天锡小说网

第10部分（第1页）

It　seemed　no　time　before　Dover　was　reached。　Ruth　was　a　good　sailor。　She　disliked　the　cold；　and　was　glad　to　reach　the　shelter　of　the　private　cabin　she　had　telegraphed　for。　Although　she　would　not　have　admitted　the　fact；　Ruth　was　in　some　ways　superstitious。　She　was　of　the　order　of　people　to　whom　coincidence　appeals。　After　disembarking　at　Calais　and　settling　herself　down　with　her　maid　in　her　double　partment　in　the　Blue　Train；　she　went　along　to　the　luncheon　car。

It　was　with　a　little　shock　of　surprise　that　she　found　herself　set　down　to　a　small　table　with；　opposite　her；　the　same　woman　who　had　been　her　vis…а…vis　in　the　Pullman。　A　faint　smile　came　to　the　lips　of　both　women。

〃This　is　quite　a　coincidence；〃　said　Mrs　Kettering。

〃I　know；〃　said　Katherine；　〃it　is　odd　the　way　things　happen。〃

A　flying　attendant　shot　up　to　them　with　the　wonderful　velocity　always　displayed　by　the　pagnie　Internationale　des　Wagons…Lits　and　deposited　two　cups　of　soup。　By　the　time　the　omelette　succeeded　the　soup　they　were　chatting　together　in　friendly　fashion。

〃It　will　be　heavenly　to　get　into　the　sunshine；〃　sighed　Ruth。

〃I　am　sure　it　will　be　a　wonderful　feeling。〃

〃You　know　the　Riviera　well？〃

〃No；　this　is　my　first　visit。〃

〃Fancy　that。〃

〃You　go　every　year；　I　expect？〃

〃Practically。　January　and　February　in　London　are　horrible。〃

〃I　have　always　lived　in　the　country。　They　are　not　very　inspiring　months　there　either。　Mostly　mud。〃

〃What　made　you　suddenly　decide　to　travel？〃

〃Money；〃　said　Katherine。　〃For　ten　years　I　have　been　a　paid　panion　with　just　enough　money　of　my　own　to　buy　myself　strong　country　shoes；　now　I　have　been　left　what　seems　to　me　a　fortune；　though　I　dare　say　it　would　not　seem　so　to　you。〃

〃Now　I　wonder　why　you　say　that　…　that　it　would　not　seem　so　to　me。〃

Katherine　laughed。　〃I　dont　really　know。　I　suppose　one　forms　impressions　without　thinking　of　it。　I　put　you　down　in　my　own　mind　as　one　of　the　very　rich　of　the　earth。　It　was　just　an　impression。　I　dare　say　I　am　wrong。〃

〃No；〃　said　Ruth；　〃you　are　not　wrong。〃

She　had　suddenly　bee　very　grave。　〃I　wish　you　would　tell　me　what　other　impressions　you　formed　about　me？〃

〃I　…〃

Ruth　swept　on　disregarding　the　others　embarrassment。

〃Oh；　please；　dont　be　conventional。　I　want　to　know。　As　we　left　Victoria　I　looked　across　at　you；　and　I　had　the　sort　of　feeling　that　you　…　well；　understood　what　was　going　on　in　my　mind。〃

〃I　can　assure　you　I　am　not　a　mind　reader；〃　said　Katherine；　smiling。

〃No；　but　will　you　tell　me；　please；　just　what　you　thought。〃　Ruths　eagerness　was　so　intense　and　so　sincere　that　she　carried　her　point。

〃I　will　tell　you　if　you　like；　but　you　must　not　think　me　impertinent。　I　thought　that　for　some　reason　you　were　in　great　distress　of　mind；　and　I　was　sorry　for　you。〃

〃You　are　right。　You　are　quite　right。　I　am　in　terrible　trouble。　I　…　I　should　like　to　tell　you　something　about　it；　if　I　may。〃

〃Oh；　dear；〃　Katherine　thought　to　herself；　〃how　extraordinarily　alike　the　world　seems　to　be　everywhere！　People　were　always　telling　me　things　in　St　Mary　Mead；　and　it　is　just　the　same　thing　here；　and　I　dont　really　want　to　hear　anybodys　troubles！〃

She　replied　politely：

〃Do　tell　me。〃