“Excuse me,” put in Doctor Johnson, “but where do you find that suggestion?  ‘Here’ is not very definite.  Where is ’here’?”

“In the complaint-book, which I hold in my hand,” returned Demosthenes, putting a pebble in his mouth so that he might enunciate more clearly.

A frown ruffled the serenity of Doctor Johnson’s brow.

“In the complaint-book, eh?” he said, slowly.  “I thought house committees were not expected to pay any attention to complaints in complaint-books.  I never heard of its being done before.”

“Well, I can’t say that I have either,” replied Demosthenes, chewing thoughtfully on the pebble, “but I suppose complaint-books are the places for complaints.  You don’t expect people to write serial stories or dialect poems in them, do you?”

“That isn’t the point, as the man said to the assassin who tried to stab him with the hilt of his dagger,” retorted Doctor Johnson, with some asperity.  “Of course, complaint-books are for the reception of complaints—­nobody disputes that.  What I want to have determined is whether it is necessary or proper for the complaints to go further.”

“I fancy we have a legal right to take the matter up,” said Blackstone, wearily; “though I don’t know of any precedent for such action.  In all the clubs I have known the house committees have invariably taken the ground that the complaint-book was established to guard them against the annoyance of hearing complaints.  This one, however, has been forced upon us by our secretary, and in view of the age of the complainants I think we cannot well decline to give them a specific answer.  Respect for age is de rigueur at all times, like clean hands.  I’ll second the motion.”

“I think the Poets’ Corner entirely unnecessary,” said Confucius.  “This isn’t a class organization, and we should resist any effort to make it or any portion of it so.  In fact, I will go further and state that it is my opinion that if we do any legislating in the matter at all, we ought to discourage rather than encourage these poets.  They are always littering the club up with themselves.  Only last Wednesday I came here with a guest—­no less a person than a recently deceased Emperor of China—­and what was the first sight that greeted our eyes?”

“I give it up,” said Doctor Johnson.  “It must have been a catacornered sight, whatever it was, if the Emperor’s eyes slanted like yours.”

“No personalities, please, Doctor,” said Sir Walter Raleigh, the chairman, rapping the table vigorously with the shade of a handsome gavel that had once adorned the Roman Senate-chamber.

“He’s only a Chinaman!” muttered Johnson.

“What was the sight that greeted your eyes, Confucius?” asked Cassius.