He had found
himself, he said, very lonely; and as he had heard that I also was
alone, he had ventured to call and make his proposition. He seemed
to be very bashful, and half ashamed of what he was doing; and when
he had done speaking he declared himself conscious that he was
intruding, and expressed a hope that I would not hesitate to say so
if his suggestion were from any cause disagreeable to me.
As a rule I am rather shy of chance travelling English friends. It
has so frequently happened to me that I have had to blush for the
acquaintances whom I have selected, that I seldom indulge in any
close intimacies of this kind. But, nevertheless, I was taken with
John Smith, in spite of his name. There was so much about him that
was pleasant, both to the eye and to the understanding! One meets
constantly with men from contact with whom one revolts without
knowing the cause of such dislike. The cut of their beard is
displeasing, or the mode in which they walk or speak. But, on the
other hand, there are men who are attractive, and I must confess
that I was attracted by John Smith at first sight. I hesitated,
however, for a minute; for there are sundry things of which it
behoves a traveller to think before he can join a companion for such
a journey as that which I was about to make.
Pages:
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28