Helène let her head fall on her friend’s ample breast and looked up to the soft brown eyes that were so kind in their meaning.
“You are a great comfort, dear friend. I shall always love you, Margaret.”
The voyage was calm and uneventful. The weather was fine all the way and they enjoyed the eight days on the Atlantic as though they were two school-girls out on a vacation. On the morning of the eighth day the good ship steamed majestically up the Bay and landed the girls on the Jersey shore, from whence Helène had a river view of New York.
But the impressiveness of that sight was nothing to her to the noise and rush of the city itself when she found herself being carried rapidly on the street railroad. A feeling of terrible depression came over her. It was all so dirty, so uncouth, so raw. From all sides came clanging of bells, shrieking of whistles, raucous cries. A wretched drizzle was falling from a leaden mist of sky. The people hustled and jostled each other, hot and steaming from under waterproofs and umbrellas. They seemed an endless stream of humanity coming apparently from nowhere and going anywhere and everywhere.
But to Margaret it was glorious. She sniffed the raw, damp air and her cheeks glowed.
“Oh, but it’s good to be back! My proverb didn’t hold out! We landed on a wet day after all. Well, never mind. It’ll rain sunshine to-morrow. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Oh, no, Margaret. I think it’s wonderful.” What traffic! What life! Her voice was drowned in the thunder of trains rushing over their heads. They were traveling along the avenue towards Margaret’s rooms. Helène marvelled how the people could bear up under such dreadful noises. Surely their senses must get dulled and deadened in time! They crossed Broadway at the risk of their lives, as it seemed to her, but Margaret had Helène by the hand and laughed aloud. Soon they entered a quiet square in the center of which was a little park shut in by iron railings. Margaret explained that this was Gramercy Park where she lived.
Ascending the brown stone steps of a house near the entrance to the square, Margaret pressed the bell button. The door had barely opened when a loud, glad exclamation greeted the two girls.
“Oh, Miss Fisher, I am so glad to see you.”