An Audio Intellectual History Bleg

A second little post for the day...

I'm trying to make out the last word in the introduction of Leo Strauss prior to his lecture on "The Socratic Question," given in Claremont, California, on February 15, 1968.*   Here's the text of the introduction (as I hear it):

Several of us contended for this honor. And, in deference to that specific spirit that characterizes Professor Strauss--if not every, single syllable of his work--we tossed a coin, thinking by that means to avoid any conflict. In this instance, chance or fortuna seized me, I hesitate to say, by the forelock.  Everyone in this room knows of Professor Strauss. There is thus no necessity, whatsoever, here to describe him to you.  I therefore say this only: Since we know him, we know, therefore how fortunate and how honored CMC and Claremont Graduate School and Claremont are that he has chosen to retire here and to teach here. Those of us who have studied with him know what a blessing it is to be able to sit before him again. Those of us who are his friends keep silent in public as to the extent of our [????].

You can find the audiofile of the lecture here. The introduction takes up the first minute-and-a-half or so.

What do you hear at the end of the intro?

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* I've already sent a query to the Leo Strauss Center to identify the (presumably bald) speaker.