Not, Mr.Delamayn, in the character of a victim to irresistible fatality, or to blind chance; but in the character of a man who has sown the seed, and reaps the harvest.

That, Sir, is the case which I put as an extreme case only, when this discussion began.

As an extreme case only--but as a perfectly possible case, at the same time--I restate it now." Before the advocates of the other side of the question could open their lips to reply, Geoffrey suddenly flung off his indifference, and started to his feet.
"Stop!" he cried, threatening the others, in his fierce impatience to answer for himself, with his clenched fist.
There was a general silence.
Geoffrey turned and looked at Sir Patrick, as if Sir Patrick had personally insulted him.
"Who is this anonymous man, who finds his way to his own ends, and pities nobody and sticks at nothing ?" he asked.

"Give him a name!" "I am quoting an example," said Sir Patrick.

"I am not attacking a man." "What right have you," cried Geoffrey--utterly forgetful, in the strange exasperation that had seized on him, of the interest that he had in controlling himself before Sir Patrick--"what right have you to pick out an example of a rowing man who is an infernal scoundrel--when it's quite as likely that a rowing man may be a good fellow: ay! and a better fellow, if you come to that, than ever stood in your shoes!" "If the one case is quite as likely to occur as the other (which I readily admit)," answered Sir Patrick, "I have surely a right to choose which case I please for illustration.