A heavy-bearded, ponderous man to Nbono's right shouted "Bravo!" at that point, and added several thick Scandinavian expletives.
"That's good old Mogens. The Dane really is on your side this morning," Ludwig said.
"Must have been watching the kaleidowhirl last night," Walton murmured.
The delegate from Ghana concluded with a brief tremolo cadenza praising Walton. Walton's eyes were a little moist; he hadn't realized he was a saint. Nbono tacked on an abrupt coda and sat down.
"All right," Walton said. "Let's go down there."
They made a grand entrance. Ludwig took his seat behind the neon _United States_ sign, and Walton slid into the unoccupied seat to Ludwig's right. A definite stir of interest was noticeable.
The secretary-general was presiding--beady-eyed Lars Magnusson of Sweden. "I see Mr. Walton of Popeek has arrived," he commented. "By a resolution passed unanimously yesterday, we have invited Mr. Walton this morning to address us briefly. Mr. Walton, would you care to speak now?"
"Thank you very much," Walton said. He rose.
The delegates were staring at him with great interest ... and, somewhere behind them, obscured by the bright lights of the cameras, there were, he sensed, a vast multitude of onlookers peering at him from the galleries.
Onlookers who had seen Percy's kaleidowhirl last night, evidently. A thunderous wave of applause swept down on him. _This is too easy_, he thought. _That kaleidowhirl program seems to have hypnotized everybody._
"Mr. Secretary-General, members of the Assembly, friends: I'm very grateful for this chance to come before you on my own behalf. It's my understanding that you are to choose a permanent successor to Mr. FitzMaugham today. I offer myself as a candidate for that post."
He had planned a long, impassioned, semantically loaded speech to sway them, but the happenings thus far this morning convinced him it was unnecessary. The kaleidowhirl had done the work for him.
"My qualifications for the post should be apparent to all. I worked with the late Director FitzMaugham during the formative days of Popeek. Upon his death I succeeded to his post and have efficiently maintained the operation of the Bureau during the eight days since his assassination.