Since all the atmosphere had been built up to this point, it seemed only natural that all the blame would eventually fall on him.
But if he was to be scolded, then so be it—this time it would at most amount to an extra theatrical performance, being publicly executed by Vickery in the Lower House.
At least, Arthur felt that his performance on the day of the hearing was at least better than Russell's.
"If a single draft of opinions, a few documents, and some procedural clauses are enough to turn Britain into a police state, then I dare say: Britain has never been strong. Britain's strength comes from parliamentary oversight of the system, from the press's supervision of power, and from MPs like Your Excellency, who excel in both medicine and inquiry, constantly posing challenges. If there truly were people who aspired to establish a despotic state maintained by secret police, their first step would be to abolish open inquiries, not submit a draft for Your Excellency's scrutiny."
