LORD BEACONSFIELD. 63 



by my business office, which adjoined, and get in through 

 a back entrance, which led into the building. On arriving 

 there we found the door locked, and all our knocking 

 and banging proved ineffectual to gain admission, the 

 waiters and assistants inside having been strictly ordered 

 not to admit any one that way. In vain I told them it 

 was Lord Beaconsficld, and that we must get in. They 

 only laughed and said, " That won't do for us — that's no 

 Lord Beaconsfield," and thought it was some attempt 

 by people to use his name to obtain admittance. I then 

 told them to go and fetch the Secretary, Mr. Geo. Fell, 

 but nothing would persuade the senseless blockheads to 

 do so. 



In the meantime his lordship sat down and Avaitcd 

 patiently. When Mr. Denson, the Superintendent of 

 the Police, came to us we again thundered for admission, 

 but without avail. At last Lord Beaconsfield turned 

 round, and with a sly twinkle in his eye, said, " Have 

 you got no experienced burglar about here ? " Denson 

 replied, "If I had authority, my lord, I'd soon get 

 admission." "Well," I said, "I will give you that, as I 

 am one of the Directors of the Market Company ; " and 

 he then went into the Butchers' Mf^rket, and returning 

 with a large iron meat-hook, wrenched the lock off the 

 door, and in that way the Prime Minister of England 

 entered the hall to make his great speech. 



Never shall I forget the scene we encountered as I 

 walked through the hall to conduct him to his seat next 

 the Chairman. The whole audience rose ; the cheering 

 and clapping of hands, the waving of handkerchiefs 

 from the ladies in the gallery, continued for several 



