Twice he essayed to speak, but his mouth refused to utter the words.

What he did say was strange to me, when he got it out at last.

'I was right'-- I heard him whisper, almost to himself--'I knew, I knew.' He repeated those words several times.

It was then I saw that his self-control arose from the fact that although he was terrified he did not appear to be so greatly surprised.

Surprised he was, but not in the way I had expected.