"It must require the voice of an ox," he thought, "and the skin of
an alligator. Alas! How deficient I am in public qualities!" But his
self-depreciation was here cut off with the electric light. At this
sheer intervention of Providence Mr. Lavender, listening to the
disentangling sounds which rose in the black room, became aware that he
had a chance such as he had not yet had of being heard.

"Stay, my friends!" he said; "here in darkness we can see better the
true proportions of this great question of free speech. There are some
who contend that in a democracy every opinion should be heard; that,
just because the good sense of the majority will ever lead the country
into the right paths, the minority should be accorded full and fair
expression, for they cannot deflect the country's course, and because
such expression acts as a healthful safety-valve. Moreover, they say
there is no way of preventing the minority from speaking save that of
force, which is unworthy of a majority, and the negation of what we are
fighting for in this war. But I say, following the great leader-writers,
that in a time of national danger nobody ought to say anything except
what is in accord with the opinions of the majority; for only in this
way can we present a front which will seem to be united to our common
enemies. I say, and since I am the majority I must be in the right, that
no one who disagrees with me must say anything if we are to save the
cause of freedom and humanity. I deprecate violence, but I am thoroughly
determined to stand no nonsense, and shall not hesitate to suppress
by every means in the power of the majority--including, if need be,
Prussian measures--any whisper from those misguided and unpatriotic
persons whose so-called principles induce them to assert their right to
have opinions of their own. This has ever been a free country, and they
shall not imperil its freedom by their volubility and self-conceit."
Here Mr. Lavender paused for breath, and in the darkness a faint
noise, as of a mouse scrattling at a wainscot, attracted his attention.
"Wonderful," he thought, elated by the silence, "that I should so have
succeeded in riveting their attention as to be able to hear a mouse
gnawing. I must have made a considerable impression." And, fearing to
spoil it by further speech, he set to work to grope his way round the
chapel wall in the hope of coming to the door. He had gone but a little
way when his outstretched hand cam