n entire concurrence,
and that I had since acted in accordance with the customs and
regulations of the community to which I had been allotted. I went on to
say that I had returned under the impression that my presence was
desired by Cynthia, and that I must protest with all my power against
the treatment I had received. I had been arrested and imprisoned with
much violence and contumely, without having had any opportunity of
hearing what my offence was supposed to have been, or having had any
semblance of a trial, and that I could not consider that my usage had
been consistent with the theory of courtesy, order, or justice so
eloquently described by the President.

This onslaught of mine produced an obvious revulsion in my favour. The
President conferred hastily with his colleagues, and then said that my
arrest had indeed been made upon the information of Lucius, and with the
cognisance of the Court; but that he sincerely regretted that I had any
complaint of unhandsome usage to make, and that the matter would be
certainly inquired into. He then added that he understood from my words
that I desired to make a complete submission, and that in that case I
should be acquitted of any evil intentions. My fault appeared to be that
I had yielded too easily to the promptings of an ill-balanced and
speculative disposition, and that if I would undertake to disturb no
longer the peace of the place, and to desist from all further tampering
with the domestic happiness of a much-respected pair, I should be
discharged with a caution, and indeed be admitted again to the
privileges of orderly residence.

"And I will undertake to say," he added, "that the kindness and courtesy
of our community will overlook your fault, and make no further reference
to a course of conduct which appears to have been misguided rather than
deliberately malevolent. We have every desire not to disturb in any way
the tranquillity which it is, above all things, our desire to maintain.
May I conclude, then, that this is your intention?"

"No, sir," I said, "certainly not! With all due respect to the Court,
I cannot submit to the jurisdiction. The only privilege I claim is the
privilege of an alien and a stranger, who in a perfectly peaceful
manner, and with no seditious intent, has re-entered this land, and has
thereupon been treated with gross and unjust violence. I do not for a
moment contest the right of this community to make its own laws and
regulations, b