Читать книгу The Plumed Serpent. Historical Novel - Life and Love after the Mexico Revolution онлайн

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‘Won’t you have one?’ said Kate, handing the plate to Judge Burlap.

‘Don’t want any,’ he snapped, turning his face away as if he had been offered a plate of Mexicans, and leaving Kate with the dish suspended.

Mrs Norris quickly but definitely took the plate, saying:

‘Judge Burlap is afraid of Sesame Seed, he prefers the cave shut.’ And she handed the dish quietly to Cipriano, who was watching the old man’s bad manners with black, snake-like eyes.

‘Did you see that article by Willis Rice Hope, in the Excelsior?’ suddenly snarled the Judge, to his hostess.

‘I did. I thought it very sensible.’

‘The only sensible thing that’s been said about these Agrarian Laws. Sensible! I should think so. Why Rice Hope came to me, and I put him up to a few things. But his article says EVERYTHING, doesn’t miss an item of importance.’

‘Quite!’ said Mrs Norris, with rather stony attention. ‘If only SAYING would alter things, Judge Burlap.’

‘Saying the wrong thing has done all the mischief!’ snapped the Judge. ‘Fellows like Garfield Spence coming down here and talking a lot of criminal talk. Why the town’s full of Socialists and Sinvergüenzas from New York.’