England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Short stories, English
When we finally went to the carriage there were some people in it, but
our seats were left for us. Squire Todhetley sat down by the further
door, and settled himself and his coats and his things comfortably,
which he had been too flurried to do before. Cool as a cucumber was
he, now the bustle was over; cool as Tod could have been. At the other
door, with his face to the engine, sat a dark, gentleman-like man of
forty, who had made room for us to pass as we got in. He had a large
signet-ring on one hand, and a lavender glove on the other. The other
three seats opposite to us were vacant. Next to me sat a little man with
a fresh colour and gold spectacles, who was already reading; and beyond
him, in the corner, face to face with the dark man, was a lunatic.
That's to mention him politely. Of all the restless, fidgety, worrying,
hot-tempered passengers that ever put themselves into a carriage to
travel with people in their senses, he was the worst. In fifteen moments
he had made as many darts; now after his hat-box and things above his
head; now calling the guard and the porters to ask senseless questions
about his luggage; now treading on our toes, and trying the corner seat
opposite the Squire, and then darting back to his own. He wore a wig of
a decided green tinge, the effect of keeping, perhaps, and his skin was
dry and shrivelled as an Egyptian mummy's.
A servant, in undress livery, came to the door, and touched his hat,
which had a cockade on it, as he spoke to the dark man.
"Your ticket, my lord."
Lords are not travelled with every day, and some of us looked up. The
gentleman took the ticket from the man's hand and slipped it into his
waistcoat pocket.
"You can get me a newspaper, Wilkins. The _Times_, if it is to be had."
"Yes, my lord."
"Yes, there's room here, ma'am," interrupted the guard, sending the door
back for a lady who stood at it. "Make haste, please."
The lady who stepped in was the same the Squire had bolted against.
She sat down in the seat opposite me, and looked at every one of us by
turns. There was a sort of violet bloom on her face and some soft white
powder, seen plain enough through her veil. She took the longest gaze at
the dark gentleman, bending a little forward to do it; for, as he was in
a line with her, and also had his head turned from her, her curiosity
could only catch a view of his side-face. Mrs. Todhetley might have
said she had not put on her company manners. In the midst of this, the
man-servant came back again.
"The _Times_ is not here yet, my lord. They are expecting the papers in
by the next down-train."
"Never mind, then. You can get me one at the next station, Wilkins."
"Very well, my lord."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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