Twelve Stories and a DreamWells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Science
Twelve Stories and a Dream
Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Science fiction, English; Short stories
“What CAN such people want in Rome?” asked Miss Winchelsea. “What can it
mean to them?” There was a very tall curate in a very small straw hat,
and a very short curate encumbered by a long camera stand. The contrast
amused Fanny very much. Once they heard some one calling for “Snooks.”
“I always thought that name was invented by novelists,” said Miss
Winchelsea. “Fancy! Snooks. I wonder which IS Mr. Snooks.” Finally they
picked out a very stout and resolute little man in a large check suit.
“If he isn't Snooks, he ought to be,” said Miss Winchelsea.
Presently the conductor discovered Helen's attempt at a corner in
carriages. “Room for five,” he bawled with a parallel translation on
his fingers. A party of four together--mother, father, and two
daughters--blundered in, all greatly excited. “It's all right, Ma, you
let me,” said one of the daughters, hitting her mother's bonnet with
a handbag she struggled to put in the rack. Miss Winchelsea detested
people who banged about and called their mother “Ma.” A young man
travelling alone followed. He was not at all “touristy” in his costume,
Miss Winchelsea observed; his Gladstone bag was of good pleasant leather
with labels reminiscent of Luxembourg and Ostend, and his boots, though
brown, were not vulgar. He carried an overcoat on his arm. Before these
people had properly settled in their places, came an inspection of
tickets and a slamming of doors, and behold! they were gliding out of
Charing Cross station on their way to Rome.
“Fancy!” cried Fanny, “we are going to Rome, my dear! Rome! I don't seem
to believe it, even now.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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