mesoastoavoidtheordeal,butMr.Bacothadreservedforheraprominentseatontheplatform.
“Areyounervous,Eddie?”shesaid,feelingmorekindlydisposedtohimfromhisapproachingtrial.
“Me,nervous?WhathaveIgottobenervousabout?”
Thehallwasindeedcrammedwiththemosteager,smelly,enthusiasticcrowdBerthahadeverseen.Thegas-jetsflarednoisily,throwingcrudelightsonthepeople,sailors,tradesmen,labourers,andboys.Ontheplatform,inasemi-circleliketheimmortalgods,satthenotabilitiesoftheneighborhood,Conservativestothebackbone.Berthalookedroundwithapprehension,buttriedtocalmherselfwiththethoughtthattheywerestupidpeopleandshehadnocausetotremblebeforethem.
PresentlytheVicartookthechairandinafewwell-chosenwordsintroducedMr.Craddock.
“Mr.Craddock,likegoodwine,needsnobush.Youallknowhim,andanintroductionissuperfluous.Stillitiscustomaryonsuchanoccasiontosayafewwordsonbehalfofthecandidate,andIhavegreatpleasure,&c.,&c....”
NowEdwardrosetohisfeet,andBertha’sbloodrancold.Shedarednotlookattheaudience.Headvancedwithhishandsinhispockets—hehadinsistedondressinghimselfupinafrock-coatandthemostdismalpepper-and-salttrousers.
“Mr.Chairman,LadiesandGentlemen—UnaccustomedtopublicspeakingasIam....”
Berthalookedupwithastart.Couldamanattheendofthenineteenthcentury,seriouslybeginanorationwiththosewords!Buthewasnotjokinghewentongravely,and,lookingaround,Berthacaughtnottheshadowofasmile.Edwardwasnotintheleastnervous,hequicklygotintotheswingofhisspeech—anditwasterrible!Heintroducedeveryhackneyedphraseheknew,hemingledslangincongruouslywithpompouslanguageandhissillyjokes,chestnutsofgreatantiquity,madeBerthawritheandshudder.Shewonderedthathecouldgoonwithsuchself-possession.Didhenotseethathewasmakinghimselfperfectlyabsurd!ShedarednotlookupforfearofcatchingthesniggersofMrs.BrandertonandoftheHancocks:“OneseeswhathewasbeforehemarriedMissLey.Ofcoursehe’saquiteuneduca