The most that they could get from him was, that perhaps an old woman, with more money than wit, might go over it on a Sunday afternoon, if--which he did not believe--any old woman existed, _in that part of the world_, who had more money than wit.
This witness was kept in the chair for three days, during which Mr.Vigil was nearly driven wild by the loss of his valuable time.

But he did not complain.

Nor would he have complained, though he might have absented himself, had the witness been kept in the chair three weeks instead of three days.

The expense of the committee, including witnesses, shorthand-writers, and printing, was about L60 a day, but it never occurred to any one of the number to get up and declare with indignation, that such a waste of money and time on so palpably absurd a scheme was degrading, and to demand an immediate close of their labours.

It all went smoothly to the end, and Mr.Nogo walked off from his task with the approving conscience of a patriotic legislator.
At the close the members met to prepare their report.