A Woman's Will Part 14

"No, indeed," she cried indignantly; "American men are charming, and they always rise and give their seats to women in the trams, which the men here never think of doing."

"You need not speak to me so hotly," said Von Ibn, "I always take a cab."

The ending of his remark was sufficiently unexpected to cause a short break in the conversation; then Rosina went on:

"I saw a man do a very gallant thing once, he hurried to carry a poor old woman's big bundle of washing for her because the tram stopped in the wrong place and she would have so far to take it. Wasn't that royal in him?"

He did not appear impressed.

"Does that man take the broom and sweep a little for the street-cleaner when he meets her?" he asked, after a brief period for reflection.

"We do not have women street-cleaners in America."

Then he yawned, with no attempt at disguise. She felt piqued at such an open display of ennui, and turned from him to the now brilliant sh.o.r.e past which they were gliding.

After a minute or two he took out his note-book and pencil.

"Deutsches-Filiale, Munich, you said, did you not?"

She nodded.

"Can you write my name?" he asked.

"If strict necessity should drive me to it."

"Write it here, please."

He held the book upon the rail and she obeyed the request. Afterwards he held the page to the light until he was apparently thoroughly a.s.sured of some doubtful point, and then put it back in his pocket.

"I shall send you a card _Poste Restante_ at Zurich," he announced, as the lights of Lucerne blazed up close beside them.

"Be sure that you spell my name right."

"Yes," he said, taking out his note-book again; "it is like this, _n'est ce pas_?" and he wrote, and then showed her the result.

"Yes, that's it," she a.s.sented.

He continued to regard his book with deep attention.

"It exasperates me to have my name spelled wrong," she went on; "doesn't it you?"

"Yes," he said; "it is for that that I look in my book."

She came close and looked at what she had written,--"Von Ebn."

"Isn't that right?" she asked in surprise.

"It is your English E, but not my letter."

"How do you spell your name?"

"I-b-n."

"Oh!"

She laughed, and he laughed with her.

"That was very stupid in me," she exclaimed.

"Yes," he replied, with one of his rare smiles; "but I would have said nothing, only that at the _Poste Restante_ I shall lose all my letters from you."

"All! what leads you to suppose that there would ever be any?"

He turned and looked steadily at her, his eyes widely earnest.

"What, not even a post card?"

Rosina forgave the yawn, or perhaps she had forgotten it.

"Do you really want to hear from me again?"

"Yes, really."

"Shall you remember me after I am gone?"

"_Naturlich._"

"For how long?"

At that he shrugged his shoulders. Down below they were making ready for the landing.

"Who can say?" he answered at last.

"At least, monsieur, you are frank."

"I am always frank."

"Is that always best?"

"I think so."

People were beginning to move towards the staircase. Below, the man stood ready to fling the rope.

"Let us go to the other landing and walk back across the stone bridge,"

he suggested.

"There is not time; it is quite seven o'clock now."

"But I shall not again be with you, and there is something that I must say."