Hill Parliament,' said
Psmith impressively. 'A faithful record of all they said, all the votes
of confidence they passed in the Government, and also all the nasty
knocks they gave it from time to time.'
'What on earth's the Tulse Hill Parliament?'
'It is, alas,' said Psmith in a grave, sad voice, 'no more. In life it
was beautiful, but now it has done the Tom Bowling act. It has gone
aloft. We are dealing, Comrade Jackson, not with the live, vivid
present, but with the far-off, rusty past. And yet, in a way, there is
a touch of the live, vivid present mixed up in it.'
'I don't know what the dickens you're talking about,' said Mike. 'Let's
have a look, anyway.'
Psmith handed him the volume, and, leaning back, sipped his coffee, and
watched him. At first Mike's face was bored and blank, but suddenly an
interested look came into it.
'Aha!' said Psmith.
'Who's Bickersdyke? Anything to do with our Bickersdyke?'
'No other than our genial friend himself.'
Mike turned the pages, reading a line or two on each.
'Hullo!' he said, chuckling. 'He lets himself go a bit, doesn't he!'
'He does,' acknowledged Psmith. 'A fiery, passionate nature, that of
Comrade Bickersdyke.'
'He's simply cursing the Government here. Giving them frightful beans.'
Psmith nodded.
'I noticed the fact myself.'
'But what's it all about?'
'As far as I can glean from Comrade Waller,' said Psmith, 'about twenty
years ago, when he and Comrade Bickersdyke worked hand-in-hand as
fellow clerks at the New Asiatic, they were both members of the Tulse
Hill Parliament, that powerful institution. At that time Comrade
Bickersdyke was as fruity a Socialist as Comrade Waller is now. Only,
apparently, as he began to get on a bit in the world, he altered his
views to some extent as regards the iniquity of freezing on to a decent
share of the doubloons. And that, you see, is where the dim and rusty
past begins to get mixed up with the live, vivid present. If any
tactless person were to publish those very able speeches made by
Comrade Bickersdyke when a bulwark of the Tulse Hill Parliament, our
revered chief would be more or less caught bending, if I may employ the
expression, as regards his chances of getting in as Unionist candidate
at Kenningford. You follow me, Watson? I rather fancy the light-hearted
electors of Kenningford, from what I have seen of their rather acute
sense of humour, would be, as it were, all over it. It would be very,
very trying for Comrade Bickersdyke if these speeches of his were to
get about.'
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