FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   >>  
ve you turned Cocksley Coxon into?" Belturbet asked anxiously, mentioning the name of one of the pillars of unorthodoxy in the Anglican Church. "I don't fancy he BELIEVES in angels, and if he finds an angel preaching orthodox sermons from his pulpit while he's been turned into a fox-terrier, he'll develop rabies in less than no time." "I rather think it was a fox-terrier," said the Duke lazily. Belturbet groaned heavily, and sank into a chair. "Look here, Eugene," he whispered hoarsely, having first looked well round to see that no one was within hearing range, "you've got to stop it. Consols are jumping up and down like bronchos, and that speech of Halfour's in the House last night has simply startled everybody out of their wits. And then on the top of it, Thistlebery--" "What has he been saying?" asked the Duke quickly. "Nothing. That's just what's so disturbing. Every one thought it was simply inevitable that he should come out with a great epoch-making speech at this juncture, and I've just seen on the tape that he has refused to address any meetings at present, giving as a reason his opinion that something more than mere speech-making was wanted." The young Duke said nothing, but his eyes shone with quiet exultation. "It's so unlike Thistlebery," continued Belturbet; "at least," he said suspiciously, "it's unlike the REAL Thistlebery--" "The real Thistlebery is flying about somewhere as a vocally-industrious lapwing," said the Duke calmly; "I expect great things of the Angel-Thistlebery," he added. At this moment there was a magnetic stampede of members towards the lobby, where the tape-machines were ticking out some news of more than ordinary import. "COUP D'ETAT in the North. Thistlebery seizes Edinburgh Castle. Threatens civil war unless Government expands naval programme." In the babel which ensued Belturbet lost sight of his young friend. For the best part of the afternoon he searched one likely haunt after another, spurred on by the sensational posters which the evening papers were displaying broadcast over the West End. "General Baden-Baden mobilizes Boy-Scouts. Another COUP D'ETAT feared. Is Windsor Castle safe?" This was one of the earlier posters, and was followed by one of even more sinister purport: "Will the Test-match have to be postponed?" It was this disquietening question which brought home the real seriousness of the situation to the London public, and made people
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   >>  



Top keywords:
Thistlebery
 

Belturbet

 

speech

 

Castle

 

simply

 
posters
 
making
 

unlike

 
turned
 

terrier


flying

 

import

 
seizes
 

Threatens

 
vocally
 

Edinburgh

 
moment
 
members
 

magnetic

 

things


expect

 

stampede

 

ordinary

 

lapwing

 

ticking

 

machines

 

calmly

 

industrious

 

searched

 

earlier


sinister

 
purport
 

Another

 

Scouts

 

feared

 
Windsor
 

situation

 
seriousness
 

London

 
public

people
 

brought

 
postponed
 
disquietening
 

question

 

mobilizes

 
friend
 

afternoon

 
ensued
 

expands