THE PORTER (taking compassion on MR. ROBERTS'S inability to continue).
Says he wanted to surprise her.
MR. ROBERTS. Ha--yes, exactly. A little caprice, you know.
THE CONDUCTOR. Well, that may all be so. [MR. ROBERTS continues to
smile in agonized helplessness against THE CONDUCTOR'S injurious tone,
which becomes more and more offensively patronizing.] But _I_ can't do
anything for you. Here are all these people asleep in their berths, and
I can't go round waking them up because you want to surprise your wife.