and thither, after a few days' sight seeing, Ermyntrude and I set out to join her. The train left at night after dinner, and being warned, I had taken the precaution to book our seats well ahead. The crush of traffic consequent on the Great Durbar had aheady begun, and we were fully prepared to find the train service a bit erratic. Yet as I walked down the platform, accompanied by Lady Manifold and Marjory, who had come to see me off, I still cherished fond hopes that I might find a carriage all to myself. It isn't that I'm unsociable, but when I travel I like to spread myself, and you can't do that in a railway carriage with four other people trying to do the same. It isn't that I'm modest either, but I confess I don't like getting undressed with three pairs of eyes upon me. Still less do I like trying to hang all my garments on one peg. Besides, every one of us has her own little ways about things that one doesn't want to expose to the ridicule of the public gaze.
Imagine my disgust when I found the names of Mrs. and Miss Cardew over two of the other three berths in my compartment They were some of the many uninteresting people on board the Arethusa whom I haven't mentioned. Mrs. Cardew was a bore, and Miss Cardew was plain and pimply, and I hadn't any use for either of them. Now I always believe in acting promptly. So I quickly and quietly removed the cards that bore their names from over the berths and tearing them up into small and unrecognisable pieces, I dropped them out on to the line. Then I turned round quite
