第2部分(第3/6 頁)

ls　gaze　at　human　beings。　We“make　conversation”—and　such　conversation！　We　know　that　these　friends　are　the　friends　from　whom　we　parted　overnight。　They　know　that　we　have　not　altered。　Yet；　on　the　surface；　everything　is　different；　and　the　tension　is　such　that　we　only　long　for　the　guard　to　blow　his　whistle　and　put　an　end　to　the　farce。書包　網　。　想看書來

送　行（4）

On　a　cold　grey　morning　of　last　week　I　duly　turned　up　at　Euston；　to　see　off　an　old　friend　who　was　starting　for　America。

Overnight；　we　had　given　him　a　farewell　dinner；　in　which　sadness　was　well　mingled　with　festivity3。　Years　probably　would　elapse　before　his　return。　Some　of　us　might　never　see　him　again。　Not　ignoring　the　shadow　of　the　future；　we　gaily　celebrated　the　past。　We　were　as　thankful　to　have　known　our　guest　as　we　were　grieved　to　lose　him；　and　both　these　emotions　were　made　manifest。　It　was　a　perfect　farewell。

And　now；　here　we　were；　stiff　and　self…conscious　on　the　platform；　and　framed　in　the　window　of　the　railway…carriage　was　the　face　of　our　friend；　but　it　was　as　the　face　of　a　stranger—a　stranger　anxious　to　please；　an　appealing　stranger；　an　awkward　stranger。　“Have　you　got　everything？”　asked　one　of　us；　breaking　a　silence。　“Yes；　everything；”　said　our　friend；　with　a　pleasant　nod。　“Everything；”　he　repeated；　with　the　emphasis　of　an　empty　brain。　“You’ll　be　able　to　lunch　on　the　train；”　said　I；　though　the　prophecy　had　already　been　made　more　than　once。　“Oh；　yes；　he　said　with　conviction。　He　added　that　the　train　went　straight　through　to　Liverpool。　This　fact　seemed　to　strike　us　as　rather　odd。　We　exchanged　glances。“Doesn’t　it　stop　at　Crewe？”　asked　one　of　us。　“No；”　said　our　friend；　briefly。　He　seemed　almost　disagreeable。　There　was　along　pause。　One　of　us；　with　a　nod　and　a　forced　smile　at　the　traveler；　said　“Well！