The Travelling ThirdsAtherton, Gertrude Franklin Horn
General
The Travelling Thirds
Atherton, Gertrude Franklin Horn
Americans -- Spain -- Fiction; Voyages and travels -- Fiction
Mr. Moulton patted her amiably and descended in the wake of Catalina and
Lydia. They were surrounded at once by beggars, even the babies in arms
extending their hands. There were few men among them, but the women,
picturesque enough in their closely pinned kerchiefs of red or yellow,
were more pertinacious than man ever dared to be. Lydia, fastidious and
economical, retreated into the train and closed the door; but Catalina
disbursed coppers and gave one dirty little Murillo a peseta. She had
spoken almost as much Spanish in her life as English, and exchanged so
many elaborate compliments with her retinue, in a manner so acceptable
to their democratic taste, that they forgot to beg and pressed close at
her heels as she strode up and down, her hands in her pockets, wondering
what manner of fallen princess was this who travelled third class and
knew how to treat a haughty peasant of Spain as her equal. She was
buying an inflammable-looking novel with which to insult Jane, and a
package of sweets for Lydia and herself, when she heard a shrill note of
anguish:
“Mr. Moulton! Catalina!”
Mingling with it was the drone of the guard: “Viajeros al tren!”
The train was moving, the guard having been occupied at the _cantina_
until the last moment. He was singing his song unconsciously on the step
of an open door. Catalina saw the frantic whir of Mr. Moulton’s
coat-tails as he flew by and leaped into the car. She flung two pesetas
at the anxious vender, dropped her purchase into her pockets, and,
running swiftly alongside the moving train, made the door easily.
“I could have caught the old thing if it had been half a mile off!” she
exclaimed, indignantly, as three pairs of hands jerked her within, and
Mrs. Moulton sniffed hysterically at her salts. “And if ever I do get
left, just remember that I speak the language and am not afraid of
anything.”
“Well,” said Mr. Moulton, tactfully, “just remember that _we_ do not
speak the language and have need of your services. Suppose we have our
afternoon meal? The lunch at the frontier was not all that could be
desired.”
He produced the hamper and neatly arrayed the top of two portmanteaus
with jam and bread and cake. Catalina placed a generous share of these
delicacies on a tin plate, and, omitting to explain to her astonished
relatives, climbed over the seats and made offering to each of the other
occupants of the car. It had half filled at the station, and besides the
nuns and priests there were now several Catalan peasants in red caps and
black velvet breeches, fine, independent men, prepared to ignore these
eccentric Americans, ready to take offence at the slightest suggestion
of superiority, but enchanted at the act of this unsmiling girl, who
spoke their language and understood their customs. They refused, as a
matter of course, politely, without servility, and in a moment she
returned to her party.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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