Di was so beautiful, so sweet, so used to being admired by men; there
were so many who loved her, so many with a thousand times more to offer
than I had or would ever have: how could I hope that she would go on
caring for me, after what had happened to-day? I wondered. She hadn't
said in actual words last night that she would marry me, whereas this
morning she had almost said she never would. I should have nobody to
blame but myself if I came back to London to-morrow to find her engaged
to Lord Robert West--a man who, as his brother has no children, might
some day make her a Duchess.

"Sorry to have seemed rude just now, sir," said one of the two
railway-key men, suddenly reminding me of his unnecessary existence.
"Hardly knew what I was about when I shoved you away from the door. Me
and my friend was afraid of missing the train, so we pushed--instinct of
self-preservation, I suppose," and he chuckled as if he had got off some
witticism. "Anyhow, I apologise. Nothing intentional, 'pon my word."

"Thanks. No apology is necessary," I replied as indifferently as I felt.

"That's all right, then," finished the Jewish-faced man, who had spoken.
He turned to his companion, and the two resumed their conversation
behind the newspaper: but I now became conscious that they occasionally
glanced over the top at their neighbour or at me, as if their whole
attention were not taken up with the news of the day.

Any interest they might feel in me, provided it had nothing to do with a
certain pocket, they were welcome to: but the little man was apparently
not of the same mind concerning himself. His nervously twitching hand on
the upholstered seat-arm which separated his place from mine attracted