I was to be admitted, as a lamb to the slaughter, and allowed to take my
place as if for further examination. The Chairman was then to inform me
coldly that the Committee did not desire to have anything more to say to
me. The members were thereupon solemnly to hand me back the copies of my
statement as so much waste paper, and I was to be suffered to slink away
with what countenance I could maintain in such disgrace.
But this plan required the active co-operation of every member of
the Committee; and whilst the majority regarded it as an august and
impressive vindication of the majesty of parliament, the minority
regarded it with equal conviction as a puerile tomfoolery, and declined
altogether to act their allotted parts in it. Besides, they did not
all want to part with the books. For instance, Mr Hugh Law, being an
Irishman, with an Irishman's sense of how to behave like a gallant
gentleman on occasion, was determined to be able to assure me that
nothing should induce him to give up my statement or prevent him from
obtaining and cherishing as many copies as possible. (I quote this as
an example to the House of Lords of the right thing to say in such
emergencies). So the program had to be modified. The minority could not
prevent the enraged majority from refusing to examine me further; nor
could the Chairman refuse to communicate that decision to me. Neither
could the minority object to the secretary handing me back such copies
as he could collect from the majority. And at that the matter was left.
The doors were opened; the audience trooped in; I was called to my place
in the dock (so to speak); and all was ready for the sacrifice.