was as when a criminal hears delivered
against him a damning item of evidence. He knew that he was pale, that every
feature declared his consciousness of guilt. In vain he tried to face the mob
and smile contemptuously. His eyes fell; he stood without the power of speech.
    The yell was repeated, and prolonged, owing to another cause than the
accusation just heard. When the accuser was borne forwards to the cart, a rumour
spread among those more remote that an attack was being made on Mutimer and his
friends. The rumour reached that part of the Green where Redgrave was then
haranguing. At once the listeners faced about in the direction of the supposed
conflict. Redgrave himself leaped down, and called upon all supporters of
Mutimer to follow him. It was the crash between two crowds which led to the
prolonging of the yell.
    The meeting was over, the riot had begun.
    Picture them, the indignant champions of honesty, the avengers of virtue
defamed! Demos was roused, was tired of listening to mere articulate speech; it
was time for a good wild-beast roar, for a taste of bloodshed. Scarcely a face
in all the mob but distorted itself to express as much savagery as can be got
out of the human countenance. Mutimer, seeing what had come, sprang down from
the cart. He was at once carried yards away in an irresistible rush. Impossible
for him and his friends to endeavour to hold their ground: they were too vastly
outnumbered; the most they could do was to hold together and use every
opportunity of retreat, standing in the meanwhile on the defensive. There was no
adequate body of police on the Green; the riot would take its course unimpeded
by the hired servants of the capitalist State. Redgrave little by little fought
his way to within sight of Mutimer; he brought with him a small but determined
contingent. On all sides was the thud of blows, the indignant shouting of the
few who desired to preserve order mingled with the clamour of those who
combated. Demos was having his way; civilisation was blotted out, and club law
proclaimed.
    Mutimer lost his hat in jumping from the cart; in five minutes his waistcoat
and shirt were rent open, whether by friends in guarding him, or by foes in
assailing, it was impossible to say. But his bodyguard held together with
wonderful firmness, only now and then an enemy got near enough to dash a fist in
his face. If he fell into the hands of the mob he was done for; Mutimer knew
that, and was ready to fight for his life. But the