"
"No," said I. "I'm not going to do that."
"Not going to...."
"No. There's a porter at the hotel for that sort of thing. Let him earn
the money."
It was quite enough. The engineer was very young; he looked at me and said
nothing. But, being obstinate by nature, he would not give up at once; he
changed his tone.
"I'd rather have you," he said. "I've a reason for it, and I wish you
would."
"That's a different matter. Then I will."
I put on my cap, and I am ready; he walks on ahead, and I follow behind.
Ten minutes waiting at the station, and the train comes in. It consists of
three toy carriages, and a few passengers tumble out. In the rear carriage
is a lady trying to alight; the engineer hurries to assist her.
I paid no great heed to what was happening. The lady was veiled and wore
gloves; a light coat she handed to her escort. She seemed embarrassed at
first, and said only a few words in a low voice, but he was quite the
reverse, talking loudly and freely all the time.
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