Page "fiction" Paragraph 965

When Alex entered his room, the doctor was already preparing a nest in the straw case, six eggs ready for the hen's attentions.

There was no reference to the incident on the stairs, his powers being absorbed by this more immediate business.

The hen appeared to have no doubts as to her duties and was quick to settle down to the performance of them.

One part of her audience was totally engaged, the connoisseur witnessing a peculiarly fine performance of some ancient classic, the other part, the guest of the connoisseur, attentive as one who must take an intelligent interest in that which he does not fully understand.

The spectacle progressed towards a denouement which was obviously still remote ; ;

the audience attended.

Time elapsed but the doctor was obviously unconscious of its passage until an unwelcome knock on the door interrupted the processes of nature.

Startled, he jumped up to pull hen and case out of view, and Alex went to the door.

He opened it a crack and in doing so made as much shuffling, coughing, and scraping noise as possible in order to drown emanations from the hen who had begun to protest.

It was Giselle, the fille de chambre, come to clean the room, and while she stood before him with ears pricked up and regard all curiosity, explaining her errand, Alex could see from the corner of his eye the doctor doing all he could to calm the displeased bird.

Giselle was reluctant but Alex succeeded in persuading her to come back in five minutes and the door was shut again.