The world was well rid of a swine like that! His face was contorted, and his eyes kept gleaming red as he talked, and he came to the end of his outburst, trembling and panting.
Mr.Flexen was unmoved and unenlightened.

It was merely the outburst of a badly-frightened man lacking in self-control, and told him nothing.

It left it equally likely that Hutchings had, or had not, committed the crime.
"There's nothing to get so frantic about," he said quietly to the panting man.

"It doesn't do any good." "It's all very well to talk like that, sir," said Hutchings in a shaky voice.

"But I know what people are saying.