Part 3 (2/2)
I paused and looked into her face.
”Have I hurt you?” I asked.
The woman burst out laughing.
”My word!” she answered. ”As if a mite like you would hurt _me_. Is it likely? And who are you, and where are you going?”
”I am going to the railway station to meet Anastasia,” I said. Then I added, as a quick thought flashed through my mind, ”Anastasia is my nurse, and she's coming by the next train. I will give you some money if you will take me to the railway station to meet her.”
”How much money will you give me?” asked the red-faced woman.
”I will give you a whole half-crown,” I said. ”Please, please take me--it is so dreadfully important, for the next train may come in, and Anastasia may not know where to go to.”
”Well, to be sure,” said the woman, looking me all over from top to toe; ”I don't seem to know you, little miss, but there's no harm in me taking you as far as the station, and the next train will be due in a very few minutes, so we'll have to go as fast as possible.”
”I don't mind running, if you don't mind running too,” I answered.
”I can't run,” said the woman; ”I'm too big.”
”Well,” I said, ”perhaps the best thing of all would be for you to show me how to get to the railway station. If you do that, I can run very fast indeed, and you shall have your half-crown.”
”That would be much the best way,” said the woman; ”and look, missy, you haven't very far to go. Here we are at the foot of this steep hill.
Well, you run up it as fast as ever you can, and when you get to the top you will see the railway station right in front of you, and all you have to do is to ask if the train is in. There's only one train in and one train out at a little railway station like ours, so you can't miss your way. You will have to ask a porter, or any man you see, to show you the platform where the trains come in, and there you are. Now, my half-crown, please, missy.”
”Yes. Here it is,” I answered, ”and I am very much obliged to you, woman.”
I thrust the money into her hand and began to run as fast as ever I could up the hill. I was a very slight child, and ran well. With the fear and longing, the indescribable dread of I knew not what in my heart, there seemed to be wings attached to my feet now, for I went up the hill so fast--oh, so fast!--until at last I arrived, breathless, at the top. A man was standing leisurely outside an open door. He said, ”Hallo!” when he saw me, and I answered back, ”Hallo!” and then he said:
”What can I do for you, little miss?” and I said:
”I have come to meet the next train, and, please, when will it be in, for Anastasia is coming by it?”
”Whoever is Anastasia?” asked the man.
”My nurse,” I answered; ”and she's coming by the next train.”
The man whistled.
”Please show me the right platform, man,” I said. ”I have no money to give you at all, so I hope you will be very, very kind, for I gave all the money I possessed in the world to a stout, red woman at the bottom of the hill. She showed me how to get here, but she could not run fast enough, for she was so very stout, so I left her and came on alone.
Please show me the platform and Anastasia shall give you some money when she comes.”
”I don't want any money, missy,” said the man in a kind tone. ”You come along of me. There's the London express specially ordered to stop here, because Sir John Carrington and his lady are expected. The expresses don't stop here as a rule, missy--only the slow trains; but maybe the person you want will be in this express.”
”She's sure to be if it's the next train,” I said. ”Is it the next train?”
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