Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno.djvu/91

V] American rocking-chair, by any means ! Yet may I say," slightly changing her place, so as to make room for me beside her, "may I say, in Hamlet's words, ’Rest, rest——’" she broke off with a silvery laugh. "——perturbed Spirit!’" I finished the sentence for her. "Yes, that describes a rail- way-traveler exactly ! And here Is an instance of it," I added, as the tiny local train drew up alongside the platform, and the porters bustled about, opening carriage——doors one of them helping the poor old man to hoist himself into a third-class carriage, while another of them obsequiously conducted the lady and myself into a first-class.

She paused, before following him, to watch the progress of the other passenger. "Poor old man !" she said. "How weak and ill he looks ! It was a shame to let him be turned away like that. I'm very sorry——" At this moment it dawned on me that these words were not addressed to me, but that she was unconsciously thinking aloud. I moved away a few steps, and waited to follow her into the carriage, where I resumed the conversation.