The Argosy — page 153: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

138 My First Situation. the row farthest from me, there are ladies waving handkerchiefs surely. In my excitement I got up for a better view, and found to my chagrin that it was only a baby in white dandled by its nurse. Sitting down again, I noticed for the first time a droschky abreast of mine, occupied by a single individual. This individual was watching me and smiling; that is to say, his lips were smiling, but his eyes were laughing unmistakably, and laughing at me! For the first time I felt that I was alone. How often to be felt again that day! Insulted and angry, I sat down with my back to the ill-mannered stranger, determined to look into no more droschkies, let them be as full of ladies with handkerchiefs as they would. * Soon after this we began to draw up to the station. Ina minute my door was pulled open and my luggage seized by a porter. I had no choice but to run after him. In the large entrance-hall I insisted upon his putting down my things, much to his discomfiture, for he was on the point of throwing them into the weighing machine. The crowd of arrivals swayed and surged around me, but though I scanned each face and figure, I tried in vain to recognise the countesses. Time passed, and I began to feel and, probably, to look anxious and uncomfortable. “Can I be of any assistance to you, mademoiselle ?” said a very pleasant voice behind me, in excellent English. I turned round gratefully, and encountered the laughing eyes of my neighbour in the next droschky. He had dared to laugh at my anxiety, and my pride rebelled at this insult from a foreigner. I turned very red, and said, indignantly: ‘‘No, thank you; I am waiting for friends.” He bowed low, and as he moved away I thought I detected the same smile lurking about his mouth, But the crowd was thinning fast—the clock pointed to within five minutes of the hour—what was I to do? ‘‘The Fraulein had better let me take her ticket for her; the ladies have probably been missed in the crowd, and are already in the train; they will all meet at the great junction, where may people have to get out.” This came from the red-capped station-master, who had come. up to me, and to whom I had explained my position, ‘‘One minute more and the ticket office will be closed,” he added, as he saw me hesitate. | “ Well, take it, then,” I replied, bewildered and perplexed. I was ignorant of the Dahlens’ hotel, and, not knowing whether I ought to go or stay, I let his advice carry the day. The die was cast now, at any rate, for in less than a minute I found my ticket taken, my luggage weighed, and myself being hurried off to my carriage. Whilst the guard and the porter actually lifted me in, I caught a glimpse of my neighbour of the nae droschky, looking out of a window higher up. Eomicbooks: cor