Why, after all, was he seized?
Caterham had been in office two days--just long enough--to grasp his Nettle! Grasp his Nettle! Grasp his Giant Nettle! The refrain once started, sang through his mind, and would not be dismissed.
What, after all, could Caterham do?
He was a religious man.

He was bound in a sort of way by that not to do violence without a cause.
Grasp his Nettle! Perhaps, for example, the Princess was to be seized and sent abroad.

There might be trouble with his son.

In which case--! But why had he been arrested?
Why was it necessary to keep him in ignorance of a thing like that?
The thing suggested--something more extensive.
Perhaps, for example--they meant to lay all the giants by the heels! They were all to be arrested together.

There had been hints of that in the election speeches.