by H G Wells

Miss Winchelsea was going to Rome The matter had filled her mind for month or more, and had overflowed so abundantly into her conversation that quite number of people who going to Rome, and who likely to Rome, had made it personal grievance against her Some indeed had attempted quite unavailingly her that Rome was not nearly such desirable place as reported , and others had gone suggest behind her back that she was dreadfully "stuck up" about "that Rome of hers " And little Lily Hardhurst had told her friend Mr Binns that as she was concerned Miss Winchelsea might "go to her old Rome and stop there; she (Miss Lily Hardhurst) wouldn't grieve " way Miss Winchelsea put herself upon terms of personal tenderness with Horace and Benvenuto Cellini and Raphael and Shelley and Keats--if she Shelley's widow have professed keener interest grave--was matter of universal astonishment Her dress was triumph of tactful discretion, sensible, but not too "touristy"'--Miss Winchelsea had great dread of being "touristy"--and her Baedeker was carried in cover of grey to hide its glaring red She made prim and pleasant little figure Charing Cross platform, of her swelling pride, when at last the great day dawned, and start for Rome The day was bright, the Channel passage pleasant, and all the omens promised well the gayest sense of adventure unprecedented departure

She was going with two friends who fellow-students with her training college, nice honest girls both, though not so good at history and literature as Miss Winchelsea They both looked her immensely, though physically they had to look down, and she anticipated some pleasant times spent in "stirring them up" to her own pitch of AEsthetic and historical enthusiasm They had secured seats already, and welcomed her effusively carriage door instant criticism encounter she noted that Fanny had slightly "touristy" leather strap, Helen had succumbed to serge jacket with side pockets, into which her hands were thrust But they were much too happy with themselves expedition for their friend to attempt any hint moment about these things first ecstasies were over-- Fanny's enthusiasm was little noisy and crude, and consisted mainly in emphatic repetitions of "Just fancy ! we're going to Rome, my dear ! --Rome ! "--they gave their attention fellow-travellers Helen was anxious to secure compartment to themselves, and, to discourage intruders, got out and planted herself firmly step Miss Winchelsea peeped out over her shoulder, and made sly little remarks accumulating people platform, at which Fanny laughed gleefully

They were travelling with one of Mr Thomas Gunn's parties--fourteen days in Rome for fourteen pounds belong personally conducted party, --Miss Winchelsea had seen --but they travelled with it because convenience arrangement The people were the oddest mixture, and wonderfully amusing vociferous red-faced polyglot personal conductor in pepper-and-salt suit, very long arms and legs and very active He shouted proclamations When to people he stretched out an arm and held them until his purpose was accomplished One hand was full of papers, tickets, counterfoils of tourists The people personally conducted party were, it seemed, of two sorts; people the conductor wanted and find, and people want and who followed him in steadily growing tail up and down the platform These people seemed, indeed, that their one chance of reaching Rome lay in keeping close to him Three little old ladies were particularly energetic pursuit, and at last maddened him pitch of clapping them into carriage and daring them to emerge again rest time, one, two, or three heads protruded window wailing inquiries about "a little wicker-work box" whenever he drew near very stout man with very stout wife in shiny black; little old man like an aged hostler

"What can such people want in Rome ? " asked Miss Winchelsea "What can it mean ? " very tall curate in straw hat, and very short curate encumbered by long camera stand The contrast amused Fanny Once they heard some one calling for "Snooks " "I always thought that name was invented by novelists," said Miss Winchelsea "Fancy ! Snooks I wonder Mr Snooks " Finally they picked out very stout and resolute little man in large check suit "If he isn't Snooks, he ," said Miss Winchelsea

Presently the conductor discovered Helen's attempt at corner in carriages "Room for five," he bawled with parallel translation fingers party of four together--mother, father, and two daughters-- blundered in, all greatly excited "It's all right, Ma--you let me," said daughters, hitting her mother's bonnet with handbag she struggled rack Miss Winchelsea detested people who banged about and called their mother "Ma " young man travelling alone followed not at all "touristy" costume, Miss Winchelsea observed; his Gladstone bag was of good pleasant leather with labels reminiscent of Luxembourg and Ostend, boots, though brown, vulgar He carried an overcoat arm Before these people had properly settled in their places, came an inspection of tickets and slamming of doors, and behold ! they were gliding out of Charing Cross Station on their way to Rome

"Fancy ! " cried Fanny, " going to Rome, my dear ! Rome ! I don't seem it, even now "

Miss Winchelsea suppressed Fanny's emotions with little smile, lady who was called "Ma" explained to people in general why they had "cut it so close" station The two daughters called her "Ma" , toned her down in tactless, effective way, and drove her at last muttered inventory of basket of travelling requisites Presently she looked up "Lor ! " she said, "I didn't bring them ! " Both the daughters said "Oh, Ma ! " But what "them" was appear

Presently Fanny produced Hare's Walks in Rome_, sort of mitigated guide-book very popular among Roman visitors; father two daughters began to examine his books of tickets minutely, apparently in search after English words When he had looked tickets right way up, he turned them upside down Then he produced fountain pen and dated them with considerable care The young man having completed an unostentatious survey fellow-travellers produced book and fell to reading When Helen and Fanny were looking window at Chislehurst--the place interested Fanny because the poor dear Empress French used to live there--Miss Winchelsea took the opportunity to observe the book the young man held not guide-book but little thin volume of poetry--_bound She glanced at his face--it seemed refined, pleasant face to her hasty glance He wore little gilt _pince-nez " she lives there now ? " said Fanny, and Miss Winchelsea's inspection came to an end

rest journey Miss Winchelsea talked little, and what she said was as agreeable and as stamped with refinement as make it Her voice was always low and clear and pleasant, and she took care that occasion particularly low and clear and pleasant came under the white cliffs the young man put his book of poetry away, and when at last the train stopped beside the boat, he displayed graceful alacrity impedimenta of Miss Winchelsea and her friends Miss Winchelsea "hated nonsense," but she was pleased the young man perceived at once were ladies, and helped them without any violent geniality; and how nicely he showed that his civilities were no excuse for further intrusions None of her little party out of England before, were all excited and little nervous Channel passage They stood in little group in good place near the middle boat--the young man had taken Miss Winchelsea's carry-all there and had told her good place-- watched the white shores of Albion recede and quoted Shakespeare and made quiet fun fellow-travellers English way

They were particularly amused precautions the bigger-sized people had taken against the little waves--cut lemons and flasks prevailed, one lady lay full length in deck chair with handkerchief over her face, and very broad resolute man in bright brown "touristy" suit walked all the way from England to France along the deck, legs as widely apart as Providence permitted These were all excellent precautions, and nobody was ill The personally-conducted party pursued the conductor deck with inquiries, in manner that suggested to Helen's mind the rather vulgar image of hens with piece of bacon rind, until at last he went into hiding below young man thin volume of poetry stood stern watching England receding, looking rather lonely and sad to Miss Winchelsea's eye

And then came Calais and tumultuous novelties, young man forgotten Miss Winchelsea's hold-all other little things All three girls, though they had passed Government examinations in French to any extent, were stricken with dumb shame accents, young man was very useful And intrude He put them in comfortable carriage and raised his hat and went away Miss Winchelsea thanked him in her best manner--a pleasing, cultivated manner--and Fanny said "nice" almost before out of earshot "I wonder what ," said Helen "He's going to Italy, because I noticed green tickets book " Miss Winchelsea almost told them poetry, and decided not And presently the carriage windows seized hold upon them young man was forgotten It made them feel were doing an educated sort of thing to travel through country whose commonest advertisements were in idiomatic French, and Miss Winchelsea made unpatriotic comparisons because there were weedy little sign-board advertisements rail side instead broad hoardings that deface the landscape land But the north of France is really uninteresting country, and after time Fanny reverted to Hare's Walks_, and Helen initiated lunch Miss Winchelsea awoke out of happy reverie; she trying to realise, she said, that she was actually going to Rome, but she perceived at Helen's suggestion that she was hungry, lunched out baskets very cheerfully afternoon they were tired and silent until Helen made tea Miss Winchelsea dozed, only she knew Fanny slept with her mouth open; and as their fellow-passengers were two rather nice, critical-looking ladies of uncertain age--who knew French well enough it--she employed herself in keeping Fanny awake The rhythm train became insistent, streaming landscape outside became at last quite painful eye They were already dreadfully tired of travelling before their night's stoppage came

The stoppage night was brightened appearance young man, manners were all that desired French quite serviceable

His coupons availed same hotel as theirs, and by chance, as it seemed, he sat next Miss Winchelsea table d'hte of her enthusiasm for Rome, she had thought out some such possibility very thoroughly, and when he ventured remark tediousness of travelling--he let the soup and fish go by before this--she simply assent proposition, but responded with another They were soon comparing their journeys, and Helen and Fanny were cruelly overlooked conversation . the same journey, they found; one day galleries at Florence--"from what I hear," said the young man, " barely enough,"-- rest at Rome He talked of Rome very pleasantly; evidently quite well read, and he quoted Horace about Soracte Miss Winchelsea had "done" that book of Horace for her matriculation, and was delighted to cap his quotation It gave sort of tone to things, this incident--a touch of refinement to mere chatting Fanny expressed few emotions, and Helen interpolated few sensible remarks, but the bulk talk girls' side naturally fell to Miss Winchelsea