Whatever pretence of business had been going on was stopped
in a moment, and Mr. Gresham rose to make his statement. "It was with
the deepest regret,--nay, with the most profound sorrow,--that he was
called upon to inform the House that his right honourable friend and
colleague, Mr. Bonteen, had been basely and cruelly murdered during
the past night." It was odd then to see how the name of the man, who,
while he was alive and a member of that House, could not have been
pronounced in that assembly without disorder, struck the members
almost with dismay. "Yes, his friend Mr. Bonteen, who had so lately
filled the office of President of the Board of Trade, and whose
loss the country and that House could so ill bear, had been beaten
to death in one of the streets of the metropolis by the arm of a
dastardly ruffian during the silent watches of the night." Then Mr.
Gresham paused, and every one expected that some further statement
would be made. "He did not know that he had any further communication
to make on the subject.
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