CHAPTER IV

eretheleanestofmortals.ItmustbethatLettyatetoomuch,whichwasnotonlyadisgustingpracticebutanexpensiveone,andshouldbeputdownatoncewithrigour.Susiehadnothadsuchanopportunityofthoroughlyinspectingherchildforyears,andtheresultofthisprolongedexaminationofherweakpointswasthatshewouldnotletanyofthepartyhaveanythingtoeatatall,declaringthatitwasvulgartoeatintrains,expressingamazementthatpeopleshouldbringthemselvestotouchthehorrid-lookingfoodoffered,andturningherbackinimpatientdisgustontwostoutGermanladieswhohadgotinatOberhausen,andwhowereenjoyingtheirlunchquiteunmovedbyhercontempt—oneeatingachickenfrombeginningtoendwithoutafork,andtheothertakingrepeatedsipsofanobviouslysatisfactorynaturefromabigwinebottle,whichwasused,intheintervals,asasupporttoherback. BythetimeBerlinwasreached,theseladies,havingbeenproperlyfedallday,wereverycheerful,whereasSusie'spartywasspeechlessfromexhaustionespeciallypoorMissLeech,whowasneververystrong,andsonearlyfaintedthatSusiewasobligedtonoticeit,andexpressedaconvictiontoAnnainaloudandpeevishasidethatMissLeechwasgoingtobeanuisance. "Itisstrange,"thoughtAnna,asshecreptintobed,"howtravellingbringsoutone'sworstpassions." Itisindeedstrangeforitiscertainthatnothingequalstheexpectantenthusiasmandmutualesteemofthestartexceptthecolddislikeofthefinish.Manyarethefriendshipsthathavefoundanunforeseenandsuddenendonajourney,andfewarethosethatsurviveit.ButifHoraceWalpoleandGreyfellout,ifByronandLeighHuntwereobligedtopart,ifahostofotherpersonages,endowedwitheverygiftthatmakescompanionshipdesirable,couldnotawaywitheachotherafterafewweekstogetherabroad,isittobewonderedatthatweakervesselssuchasSusieandAnna,LettyandMissLeech,shouldhavefoundtheshortjourneyfromLondontoBerlinsufficienttoenablethemtoseeoneanother'sfailin