“How many seats will you take, Miss?” inquired the clerk, who had looked on, pen in hand, while this low-toned consultation was going forward.
“Four,” answered Drusilla. “And my servant here will settle for them. Come, nurse, leave Leo to finish this business, and attend me to the ladies’ room.”
“Yes, honey, in one minute. I just want to stop here and see the back seats secured all for you, all together, to lie down on. ’Twould be no use for you to have three seats ’stributed all about the coach, for how could you ’cline on them? Leave me to ’range for you, ma’am.”
“Very well, nurse, do as you think best,” said Drusilla, passing on to the back room.
There was a side window, opening upon an alley leading to the stables where the coaches were kept.
Drusilla perceived this, and seated herself by the window to watch for the coming of the night coach. She was in such a state of feverish anxiety, that she could not rest. True, two great causes of uneasiness were removed. She was in time for the coach, and she could get seats enough; but still, in her eager impatience, she could not be at peace, and she longed to be on her journey, to feel herself whirled swiftly onward towards the place she was so ardently desirous to reach.
Presently she was joined by mammy, who dropped her fat self down upon a chair, making it creak under her weight, and said, triumphantly:
“Well, honey, it’s all right, and you’ll travel as easy as if you was a lying on your own sofy! I left that boy Leo to watch the luggidge.”
“I’m very much obliged to you; but at the same time, if the coach should be full, and any one should want two of my places, they must have them,” said Drusilla.
“Must they? What’s the use o’ our paying for them, if it wasn’t to keep out all ’truders that did come? If the coach wasn’t going to be full, we needn’t a paid for no extra seats, seeing as we might a had ’em for nothing, ma’am. And don’t you think so much of other people. Think a little more of yourself, ma’am. Take a little bit of pity on yourself, which you never does, though the Lord knows you needs it.”