Page:The way of Martha and the way of Mary (1915).djvu/29

Rh "Seven, to-morrow night."

"Oh, what a long time! It's a long way: it's the first time I've been away from home."

As the guard blew his whistle she stood up, looked towards the city, and crossed herself.

"Are you a little Russian?" I asked.

"No; a Pole. I was once a Jewess, but have just been baptized. See . . ."

She showed me a little crucifix, and the figure of the Virgin on a little medallion hanging from her neck.

"You're a Catholic now?"

"Yes; and I don't like the Jews."

I wondered whether in view of the ill odour in which the Jews were at that time, she had been told by her mother to announce her conversion very distinctly.

"Such a mama I have!" said she, turning out a basket of provisions—two bags of nuts, several pots of jam, biscuits, a Polish Christmas pudding.

There were in the carriage besides myself and the girl opposite me a Russian student, a young Polish flaneur, and a middle-aged, grizzly, smelly, Polish peasant. The young convert offered us all nuts. She was very engaging. She took out a long bottle, put it to her lips and drank from it. She told me it was cold tea with sugar at the bottom of the bottle, but to the Pole announced that it was vodka.

He was fool enough to believe her, and at once cast about in his mind some means of doing her an