ains which we carried in the box under our seats. I
began to think perhaps the car _wasn't_ quite so conveniently arranged
for touring as I had fancied, but I'd have died sooner than say
so--then. I pretended that this was a capital opportunity for tea, so
opened the tea-basket, and we had quite a picnic by the roadside while
Rattray fussed with the chain. It wasn't very cold, and I looked forward
to many similar delightful halts in a warmer climate "by the banks of
the brimming Loire," as I put it jauntily to Aunt Mary. But she only
said, "I'm sure I hope so, my dear," in a tone more chilling than the
weather.
It was at least half an hour before Rattray had the chain properly
fixed, and then there was the usual difficulty in starting. Once the
handle flew round and struck him on the back of the hand. He yelled,
kicked one of the wheels, and went to the grassy side of the road, where
in the dusk I could dimly see him holding his hand to his mouth and
rocking backwards and forwards. He did look so like a distracted goblin
that I could hardly steady my voice to ask if he was much hurt. "Nearly
broke my hand, that's all, miss," he growled. At last he flew at the
terrible handle again, managed to start the motor, and we were off.
Going up a hill in a town that Rattray said was called Lewes, I noticed
that the car didn't seem to travel with its customary springy vigour.
"Loss of power," Rattray jerked at me over his shoulder when I
questioned him as to what was the matter, and there I had to leave it,
wondering vaguely what he meant. I think he lost the way in Lewes (it
was now quite dark, with no stars); anyhow, we made many windings, and
at last came out into a plain between dim, chalky hills, with a shining
river faintly visible. Aunt Mary had relapsed into expressive silence;
the car seemed to crawl like a wounded thing; but at last we got to
Newhaven pier, and had our luggage carried on board the boat. Rattray
was to follow with the car in the cargo-boat. So ended the "lesson for
the first day"--a ten-hour lesson--and I felt sadder as well as wiser
for it.
Aunt Mary went to sleep as soon as we got on the boat; but I was so
excited at the thought of seeing France that I stayed on deck, wrapped
in the warm coat I'd bought for the car. We had a splendid crossing,
and as we got near Dieppe I could see chalk cliffs and a great gaunt
crucifix on the pier leading into the harbour. It seemed as if I were in
a dream when I
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