Why they were doing this B. did not seem able to explain very
clearly. He said that, if he recollected rightly, the guard had
told them to get into a first-class, or else they had not had time
to get into a second-class, or else they did not know they were not
in a second-class. I must confess his explanation appeared to me to
be somewhat lame.
Anyhow, there they were in a first-class carriage; and there was the
collector at the door, looking indignantly at their second-class
tickets, and waiting to hear what they had to say for themselves.
One of their party did not know much German, but what little he did
know he was very proud of and liked to air; and this one argued the
matter with the collector, and expressed himself in German so well
that the collector understood and disbelieved every word he said.
He was also, on his part, able, with a little trouble, to understand
what the collector said, which was that he must pay eighteen marks.
And he had to.
As for the other three, two at all events of whom were excellent
German scholars, they did not understand anything, and nobody could
make them understand anything.
