Fenton for feeling aggrieved at the
painful position in which he has been placed entirely without fault on
his part. It is only just to the committee, however, to state that the
charge as presented to them in the first place was supported by
evidence which appeared to them convincing; that Mr. Fenton never
denied it; and that I and, I presume, every member of the committee
supposed until this evening that the letter of apology sent him had
been ample and satisfactory. That it was marked 'confidential' was
certainly not the fault of the committee, who now learn this fact for
the first time."
This statement evidently produced a strong impression. Fenton felt that
it told against him, yet he was more irritated at what he considered
the stupidity of the members in not seeing that Mr. Staggchase had not
touched upon the point at issue at all, than he was by the injury done
to his cause. In the midst of the excitement raging about him he sat,
outwardly perfectly calm and collected. He refused to admit to himself
that after all there was little probability of his motion's being
carried; although in truth at the outset he had intended nothing more
than to take this striking method of stating his grievance against the
committee. He was amused and delighted at the commotion he had caused.
He likened himself to the man who had sown the dragon's teeth, and
while listening keenly to what was being said, he rummaged about in his
memory for the name of that doughty classic hero.
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