All the absurdity of the thing rose up before me.

In my confusion I could not utter a word.

A man with more moral courage might have spoken out; acknowledged the shame and folly of his conduct and apologized.

I could not." "Elster's folly! Elster's folly!" thought the barrister.

"You never had the slightest spark of moral courage," he observed aloud, in pained tones.