SeegPeopleoff
麦克斯·毕尔勃姆/MaxBeerboh
Ianotgoodatit.Todoitwellseestooneoftheostdiff？icultthgstheworld，andprobablyseessotoyou，too.
ToseeafriendofffroWaterlootoVauxhallwereeasyenough.Butwearenevercalledontoperforthatsallfeat.Itisonlywhenafriendisgogonalongishjourney，andwillbeabsentforanguishti，thatweturnupattherailwaystation.Thedearerthefriendandthelohejourney，andthelohelikelyabsentratiototheserionessoftheoasion，andtothedepthofourfeelg.
Inaroo，orevenonadoorstep，weesthegenuesorrowwefeel.Nordowordsfail.Thereisnoawkwardness，rat，oherside.Thethreadofourtiacyhasnotbeensheleave-takgisanidealone.Whynot，then，leavetheleave-takgatthat？Always，departgfriendsiplorenottobothertoetotherailwaystatio.Always，wearedeaftotheseeies，knogthetobenotquitescere.Thedepartgfriendswouldthkitveryoddofifwetooktheattheirword.Besides，theyreallydowanttoseeaga.Andthatwishisheartilyreciprocated.Wedulyturnup.Andthen，ohthen，whatagulfyawns！Westretchourarsvalyacrossit.Wehaveutterlylosttouch.Wehavenothgatalltosay.Wegazeateachotherasdubanialsgazeathuanbegs.We“akeion”—andsuversation！Weknowthatthesefriendsarethefriendsfrowhowepartedht.Theyknowthatwehavenotaltered.Yet，onthesurface，everythgisdifferent；andthetensionissuchthatweonlylongfortheguardtoblowhiswhistleandputaothefarce.
OnaldgreyofstweekIdulyturnedupatEton，toseeoffanoldfriendwhowasstartgforArica.
ht，wehadgivenhiafarewelldner，whichsadnesswaswellgledwithfestivity.Yearsprobablywouldepsebeforehisreturn.Soofightneverseehiaga.Notigntheshadowofthefuture，wegailycelebratedthepast.Wewereasthankfultohaveknowasweweregrievedtolosehi；andboththeseeotionswereadea.Iterfectfarewell.
Andnow，herewewere，stiffandself-nscioofor；andfradthedowoftherailway-carriagewasthefaceofourfriend；butitwasasthefaceofastranger—astrangeranxiotoplease，anappealgstranger，anawkwardstranger.“Haveyougoteverythg？”askedoneof，breakgasilence.“Yes，everythg，”aidourfriend，withapleasantnod.“Everythg，”herepeated，withtheephasisofaybra.“You’llbeabletora，”saidI，thoughtheprophecyhadalreadybeenadeorethanonce.“Oh，yes，”hesaidwithnvi.HeaddedthatthetrawentstraightthroughtoLiverpool.Thisfactseedtostrikeasratherodd.Weexgedgnces.“Doesn’titsatCrewe？”askedoneof.“No，”saidourfriend，brief？ly.Heseedalostdisagreeable.Therewasalongpae.Oneof，withanodandaforcedsileatthetraveler，said“Well！”Thenod，thesileandtheunangonosylble，werereturnedioly.Anotherpaewasbrokenbyoneofwithaf？itofughg.Itwasanobviolyassudf？it，butitservedtopasstheti.Thebtleoftheptforwasunabated.Therewasnosignofthetra’sdeparture.Release—ours，andourfriend’s—wasnotyet.
Mywandergeyealightedonaratherportlyiddle-agedanwhowastalkgearlyfrotheptfortoayoungdyatthedowbutooours.Hisf？eprof？ilewasvaguelyfailiarto.TheyoungdywasevidentlyAri，andhewasevidentlyEnglish；otherwiseIshouldhaveguessedfrohisipressiveairthathewasherfather.IwishedIuldhearwhathewassayg.Iwassurehewasgivgtheverybestadvice；andthestrongtendernessofhisgazewasreallybeautiful.Heseedagiedit？
Inaf？shIrebered.TheanwasHubertLeRos.ButhowgedscestIsawhi！Thatwassevenhtyearsago，theStrand.Hewasthen(asual)outofane，andborrowedhalf-a-.Itseedaprivilegetolendanythgtohi.Hewasalwaysagitor，andaanofsoberhabit.But，likeanyothersofhiskd，HubertLeRos(Idonot，ofurse，givetheactualnabywhichhewasknown)driftedspeedilyawaytotheprovces；andI，likeeveryoneelse，ceasedtoreberhi.