ness that gave her an
unendurable pang. If only it were over!

The tickets were looked at, the doors shut, she came forward again to
the open window. She held the flowers in one hand, her handkerchief in
the other; she was crying. The youthful figure stood in the window as
though in a frame, her head, with the light hat and veil, leaning out
of it. Why in all the world was such a picture not painted?

Discipline forbade that any one should press forward so long as the
general, the colonel, and the ladies formed a circle; each one remained
in his place. Since those near the window didn't speak, all were
silent. They saw her weeping, saw her bosom heave. _She_ saw them
as in a mist, and it all became painful to her. Could the whole thing
be real?

All of a sudden her tears were dried. A compassionate soul beneath, who
also felt the painfulness of the situation, asked whether they would
reach home to-day, to which she eagerly answered, "Yes." Then she
remembered her mother and made room for her at her side, but her mother
would not come forward. There was even something in the mother's eyes
which as she met them chilled and frightened her. She forgot it, for
the whistle took the train away from the crowd, the whole circle fell
back a step or two. Greetings were exchanged with increased cordiality,
her handkerchief waved, the warmth in her eyes came back. They flashed
again. All that could be seen of her called greetings to them, and they
to her, as they followed. Now the lieutenants and all the young men
were the foremost! Now feelings of a different sort found a different
expression. The clashing of swords and spurs, the colours of the
uniforms, the waving of arms, the tramping of feet made her dizzy. With
her body leaning far out she reached her arms to them as they did to
her; but the speed soon became too great, a few reckless enthusiasts
still ran along, the rest remained behind in a cloud of steam, and
lamented. Her handkerchief was still visible like a dove against a dark
sky.

As she drew back she felt an aching void, but she remembered her
mother's eyes; had they the same look in them? Yes.

So she tried to appear as though she were not excited or agitated. She
took her hat off and put it above her. But her mother's eyes had
awakened the reaction which was latent in herself, conflicting feelings
surged within her; she tried to conceal them, tried to recover herself,
then threw herself down, turned her face a