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Show -327- but the majority of the audience xas faculty, not students. As he sat on the s l i g h t l y raised dais, the Professor could see many faces he recognized, some from departments other than his oxm, some friends xrith xrhom he had been more close than xrith anyone he had met during the day. When he had f i r s t entered the h a l l , his stomach had felt heavy from the excellent dinner he had just eaten, his mind weary from the events of the long day. Noxr the sight of his friends present cheered him. He xas nervous, but he had learned to control that in his years of teaching. As the young man xrho xas his host began his introduction by saying there xrere undoubtedly many in the hall more capable of introducing the Professor than he, the adrenilin has begun to floxr. By the time he stood before the lectern, he xas only a l i t t l e tense, and he forgot that as soon as he began to speak. He said much the same thing as he had said in the press conference, but he said i t xrith a l i t t l e more force of conviction because he r e a l l y f e l t that he xas addressing an assembly of his friends. The audience xas a t t e n t i v e and curious. In the question period that followed, the questions were more i n t e l l i g e n t and demanding than those of the reporters, and the Professor found himself saying things he scarcely knexr he believed because he had never been forced to formulate them. His audience listened intently, and, xrhen he finally sat doxm, M the.applauded enthusiastically. A wicker basket had been set on the front of the platform |
