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If she waited outside the station until it came in, she would be certain to see him. He must speak to her then. This maddening agony of uncertainty and suspense would be over at least. But as she hurried along to the station with the moist west wind in her face, she saw behind those engrossing thoughts the other girl waiting angrily to be released from the pay-box.
Is there any dancin' in this bit, do you know?" "I don't think so," said John. "I've never seen the piece before, but I've read it. I don't think there's any dancing in it!" "And no comic songs?..." "Sure, you'll see for yourself in a wee minute!" John's neighbour considered. "I wonder would they give me my money back if I was to go to the pay-box and let on I was sick!"
A few visitors still fought their way up and down the promenade; and if of a sanguine temperament, they shouted above the wind, as they passed Caroline in the pay-box, that this really ought to blow the cobwebs away! But the furnished houses and apartments near the sea, where a turn-up bed on the landing could not be obtained for love or money six weeks ago, were now mostly empty.
Creddle opened the little door of the pay-box, and let in a blast of air that nearly blew her hat from her head; then she hurried down the wind-swept road in order to get her husband's dinner ready before that already irritated breadwinner should return. But Caroline sat down again on her chair and threw open the little window so that the salt air could blow across her face.
As soon as she could shut up the pay-box she slipped away into the darkness of the promenade, to escape the crowd who went mostly by the high road. A few steps beyond the north exit took her into absolute solitude, but the rain which was already falling quickly made her afraid of venturing far along the slippery path.
She was not conscious of looking at it, but she had a feeling of freshness and consolation of freedom from herself. The truth was that, without knowing it, she had made a friend of the sea. She had done so during all those hours in the pay-box on the promenade when she endured that hard spiritual experience which turns people from children into men and women and the sea remains faithful.
Them that said it was all a tale about her being ill, have only to look at her. Well, good night." Caroline waited a moment, then thrust her head forward and peered round the black space between her and the hall; and as she did so, her likeness to some watching wild creature became intensified. Then she withdrew her head, rose from her seat and came out of the pay-box, looking over her shoulder.
The reserves which so largely direct our lives are lifted, their necessity is past, and in the face of the last act of Nature, Nature asserts herself. Who cares to continue to play a part when the audience has dispersed, the curtain is falling, and the pay-box has put up its shutters? Now, very unexpectedly these two were on the stage again, and each assumed the allotted role.
And all through the long hours, Caroline sat in the pay-box looking out of her little window small, set face, very pale, and bright eyes intently watching like some creature of the wild behind a gap in the thick leafage. Now it was past sunset.
First the man at the pay-box and then the check-taker had looked at him, and now he was being looked at by the people about him. They were both men and girls. Some of the men wore light frock-coats and talked in the slang of the race-course, some of the girls wore noticeable hats and showy flowers in their bosoms and were laughing in loud voices.
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