Читать книгу The Workers: An Experiment in Reality. The West онлайн

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My hat was off at once.

“It will give me great pleasure to show you the way,” I replied, and not waiting for a refusal, I set off with, “Won’t you follow me, pray?” over my shoulder.

At the curb of the first crossing I waited for her.

“Keep close to me,” I said, “and I’ll see you safe across the street.” But I ignored the parcels, which were once more awry. On the opposite pavement she stopped.

“Would you mind holding my bag,” she asked, “while I get a better grip on these bundles?” I accepted the bag with an assurance of the pleasure that it gave me. It was soon followed by a parcel, the largest and most unwieldy of the lot. She finished adjusting the others, and then extended her free hand for the remaining parcel.

“We’ll carry this between us,” I said, “and I’ll walk with you to the place.”

Without a word of demur she took firm hold of the stout twine with which the parcel was tied, and thus linked we set off together down Randolph Street to La Salle. Conversation was nearly impossible, for we were edging our way for the most part along crowded pavements.