The Escape and Other Stories [antikvár]

The Escape It was his fault, wholly and solely his fault, that they had missed the train. What if the idiotic hotel people had refused to produce the bill.? Wasn't that simply because he hadn't impressed upon the waiter at lunch that they must have it by two o'clock.? Any other man would have sat there and refused to move until they handed it over. But no! His exquisite belief in human nature had allowed him to get up and expect one of those idiots to bring it to their room . . . And then, when the voiture did arrive, while they were still (Oh, heavens!) waiting for change, why hadn't he seen to the arrangement of the boxes so that they could, at least, have started the moment the money had come.? Had he expected her to go outside, to stand under the awning in the heat and point with her parasol? Very amusing picture of EngHsh domestic life. Even when the driver had been told how fast he had to drive he had paid no attention whatsoever - just smiled. 'Oh,' she groaned, 'if she'd been a driver she couldn't have stopped smiling herself at the absurd, ridiculous way he was urged to hurry.' And she sat back and imitated his voice: ^Allez^ vite^ vite' - and begged the driver's pardon for troubling him . . . And then the station - unforgettable - with the sight of the jaunty little train shuffling away and those hideous children waving from the windows. 'Oh, why am I made to bear these things.? Why am I exposed to them.? . . .' The glare, the