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Updated: May 3, 2025
I met Ephrinell, Miss Horatia Bluett having retired to her cabin; he was going down into the saloon to find a comfortable corner on one of the couches. I wished him good night, and he left me after gratifying me with a similar wish. As for me, I will wrap myself in my rug and lie down in a corner of the deck, and sleep like a sailor during his watch below. It is only eight o'clock.
"An American minister, and we have the Reverend Nathaniel Morse." "He consents?" "As if he would not! He would marry the whole train if it asked him!" "Bravo, Mr. Ephrinell! A wedding in a train will be delightful." "We should never put off until to-morrow what we can do to-day." "Yes, I know, time is money." "No! Time is time, simply, and I do not care to lose a minute of it."
The commercial town is built on the left of the river a town in the American style, which would please Ephrinell, wide streets straight as a line crossing at right angles; straight boulevards with rows of trees; much bustle and movement among the merchants in Oriental costume, in Jewish costume, merchants of every kind; a number of camels and dromedaries, the latter much in request for their powers of withstanding fatigue and which differ in their hinder parts from their African congeners.
All my numbers are there: 1, Ephrinell, taking his place as usual by the side of 2, Miss Horatia Bluett. The French couple, 4 and 5, are also side by side. Number 3, that is Major Noltitz, is seated in front of numbers 9 and 10, the two Chinese to whom I have just given numbers in my notebook. As to the fat German, number 6, he has already got his long nose into his soup plate.
As to those going through to Pekin, I have no doubt of Ephrinell and Miss Horatia Bluett nor the German baron, nor the two Chinese, nor Major Noltitz, nor the Caternas, nor even for the haughty gentleman whose bony outline I perceive in the corner of the second car. As to these travelers who are not going across the frontier, they are of most perfect insignificance in my eyes.
"And we will do honor to your signatures," said Ephrinell, in the tone of a tradesman accepting a bill. The night came, and we retired, to dream of the marriage festivities of the morrow. I took my usual stroll into the car occupied by the Chinese soldiers, and found the treasure of the Son of Heaven faithfully guarded. Half the detachment were awake and half were asleep.
But then Ephrinell and Miss Bluett are all the time absorbed in their commercial tête-
We return to our occupation, Ephrinell to his accounts, Mrs. Ephrinell to her work. Nothing is changed in the train. There are only two more married people. Major Noltitz, Pan-Chao and I go out and smoke on one of the platforms, leaving to their preparations the Caternas, who seem to be having a sort of rehearsal in their corner. Probably it is the surprise for the evening.
"Breakfast?" say I. "I have had it," he replies. "And your cases?" "I have still twenty-nine to get down to the steamer. But, pardon, I have not a moment to lose. When a man represents the firm of Strong, Bulbul & Co., who send out every week five thousand cases of their goods " "Go, go, Monsieur Ephrinell, we will meet on board. By the by, you have not met our traveling companion?"
It is agreed that as soon as we arrive at Sou-Tcheou, the telegraph being repaired at the same time as the line, I will send off a despatch, which will reveal to the admiration of Europe the brilliant name of Faruskiar. We are seated at the table. Ephrinell has done the thing as well as circumstances permit. In view of the feast, provisions were taken in at Tcharkalyk.
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