When he rose to his feet and faced them, there was the same look of defiance on his face that had been there at the previous meeting. In simple language he began to tell them of his experiences on the Congo and there was no straining after effect, but soon he began to see that their attention was engrossed by his words, and he spoke with more feeling.
There are many men in the world who are born orators and yet do not know it, and such a man was Gaunt. Until a few days ago he had never addressed a public meeting in his life, save those of his companies, so he had had no opportunity of discovering the powers that lay dormant in him. There is no more exhilarating feeling than that of the speaker who holds a vast multitude in the hollow of his hand, and who can sway them as he pleases, to laughter, or to tears.
And a great hush fell upon the building as with graphic touch he painted the terrible torturings of a nation. And once more Gaunt realized the baseness of the past that he had played in the Congo, so that when he said the last few solemn words he knew himself to be what he really was.
There was no applause, only a painful hush when he resumed his seat; but still his lips moved, and only Drake who was beside him could catch the muttered words.
“By Heaven, I’ll undo the past.”
Then he chanced to look among the crowd and saw an elderly gentleman of aristocratic appearance seated a few rows from the front, whose overcoat was slightly open, and across his white shirt was the broad ribbon of an order.
“So the Baron has arrived,” Gaunt remarked under his breath, and a tense look came into his eyes.
As soon as the meeting was over, they returned to Park Lane and Drake retired to his room, for he was very tired. Gaunt put on a smoking-jacket and settled down comfortably before the fire, but there was an air of expectation on his face and it was not very long before a footman entered and approached his master.
“Baron de Croiseuil wishes to see you, sir,” he announced.
“Show him in here,” Gaunt replied and then rose to his feet and stood facing the door to await his visitor.