temeraire was dubious of this most christian speech , and after erasmus had left them muttered , `` i would not give a fig for the slavers , myself ; and god ought to judge them more quickly , '' a blasphemous remark which made laurence blanch , lest wilberforce should have overheard ; but his attention was fortunately elsewhere at present , on a growing noise at the far end of the long clearing , where a crowd was gathering .