Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/170

 "Well, then, anybody can address the meeting," he said, waving his hand towards the audience.

Immediately a figure on one of the middle benches started up, a little, ugly, poorly dressed woman, whose appearance roused a general commotion. Some even began to hiss, and shout "sit down." But she was evidently used both to appearing in public and to meeting opposition. Without paying the slightest attention to the disturbance, in an almost inaudible voice, like the mewing of a cat in a bag, and shewing absolutely toothless gums, she began, aided by mechanical gestures with her claw-like hand, to put a string of questions to the curate, whom she persisted in calling "the last honourable speaker." All that the curate had said was maybe very right and fine, she began. But what she wanted to know was, what he thought of the laws on taxation, and the new school orders. And she wished to know how the honourable speaker was disposed to the introduction of the new appendix to the hymn-book, and whether he thought it right that a man with fourteen cows should not let his labourers have a bit of grazing in the ditches. And she also wanted to know what he thought of the doctrine of Damnation, the Peace question, and old age annuities.

The disturbance among the people rose higher, and all eyes were again turned to the weaver, who appeared to be closely contemplating the sole of his boot.