On her right sat an old man who smelt unpleasantly and pillowed his head on her shoulder in ordet to sleep comfortably. Opposite her was a youth dreaming some terrible dream that caused him to bare his teeth. Although none of this was particularly pleasing, and although Helene Willfuer herself had good cause, for sadness, she suddenly started to smile. Alone and awake amid these pitiful sleeping bundles of humanity, she was forced to smileat these people as well as at herself. Behind her smile there was, however, something else triumph, success, an obstacle overcome. I have done it, she thought and the rattle of the windows and the clack of the wheels over the track took up the thought aod echoed it rhythmically in her brain. As the train increased its speed on nearing its destination, the refrain was shortened, and to an everquickening accompani ment of w Done, done, done it Hdene Willfuer rose and gathered together her luggage. Lights, signals, shrieks from the engine, the mirror of the Rivet Main below, a prolonged rumble over a bridge between the first houses of a large town. Helenes neighbours wakened and exchanged a few words with one another. Did the young kdy live there ? asked the youth sitting opposite her.
No, she was changing there, and going mrther, said Fraulein Willfuer. What a pity 1 He would have liked to have shown her the way, said the youth The young mother asked in a husky voice if the young Jady would hold the child for a moment."
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