Page:Karl Gjellerup - Minna, A novel - 1913.djvu/129

 The boat came out of the darkness, the whistle sounded, a shout from the launch was answered by the porter, and past the bridge-lantern flew a lasso, that nearly caught the good Hertz, and landed a few yards behind him. The little steamboat lay beside the bridge with its coal-smeared hull still quivering; on the low, dirty cabin wall fell the glare from the machine-room, where the slow puff-puff still continued; and nauseating fumes of burnt oil, mixed with coal smoke, streamed into the fresh night air.

"For Dresden train?"

"No, the express for Vienna. There's plenty of time, for we stay here nearly half an hour."

"Yes, but the train for Dresden?"

"We have just taken the people across for that."

"But there's still time enough. Can't we get a boat to take us across?"

"I don't think you will get any boat at this time of night. I say, Heinrich, is there any boat to be got?"

"No, of course there's no boat to be got," answered the porter, and spat in the water. "People ought to be here in time for the launch."

A load fell from my heart, and it seemed to me that Minna also breathed more freely. But Hertz looked quite terrified; evidently he felt that he was solely responsible for having put us in this predicament, and for being compelled to leave us in it.

"But it was also your fault, Minna! Why were you so positive? One ought never to rely upon one's memory in such a case, and the time-table may be altered from one year to another. I ought to have thought of that myself. It really is very annoying."

"Oh dear me!" said Mrs. Hertz soothingly, "after all, it is nothing so very dreadful. You will be obliged to