"
"Exoneration!" echoed Fenton, starting to his feet, his face pale with
excitement which easily passed for virtuous indignation. "Do you fancy
I would stoop to exonerate myself from such a charge? Since when has
the testimony of servants been received in a club of gentlemen?"
He had his cue, and he felt perfectly safe in letting himself go. He
was frightened at the possible consequences of the coil in which he had
become involved, since he foresaw easily enough that while his only
course was to carry things through with a high hand, his words had
already bitterly incensed the Secretary and might in the end set the
committee also against him. He experienced a wild delight, however, in
giving vent to his excitement in any form, and this simulation of
burning indignation served to relieve his pent-up nervousness. He did
believe the principle upon which with so much quickness he had hit as
his best defence, and could with all his force sustain it. He looked
about the room in silence a moment, but nobody was quick enough to pin
him down to facts and insist upon his denying or allowing the charge
brought against him. The indisputable correctness of his position that
a servant's testimony could not be taken against a member in a club of
gentlemen confounded them, and before any one thought of the right
thing to say, Fenton continued, with growing indignation,--
"Why I personally should be chosen for insult by this committee I will
not attempt to decide, although the source of the malice is to be
guessed from the manner in which the evidence was brought to their
notice.
Pages:
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230