"Tom Purdom-A Proper Place To Live" - читать интересную книгу автора (Purdom Tom)

complain, with a simple movement of her other hand.
 A plump, tousle-haired girl raised her fist at the back of the crowd. "Where's our music? What have
you done with our music?"
The young man stopped in front of the door stoop and Lady Millicent handed him Sir Harold's note.
"Where's our music?" the girl repeated. "What are you doing with Mr. Tyler's invention?"
"Mr. Tyler's device," Lady Millicent said, "is silent right now because he is explaining its workings to a
gentleman who may be able to do him some service."
"The only service he needs is a little work with an axe," one of the stout men who had been arguing
with Mr. Tyler said.
Lady Millicent turned toward the man and raised her eyebrows. His smile faded and his face slowly
reddened. She transferred her attention to another aspect of the scene in front of her and the stout man
made a little half step and disappeared behind a tall tradesman.
Like Sir Harold, Lady Millicent could only employ the powers customarily associated with her station.
Most of the time, fortunately, that was all she needed.
The orator in the pulpit -- Mr. Herbert according to the news item -- was still preaching, even though
the music had stopped, and a number of the people who had been standing in the street were drifting
toward his post. Every word he was saying could be heard at this end of the street. The tousle-haired
young girl had turned away from the Lady standing on Mr. Tyler's step but now she was advancing, with
her head lowered and her fists clenched, toward three older women who were standing between her and
the edge of the crowd around the pulpit. Two bouncy-looking boys joined her while Lady Millicent
watched and a pair of older men came in from the right and fell into line with the three women.
Mr. Herbert was speaking of the rights God had given His creatures. He was talking about the beauty
of intelligence and calm reflection and he had already made a few mentions of our moral duty to resist
with all our might the emissaries of sin and evil. The crowd on the street, in Lady Millicent's opinion, was
clearly beginning to divide into two camps. She was particularly struck by the way some of the more
experienced-looking people were edging toward the sidelines.
She swept her eyes around the scene with the air of someone who was making sure everything was
satisfactory and then twisted the doorknob and stepped inside.
"I believe things may be getting out of hand, Harold."
"Are you quite sure, Millicent?"
"I am absolutely sure, Harold."
A sigh reached her from the top of the stairs. "If you don't mind, Mr. Tyler...."
The mechanic muttered something inaudible and a moment later Sir Harold stepped onto the second
floor landing and trotted down the stairs with his coat swinging and his walking stick under his arm. He
pulled open the door with a flick of his velvet sleeves and stepped into the open as if he were about to
call for his carriage.
The tousle-haired young girl was standing only three steps from the back of the crowd around the
pulpit. The three older women and their two protectors were eyeing her and her companions with their
parasols and walking sticks held in various all-too-prominent ways. Half a dozen similar groups seemed
to be coalescing in other parts of the street. Voices were beginning to compete with the oration
emanating from the pulpit. A few of the people standing in front of Mr. Tyler's house pressed forward
and Sir Harold smiled at them pleasantly.
"I think I'd better have a word with that fellow, Millicent. I'll be back in a few minutes. Excuse me
there, will you please? Thank you. Thank you."
The sound of Mr. Telemann's bour├йe reached him when he was halfway down the street. He had
expected it but he glanced back anyway and was relieved to note that Lady Millicent was engrossed in
conversation with two middle-aged, rather over-dressed, women. Their hats and their broad backs were
bobbing up and down with some animation and it was quite clear no one was going to reach Mr. Tyler's
door as long as Lady Millicent's companions were enjoying the attention of the Personage standing on the
step.