The M.P.begged to ask a question: Were there to be questions and a discussion?
The A.C.G.glanced at a paper before him, and rose.

He apologised for omitting to mention it before, but H.Q.thought it would be subverse of all discipline if, let us say, privates should be allowed to get up and argue with the officers who might have addressed them.

They all knew what might be said in the heat of argument.

Also, if he might venture to say so, some of their lecturers, though primed with the right lecture, might not be such experts that they could answer every question, and plainly failure to satisfy a questioner might be disastrous.

But questions could be written and replies given at the next lecture.