IN A RAILWAY CAR

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1745, 16 August 1905, Page 7

IN A RAILWAY CAR

& love story that begins in a MISTAKE. After I had graduated with honours from Saumur I was appointed SecondLieutenant of the Sixteenth Cuirassiers. The Colonel of the regiment, whom I knew but little, was an old friend of my family. One morning toward® the end of October I i v eceived order® to join my regiment . immediately. The evening found me walking up and down the platf >rm of the station a few moments before the departure of the eight o'clock express, -Looking for a vacant compartment. The guard opened a door bearing the sign "Smokers." I made a wry face, but as I stood a good chance of having the compartment to myself, I jumped aboard. As I had hoped, no one disturbed me. Little by little, lulled by the monotonous movement. I fell into a light sleep. "Chateau Thierry!" called the guard in a hoarse voice. I opened one eye and stretched myself. A young woman swept like a whirlwind into my compartment. “Well," I thought, "here is a woman who does not object to smoke." "Good-bye, aunt," the young traveller called as we were starting. "Good-bye, my dear child," replied an older voice. "Give my love to your parents. Good-bye, Gilberte!" So her name was Gilberte, a pretty name, and one that should belong only to a pretty woman. I opened both eyes this time. As I had taken care on leaving Paris to place myself where I would be shielded from

the light, I could see her much more plainly than she could see me. Slhe was really very pretty. The young woman arranged her bundles and unfolded her travelling rug. I saw that she was looking at me attentively. Buried in the high collar of my ulster, for the car was icy cold, I did not budge. After -having taken from her valice a flannel eacque sand a long furred coat, she took off ber jacket and proceeded to wrap herself up for the night. “Unquestionably she has taken me for a woman,” I laughed softly to myself as she gradually dozed off to sleep. Midnight. One o'clock. “Frouard; three minutes stop,” cried the guard. I rose, threw off my furs and jumped down on the platform for a brisk ‘walk. At the moment the signal for departure was given I jumped on the train again. Horrors- My gentle neighbour*, who but a few minutes bef ore had been slumbering so gracefully, rose with a spring, and -stood before :me looking highly offended.

‘‘Til s is unpardonable, sir,” she said in a-trembling voice. ‘‘No, yon shall not ■enter,” and she placed herself before me to oppose my-entrance. The station-master, thinking I had mounted, blew his whistle, and it was impossible for me to withdraw. Bewildered as I was by this strange reception, before -which .1 -would have retired under any other circumstances, I forced the weak barrier aside, and, jump ng into the compartment, 1 slammed the door behind me, just as the train started.

The girl gave a smothered cry. She looked for the .alarm bell, but the semidarkness prevented her seeing it, and she fell back on the cushions resignedly, apparently exepectiag to be murdered. I had regained my self-possession, and, her courteously, I said, in my softest voice: ‘‘Calm yourself, madam, I beg. What have I done to arouse your indignation?” She lifted her large black eyes sparkling with anger to my face. “What have you done?” jshe repeated in a voice choked with emotion. “You ask me what you have done? It is unpardonable to take advantage of a disguise to — Oh, no. it is too terrible.” “But 1 could not prevent you from entering the compartment.” “No, but you might have spoken, and this mistake would not have occurred. Besides,” she added in a .haughty tone, “if you had been where you belonged, ■all this would not have happened.” “I do not understand you, madam. It seems to me I was the first to occupy this compartment.”

“Oh! And since when have .gentlemen a right to enter ladies' compartments?” “Ladies' compartments! Well, this is going too far,” T exclaimed. “I took this compartment for smokers in Paris, in order to be alone.”

“Ho not think, sir, that you can excuse your baseness by such a pretext.” “Pardon me, madam, it is easy to verify.'’

“Oh, I can easily prove to you.” With”' a simultaneous movement we rushed to our respective sides of the compartment, and, slipping bur arms through the little side windows, we took the signs from the doors. We held our trophies up to the light, and she read aloud: “Ladies! There, you see,” she added, triumphantly.” “Smokers,” I read from my sign. “Are you convinced ?” We verified each other’s assertions, looked at each other and burst out laughing. “Well,” I said, “it is all the fault of the railway.” “Here we are at Nancy,” she remarked, endeavouring to regain her self-possess-ion. As the train slowed up she looked out through the window at my side. “Oh, there is my father,” she said. .1 opened the door and she fell into, the arms of a tall gentleman of military carriage who was decorated with the rosette of the Legion of Honour. I descended, and when I passed them the young woman drew her father aside. As I walked towards the lunch-room I said to myself: “Where have I seen that head ?” Thirty-five minutes later we .met again before the door of the same compartment. The old gentleman looked at me attentively. “I beg your pardon, sir/' he said, after some hesitation, lifting his hat. “Are you not M. Gaston do Verdrel?” “I am, sir,” I replied, bowing. He held out his hand. “My dear boy, what a fortunate coincidence. You did not expect, I am sure, that your Colonel would come to meet you.” For a few seconds I stood speechless. “Colonel,” I stammered at last, making the military -salute. The old man saw my embarrassment, and, pushing me toward the compartment., said—- “ The train starts in a minute. Let us get in. Young man,” he added, laughing, “is this the way you join your regiment; by travelling in ladies’ compartments with young women?” The. two signs were still on the seat, and the girl looked from them to me. All three of us burst out laughing again. “Colonel,” I said, hnmbly, “you see I am not so culpable as you might think.” “Very well,” he replied. “You are now under my orders, my young friend, and I shall inflict the punishment you deserve.” I wish all my young colleagues a similar punishment. Two months afterwards I married Gilberte.—From the French, in New York “Sun.”