The last-comer to that strange platform, after standing for some seconds with her back to the people and talking to Ernestine Blunt, the tall figure in a long sage-green dust coat and familiar hat, had turned and glanced apprehensively at the crowd.
The girl down in the crowd locked her hands together and stood motionless.
The Socialist had left the platform with the threat that he was 'coming down now to attend to that microbe that's vitiating the air on my right, while a lady will say a few words to you--if she can myke 'erself 'eard.'
He retired to a chorus of cheers and booing, while the chairman, more harassed than ever, it would seem, but determined to create a diversion, was saying that some one had suggested--'and it's such a good idea I'd like you to listen to it--that a clause shall be inserted in the next Suffrage Bill that shall expressly give to each Cabinet Minister, and to any respectable man, the power to prevent a vote being given to the female members of his family, on his public declaration of their lack of sufficient intelligence to entitle them to one.'
'Now, I ask you to listen as quietly as you can to a lady who is not accustomed to speaking--a--in Trafalgar Square, or--a--as a matter of fact, at all.'
The chairman was dreadfully flustered at the unfortunate turn his speech had taken.
'A lady who, as I've said, will tell you, if you'll behave yourselves----'
'Will tell you something of her impression of police-court justice in this country.'
Jean stole a wondering look at Stonor's sphinx-like face as Vida Levering came forward.
There she stood, obviously very much frightened, with the unaccustomed colour coming and going in her white face--farther back than any of the practised speakers--there she stood like one who too much values the space between her and the mob voluntarily to lessen it by half an inch. The voice was steady enough, though low, as she began.
She flushed, came nearer to the edge of the platform, and raised the key a little.
'I just wanted to tell you that I was--I was present in the police court when the women were charged for creating a disturbance.'
'You oughtn't to get mix'd up in wot didn't concern you!'
'Give the lady a hearing,' said a shabby art-student, magisterially. He seemed not ill-pleased when he had drawn a certain number of eyes to his long hair, picturesque hat, and flowing Byronic tie.