Everything changed as soon as a guard pushed back the doors. The passive crowd separated into furious entities pushing each other aside. Grace was almost knocked down and only saved by George’s arm from being shoved hard against the jamb. In what seemed seconds the courtroom was filled, filled with rumor and the buzz of excitement. Here people would be judged, flanked by the flag of the United States and the state flag, looked down upon from the high place where the judge in a trial case would be sitting; they would be judged by a group of Senators who made their own rules yet not with any of the usual protections, nor by the usual procedures and they would be judged in front of television cameras. The crew was busily at work now, bringing in standing lights; every now and then a flashbulb went off, practice or a view of the crowd?

Grace felt suddenly afraid for Damon, afraid for them all. She was actually trembling. She looked sideways at George and saw the pulse in his forehead beating. Then she forgot everything and became nothing but a witness, a witness of whatever was about to happen. It had become a play, in which half the actors had been well rehearsed and the other half were at their mercy. It was all so smooth, the filing in of the chairman of the committee followed by two assistant counsels and someone else whom Grace did not recognize. She was struck by the youth of these faces, the untouched look they had; even the chairman, dressed conservatively, with what she felt was a falsely grave look—for in a moment he turned to the young man beside him and made a sotto voce remark which brought smiles to both their faces—even he, the Senator himself looked at first glance easy-going, young, quite open as he said scarcely audibly, “The committee will come to order.” He reminded the photographers that they would not be permitted to take pictures while the witnesses were testifying. Where were the witnesses? Grace realized suddenly that she had not noticed Damon come in, but there he was, sitting at a table his back to her talking to his lawyer, a gray-haired pink-faced man, who seemed quite at ease. The Senator was making a speech now, very dignified and sure of himself. He thanked various state officials for their co-operation, advised the Massachusetts State Commission sitting in the jury box on his right that he would be glad to ask the witness any questions they might wish asked and made it clear that he was at their service. He then turned to the marshal and suggested that he allow as many people as possible into the room, since “this is supposed to be a public hearing.”