Mr. Langford's
evidence would seem to be of an equal value throughout. The testimony
of Benjamin Somers disproves his first statement, and the testimony
of the last witness disproves his second. I think we may conclude that
Mr. Langford fell asleep in the train on the occasion of his journey
to Clayborough, and dreamt an unusually vivid and circumstantial
dream,--of which, however, we have now heard quite enough."
There are few things more annoying than to find one's positive
convictions met with incredulity. I could not help feeling impatience
at the turn that affairs had taken. I was not proof against the civil
sarcasm of the chairman's manner. Most intolerable of all, however,
was the quiet smile lurking about the corners of Benjamin Somers's
mouth, and the half-triumphant, half-malicious gleam in the eyes of
the under-secretary. The man was evidently puzzled, and somewhat
alarmed. His looks seemed furtively to interrogate me. Who was I? What
did I want? Why had I come there to do him an ill turn with his
employers? What was it to me whether or no he was absent without leave?
Seeing all this, and perhaps more irritated by it than the thing
deserved, I begged leave to detain the attention of the board for a
moment longer.
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