"GOOD MORNING, Sir," he said, as I boarded a leviathan one day
last week. "What a beautiful morning, isn't it? What can I have the
pleasure of doing for you?" He daftly pulled half-a-dozen tickets from
his stock and permitted me to inspect them.
"Fresh in this morning, Sir," he continued. "White, one penny; a great
many people prefer them because they go well with any colour. For the
blue ones we are asking twopence; they have only the same amount of
information but take you twice as far. Sweet shade, isn't it?" He
stepped back and held one up to the light for my benefit.
"Well, I really only wanted a pennyworth, but I _must_ have one of
the blue ones--they _are_ attractive, as you say. I shall keep it in
memory of you."
"Very good of you, Sir. You won't mind my making a little hole in
it? A mere matter of form; and the bell, which rings to announce the
conclusion of the operation, is, as you will notice, quite musical. A
sovereign? I shall be delighted to change it for you." He gave me the
correct change, bowed, and turned to answer a lady passenger.
"Have we passed Sloane Street?" she had enquired.
"We passed it at least five minutes ago, madam. Were you wishing to
alight there?"
"I was," replied the lady; "but don't trouble--I can walk back."
He was horrified at the thought.
"Certainly not, my dear madam," he protested. Turning to the little
ventilator-window by which he could communicate with the driver, he
rapped. "William," he called, "a lady here desired to get down at
Sloane Street. Do you mind...?"
"Charles," responded the driver, stopping the 'bus, "you know our one
ambition is to please the passengers who so trustfully commit themselves
to our charge. Mingle my regrets with yours, as representing the
Company, that we should have omitted clearly to intimate when we were in
the vicinity of Sloane Street. We will lose no time in correcting the
error."
"William," said Charles, "it is only what I should have expected of
you. It is the least we can do." William turned the 'bus carefully
and ran quickly back, to the admiration of the other passengers, who
murmured unanimous approval of such graceful courtesy.
"This," announced Charles, as we pulled up after a while, having
recovered the lost ground, "is South Kensington Station. We stay here
one full minute for the advantage of any person who wishes to visit
the neighbourhood; after which we shall proceed, if all goes well,
to Putney, taking with us perchance those who have business in that
direction."