Quite unconscious of her
approach, until she was close upon him, her objective chatted
fluently with the legless one, until she spoke quietly, almost in
his ear. Then it was only by a clutch at the bench back that he
saved himself from disaster on his return to earth.
"Wh--wh--what--wh--where--how did you come here?" he stuttered.
"Now, now, don't be alarmed," she admonished. "Shut your eyes,
draw a deep breath, count three. And, as soon as you are ready
I'll give you a talisman against social panic. Are you ready?"
"Y-yes."
"Very well. Whenever I come upon you suddenly, you mustn't try to
jump up into a tree as you did just now--"
"I didn't!"
"Oh, yes. Or burrow under a rock, as you did the other day--"
"Miss B-B-Brewster--"
"Wait until I've finished. You must turn your thoughts firmly upon
your science, until you've recovered equilibrium and the power of
human speech."
"But when you jump at me that way, I c-c-can't think of anything
but you."
"That's where the charm comes in. As soon as you see me or hear me
approaching, you must repeat, quite slowly, this scientific
incantation.
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