Part 19 (2/2)
”The 'eat 'll sober 'i the last n
”What'll you bet 'er 'ighness don't want me to fetch dinner to 'er?
She was in the train in Mos she orderedof 'imself! I 'aven't seen the color of 'er ets out and walks or 'er maid fetches it--you watch!”
Coutlass, the other Greek and the Goanese staggered out beside us on to the platforh not to knohether Hassan ith them or not He came out and stood beside them in a sort of alert defensive attitude
”Guard!” called the voice again ”Where is the h the screened doors, and took seats at a table marked ”First Class Only!” There were four overnray flannel shi+rt, suffering fro; and a e of that section of the line, who checked the station master's accounts and counted money in a tray between mouthfuls Between us and the second-class tables was a wooden screen on short legs, and beyond that arose babel
Second-class is democratic always, and talks with itsmore for exactly the same food, we enjoyed exclusiveness, a dirty table-cloth, and the extra smell from the kitchen door (The table-cloth was dirty because the barefoot Goanese waiters invariably stubbed their feet against a break in the floor and spilt soup exactly in the same place)
We had scarcely taken our seats when Coutlass swaggered in, closely followed by his gang Inside the door he turned on Hassan
”Black ain backward
Then he can, ”First Class Only,” avoiding our eyes, but plainly at ith us
”Gasshara!
You three would want a special private piece of earth to spit on!” He raised his voice to a sort of scream ”I proclaim one class only!”
At that he lifted his foot about level with his chest and kicked the screen over The crash brought everybody to his feet except the two officials and the railway , and the railwaycopper coins as if life depended on that alone
”Sit down all!” yelled Coutlass ”You will eat with better appetite now that you can behold the blushes of these virgins!” Then he swaggered over to the long table, thrust the other Greek and the Goanese into chairs on either side of him, and yelled for food It was the first tiins, and I think we all three felt the strain
The Goanese er--a wizened old blackfro off hi
”What shall I do?” he asked, al the railway man's tray of money ”That man is crazy! He came in once before and broke the dishes! Twice he has come in here and eaten and refused to pay! What shall I do?”
”Nothing,” said the railway er hurried out again and the running to and fro resuuard
”First-class for two on trays!” he shouted
The railway man beckoned to him and he winked as he passed by us
”When you've seen to that, and had your own ht you said the lady's maid would have to couard passed my chair a second time
”So I did But if you kno to refuse her, just teach me! I told her flat to have the htened to cross the platfornified! When I climbed down they was too afraid next to be left alone Swore train-thieves 'ud murder 'em! I had to leave 'em rub! What d'you think of that?”
But our soup came, and one could not think and eat that stuff simultaneously The railway man looked up for a moment, saw my face, and explained in a moment of expansiveness that ood” when cooked
”Besides,” he added, ”you'll get nothing more until you reach Nairobi tomorrow noon!”