He was oldish, with bent shoulders, and wore spectacles--probably a clerk of forty years' standing.

In his hand was a small note-book, which he consulted.

He began with measured utterance, emphatic, loud.
'I wish to propose to the lecturer seven questions.

I will read them in order; I have taken some pains to word them clearly.' Richard has his scrap of paper on his knee.

He jots a word or two after each deliberate interrogation, smiling.
Other questioners succeeded.