Brechalon Read Online Free PDF Page B

can imagine that there will be quite a few
applications for such a device.”’
    “ Really? Like what?”
    “ Well for one thing, you could
calculate artillery trajectories, taking into account force and
angle and such.”
    “ My dear Miss Dechantagne, I had no
idea you were so well versed in the art of artillery.”
    “ My brother is an artillery
officer.”
    “ Indeed. And may I say how
attractive it is to see a woman who has such a keen intellect
beyond the usual fields of art, music, and literature.”
    “ You may,” said
Iolanthe.
    Calliere looked toward the ceiling and stroked
his chin thoughtfully.
    “ Yes. Charts. Tables. Artillery.
Latitude and longitude. Train schedules. Surveying. Yes, this bears
thinking about. I need someone to create a mechanical language. I
may know just the person…”
    “ Professor?”
    “ Hmm? Yes?”
    “ This machine will be quite
expensive, will it not?”
    “ I will need a bit of capital for
the work. I was going to go to the University for the
funds.”
    “ No need.” Iolanthe smiled and
poured more tea into the man’s cup. “I will finance it for
you.”
    * * * * *
    “ What do you think of him then?”
asked Mrs. Colbshallow. “He is tall.”
    “ Yes, he is tall,” replied Yuah,
looking down the hallway toward the parlor.
    “ You don’t like him?”
    “ I didn’t say I didn’t like him. He
is rather queer though, isn’t he?”
    “ I don’t think he is.”
    “ Well, I guess I don’t mean that he
is,” Yuah explained, turning around. “But is that the type of man
you imagined she would go for? I always thought she would be trying
to land a sturdy war hero type.”
    “ That’s your type Dear, not
hers.”
    “ Don’t be thick, Mrs. C. I don’t
have a type.”
    “ Whatever you say.” Mrs.
Colbshallow returned to the kitchen and gave the tea tray one more
check before sending it off to the parlor with Tilda, the
downstairs maid. “You might as well sit down. She’ll be busy with
him for another half hour at least.”
    “ I still don’t see the attraction,”
said Yuah.
    “ Not that you have a
type.”
    “ Not that I have a type,” Yuah sat
down.
    At that moment, Zeah entered the servant’s hall
carrying the mail.
    “ You have a letter from Mrs.
Godwin, Mrs. C,” he said.
    “ Bless her heart,” said Mrs.
Colbshallow. “Poor Mrs. Godwin, running around that great country
estate, practically all alone now that Miss Dechantagne and the
boys have moved away. I would be going half wobbly if it was
me.”
    “ I wouldn’t mind a bit of peace and
quiet, I can tell you that,” said Yuah. “It’s all Yuah fetch me
this and Yuah put that away and Yuah I need you for
something.”
    “ Yuah,” called a stern voice from
the doorway. Everyone in the room jumped and hastily attempted to
look busy. Nobody needed to look to see that it was Miss
Dechantagne who spoke. Then in a low purr, she said, “Yuah, I need
you for something.”
    Mrs. Colbshallow, who was facing away from the
mistress of the house, rolled her eyes as Yuah passed.
    * * * * *
    Senta didn’t mind working at Café Carlo in the
Great Plaza. For the most part it was great fun watching people.
Horse drawn trolleys, loaded with passengers, passed every three
minutes. Most of the men wore suits, though a few of them were
dressed as laborers. The ladies were dressed nicely, and wore huge
bustles that made their rear ends stick out two feet behind them.
Some people rode by in horse drawn carriages. There were also many,
many pedestrians. The most interesting travelers though, were those
riding in steam powered carriages, which spewed smoke and hissed
steam.
    The bad part about working at Café Carlo was
that Carlo himself, the chubby proprietor of the establishment,
treated her like an idiot. She was young, but she wasn’t stupid. He
handed her a huge push broom and told her “sweep,” as if she didn’t
know what a broom was for. Senta swept the walkway all around the
café, starting on