No sooner had the notion occurred to her than she started to put it
into practice; and was already moving towards the door when a second
reflection held her back. Mr Emmett had bought a ticket, with money.
She was not so ignorant as not to be aware that railways were not
public highways; that one could not travel in a train without a
ticket; which had to be paid for, in advance with cash. She had seen
Mr Emmett pay for two tickets--one for her, and one for himself. They
would not let her get into a train without a ticket; how was she to
pay for it? She was confronted, as before, in the midst of her wild
desire to flee, by her eternal lack of pence--that insuperable
barrier. She had had no regular pocket-money at the convent like the
other girls; their parents either sent them cash direct, or made
arrangements with the Sisters. Occasionally, on saints' days, she was
given a sou to put into the box; but, as a rule, she was without even
that humble coin. Never having known what it was to have money she did
not miss it; there were no temptations to spend; her modest wants were
supplied. It was only when she set out through the world with her
guardian that it began to dawn upon her what an important part money
played in the affairs of men, and women. She had no idea how much cash
would be required to purchase a ticket; she took it for granted that
the more she paid the farther the ticket would take her; the mischief
was that she had no money at all--not even a paltry _sou_.
How was she to get money? From where? She looked about her. Dessert
was still upon the table; there were knives and forks; other articles
which were possibly of silver; but they were not coin of the realm;
though she had a vague idea that they might be turned into it. How the
transformation might be effected was a problem which was beyond her
altogether. She had sense enough to know that it would be no use
proffering a handful of silver ware in exchange for a ticket.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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