on the street corners, all seemed to belong to another existence. She was only conscious of a strong arm guiding her along, a firm shoulder for her to lean against, and a quiet strength that seemed to make up for her own deficiencies.
“Where are we going?” she murmured sleepily.
“To catch the tram, of course. Doctors don’t rise to taxis twice a day in this country, you know.”
“I’m sorry ... I didn’t mean that. The tram’s all right for me as long as we don’t miss it. I don’t think I could walk to St. Anton twice in one day.”
“Lucky for you I’m a bit weary myself, or I’d put you to the test.”
“You’d have to carry me, then.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it. Quick! There’s the tram!”
It was already beginning to move as they pelted down the street toward it. Michael made a leap for the step and then hauled Sonia up beside him. Hanging onto her with one arm, he pushed open the door.
The ticket collector shook his head in despair and made some remark in German that Sonia didn’t quite catch, but it made the other passengers laugh.
Sonia struggled to get her breath back. “What did he say?”
Michael made room for her on the seat beside him. “He says I’ll be needing a doctor myself if I run for trams like that.”
“Ein Ant fur ein Arzt! Sounds silly. Why don’t they just say doctor?”
“Can’t say. I didn’t invent the language. I expect ours came from the French, or did it? I can’t remember. Stop asking big questions at this hour of night. Go to sleep.”
“I can’t. The tram’s wiggling too much,” Sonia protested.
“You mean wriggling, surely?” Michael teased her.
Sonia struggled to keep her eyes open. “We always say wiggling in our family,” she said firmly.
He laughed at that. “So you have a family? I was beginning to think I was entertaining the orphan of the storm.”
“Of course I have a family. I told you!”
“Did you? I don’t remember ... oh yes ... there was something about cruel parents trying to marry you off to a suitable young man. What happened to him, by the way?”
“To who?”
“You should say to whom, but I’ll let you off, considering the hour. The suitable young man, of course.”
“There wasn’t one. I mean they thought he was suitable, but I didn’t.” This was a crazy conversation, but then the past 24 hours had been topsy-turvy, so it didn’t really matter.
“Of course that was most important. Liebchen, I hate to disturb you, but we have to change trams here.”
Sonia stood up unsteadily. “Why does it always sound better in German?”
“What does? Oh, you mean words like dear and darling and little love ... it’s your romantic sense. Remember you’re the silly little goose that thinks a cold in the head is romantic when it’s said in German!”
Sonia nearly fell down the steps in her indignation. “Oh! That’s mean! I never did...”
“Save it. All the passengers think we’re fighting, or are we?” Michael guided her across the tracks toward the other tram.
Sonia stopped suddenly. “Why do we have to change? I thought the late trams went all the way to Igls.”
Michael gave her a little push. “You’ll find out what happens to people who question things at the wrong moment if you don’t get on that tram. They walk!”
“Oh no! I couldn’t I simply couldn’t!”
They sat down side by side on the narrow seat, and Sonia was very conscious of his shoulder pressing against hers. He turned and smiled at her.
“If I hadn’t seen your nearly full glass of wine on the table I’d be suspecting that you’d partaken of too much sweet drink. You’re beginning to babble.”
“Don’t you ever babble? Do you always have to be sensible, to be right?” Sonia heard her own words with a detached sort of astonishment.
His face became serious for a moment. “I was under the impression that I had been babbling for the past half hour. It seems that I was mistaken. Put it down to the fact that I’m
“Where are we going?” she murmured sleepily.
“To catch the tram, of course. Doctors don’t rise to taxis twice a day in this country, you know.”
“I’m sorry ... I didn’t mean that. The tram’s all right for me as long as we don’t miss it. I don’t think I could walk to St. Anton twice in one day.”
“Lucky for you I’m a bit weary myself, or I’d put you to the test.”
“You’d have to carry me, then.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it. Quick! There’s the tram!”
It was already beginning to move as they pelted down the street toward it. Michael made a leap for the step and then hauled Sonia up beside him. Hanging onto her with one arm, he pushed open the door.
The ticket collector shook his head in despair and made some remark in German that Sonia didn’t quite catch, but it made the other passengers laugh.
Sonia struggled to get her breath back. “What did he say?”
Michael made room for her on the seat beside him. “He says I’ll be needing a doctor myself if I run for trams like that.”
“Ein Ant fur ein Arzt! Sounds silly. Why don’t they just say doctor?”
“Can’t say. I didn’t invent the language. I expect ours came from the French, or did it? I can’t remember. Stop asking big questions at this hour of night. Go to sleep.”
“I can’t. The tram’s wiggling too much,” Sonia protested.
“You mean wriggling, surely?” Michael teased her.
Sonia struggled to keep her eyes open. “We always say wiggling in our family,” she said firmly.
He laughed at that. “So you have a family? I was beginning to think I was entertaining the orphan of the storm.”
“Of course I have a family. I told you!”
“Did you? I don’t remember ... oh yes ... there was something about cruel parents trying to marry you off to a suitable young man. What happened to him, by the way?”
“To who?”
“You should say to whom, but I’ll let you off, considering the hour. The suitable young man, of course.”
“There wasn’t one. I mean they thought he was suitable, but I didn’t.” This was a crazy conversation, but then the past 24 hours had been topsy-turvy, so it didn’t really matter.
“Of course that was most important. Liebchen, I hate to disturb you, but we have to change trams here.”
Sonia stood up unsteadily. “Why does it always sound better in German?”
“What does? Oh, you mean words like dear and darling and little love ... it’s your romantic sense. Remember you’re the silly little goose that thinks a cold in the head is romantic when it’s said in German!”
Sonia nearly fell down the steps in her indignation. “Oh! That’s mean! I never did...”
“Save it. All the passengers think we’re fighting, or are we?” Michael guided her across the tracks toward the other tram.
Sonia stopped suddenly. “Why do we have to change? I thought the late trams went all the way to Igls.”
Michael gave her a little push. “You’ll find out what happens to people who question things at the wrong moment if you don’t get on that tram. They walk!”
“Oh no! I couldn’t I simply couldn’t!”
They sat down side by side on the narrow seat, and Sonia was very conscious of his shoulder pressing against hers. He turned and smiled at her.
“If I hadn’t seen your nearly full glass of wine on the table I’d be suspecting that you’d partaken of too much sweet drink. You’re beginning to babble.”
“Don’t you ever babble? Do you always have to be sensible, to be right?” Sonia heard her own words with a detached sort of astonishment.
His face became serious for a moment. “I was under the impression that I had been babbling for the past half hour. It seems that I was mistaken. Put it down to the fact that I’m
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