“So you are going to desert us,” said Mrs. Greene.
“I must go on upon my journey,” I pleaded in a weak apologetic voice.
“Go on upon your journey, sir!” said Mrs. Greene. “I would not for a moment have you put yourself to inconvenience on our account.” And yet I had already lost fourteen napoleons, and given up all prospect of going to Venice!
“Mr. Robinson is certainly right not to break his engagement with Miss Walker,” said Sophonisba. Now I had said not a word about an engagement with Miss Walker, having only mentioned incidentally that she would be one of the party at Innspruck. “But,” continued she, “I think he should not have misled us.” And in this way we enjoyed our evening meal.
I was just about to shake hands with them all, previous to my final departure from their presence, when the Boots came into the room.
“I’ll leave the portmanteau till to-morrow morning,” said he.
“All right,” said I.
“Because,” said he, “there will be such a crowd of things in the hall. The big trunk I will take away now.”
“Big trunk,—what big trunk?”
“The trunk with your rug over it, on which your portmanteau stood.”