I Believe [antikvár]

CHAPTER ONEMiss Mathilda Hockersnickler of Upper Little Puddle-patch sat at her half opened window. The book she was reading attracted her whole attention. A funeral cortege went by without her shadow falling across the fine lace curtains adorning her windows. An altercation between two neighbours went unremarked by a movement of the aspidistra framing the centre of the lower window. Miss Mathilda was reading.Putting down the book upon her lap for a moment, she raised her steel-rimmed spectacles to her forehead while she rubbed at her red-rimmed eyes. Then, putting her spectacles back in place upon her rather prominent nose, she picked up the book and read some more.In a cage a green and yellow parrot, beady-eyed, looked down with some curiosity. Then there was a raucous squawk. Tolly want out, Polly want out!'Miss Mathilda Hockersnickler jumped to her feet with a start. 'Oh, good gracious me,' she exclaimed, 'I am so sorry my poor little darling, I quite forgot to transfer you to your perch.'Carefully she opened the door of the gilt wire cage and, putting a hand inside, she lifted the somewhat tattered old parrot and gently drew him through the opened cage door. Tolly want out, Polly want out!' squawked the parrot again.'Oh, you stupid bird,' replied Miss Mathilda. 'You ARE out, I am going to put you on your perch.' So saying, she put the parrot on the crossbar of a five foot pole which at its distal end resulted in a tray or catch-pan. Carefully she put a little chain around the parrot's left leg, and then made sure that the water bowl and the seed bowl at one end of the support were full.