Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/169

 learnt to know and understand one another, that our common life will be happy and blessed. If these hours can contribute to that end, my aims will be accomplished."

Bowing slightly, he left the rostrum.

A of clothes and a hum of voices went through the room as he finished. They were quite overcome with pleasure and surprise. The most sanguine of them had never in their wildest dreams hoped for such freedom of speech. But the hints in the curate's last words threw a vague gloom over their spirits. It had not occurred to them before that this meeting might have far-reaching consequences. They all looked towards the weaver, who at last pulled up his long limp figure from the end of a bench in the front row, and slowly entered the rostrum. He expressed the thanks of the meeting for the "stimulating" address in a remarkably few and dry words, and then proceeded—according to the usage of meetings—to ask the audience if any one wished to make any remarks on the discourse, "that is to say, if Mr Hansted has no objection," he added, turning with a smile to Emanuel, who silently shook his head.