This speaker spoke for about three-quarters of an hour, and then at last
Geoffrey stood up. One or two other members rose at the same time, but
ultimately they gave way.
He began slowly--and somewhat tamely, as it seemed to Beatrice, whose
heart was in her mouth--but when he had been speaking for about five
minutes, he warmed up. And then began one of the most remarkable
oratorical displays of that Parliament. Geoffrey had spoken well before,
and would speak well again, but perhaps he never spoke so well as he
did upon that night. For nearly an hour and a half he held the House in
chains, even the hoots and interruptions died away towards the end of
his oration. His powerful presence seemed to tower in the place, like
that of a giant among pigmies, and his dark, handsome face, lit with the
fires of eloquence, shone like a lamp. He leaned forward with a slight
stoop of his broad shoulders, and addressed himself, nominally to the
Speaker, but really to the Opposition. He took their facts one by one,
and with convincing logic showed that they were no facts; amid a hiss of
anger he pulverised their arguments and demonstrated their motives.
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